Urid dal

I have tried over many years to master the art of making dosas and idlis, but without much success. However, I do used urid dal as a basis for many dal or dal-and-rice-based curries. It is a delicious little lentil that acts as a spice as much as a staple.

Wash Urid Dal thorughly. Boil in 2 parts of water in a cooker, In a separate pot put some Ghee or Oil,add asafotida (hing),cumin seeds, tumeric powder,green chillies,once sizzling,add boiled urid dal, add salt to taste. let it simmer for 5 mins. finally finish off with fresh chopped coriander leaves,

I just uncovered another recipe that looks like that crossover of exciting and comforting -- http://www.food52.com/recipes/8539_pakistanistyle_white_lentils_with_a_sizzling_oil_garnish
In the comments she has another take on the recipe. Hope you're making headway!

Thank you both - everyone's generosity and ideas are fantastic.

from Urad dal we can make lotsa of stuff. The most common ones are mentioned by lot of foodies above like dosa (Savory crepes), idlis (Fluffly ) , then there is uttapam . I have two more dishes to share which is (Dahi Bhalla) Dahi means Yogurt and bhalla are deep dried savory doughnuts. Its usually served cold and its a make ahead dish. Another dish that I like, is a simple breakfast dish called "Upma". Please check out my recipes of both of these dishes in my recipe section . Both are easy to cook .
Happy Cooking!

I make the Breakfast Dal from food52 all the time, usually for dinner. Doesn't call for urad dal but works with it.
http://www.food52.com/recipes/10462_morning_breakfast_dal
Also Antonia James White Urad Dal with Cashews
http://www.food52.com/recipes/9037_white_urad_dal_with_cashews_and_cumin
You wouldn't think it from her name, but she makes dynamite Indian food.
Pauljoseph you already have above.

Thank you, pauljoseph.

You can make iddly,dosa with Urid dal etc http://indiankeralafood.blogspot.com/2010/01/blog-post.html

Thank you, susan g. Great to know. At 4# for $1.75 and a tablespoon here and there, it's looking like a long trip to the bottom of the bag.

I recently took out a bag of whole urad dal that I bought in the late 70's. I cooked some, hoping it wasn't going to be one of those 'beans that are too old and never get cooked' -- and it cooked up just like it ought to. (Thinking about how long it might take to go through your supply)

Ohhhhhhhhhhhh.........

a bucketload of possibilities..(u're welcome to picture me gleefully rubbing my palms with a halloweenish grin!!)
http://www.panfusine.com/2010/05/waffling-around-pictorial.html for starters..
2. Toast a tablespoon of the urad till lightly golden ( the aroma is so meaty, It somehow always reminds me of grilled fish!) & separately toast a tbsp of sesame seeds and 1 arbol chile (deseeded) till the sesame is golden & the chile is a reddish brown., add salt to taste & grind up to a fine-ish powder.
fluff up ~ 1- 1.5 cups of cooked basmati, drizzle with warm sesame oil or melted ghee, and add this sesame urad powder along with some caramelized onions & other sauteed/grilled vegetables...

Wow, Susan, thank you so much for sharing your mom's recipes. And thank you for the translation, Plateful. You've all helped me tremendously, thank you!

Dosa and idli are basically Indian pancakes made from the same ingredients. Idlis are steamed fluffy pancakes that look like flying saucers. Dosa on the other hand is a thin and crispy.

Urad dal is also used as a seasoning to add a bit of crunch to stir-fries or salad. All you need to do is toss it in a bit of fat for 15 seconds and voila! Hope this helps.

You are in for a serious treat!

As other folks have mentioned, urid/urad dhal (potato/po-tah-toe - take your pick) is widely used in South India. It's a key ingredient in savory crepes (dosas) and spongy buns (idli). In both dishes, urad dhal is ground with rice and left to ferment.

You can use urad dhal in smaller quantities to flavor oil for stir-fried vegetables. It produces a welcoming aroma,akin to toast or freshly popped corn. In Kerala, this type of stir-fry is referred to as a thoran.

Here are links to my mom's recipes for spinach and cabbage thoran.

http://cardamomkitchen.blogspot.com/2009/04/spinach-thoran.html

http://cardamomkitchen.blogspot.com/search/label/Cabbage

Be watchful as you toast the urad dhal. It burns easily.

Cheers,
Susan
www.cardamomkitchen.blogspot.com

Thanks, sdb and sg. I'll check on them both. Yes, susan g, they're skinned & split. I grabbed them because I had no idea what they were, and knew they would open some new doors.

If you search dosa and idli here, both recipes and foodpickle, you'll find more. And skim over recipes from Panfusine and pauljoseph... I think we're assuming that you have the skinned and split -- it's also available as whole; and also spelled urad. Maybe this will open up a delicious whole new world view for you!

Check out this question from pauljoseph I think urad dal ia mentioned along with some uses: Wonder if urad and urid are the same?
http://www.food52.com/foodpickle/7916-have-you-tried-making-idli-dosa-or-uttappam-in-u-s

Thank you, Mirchi Chef. That sounds wonderful. How much water to how much dal?

Thank you, Plateful. I'll take a look at these right away. In the meantime, I apologize for the fact that my Hindi is a bit lacking. Could you please translate dosa and idli for me?

It is used in Pakistani cooking as a dry daal. You cook it until all of the water evaporates. Garlic, ginger, green chilies, tomato, cilantro, coriander powder, red chili, cumin powder, black pepper and salt to taste. Enjoy with roti, a Pakistani flat bread:)

Urad dal is used a lot in Indian cuisine, particularly in South Indian cuisine. We make the classic dosa and idli with it. It is also used in stir fries for a bit of crunch. Here are my recipes, if you are interested:

Cabbage stir fry: http://nashplateful.blogspot.com/2011/03/cabbage-stir-fry-cabbage-upperi.html

Dosa: http://nashplateful.blogspot.com/2011/02/crispy-savory-rice-pancakes-with-potato.html

Idli:http://nashplateful.blogspot.com/2011/02/fluffy-rice-pancakes-idlis.html