What Is Black Gram?

Black gram, known as urad in Hindi, is a pulse with a black skin that hides a creamy white interior once split. It shows up whole in dal makhani, split in tempering and khichdi, and ground into both flour and a fermented batter base.

What actually defines it

A pulse with a distinctive black outer skin, revealing a pale, creamy white interior once dehusked and split.
Known as urad in Hindi, central to both North Indian dal cooking and South Indian fermented batters like dosa and idli.
Higher in protein than many common pulses, part of why it holds up well in heavier dishes like dal makhani.
Sold whole, split and skinned, ground into besan, or roasted and ground into sattu, each suited to different dishes.
Its skin carries much of its earthy flavour, which is part of why whole and split urad taste noticeably different.

Picked this week

Black gram to try

Khutmili Farm II · Khutmili

Black Gram Whole

$0.93 · 1 KG

Khutmili Farm II · Khutmili

Black Gram Broken/Dal

$1.24 · 1 KG

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Black gram questions

Is black gram the same as urad?: Yes, urad is simply the Hindi name for black gram, the same pulse sold under either term.
Why does black gram look different in different dishes?: It is sold whole with its black skin, or split and skinned to a pale white, each suited to different recipes.
Is black gram used in South Indian cooking?: Yes, split urad dal is a core ingredient in dosa and idli batter, alongside its more familiar North Indian dal uses.
Can black gram be ground into flour?: Yes, both a raw besan and a roasted sattu are made from black gram, each used differently in cooking.

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