• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Browse Recipes
    • Latest
    • By Category
  • Indian Vegan Recipes
  • SUBSCRIBE
Holy Cow Vegan
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Latest recipes
  • Browse by category
  • Indian Vegan Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • About
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ร—

    Home > Indian Vegan Recipes > Dal Recipes

    Maa ki Dal

    Posted: Oct 9, 2014 ยท Updated: Aug 16, 2021

    Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe
    Maa ki dal served in a yellow and white bowl with cilantro garnish, phulkas and baingan sabzi.

    There is perhaps no north Indian dish that oozes comfort quite the way a Maa ki Dal does.

    And it starts with the name. Maa ki Dal literally translates to โ€œMomโ€™s Dalโ€ -- now didnโ€™t you feel your belly grow all warm and mushy at the sound of that? Rich and soothing, this is exactly the sort of food to put a spring in your step on the rainiest, dreariest, most depressing days. And it works just as well for the good days too. ๐Ÿ™‚

    Maa ki dal served in a yellow and white bowl with cilantro garnish, phulkas and baingan sabzi.

    There are as many variations of Maa ki Dal as there are mothers in India who cook it, which is probably why -- if you were to look up this dal on the internet -- there is a great deal of confusion over what exactly goes into it. Some recipes use cream, others use butter, and most use ghee. While every version out there uses urad dal (also called udad dal or black gram dal) as the lentil base, there are differences over what kind of urad dal to use. Some use sabut urad, the unpeeled, whole lentil that looks like a tiny black globe. Others use the split lentil, but with the black skin on. Yet others use the peeled, ivory-white version. Some add a second lentil to it, usually chana dal, and yet others confuse it with its more famous cousin that's often found on Indian restaurant menus, the luscious Vegan Dal Makhani, which has rajma or kidney beans added to it.

    But just like mom, a Maa ki Dal needs no frills to make itย special. The recipe I am about to share with you is super simple: you need some Indian ingredients, but if you cook Indian food on a fairly regular basis you likely already have these in your pantry. And you do need the urad dal.

    My recipe is also vegan which means of course that thereโ€™s no ghee here-- an ingredient most Indian cooks will try to tell you is what makes this dal special, but pay no heed to them. There are so many flavors in play here, you will never know the difference. And can you think of a better way to pay tribute to the cow, also a mom who has her baby snatched away from her soon after itโ€™s born so humans can enjoy her milk?

    Enjoy the recipe, all!

    Maa ki dal served in a yellow and white bowl with cilantro garnish, phulkas and baingan sabzi.

    More dal recipes

    • Dhabay ki Daal
    • Spicy Urad Dal (Black Lentil Dal)
    • Dal Tadka
    • Tomato Dal
    • 10-minute Vegan Dal
    • Amaranth Dal
    • South Indian Cabbage Dal
    Maa ki dal served in a yellow and white bowl with cilantro garnish, phulkas and baingan sabzi.
    Ma Ki Dal, a creamy, comforting dal made by moms all over India. https://holycowvegan.net

    Maa ki Dal

    A simple dish of creamy lentils, Maa ki Dal, which literally translates to โ€œMomโ€™s Dal,โ€ is a dish to both comfort and savor. It's also easy to make with just a few simple spices needed.
    5 from 4 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Review Recipe
    Course: Dal
    Cuisine: Indian
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Keyword: Maa ki Dal
    Prep Time: 15 mins
    Cook Time: 45 mins
    Total Time: 1 hr
    Servings: 6 servings
    Calories: 139kcal
    Author: Vaishali ยท Holy Cow! Vegan Recipes

