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Copyright © 2025 Foodies Only
6 Min
09/02/2026
Dal is one of the most ubiquitous dishes across India and barely takes time to fix, but did you know the underrated gems around the country? These dishes have unique names like dal ki dulhan, matki dal, etc. They may have commonly used spices and condiments, but there's an extra special element to these dishes. Dive in to know more.
Beyond the well-known dal tadkas and everyday preparations, several regional lentil dishes remain largely confined to their places of origin. These are not variations created for novelty, but locally cherished dishes with distinct names, ingredients, and cooking methods. Often passed down through loving hands rather than restaurants, these preparations reflect how dal is adapted to local eating habits, occasions, and resources. The list below focuses on diverse dishes, from those with ornate dumplings to those that are loved as a chaat and more.
The name literally means ‘bride of dal’, which is made with wheat‑flour dumplings that are cooked in a dal, enriched with ghee, garlic, and onions. It is a Bihari dish that is also found in parts of eastern Uttar Pradesh. Dal ki dulhan is a one‑pot comfort dish, and the ‘dulhan’ (bride) analogy comes from the dumplings’ hollow or floral shape that resembles a bride’s veil. When the dumplings are flat, they’re called dal pithi, and when stuffed or shaped more elaborately, they tend to be called dal ki dulhan.
This special dal is part of Awadhi cuisine, and is especially connected to the Mughal kitchens of the north. This Lucknowi dal has milk and cream in it, and the name ‘sultani’ literally means ‘of a sultan’, which speaks of its royal past. Historically, this dal was reserved for royal or celebratory occasions, rather than everyday fare. At its core, dal sultani uses toor or arhar dal and is made richer with milk, cream, and sometimes yoghurt. As for the spices, cumin, ginger, garlic and green chillies are often added to make the dal more fragrant.
Another delight from Uttar Pradesh, this dish is said to have been popularised in Moradabad city during the time of Prince Murad Baksh, son of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. His fondness for this dal, typically made with yellow moong dal cooked to a soft and creamy consistency, helped establish its local identity. This dal leans more towards a street-food style dish and is usually consumed as a chaat and served with toppings such as onions, chutneys, spices and sometimes a bit of butter or ghee. Papdis, common in papdi chaat or papad, are also common additions.
This particular dal is associated with Rajasthani cuisine, and also parts of Hyderabad, with local variations. The name ‘thikri’ literally refers to pieces of freshly broken earthenware pot (earthen clay) that are heated until burning hot and then inserted into the cooked dal to make the dal more flavoursome. The Rajasthani version is typically made using split red lentils (masoor dal) and tempered with spices like cumin, fenugreek seeds and red chillies. There’s also onion, ginger, garlic and ghee in this rich dal, before the thikri is inserted. In Hyderabad, toor dal (pigeon peas) may also be used.
A lesser-known northern Indian preparation (particularly in Uttar Pradesh and Bihar), this dal dish uses moong or urad dal, turned into paste, which is turned into dumplings or pakoras (fritters) that are cooked in a spiced dal gravy made with onion, garlic and ginger. Back in the day, karail used to be made mostly during the summer or monsoon months when vegetables tended to be scarce. These days, vegetables are available in abundance, so you can make this dal whenever you want a comforting meal and have plenty of dal at hand.
Matki dal itself isn’t tied to a specific region in the way Muradabadi dal is, but rather indicates that the legume used in the dal is moth beans instead of the more common toor, moong or masoor. The matki beans are rich in protein, easy to cook, and quite a healthy legume, branded ‘superfood’ by some nutritionists. This dish is quite common in the states of Rajasthan, Maharashtra and Punjab. For most preparations, typically, the dal is first soaked well and then pressure-cooked with water and salt until a bit tender. Lastly, it is tempered with onions, ginger-garlic paste, and the typical spices that feature in its making.
A simple dal from the kitchens of Bengal, kalai dal is made with urad dal and simple spices. Some homes know it as biulir dal, and unlike other Bengali dals, this one is flavoured with fennel seeds and ginger along with dried chillies and fresh green chillies. Not everyone is fond of this dal because the texture can be slimy, and the dal is intentionally cooked, so it's not disintegrating. Such a texture is a norm in many dishes from lady's fingers to the tender stems of colocasia (kochur loti), Malabar spinach (pui saag), and jute leaves (paath saag).
Dal ki dulhan, Muradabadi dal, and matki dal are small examples of the many regional approaches to cooking lentils across the country. Each relies on simple ingredients but differs in preparation, texture, and presentation. Speak of the dumplings simmered in spiced lentils to sprouted beans cooked into thick curries, all deserve to be sampled on a wider scale.
