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The black gram or urad bean ( Vigna mungo) is a bean grown in South Asia. Like its relative the mung bean, it has been reclassified from the genus Phaseolus to Vigna. The product sold as black gram is usually the whole urad bean, whereas the split bean (the interior being white) is called white lentil. It should not be confused with the much smaller true black lentil ( Lens culinaris).
Black gram originated in South Asia, where it has been in cultivation from ancient times and is one of the most highly prized pulses of India. It is very widely used in Indian cuisine. In India the black gram is one of the important pulses grown in both Kharif crop and Rabi crop seasons. This crop is extensively grown in the southern part of India and the northern part of Bangladesh and Nepal. In Bangladesh and Nepal it is known as mash daal. It is a popular daal (legume) side dish in South Asia that goes with curry and rice as a platter. Black gram has also been introduced to other tropical areas such as the Caribbean, Fiji, Mauritius, Myanmar and Africa mainly by Indian immigrants during the Indian indenture system.
Its usage is quite common in Dogra Cuisine of Jammu division and Himachal Pradesh region. The key ingredient of Dal Maddhra or Maah Da Maddhra dish served in Dham of Jammu is Vigna mungo lentil. Similarly, another dish Teliya Maah popular in Jammu & Kangra uses this lentil. Traditionally, Vigna Mungo Lentil is used for preparing Dogras khichdi during Panj Bhikham and Makar Sankranti festival in Jammu and Lower Himachal. Besides, fermented Vigna Mungo paste is also used to prepare Lakhnapuri Bhalle or Lakhanpuri Laddu ( a popular street food of Jammu region).
In Uttarakhandi cuisine, Vigna mungo is used for preparing traditional dish called Chainsu or Chaisu.
In North Indian cuisine, it is used as an ingredient of Dal makhani, which is a Modern restaurant style adaptation of Traditional Sabut Urad Dal of Northern India.
In Bengal, it is used in kalai ruti, biulir dal. In Rajasthan, It is one of the ingredients of Panchmel dal which is usually consumed with Baati. In Pakistan, it is called Dhuli Mash ki daal
target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> | Dhuli Mash ki Daal and used to make laddu Pethi walay and Bhalla.
It is also extensively used in culinary preparations. Black gram is one of the key ingredients in making idli and dosa batter, in which one part of black gram is mixed with three or four parts of idli rice to make the batter. Vada or udid vada also contain black gram and are made from soaked batter and deep-fried in cooking oil. The dough is also used in making papadum, in which white lentils are usually used.
In the Telugu states, it is eaten as a sweet in the form of laddoos called Sunnundallu or Minapa Sunnundallu.
Its name in selected Indic languages, however, derives from Sanskrit masa (माष) :
Other names include:
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