Biulir Dal (Kolai Dal / Urad Dal / Split Black Gram - Bong Style)

 

          A very popular Dal recipe among the Bengalis is this very special Biulir Dal, which is nothing but our very own split black gram lentil. It is a great comfort food and if paired with some aloo bhaja (fried potatoes) and a dash of lime, is simply out of this world. So check out the step by step guide pictorial recipe to prepare it.

          In this recipe, I first dry roasted the lentil to bring out the nutty flavour and to remove the slimy texture. This is my version where I boiled it along with some ginger, green chilies, turmeric powder and mustard oil. I then gave a tempering of panch phoron and finishing it off with some roasted cumin powder, ghee and coriander leaves. 

• 1/2 cup urad dal (split black gram)
• 1" ginger, grated
• 2-3 green chilies, slit
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 2-3 tbsp. mustard oil
• 1 dry red chili
• 1 tsp. panch phoron (equal quantities of fennel, mustard, cumin, fenugreek & nigella seeds)
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida 
• 1 onion, chopped
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. ghee (clarified butter)
• 1/2 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves

          Dry roast the moong dal till light brown. Soak it for 30 minutes. Wash and rinse well. 

         Boil the dal with ginger, turmeric powder, green chilies. 1 tsp. oil and 1 & 1/2 cups water for 4-5 whistles. Give it a whisk.

          Heat remaining oil in a pan and temper with dry red chili and panch phoron. 

          After it stops spluttering, add asafoetida and onion. Sauté till light brown in colour.

          Add the boiled dal and salt. Simmer on a low flame for 2-3 minutes. 

          When done, add chopped coriander leaves, roasted cumin powder and ghee.

          Serve with steamed rice or chapatti for a wholesome comfort meal. 

Dry roast the moong dal till light brown. 

                                    Soak the dal for 30 minutes. 

Boil the dal with ginger, turmeric powder, green chilies, 1 tsp. oil & 1 & 1/2 

cups water for 4-5 whistles.

                                   The boiled dal.

                          Give it a whisk.

        Heat remaining oil & temper with dry red chili & panch phoron. 

After it stops spluttering, add asafoetida & onion. Sauté till light brown.

        Add the boiled dal & salt. Simmer on a low flame for 2-3 minutes. 

    When done, add chopped coriander leaves, roasted cumin powder

                           and ghee.

Serve with steamed rice or chapatti for a wholesome comfort meal. 

Seaweed & Urad Dal Pakora

           Seaweed contains a lot of nutrients, minerals, iodine, calcium, is low in calories and helps in purifying the blood. It is widely used in Japanese, Korean and Chinese cuisine. So if possible, it should definitely be included in our diet.     

          As I had some leftover seaweed sheets (after making soup out of it few days back), I decided to make use of them. Was pondering as to what I should dish out with it and ultimately went in for these easy and quick pakoras. 

          I also added some soaked and ground urad dal, onion, ginger, green chilies and some dry spices. They turned out real yummy and went well with some green and sweet tamarind chutney as an appetizer. They can also be relished as a tea time snack. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 1/4 cup urad dal (split black gram), soaked for 2 hours (makes 20 small pakoras)
• 5 small seaweed sheets (You can add more if you wish)
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1-2 green chilies, chopped
• 1" ginger, grated
• 2 tbsp. mint-coriander leaves, chopped
• salt to taste 
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp. roasted chickpea flour 
• 1 tsp. flaxseed (opt)
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• oil to deep fry

          Coarsely grind the soaked dal with very less water. Mix along with the remaining ingredients (except oil) and keep aside for 10-15 minutes.

          Make small equal sized balls. Heat oil in a pan and deep fry them in batches till light golden  in color. 

          Drain on a kitchen towel and serve with any chutney as an appetizer or as a tea time snack. 

                      I have used these small seaweed sheets. You can also use larger ones.

                      Mix ground dal with remaining ingredients (except oil) & keep aside
                      for 10-15 minutes.

                      Make small equal sized balls. Heat oil & deep fry them in batches till
                      light golden in colour. 

                  Drain on a kitchen towel .

                            Serve with any chutney as an appetizer or as a tea time snack. 

