Dishoom's House Black Daal recipe (2024)

Update

Instructions to make Dishoom's garam masala have been added to the recipe (see the notes section).

Dishoom have released a short video where their head chef, Naved Nasir, makes the Dishoom Black Daal. Be sure to watch it - I didn't realise that the tomato-spice paste needs thinning with water (I don't think it matters if you skip this step) and I always wondered why my daal wasn't as intensely red as the picture in the book. It turns out Naved's daal isn't either - it's more of a creamy, golden brown.

I've experimented with making this recipe in an Instant Pot.

Dishoom's House Black Daal is the most decadent and indulgent daal I’ve ever tasted. It takes an awful lot of time to cook; more time, I think, than is outlined in the original recipe but it’s absolutely worth the effort. I’ve cooked a few different black daals and have always found that whole black lentils (urad dal) take ages to soften. I try to pre-soak them the night before to give them a head start.

The first time I made this dish I didn’t read the ingredients list properly and used salted butter in addition to the added salt. I had to cook an extra batch of plain split black lentils to save the dish. If you only have salted butter then reduce the amount of fine sea salt to 4g and taste before adding more.

I didn’t have garlic and ginger paste so I weighed my garlic cloves and knob of ginger instead. As a very rough guideline, 12g of garlic is about 4 cloves and 10g of ginger is around a heaped tablespoon. If in doubt it can't hurt to use more.

Notes

Garam masala

I hadn't considered making Dishoom's garam masala until someone got in touch to recommend it. He said that it made the daal taste monumentally better and he's right. Many thanks, Shaun.

I ordered rose petals from Ocado and bought a spice mill as I was given strict instructions not to use the coffee grinder.

Dishoom's notes say that the oven method takes longer than the pan method but yields a "richer, fuller flavour". And:

"For an especially rich garam masala, add a large pinch of saffron and grated nutmeg along with the poppy seeds and rose petals."

It's a lot of effort for the ⅓ of a teaspoon that's needed but it smells wonderful while it cooks and can be used in other dishes.

Other notes

"When reheating any leftover daal (well, one can but hope!), you may need to add a little more liquid; use cream and water, rather than water alone."

If you have an Instant Pot or pressure cooker, I'd recommend using it to cook the lentils. You don't need to soak them and it speeds up the cooking time considerably. Cook the lentils for 30 minutes on the 'high' setting and start the recipe from step 4. You can also cook the entire dish in an Instant Pot.

Recipe credit

Dishoom: From Bombay with Love (affiliate link).

Advertisem*nt

Recipe

  • Prep15m
  • Stand15m
  • Cook5h
  • Total5h 30m
Serves: 8

Ingredients

House black daal

  • 300g whole black urad daal
  • 12g garlic paste (roughly 4 cloves)
  • 10g ginger paste (roughly 1 heaped tablespoon)
  • 70g tomato purée
  • 8g fine sea salt
  • ⅔ tsp deggi mirch chilli powder (or ⅓ tsp normal chilli powder)
  • ⅓ tsp garam masala
  • 90g unsalted butter
  • 90ml double cream

Garam masala

  • 1 black cardamom pod
  • 4 cloves
  • 5g black peppercorns
  • 2 large cinnamon sticks
  • 10g coriander seeds
  • 5g cumin seeds
  • 4g fennel seeds
  • 2g star anise
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 2g mace blades
  • 10g poppy seeds
  • 2g dried rose petals (I used Bart)
  • large pinch of saffron (optional)
  • grated nutmeg (optional)

