Dhaba-Style Maa Chole di Dal
Pressure-cook 1 Punjabi Dal Makhni potli with the soaked lentils. Remove it once the lentils are cooked and before adding the final tadka.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- Whole black urad — ¾ cup / 150 g
- Chana dal — ½ cup / 100 g
- Water — 4 cups
- Turmeric — ¼ tsp
- Salt — 1¼ tsp, or to taste
Zaika Potli
- Punjabi Dal Makhni — 1 potli
For the Tadka
- Ghee — 2 tbsp
- Onion — 1 medium / about 120 g, finely chopped
- Ginger — 2 tsp, finely chopped
- Garlic — 2 tsp, finely chopped
- Green chilli — 1, slit
- Tomatoes — 2 medium / about 180 g, finely chopped
- Kashmiri chilli powder — ½ tsp
- Coriander powder — 1 tsp
For Finishing
- Fresh coriander — 2 tbsp, chopped
- Lemon juice — 1–2 tsp, optional
Cooking Instructions
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1Wash the urad and chana dal thoroughly. Soak together for 6–8 hours, then drain.
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2Put them in a pressure cooker with 4 cups water, turmeric and the Punjabi Dal Makhni potli.
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3Pressure-cook until the urad is tender and the chana dal is soft but the mixture has not completely disintegrated, approximately 20–25 minutes under pressure.
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4Allow the pressure to release naturally. Remove and discard the potli.
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5Add salt and gently stir the dal. Add hot water if necessary; this dal should be moderately thick but more fluid than dal makhni.
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6Heat ghee in a kadai. Add onion and cook over medium heat until properly golden, about 7–9 minutes.
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7Add ginger, garlic and green chilli. Cook for another minute.
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8Add tomatoes, Kashmiri chilli powder and coriander powder. Cook until the tomatoes collapse and the ghee begins separating around the masala.
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9Pour the tadka into the cooked dal and stir thoroughly.
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10Simmer uncovered for 10–15 minutes so the tadka integrates with the lentils. Adjust salt and consistency.
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11Finish with coriander and optional lemon juice.
Don't cook this exactly like dal makhni. Maa chole di dal benefits from retaining the contrasting texture of urad and chana dal rather than being mashed into a uniformly creamy consistency.
🍽️ Perfect Serving Pairings
My Take On Dhaba-Style Maa Chole di Dal
Maa chole di dal combines earthy whole black urad with nutty chana dal and is generally lighter and more rustic than restaurant dal makhni. This version uses the Punjabi Dal Makhni potli to infuse the lentils during pressure cooking but finishes them with a robust onion-tomato tadka rather than cream.
The Secret: Don't cook this exactly like dal makhni. Maa chole di dal benefits from retaining the contrasting texture of urad and chana dal rather than being mashed into a uniformly creamy consistency.