Mash Ki Daal
Among all the lentils (Daals), the Daal Maash is the only one that captivates every heart. The oily and spicy gravy with creamy and soft Urad daal gives a next-level appetizing experience. This recipe is so much umami, tangy, hearty, and satisfying.
Last night, with a little sarcasm, my husband told me that he got bored with meaty and chicken recipes and asked me to make something with a completely distinct taste. And guess what? The idea of Daal Mash (Urad daal) instantly hits my mind.
Like my husband, if you’re weary of chicken recipes or meat dishes and want to try something more unique and delicious, the Daal Mash is the ultimate option for satisfying your craving. You can also make dal gosht recipe and daal chicken with this lentil.
The soft texture of the Urad daal with oily gray and a little tangy taste makes it the king of all the daals (lentils). It is the second most popular Daal after daal chana in Pakistani restaurants.
Being a crazy lover of this daal, I’ve cooked it hundreds of times, but today’s recipe will be more special because I’m making it restaurant-style. The thick gravy, creamy flavor, blast of spices, and tart and fiery taste are some of the main highlights of the daal mash recipe.
I also used daal mash to make chicken Haleem. Check it out here.
Why You Will Love Urad Daal?
- More Appetizing: Believe me or not, the Daal Mash is more delicious than meats and chicken. I’m non-veg, but this Daal’s umami and creamy taste is the best solution for my dinner appetite.
- Unique Taste: I can bet on the taste of the Daal mash; it holds a unique taste that none of the other lentils offer in this domain. One bite of this Daal with warm chapati makes your soul so much more pleasing.
- Easy To Make: No need to wait for long hours to cook this Daal. Urad daal cooks in no time. Plus, this recipe requires basic ingredients that infuse depth and traditional taste.
- Versatile: Daal mash is a very versatile recipe. You can even cook it with desi ghee, butter, etc, to make it more creamy. You can serve it with white rice for the best combination or savor it with hot naans.
Ingredients:
- Daal Mash: Urad daal or Mash daal has two major variants, one having a yellowish color and the other white. For today’s recipe, I’m using a yellowish one. By the way, both have similar tastes, but the yellow one is more creamy for me.
- Ghee: Yes, Ghee seems unusual because we often use oil for lentils. But for today’s daal recipe, the Ghee is the pinnacle method to make the gravy oily and fluffy. You can also use the desi ghee for a more traditional flavor.
- Garlic & Ginger Paste: I’m using finely or minced garlic and ginger; to achieve this I used the mortar & pestle. Plus, in this paste, I have also added one green chili.
- Sweet neem (Curry Patta): This is like a secret ingredient for a daal maash recipe that infuses a maddening aroma and makes the recipe more special than the other Daal maash recipes online.
- Cilantro: For garnishing purposes, I’m using some fresh cilantro leaves. It will uplift the texture and help to decorate the recipe perfectly.
- Tomatoes: I forgot to showcase the tomatoes in the picture, but they’re truly an essential ingredient of the recipe. I used the chopper to get the minced tomatoes, but you can also use the food processor for the paste.
- Dundicut Pepper: This pepper tastes fiery, and I’ll use it at the end of our recipe. Dundicut pepper or round red chili will give our recipe a restaurant-style appearance.
- Green Chilis: I’ll toss a couple of green chilies in the curry and set aside a few more for the finishing touch. Green chilies are the perfect way to add a kick to the Daal.
- Ground Spices: I’m using some basic ground spices, including Turmeric powder, red pepper flakes (Paprika flakes), red chili powder, Kashmiri red spice, dry coriander powder, and salt.
- Garam Masala: For the robust profile, I will add some cumin seeds, black pepper, and cinnamon.
How To Cook Daal Mash
- Boil The Daal Mash:The first step is to decompose the Urad daal in a pressure cooker. First, soak the daal in cold water for 15 minutes and then add it to the pressure cooker. Add 1 tablespoon salt and turmeric powder and cook it for 3 – 5 minutes. Yes! This is such a short time span because this daal decomposes too quickly.
