Sookhi Urad Dal – Punjabi Style Dry Lentil is the best dal recipe made in the pressure cooker with healthy inexpensive ingredients.
I reach for this recipe when I want something light, but filling. Also, this recipe is special because it comes together quickly. Moreover, it keeps well in the refrigerator for four to five days. It is a filling plant based lunch on its own, and a perfect lunch or dinner paired with some roti or naan.

Ingredients needed to make Sookhi Urad Dal – Punjabi Style Dry Lentil –
Urad dal (split black lentils/ black gram dal), green chillies, fresh ginger, onion, cumin seeds, ground turmeric, ground cumin, ground coriander, salt, Kashmiri chili powder, ghee and tomato puree.
How do I make this recipe?
Prep for Sookhi Urad Dal – Punjabi Style Dry Lentil –
First, rinse the dal well. Secondly, soak it in 2 cups water for about 30 minutes. When you are ready to cook, discard the water.
When you are ready to cook, chop the onions finely. Second puree the tomatoes. Third, grate the ginger. I used Cuisinart CTG-00-BG Boxed Grater to grate the ginger. Further, chop the green chilies finely.
COOK –
Firstly, on medium heat, add ghee in a deep bottom pressure cooker. Secondly, add in cumin seeds. Third, once they splutter add in onions, grated ginger and green chilies. Stir well.
Further, once the onions turn golden, add in the spices (ground turmeric, ground cumin, ground coriander, Kashmiri chili powder) and salt. Stir well. Furthermore in about 30 seconds add in the tomato puree and let it sauté for 2 minutes until the raw tomato odor is eliminated. Further add in the dal and stir well. Next add in 1 cup water. Stir. Close the pressure cooker lid.
Then increase the heat to high and let the dal cook until once whistle. It should take about 6 to 7 minutes. Once you hear the whistle, lower the heat and let it cook on low heat for another 5 to 6 minutes. Turn off the heat and the let the pressure release naturally. Open the lid top off with cilantro and serve with roti.
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Moreover, try some of our other recipes
Peanut Chilli Thecha – Green Chilli Peanut Chutney
Also, try some of our instant pot recipes.

Sookhi Urad Dal – Punjabi Style Dry Lentil
Equipment
- 1 grater
- 1 Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
- 1 cup black gram lentils (urad dal, soaked in 2 cups water for 30 minutes)
- 3 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 cup onion (finely chopped)
- 1 tbsp ginger (grated)
- 3 green chilies, finely chopped (1 tbsp chopped)
- 1/2 tsp ground turmeric (haldi)
- 1 tsp ground cumin (jeera powder)
- 1 tsp ground coriander (dhaniya powder)
- 1 and 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp kashmiri chili powder
- 1/2 cup tomato puree
- 1 cup water
- 2 tbsp chopped cilantro
Instructions
Prep
- Rinse the dal well. Soak it in 2 cups water for about 30 minutes. When you are ready to cook, discard the water.
- When you are ready to cook, chop the onions finely. Puree the tomatoes. Grate the ginger and chop the cilantro finely. Set aside.
Cook
- On medium heat, add ghee in a deep bottom pressure cooker. Add in cumin seeds.
- Once the cumin seeds splutter add in onions, grated ginger and green chilies. Stir well.
- Once the onions turn golden, add in the spices (ground turmeric, ground cumin, ground coriander, Kashmiri chili powder) and salt. Stir well.
- In about 30 seconds add in the tomato puree and let it sauté for 2 minutes until the raw tomato odor is eliminated. Further add in the dal and stir well. Next add in 1 cup water. Stir. Close the pressure cooker lid.
- Then increase the heat to high and let the dal cook until once whistle. It should take about 6 to 7 minutes. Once you hear the whistle, lower the heat and let it cook on low heat for another 5 to 6 minutes. Turn off the heat and the let the pressure release naturally. Open the lid top off with cilantro and serve with roti.