Whole black urad, skin on, is the dal behind dal makhani. It is dense, it takes hours, and there is no shortcut worth taking.

The long cook is the whole point. Simmered slowly with butter, the beans break down into something creamy and almost black.

Soak overnight, pressure cook, then let it sit on low heat for as long as your patience allows, stirring occasionally. Finish with cream. It also goes into maa ki dal and other Punjabi favourites where richness is the objective.

Stocked at Curry Corner, North Melbourne.