- Heat The Ghee: Now add the Ghee to a pan and keep the flame low. After one and a half minutes, add all the Garam masala ingredients (cumin seeds, black pepper, and cinnamon). Stir it, and then immediately add the garlic ginger paste. This is our pre-bhuna masala that elevates the flavor of Daal mash.
- Add Tomatoes: The next step is to add the chopped tomatoes to the pan and a splash of water. The extra water will decompose the tomatoes quickly and speed up the cooking process. Again, keep the flame low and stir for one minute.
- Ground Spices: Now toss all the ground spices to prepare the masala for bhunai. Again, at this stage, add a few drops of water to prevent the spices from burning. Now, let the tomatoes’ moisture and spices diffuse for 3 minutes. Turn the flame from lower to medium.
- Include Daal: It’s time to add our prime ingredient (Mash Daal). I’m adding a chunk of butter for a creamy touch and more umami flavor.
- Oiling: Heat the oil in another pan and fry Dundicut Pepper with Sweet Neem (Curry Patta) for 1 minute. Slowly drizzling this oil on the daal mash to create a more appetizing effect.
Nabeela’s Pro Tip
- You won’t need to brown the onions for the Daal Mash recipe. The brown onions eliminate the creaminess of the Daal. Instead, I’m garam masala and garlic ginger paste.
- You must add butter at the end of the recipe; it adds a rich and creamy texture to the dish. It contributes a velvety mouthfeel and enhances the overall flavor profile.
- Always pre-cook the Urad daal in a pressure cooker to make it softer. The soft version of Daal instantly soaks up the spices and becomes more flavorful.
What To Serve With Urad Daal?
The Roti, Naans, or Chapati match perfectly well with the Daal Mash drenched in oil. Even though people love to eat it with rice, I think Chapati feels more flavorful and delicious.
Another great item that goes with Daal Mash is a pickle. I’m using mixed pickles, and they taste more pungent and an indulgence to every bite. To make this culinary palatable, you can also try Salad, Rita, or Mint chutney.
Mash Ki Daal
Ingredients
- 4 tbsp Ghee
- 3 Tomatoes
- 3 Green Chillies
- Cilantro
- 1 tbsp Garlic Paste
- 1 tbsp Ginger Paste
- 1/2 tbsp Red chili flakes
- 1 tbsp Dry coriander powder
- 1 tbsp Turmeric powder
- 1 tbsp Red chili powder
- 1 tbsp Kashmiri red Chili
- 1 tbsp Cumin powder
- 1 tbsp Cinnamon
- 1 tbsp Salt
- 8 Dundicut Pepper
- 5 Sweet neem (Curry Patta)
Instructions
- Decompose Urad dal in a pressure cooker: Soak for 15 mins. Next, transfer it to a pressure cooker, add 4 glasses of water, 1 tablespoon of turmeric powder, and salt.
- Now, gently heat the Ghee in a pan on low flame. After a minute and a half, introduce the Garam masala (cumin seeds, black pepper, and cinnamon) in ghee. Stir well and swiftly add the garlic-ginger paste. This pre-bhuna masala enhances the flavor of the Daal mash.
- Add chopped tomatoes and a splash of water to the pan. The extra water aids in quick tomato decomposition, expediting the cooking. Keep the flame low and stir for a minute.
- Toss ground spices for bhunai; add a few drops of water to prevent spices from burning. Let moisture and spices diffuse for 3 minutes. Increase flame from low to medium
- Next, add the main ingredient, Mash Daal, and a chunk of butter for a creamy and flavorful touch. (If you don't have pressure-cooking the Daal, you must sauté the mashed Daal for an additional five minutes.
- Heat oil in a pan and fry Dundicut Pepper and Curry Patta for 1 minute. Drizzle this flavorful oil on the daal mash for a delicious touch. Also, toss some cilantro and green chilis for garnishing.
