Great Bazaar Swad Urad Dal, Black, 2 Pound

I LOVE dal makhani! This urad dal is a must for making dal makhani! I suggest using a pressure cooker to make the beans, as it truly cuts the overall cooking time! As always, it is suggested you check the beans for small twigs, and/or stones. I have rarely found any, but many years ago, I bit into a very small stone while eating at an Indian restaurant - very unpleasant! You do NOT want to chance that! After checking for any foreign materials, rinse, cook, season, and enjoy! I have been buying Swad products for years! Always high quality, and reasonably priced.

For me it's the best (health wise) bean on the market. Of course I received the product fast. I'd suggest doing your own nutritional research and you'll probably agree with me that it's loaded with more nutrients than your average BEAN!!!Andrew...

I've purchased this item twice, haven't had any issues so far with uncooked beans or stones. For buyers who are cooking black dal/dal makhani/ma ki dal for the first time, make sure you1. wash them thoroughly by soaking the beans in water and rubbing them between your hands. (takes 4-6 iterations of scrub/rinse before the water runs completely clear). The more thoroughly you wash, the less scum there will be during cooking2. soak them (after washing) for at least 12-14 hours (in 4-5 cups of water per cup of dry beans) for optimal results3. either pressure cook for 4-5 whistles OR cook in medium-low heat for 1.5 hours (slow cook requires constant removal of scum)Urad dal is notorious for requiring more effort/soaking time than other dals (like toor/chana), but is definitely worth the time and effort.5 stars

I made a dish and did not think to clean out the stones.Since these are black, most of the stones are small and black just like the beansI took out about 20 from my serving. And there were some longer pieces that were very hard too.UPDATE: I had leftovers from this dish which I ate the next day. No "stones", now I think the "stones" may have been very hard urad dal. In the future I will make the dish the day before so they have plenty of time to soak up the moisture. I did soak them over night and cook them in their own water, plus I cooked them another hour in the dish. They appear to need much longer to cook completely.

It's not as if these are particularly different than others, but for a product that is hard to find and often expensive, these are fairly priced. A cup of dried beans goes a long way to making a copious and delicious pot of dal.

Really love these beans! Excellent in hot dishes, in salads! Will buy from this seller again and again!!

Shipment was fast and the urad dal was exactly what I was looking for to make makhani dal.

These tiny gems of the bean family need more love. They are a powerhouse of nutrients and have a wonderful texture. I use them in place of black beans and any other lentil.