Black Gram / Urad Dal

Khansland Black Gram is the most beloved and celebrated lentil in Bengali cuisine — the proud, jet-black whole grain (and its split form, urad dal) from which mashkalai dal is prepared, the quintessential winter lentil dish of Bangladesh and West Bengal that is rich, thick, and intensely satisfying in a way no other lentil achieves.

Whole black gram has a firm outer black skin and creamy white interior that, when slow-cooked, creates a uniquely thick, almost sticky, protein-rich dal with a deep, earthy, slightly nutty flavour. Mashkalai dal prepared in the traditional way — soaked overnight, slow-cooked with ginger, onion, and dried red chili, finished with a generous tempering of ghee, garlic, and red chili flakes — is considered the pinnacle of everyday Bengali lentil cooking.

Ground into flour, black gram is also the foundation of traditional pithas and some of the finest Bengali sweets, including the daler bori (lentil dumplings) that our catalogue also carries. Split urad dal (white inside, without the black skin) is the traditional ingredient for South Indian dosa and idli batters, reflecting the pan-South-Asian importance of this remarkable legume.