This Punjabi-style Maa Chole Ki Dal is satisfying, comforting, wholesome, and delicious with a creamy texture! It comprises whole black lentils, split chickpeas, spices, and herbs.
Maa Chole Ki Dal is nutty, moderately spicy, and very flavorful. I am sharing the recipe without onion and garlic, but it is super delicious. It pairs very well with either Indian flatbread or rice.
What is Maa Chole Ki Dal
Maa, or Maah, refers to black urad dal (black lentils), and chole is chana dal or split chickpeas. This dal is a combination of these two lentils; hence, it is known as Maa Chole Ki Dal. It is also known as Punjabi Maa Chole Di Dal or Langar Wali Dal. Combining these two lentils gives this dal a unique taste, texture, and appearance.
Comforting and Delicious Maa Chole Ki Dal
Whenever I plan to make an easy, quick, and comforting meal, the first thing that comes to my mind is making Dal. Various types of Dal dishes are prepared in Indian homes; my home is no exception.
Maa Chole Ki Dal is super delicious, with a creamy texture and many flavors. The beauty of this dal is in its simplicity. It requires a few ingredients but turns out very comforting, satisfying, and lip-smacking.
We do not need to add butter or cream to make this dal rich and creamy. The creaminess comes from the urad dal itself. At the same time, chana dal provides a thickness and a deliciously nutty taste.
Ghee provides a pleasant and satisfying aroma and taste to the dish. So, if you are not following a dairy-free diet, I highly recommend using ghee instead of oil. It is also better to add ghee than butter.
The other secret of the recipe is to cook the dal for longer with spices. I like to cook it for at least 25-30 minutes. More prolonged cooking will provide richness, creaminess, and a delicious taste to the dal. So while making this dal, do not rush; cook it on low heat for longer, stirring often.
Why You Will Love This Dal
- Maa Chole Ki Dal is easy and straightforward to make.
- It is light, comforting, and satisfying.
- The dal is creamy, delicious, and flavorful.
- It is healthy, vegetarian, and can easily be made vegan.
- The recipe does not require butter or cream.
- This dal is protein-packed and nutrient-dense.
Ingredients and Notes
- Whole Black Urad Dal: This dal is also known as Maa ki dal or Kali dal. I have used whole urad dal for this recipe. We must soak the lentils for at least 7-8 hours or overnight. Urad dal is a rich source of protein, and it is loaded with many health benefits. Check out the Dal Makhani No Onion No Garlic recipe made with whole black urad dal.
- Chana Dal: This dal is closely related to the chickpea family. It is packed with protein and helps reduce cholesterol levels in the bloodstream. It is also suitable for diabetic patients. Check out this wholesome Chana Dal Fry No Onion No Garlic recipe.
- Ghee: Ghee provides a delicious aroma and taste to the dal. But if you follow a vegan diet, use oil instead of ghee.
- Spices: All we need are pantry staple spices. I have added turmeric powder, asafoetida, red chili powder, coriander powder, and garam masala. You can adjust the seasonings according to your taste preferences. Also, add green chilis depending on how spicy you want the dal. Do not skip ginger; it provides a delicious taste to the dal.
- Herbs: Coriander leaves and Kasoori Methi provide earthy flavors.
How To Make Maa Chole Ki Dal
Preparations
- Wash urad dal and chana dal thoroughly until the water runs clear.
- Then, soak them together in water for at least 8 hours or overnight.
Cooking Dal
- Drain the water from the soaked lentils and transfer them into a pressure cooker.
- Using a mortar and pestle, crush the ginger and green chili coarsely.
- Add crushed ginger, chili, turmeric powder, salt, bay leaf, and water to the pressure cooker.
- Stir well and cover the lid.
- Cook the dal for 5-7 whistles or until thoroughly cooked.
- Let the pressure release naturally, and then open the lid.
- Remove the bay leaf from the dal.
- Then, using a potato masher, mash the dal a few times.
- The chana dal should be mashed completely, and the urad dal will still be chunky.
Making Maa Chole Ki Dal
- Heat ghee in a pan and add cumin seeds.
- Instead of ghee, you can also use oil for a dairy-free diet.
- Once cumin seeds start to sizzle, add asafoetida and chopped ginger.
- Mix well and saute for a few seconds.
- Then add chopped tomatoes, mix well, and cook for a minute.
- Add garam masala, coriander powder, and red chili powder.
- Mix well and continue cooking until tomatoes are soft and mushy.
- Now, add cooked and mashed dal and stir well.
- Cook the dal on low-medium heat, stirring often.
- You can keep the dal a little thicker or thinner, according to your preference. Add water as required to adjust the consistency.
- For a rich and creamy texture, continue cooking dal on low-medium heat for at least 20-25 minutes.
- Stir the dal at regular intervals. The more you cook it on low heat, the creamier it will be.
- Finally, taste the dal and add salt as required.
- Then add Kasoori Methi and chopped coriander leaves. Mix well.
- Turn off the heat and transfer the dal into a serving bowl.
Serving Suggestions
Serve Maa Chole Ki Dal with your choice of Indian flatbread. We like this dal with Roti, but it also tastes fantastic with Naan.