    Ingredients 

    • 1 cup urad dal
    • 1 bay leaf
    • ยฝ teaspoon turmeric
    • 2 teaspoon grated ginger
    • 2 cloves garlic, crushed into a paste
    • 1 teaspoon coconut or other vegetable oil
    • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
    • 1 medium red onion, minced
    • 1 medium tomato, finely chopped
    • ยฝ teaspoon cayenne or paprika for less heat
    • 2 teaspoon ground coriander
    • ยฝ teaspoon garam masala
    • Salt to taste
    • ยฝ lemon
    • Cilantro for garnish
    • 12 almonds (soaked for 30 minutes then blended into a very smooth paste with ยฝ cup water)
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Cook the urad dal with the bay leaf, turmeric and 1 teaspoon grated ginger until the dal is really tender. This is best done in a pressure cooker. If you don't have one, soak the dal for at least two hours, then place in a large saucepan with the other ingredients and water to cover by an inch. Bring to a boil, cover, lower heat to a simmer, and cook until the lentils are really soft and mash easily.
    • Heat the oil. Add the cumin seeds and, when they sputter, add the minced onions.
    • Add a pinch of salt and saute the onions until they are just beginning to turn color.
    • Add the tomatoes and saute for a couple of minutes. Then add the coriander powder, cayenne or paprika, and garam masala powder.
    • Stir well to mix, then add the cooked dal and mix really well. You can discard the bay leaf at this time.
    • Bring to a boil and lower the heat to a simmer. If the dal is really thick, add water. Let the dal cook for five minutes for flavors to merge.
    • Add the almond paste and chopped coriander. Squeeze in the lemon juice. Add salt to taste. Stir well and turn off heat.
    • Serve hot with rice, a subzi, and roti.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 139kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Potassium: 131mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 250IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 3mg
    Tried this recipe?Please leave a comment and recipe rating below!
    Follow Holy Cow Vegan on Instagram
    « Vegan Pasta with Roasted Cauliflower Cashew Sauce
    Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake Cupcakes »
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Yummly

    About Vaishali


    Hi! I am so happy you're here. I'm Vaishali, and I've been sharing recipes for delicious vegan food at Holy Cow Vegan since 2007. Every one of the more than 1,000 recipes on this blog has been tried and tested -- and loved -- by my family and I. I hope you will find something here to share with your loved ones. Thanks for stopping by!
    Read more about me here.

    Try these recipes next

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Janean

      July 06, 2018 at 12:32 pm

      How would you cook the dal in the instant pot? Not sure of water/length of time/release. Looks so delicious. Canโ€™t wait to try it.

      Reply
      • Vaishali

        July 06, 2018 at 12:57 pm

        15 minutes on high pressure should work for lentils. Add three cups of water or vegetable stock and wait until 15 minutes after cooking is done to release pressure.

        Reply
    2. corygoldblatt

      August 05, 2015 at 12:54 am

      Hi Vaishali,

      Thanks for posting all these vegan recipes online! I've been trying to make a decent Dhal for years and your recipe came out better than all my other creations. One question though, this recipe requires two cloves of garlic, are those supposed to be sauteed with the onions? Thanks!

      Best wishes,
      Cory Goldblatt

      Reply
      • Vaishali Honawar

        August 05, 2015 at 4:29 pm

        Hi Cory, yes, add them in the last minute of sautรฉing the onions.

        Reply
    3. S

      October 14, 2014 at 12:33 am

      5 stars
      Very nice recipe - my mum has a similar version and it is delicious! I prefer it with rice rather than naan/roti.
      Just wanted to say that your description of maa ki daal seems to be incorrect. My father is punjabi and told me that it us actually 'mah' ki daal. It does to translate to 'mother's daal'.
      Nevertheless, great recipe. As always, love your blog ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
      • Vaishali Honawar

        October 16, 2014 at 2:12 pm

        Hi S, I'm a little confused but curious. Doesn't "mah" also mean mother?

        Reply
    4. Rashmi

      October 13, 2014 at 8:18 am

      This is something which my Mil cooks every alternate day but it never looked so yummy. I skimmed through your blog looking for Kale recipes and found one from 2009 post. Loved you blog ๐Ÿ™‚

      Reply
      • Vaishali Honawar

        October 16, 2014 at 2:10 pm

        Thanks, Rashmi, and welcome to the blog. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    5. The Vegan Scholar

      October 11, 2014 at 8:53 am

      5 stars
      This looks delicious! Dal is one of my favourite foods ๐Ÿ™‚ Thank you for the recipe.