Method

Dishoom's house black daal

  1. If possible, soak 300g of urad daal in cold, salted water overnight. If you don’t have time to soak, pour the daal into a large bowl, cover with water and whisk for 10 seconds. Let the daal settle then pour out the water and repeat 3 or 4 times until the water runs clear.
  2. Tip the daal into a large saucepan (I use a 6 litre pan) and pour in at least 4 litres of cold water. Bring to a boil and cook for 2-3 hours, skimming off any scum that forms on the surface of the water. Keep the grains well covered, topping up with more boiling water as needed.
  3. Once the daal grains are soft, with the skins falling off and the white insides feeling creamy, not crumbly when you pinch a grain between your fingers, turn off the heat and let the pan sit for 15 minutes.
  4. In a small bowl, mix 12g of garlic paste (roughly 4 cloves), 10g of ginger paste (roughly 1 heaped tablespoon), 70g of tomato purée, 8g of fine sea salt, ⅔ teaspoon of chilli powder and ⅓ teaspoon of garam masala into a paste.
  5. Pour away the cooking water from the daal and top up with enough freshly boiled water to cover the daal by around 3-4cm. Bring to a boil then add the paste from the small bowl along with 90g of unsalted butter.
  6. Cook on a medium to high heat for 30 minutes, stirring constantly to make sure that the daal doesn’t stick to the pan.
  7. Turn the heat down low and simmer for 1-1½ hours, stirring as much as you can and adding more boiling water if the water level starts to reach the grains. The daal will eventually thicken and the original recipe advises that: “Creaminess must come from the grains disintegrating into the liquid and enriching it, not from the water being allowed to evaporate leaving only the grains behind”.
  8. When the daal is thick and creamy, add 90ml of double cream and cook for another 15 minutes before transferring to bowls. Serve with naan or chapatis.

Dishoom's garam masala (oven method)

  1. Heat your oven to 50°C or the lowest it will go.
  2. Spread the following over a baking tray lined with foil: 1 black cardamom pod, 4 cloves, 5g of black peppercorns, 2 large cinnamon sticks, 10g of coriander seeds, 5g of cumin seeds, 4g of fennel seeds, 2g of star anise, 1 bay leaf and 2g of mace blades. Place in the oven for 2½ hours.
  3. Once the timer sounds, add 10g of poppy seeds, 2g of dried rose petals, a large pinch of saffron (optional) and some grated nutmeg (optional) to the tray, put it back in the oven and turn the oven off. Set a timer for 30 minutes.
  4. Once the timer sounds, transfer the cooled spice mix to a spice grinder and grind to a fine powder. Store in an airtight container.

Dishoom's garam masala (pan method)

  1. Place the following into a cold, dry frying pan: 1 black cardamom pod, 4 cloves, 5g of black peppercorns, 2 large cinnamon sticks, 10g of coriander seeds, 5g of cumin seeds, 4g of fennel seeds, 2g of star anise, 1 bay leaf and 2g of mace blades. Place the pan over a medium heat, shaking the pan occasionally and toast for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat.
  2. Add 10g of poppy seeds, 2g of dried rose petals, a large pinch of saffron (optional) and some grated nutmeg (optional) to the pan and allow the spices to cool.
  3. Transfer the spice mix to a spice grinder and grind to a fine powder. Store in an airtight container.

Have you tried?

Side dishNigella's Sprouts and Pineapple Fried Rice recipe
Side dishKimchi recipe
Side dishRoasted Hoisin Chicken Drumsticks recipe
Side dishStuffed Mushrooms recipe
Side dishInstant Pot Mashed Potato recipe
Side dishSalmon Fish Cakes recipe

Dishoom's House Black Daal recipe (13)

Have you made Dishoom's House Black Daal?

Share a photo with #hotcooking and tag @hot.cooking

Share this recipe:

Advertisem*nt

Dishoom's House Black Daal recipe (2024)

FAQs

Is black dal the same as black lentils? ›

Whole urad dal look like black lentils and are often marketed as such, but they're not actually lentils. They're the seeds of a leguminous plant called Vigna mungo, and have a thin black coating and an inner white seed.

What is black dal made of? ›

Black dal typically uses urad dal sabut (whole black lentil), but here I've used precooked puy lentils to speed up the cooking time. Also, black dal normally uses a large amount of cream, but to get the creamy texture I've pureed some of the lentils, so what you end up with is an easy, nutritious and 'creamy' dish!

What to cook from Dishoom cookbook? ›

The Dishoom Cookery Book

Starting at breakfast, through to lunch, dinner and nightcaps, we share recipes for beloved dishes such as Masala Chai, the Bacon Naan Roll, Black Daal, Okra Fries, Jackfruit Biryani, and Lamb Raan, along with delicious coolers and co*cktails.

Do you need to soak urad dal before cooking? ›

BLACK GRAM (WHOLE) or URID / URAD

Rich and nutty, black gram or whole urid lentils make lavish dals with depth such as restaurant favourite Dal Makhani. They do need soaking overnight before cooking.

