Kalai Dal Bengali style is split urad dal simmered in a grated ginger-fennel seeds mixture. Biuli Dal or seasoned white urad dal is a healthy dish spiked with Aada Baata or ginger paste and coarsely crushed fennel seeds (Mouri or Saunf). This Bengali urad dal recipe is best relished with a side dish of Aloo Posto or potatoes cooked in poppy seeds paste.
Biuli Dal is a popular Bengali recipe where lentils are flavoured with a tinge of ginger-saunf paste. The mildly flavoured dal is whitish in colour and not quite thick.
Urad dal is widely used in Indian cuisine. It has numerous health benefits. It is a rich source of protein and fibre. Including urad dal in your diet helps reduce cholesterol levels and boosts cardiovascular health.
Bengali Kalai Dal Recipe – Step by Step:
This traditional Bengali dal is a subtle combination of flavours. Biulir dal is a popular and typical Bengali niramish ranna lunch recipe, that pairs well with Plain Bhat and Aloo Posto.
- For this Bengali niramish dal recipe, firstly dry roast urad dal and pressure cook till soft and mushy. If all the water dries up add a little water and using the back of a ladle mash the lentils well. Keep aside.
- Next grind ginger and fennel seeds (saunf) in the mixie.
- Heat some oil in a kadai and put in the bay leaf and green chilli.
- Then add asafoetida and the ginger-fennel-seeds paste.
- Sauté for a few seconds and then tip in the cooked dal.
- Now season with salt and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes till you get the desired consistency – it should not be too thick. If required, add some water.
- Remove and have hot Kolai Dal with Aloo Posto and steamed rice.
If you are searching for more restaurant style dal recipes, then do try out Garlic Dal
Bengali Biulir Dal Recipe details below:
Kolai Dal Bengali Recipe
Ingredients
- Split Urad Dal – ½ cup
- Green Chillies – 2
- Asafoetida – ¼ tsp
- Ginger – 1 inch piece
- Bay Leaf - 1
- Saunf/Fennel seeds – 4 tsp
- Salt to taste
- Oil – 1 tsp
Instructions
- Dry roast the urad dal in a pan. Cool and then wash the dal thoroughly under running water. Drain and pressure cook with sufficient water till soft.
- Meanwhile, grind the ginger and fennel seeds to a fine paste (ada-mouri-bata).
- Heat oil in a pan. Add bay leaf and green chillies. Sauté.
- Add ginger-saunf paste, hing and sauté for a couple of seconds till the raw smell disappears.
- Tip in the boiled dal. Combine well. Add salt and let it simmer for 3- minutes.
- Remove and serve Kalai Dal with Aloo Posto.
Notes
* Roasting the dal is optional. Urad dal when cooked tends to be sticky - – roasting it helps reduce the stickiness.
Usually turmeric is not added to this dal.
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