      Reply
      • Vaishali Honawar

        October 16, 2014 at 2:09 pm

        Thanks. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    6. Michele

      October 09, 2014 at 3:57 pm

      This looks wonderful, and your description makes it sound absolutely heavenly. Can't wait to try it.

      Reply
      • Vaishali Honawar

        October 09, 2014 at 5:28 pm

        Thanks for your kind words, Michele! Hope you try it. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    7. Chessie

      October 09, 2014 at 10:19 am

      5 stars
      Vaishali, I just love your blog! I always enjoy reading it. You always make everything look and sound so good.

      I made a dal very similar to this a few days ago, with one important variation: I went to grab the cumin seeds and by mistake put a bunch of caraway seeds into it. Oops! That was a bit of a different flavor. ๐Ÿ™‚

      When I'm feeling achy and virusy, there is nothing like a very salty, spicy dal soup. It's way better than chicken soup could ever be, if you ask me.

      Reply
      • Vaishali Honawar

        October 09, 2014 at 5:27 pm

        Thanks, dear Catherine, for your kind words-- you're the best! ๐Ÿ™‚
        I am always picking up the caraway seeds when I need cumin, so I can totally relate to that story. And they do have a strong flavor, although it's also a rather pleasant one, so I am sure your dal must have still been delicious.
        I am actually feeling a little achy today, so I am going to run home now and have a big bowl of Maa ki Dal. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply

    Leave a comment: Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    Vaishali Honawar, Holy Cow Vegan author, profile photo

    Hi, I'm Vaishali! I cook, eat and share easy, tasty and nutritious plant-based recipes from my Washington, D.C. kitchen, but I never fight a craving for samosas or French fries. 

    More about me โ†’

    Trending recipes

    • Vegan Picadillo Tacos
    • Vegan Zucchini Pasta
    • Chickpea Rice
    • Vegan Mushroom Stroganoff
    • Mexican Tofu with Apricots, Chipotle and Tamarind
    • Vegan Swedish Meatballs

    How to make

    • Dosa Recipe | How to Make Perfect Dosai at Home
    • Easy Mushroom Stock
    • Sambar Powder (Sambar Masala)
    • Roti recipe. How to make the softest Roti/Chapati (step by step with video)
    • Healthy Whole Wheat Vegan Puff Pastry (1/2 the fat)
    • Easy Indian Curry Paste for Restaurant-Style Dishes
    • Vegan Mayo
    • How to Make Curry Powder
    Vaishali Honawar, Holy Cow Vegan author, profile photo

    Hi, I'm Vaishali! I cook, eat and share easy, tasty and nutritious plant-based recipes from my Washington, D.C. kitchen, but I never fight a craving for samosas or French fries. 

    More about me โ†’

    Trending recipes

    • Vegan Muffaletta Casserole
    • Cheezy Vegan Mexican Black Bean Casserole
    • Vegan Indian-Spiced Tofu Casserole
    • Lentil Soup
    • Cauliflower Rice Biryani (Keto + Vegan)
    • Easy Vegetable Curry (One-pot, 30 minutes)

    How to make

    • Vegan Instant Pot Yogurt
    • Air Fryer Tofu
    • Ginger Garlic Paste for Indian Recipes | How to make and store it
    • Garam Masala Recipe
    • How to Make a Sourdough Starter (Easy Step by Step Guide)
    • How to make sauerkraut
    • Gluten Free Sourdough Starter
    • Homemade Biryani Masala Spice Mix

    Footer


    ABOUT HOLYCOWVEGAN

    All Recipes
    Recipe Videos
    About Vaishali
    Privacy Policy

    VEGAN INDIAN RECIPES

    Vegan Dal or Dahl Recipes
    Vegan Curry Recipes
    Indian Vegan Desserts

    VEGAN BAKING RECIPES

    Vegan Bread Recipes
    Vegan Sourdough Recipes
    Vegan Cake Recipes
    Vegan Pie Recipes
    Vegan Cookie Recipes


    As an Amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my full disclosure here.

    ยฉ 2022 Holy Cow Vegan