Legume
Urad dal
उड़द दाल
Also called black gram, white lentils, split black gram, ulundu, Vigna mungo
Black gram, a small bean related to the mung bean. Whole it is black; skinned, whole or split, it is chalky white. Soaked and ground, it whips into a light, sticky batter that traps air and ferments well.
Origin
Domesticated in India and still grown mostly there and in Myanmar. It is the backbone of South Indian idli and dosa batters, and the whole black bean is the base of Punjabi dal makhani.
Flavour
Mild, earthy and slightly nutty. Cooked whole it is creamy and rich; in a fermented batter it is almost neutral and tastes mostly of the ferment.
How to use it
For idli and dosa, buy skinned white urad (whole gota or split), soak it four to six hours and grind it with cold water until fluffy. A spoon of the split dal fried in oil also goes into South Indian temperings for crunch.
Storage
Keeps a year in an airtight jar in a cool cupboard. Old dal grinds less fluffy, so buy it from a shop with turnover.