Are black lentils the healthiest? ›

Black Lentils

They were given this moniker because of how much they resembled beluga caviar, despite the fact that they tasted rich and earthy like black beans. They cook in around 25 minutes and are the most nutrient-dense kind of lentil.

Do I need to soak black lentils? ›

Urad dal looks like mung bean or small black beans. Do you need to soak black lentils? There is no need to soak black lentils. All you have to do is rinse them with water before cooking them.

Does black dal cause gas? ›

Be it whole or split, urad dal or black gram is said to be one of the heaviest dals one can ever have. It causes a lot of gas when consumed and takes a long time to digest. Thus, it is said that those who have a weak digestion system should not consume it.

What is the English name for black dal? ›

Introduction: Urad dal, scientifically called Vigna mungo, is a lentil most commonly used in South Indian households. It is also called Urd bean, Urad bean, Black lentil, Black matpe bean, and Mungo bean in English, and Urad dal in Hindi.

Which is the healthiest dal? ›

One of the most nutrient-dense pulses known to us is urad dal, or black lentil. Urad dal, being low in fat and calories, aids in better digestion. It is considered to strengthen our nervous system, increase energy levels, improve heart health, and strengthen our bones because it is high in protein and vitamin B3.

Are all Dishoom halal? ›

Plant-based patrons might opt for a vegan naan roll made with sausages designed with Chef Neil Rankin. Our all-day menu is Halal, with our lamb and chicken coming from certified suppliers, and the animals are humanely stunned before slaughter.

Which one is the original Dishoom? ›

The first Dishoom café opened in Covent Garden in 2010. As of November 2022, there are 10 Dishoom restaurants open around the United Kingdom, with locations in London, Edinburgh, Manchester and Birmingham. In 2020 Dishoom introduced the Dishoom online store to sit alongside their restaurants.

What type of food is served at Dishoom? ›

Small plates, Grills, Ruby Murrays, Biryanis, Daal, Kachumber, and freshly baked Naan and Roti are shared by everyone at the table, enhancing the warmth of the occasion that might bring a group of old friends, work colleagues or a family together for a meal.

Which dal does not need soaking? ›

Toor dal or yellow pigeon peas are a must-have in Western and Southern India. Rich in protein and folic acid, they're typically sold split and skinned. Like chana dal, toor dal can go from store to table rather quickly, as they do not require soaking.

Are black lentils the same as urad dal? ›

Urad dal are split, black urad or black lentils (vigna mungo) . These are not the same as the beluga lentils you might have at home. You can use urad dal without skin or a with skin in this recipe, but you definitely want to use the split kind.

How many hours does urad dal take to soak? ›

Preparation. Add urad dal and rajma to a large pot and rinse them well a few times. Drain the water and soak them in 3 to 4 cups of water for 7 to 8 hours. To reduce the soaking time, you may soak them in boiling hot water for 4 to 5 hours.

What is another name for black lentils? ›

Beluga lentils are a type of small, black lentil, which get their name from their resemblance to Beluga caviar. They are grown in the cool, dry climates of Canada and America's northern plains and are less common than red, yellow and green lentils.

What is another name for black dal? ›

Black Gram, also known as "Urad Dal," are pulses that, although commonly called lentils, are actually related to cowpeas and mung beans.

What is the Indian name for black lentils? ›

Black Gram Lentils, Split and skinned – Urad Dal.

What is black dal called? ›

Urad dal, scientifically called Vigna mungo, is a lentil most commonly used in South Indian households. It is also called Urd bean, Urad bean, Black lentil, Black matpe bean, and Mungo bean in English, and Urad dal in Hindi.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Kelle Weber

Last Updated:

Views: 5420

Rating: 4.2 / 5 (73 voted)

Reviews: 88% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Kelle Weber

Birthday: 2000-08-05

Address: 6796 Juan Square, Markfort, MN 58988

Phone: +8215934114615

Job: Hospitality Director

Hobby: tabletop games, Foreign language learning, Leather crafting, Horseback riding, Swimming, Knapping, Handball

Introduction: My name is Kelle Weber, I am a magnificent, enchanting, fair, joyous, light, determined, joyous person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.