Stuffed Urad Dal Parathas (Stuffed Black Gram Flat Bread)

          Stuffed Parathas are a perfect breakfast dish, which can be made out of any veggie, paneer or lentils. So try it with urad dal (split black gram lentil) next time. Simple to make and healthy at the same time, enjoy them hot with any side dish, pickles, yoghurt or butter. So check out 
the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it. 

• 1 & 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (atta)
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. oil to knead
• 1/3 cup urad dal, soaked for 2-3 hours
• 1 tbsp. oil 
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• pinch of asafoetida
• 1 tsp. sesame seeds
• 1 tsp. ginger, grated
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1/2 tsp. red chili flakes
• oil to shallow fry
• yoghurt, pickle, any side dish or butter to serve

          Grind the soaked dal with very less water into a smooth paste. Knead a dough with atta, salt to taste, 1 tsp oil and sufficient water. Leave aside for 30 minutes and then divide into 6 equal portions.

          Heat 1 tbsp. oil and temper with cumin seeds and asafoetida. Saute for a few seconds and then add the sesame seeds, followed by the ginger. Fry till light brown.

          Add the ground paste and red chili flakes. Combine everything well and continue to fry on a medium flame till the mix comes together into a mass. Set aside to cool and then divide into 6 equal portions.

          Roll out each portion into a small circle just like a poori and place a portion of the stuffing in the centre. Close all edges and flatten it.

          Roll out into a bigger circle by dusting some flour. Make similar parathas with the remaining dough and the dal stuffing.

          Heat a tawa and shallow fry the parathas one at a time. Drizzle some oil over and around the edges and fry them on both sides till light golden in colour. Serve them hot with any side dish, pickle, butter or yoghurt.

                                Grind soaked dal with very less water into a smooth paste. 

                                Heat 1 tbsp. oil & temper with cumin seeds & asafoetida.

                                 Add sesame seeds, 

                                followed by ginger. Fry till light brown.

                     Add ground paste & red chili flakes. Mix well & fry till the mix comes 
                     together into a mass. 

                                Set aside to cool & then divide into 6 equal portions.

                               Divide the dough & the stuffing into 6 equal portions.

                   Roll out each portion into a small circle just like a poori. Place a portion of
                   the stuffing in the centre.

                                Close all edges & flatten it.

                                Roll out into a bigger circle by dusting some flour. 

                       Make similar parathas with remaining dough & the dal stuffing.

                    Heat a tawa & shallow fry the parathas one at a time. Drizzle some oil 
                    over & around the edges & fry till light golden in colour. 

                               Serve them hot with any side dish, pickle, butter or yoghurt.

Roasted Urad Dal Fry

           If you have got tired of having only tuvar, moong, chana and masoor dal, then do try this roasted urad dal fry for a change. I do sometimes go in for this type of dal which can be enjoyed with rice or chapattis. It simply turns out delicious and wholesome. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 1/2 cup split urad dal (Black Gram), dry roasted & soaked in water for 30 minutes
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger, grated
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 2 tbsp. mustard oil + 1 tsp. 
• 1 tsp. panch phoron (equal quantities of fennel, fenugreek, cumin, mustard & nigella seeds)
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. ghee (clarified butter)
• 1-2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped

          Pressure cook the roasted urad dal in 1 & 1/2 cups water, onion, green chilies, turmeric powder, ginger and 1 tsp. oil for 4-5 whistles. Whisk slightly and keep aside.

         Heat oil in a pan and temper with panch phoron and asafoetida. After it stops spluttering, add the ginger-garlic paste. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Add the boiled dal and salt to taste. Simmer on a medium flame for 2-3 minutes. Add ghee and coriander leaves. Mix well and switch of the flame. Serve with rice or chapatis. 

                                Dry roast lentil & soak for 30 minutes.

                      Pressure cook roasted urad dal in 1 & 1/2 cups water, onion, green
                      chilies, turmeric powder, ginger & 1 tsp. oil for 4-5 whistles. Whisk
                      slightly & keep aside.

                                Heat oil & temper with panch phoron & asafoetida. 

                   After it stops spluttering, add ginger-garlic paste. Sauté for a few seconds.

                    Add boiled dal & salt to taste. Simmer on a medium flame for 2-3 min. 

                              Add ghee & coriander leaves. Mix well & switch of the flame.

                                  Serve with rice or chapatis.