Serve the dal with plain or Jeera Rice for a comforting and light meal.
If you want to serve this lentil preparation as a soup, add more water to thin out the consistency and adjust the seasonings accordingly.
Also, for a larger meal, you can have this Dal as a side dish with vegetable curry or Paneer Curry of your choice.
Suitable For Special Diets
No Onion No Garlic: As you know, all of my recipes do not contain onion or garlic, and hence, this dal does not contain them. However, it is full of flavors and very delicious. So, whether you consume onion and garlic or not, this dal is a must-try recipe.
Vegan Recipe: This Maa Chole Ki Dal is power-packed with plant-based protein and other nutrients. To make it vegan, use oil instead of ghee.
Jain Recipe: This dal is a no-onion, no-garlic recipe and is perfect for the Jain diet. I have used fresh ginger in the recipe, but you can skip the ginger to make it strict Jain food. And if you wish, you can use dried ginger powder instead.
Helpful Tips For Maa Chole Ki Dal
Urad Dal: Instead of whole black urad dal, you can use split black urad dal. And then, you will need to soak both lentils for only an hour. So if you forget to soak the dal in advance, you can still make this delicious dal with split lentils.
Spices: Adjust the spice level of dal by adding less or more green chili and red chili powder.
Consistency: The dal should not be too runny or too thick. So, add water accordingly while cooking.
More Lentil Preparations
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Recipe Card
Maa Chole Ki Dal (No Onion No Garlic)
Video
Ingredients
For Cooking The Dal
- ¾ cup whole black urad dal (whole black gram lentils)
- ¼ cup Chana dal (split chickpeas)
- Salt to taste
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1- inch ginger peeled
- 1-2 green chilis
- 1 bay leaf
- 2½ cups water
For Maa Chole Ki Dal
- 2 tablespoon ghee (or oil for a vegan diet)
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- ¼ teaspoon asafoetida/Hing
- ½- inch ginger peeled and finely chopped
- 1 large tomato finely chopped
- ¼ teaspoon garam masala or to taste
- 2 teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder or to taste
- Salt to taste
- ½ teaspoon Kasoori Methi/dried fenugreek leaves
- 2 tablespoon finely chopped coriander leaves
Instructions
Preparations
- Wash urad dal and chana dal thoroughly until water runs clear. Then, soak them together in water for at least 8 hours or overnight.
Cooking Dal
- Drain the water from the soaked lentils and transfer them into a pressure cooker.
- Using a mortar and pastel, crush the ginger and green chili coarsely.
- Add crushed ginger and chili, turmeric powder, salt, bay leaf, and water to the pressure cooker. Stir well and cover the lid. Cook the dal for 5-7 whistles or until thoroughly cooked.
- Let the pressure release naturally, and then open the lid. Remove the bay leaf from the dal, and using a potato masher, mash the dal for few times. The chana dal should be mashed completely, and the urad dal will still be chunky.
Making Maa Chole Ki Dal
- Heat ghee in a pan and add cumin seeds. Once they start to sizzle, add asafoetida and chopped ginger. Mix well and saute for a few seconds.
- Then add chopped tomatoes, mix well and cook for a minute.
- Add garam masala, coriander powder, and red chili powder. Mix well and continue cooking until tomatoes are soft and mushy.
- Now, add cooked and mashed dal and stir well. Cook the dal on low-medium heat, stirring often.
- You can keep the dal a little thicker or thinner as your preference. So add water as required to adjust the consistency.
- Continue cooking dal on low-medium heat for at least 20-25 minutes for a rich and creamy texture. Make sure to stir the dal at regular intervals. The more you cook the dal on low heat, the creamier it will be.
- Finally, taste the dal and add salt as required. Then add Kasoori Methi and chopped coriander leaves. Mix well.
- Turn off the heat and transfer the dal into a serving bowl.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve Maa Chole Ki Dal with your choice of Indian flatbread. We like to have this dal with Roti. It tastes fantastic with Naan too.
- Serve the dal with plain rice or Jeera Rice for a comforting and light meal.
- If you want to have this lentil preparation as a soup, add more water to thin out the consistency. And adjust the seasonings accordingly.
- Also, you can have this Dal as a side dish with vegetable curry or Paneer Curry of your choice for a larger meal.
Notes
- Black Urad Dal: Instead of whole black urad dal, you can use split black urad dal. And then, you will need to soak both the lentils for only an hour. So if you forget to soak the dal in advance, you can still make this delicious dal with split lentils.
- Spices: Adjust the spice level of dal by adding less or more green chili and red chili powder.
- Consistency: The dal should not be too runny or too thick. So, add water accordingly while cooking.
Anonymous says
Hi Can you use instant pot for this? thanks
Jigna says
Hi, yes, you can use the instant pot for this.
Kelly says
Hi , how long would I cook dals in a 6 quart Instant Pot? And would I use the same amount of water ?
Thanks ☺️
Jigna says
Hi Kelly, cook the dals on a manual high or pressure cook high for 20 minutes, followed by a quick or natural release. Add 3 to 3½ cups of water.