Black gram (Vigna mungo), also known as urad dal, is a bean native to the Indian subcontinent. It is small, oval, and black-skinned, with a white interior that is revealed when the bean is split or husked. It should not be confused with black beans (Phaseolus vulgaris), which are an entirely different species from the Americas.
Black gram is one of the most important pulses in Indian cuisine. Whole, it is simmered into rich, creamy dals — most famously dal makhani. Split and husked (white urad dal), it is used as a seasoning element in South Indian tempering. Ground into a paste, it is the key ingredient in dosa and idli batters, where its natural mucilage provides the fermentation and texture that define these dishes. It is also the base for papadums.
In Australia, black gram is available at Indian grocery stores in whole, split, and husked forms. It is also grown in small quantities in northern Australia as a rotation crop.
How it's produced
Black gram is a short-season tropical pulse crop, typically grown during the monsoon (kharif) season in India, Myanmar, and other parts of South and Southeast Asia. It is well-suited to warm, humid conditions and relatively poor soils, making it an important crop for small-scale farmers.
The plants are bushy annuals that mature in 80–100 days. Pods are harvested when they turn black and dry, then threshed to extract the beans. Like other legumes, black gram fixes nitrogen in the soil and is commonly grown in rotation with cereals like rice or wheat. After harvest, the beans may be sold whole or processed by splitting and dehusking to produce the various forms used in cooking.
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≈ Estimated from its category — typical for legumes & pulses, not measured for this item yet. Sources & methods →
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