Thank you for your post sk, that is a really helpful answer.

Last time someone asked me this question on https://www.facebook.com/mamtaskitchen/?rc=p page, I actually soaked the whole urad overnight to check. It indeed turned green, which I had never noticed before, because I had never soaked it for that long before.

I hadn't compared the prices of urad and mung before, but what you say makes complete sense. If Mung is more expensive, why would anyone do that!

So this question is resolved for ever, mung beans are NOT painted to make them look like URAD!

Thank you.

Mamta

Then question remains the same, what is it, why Black urad turns bluish green? I saw water was full of black color particles.

I soaked whole grain urad dal overnight and colour changed to green exactly like mung dal. The water are completely black like the dal had some synthetic dye. I read it online that usually it happens with urad dal so I ignored that.

In my second batch, before soaking I observed that it is actually mung dal with black coating with some cracks. Still I was doubting my eyes and soaked it for 5 hours. This time it didn't leave any colour. I thought may be I was mistaken and went ahead with the next step of boiling. But as soon as I saw the water coming out of the cooker, I got scared by the color. It is completely black as that of a dye. I had to throw the whole batch as it was clear that there were synthetic colors used for selling mung dal as urad dal

Urad dal turning green on soaking is a natural phenomenon, as far as I know.

Also, it doesn't make price wise to colour mung dal and sell it as Urad dal.

Mamta

yes thats correct urad dal grown in some regions of the world will turn green on soaking its the characteristic of the breed grown

people have often been confused as its usually used to make dal makhani which is black in colour

Hi everyone, thanks for posting this thread and asking this question! I couldn't see this issue mentioned in any recipes so I thought something wasn't right as after soaking my black urid (whole) bean for a while, they turned the dirty green. They looked exactly like mung bean and tasted like it as well. I hope this is just a natural phenomenal as mentioned and not from artificial tampering/"painting them black".

Mung dal is more expensive than urad dal generally. So it wouldn’t make sense to dye it to look like urad dal.

Mamta

Could you please advise me:) I am always having problems cooking urad daal as in it is always firmer than I would like. Takes a very long time to soften also, I always soak overnight and then pressure cook for at least 20 minutes or more followed by more cooking on the hob. I always add salt/turka once out of pressure cooker and not before as I have heard salt can harden daal in the cooking process..... please help!

Hello Sonia

I am at a loss to understand why your Urad dal is not softening after overnight soaking and 20 + minutes cooking under pressure.

I discussed this with my older sister this morning, she can’t understand it either. She suggests that you add a pinch of baking soda to the water you soak it in and cook. Throw away the water from first couple of washes, then add a pinch of baking soda And cook it in the same water.

I add salt at the time if cooking. I know dals cook faster without it, but it is an old habit, I just add it without thinking.

Hope this works for you. Let me know if it does.

Mamta

In my case, When I soaked whole urad overnight, The dal change its colour into dark green, light green, and dark brown/light brown (Same as matki/ mot). While it was black in colour when I brought it. I hope it is good to eat.?

Hello Akash

This is a natural phenomenon, Urad dal changes to lighter colours when soaked. I have experienced this myself every time.

It is not mung dal coloured to look like Urad, as far as I know, because that is more expensive..

Mamta

Hi,

I think that the question on dying moong lentils has to remain open, and here is why. I have soaked some Urad Lentils overnight and well into the afternoon, and half are green and half are still black and the black one are without much expansion. Can any one explain this because to it can only imply that there is a mixture of different lentils.

You probably have a mix of two different varieties of Urad dal. Once the skin is Washed off, Urad dal is whiter/lighter than mung dal. Washed mung dal looks very slightly yellower.

Hi.. Thank you so much for bringing this topic, this was my first time leaving urad dal soak so long almost 20 hrs! and it mostly started turning green (not the mung dal green) and I was starting to worry if I should use it.. I washed them good and used it.. I had got parliament sanjeevani organics brand urad dal.. Just for anyone using this brand, this is real, it does happen!!!

Thank you for your definitive answered.

It really doesn't make sense to paint mung to look like Urad Dal , especially if Urad dal is cheaper.

Mamta

It can't be painted because you can not paint it leave a line of white mark in the center of the daal. To paint it has to be dipped in paint which means it should be black all way but I see a white point in single bean of daal. To me when it turns green is a sign of different variety of daal. May be it is cheaper to produce. Ask a farming expert or seed seller to come in and enlighten us. I do not like it to turn green.

It's normal for urad dal to torn bluish green on soaking yet you can still make out the difference between urad and moong. Urad dal is too much starchy and the skin is thicker. Need not worry about adulteration.

What is the induction of yellow colour urid gola.

Sorry Indu, I don’t understand your question.

Mamta

Hello. I was brought to this page to find answers for the same question everyone here as been discussing. Why chilka urad turns green after soaking overnight? I am somewhat reassured to read the responses here. Thanks. I have also tried using this chilka urad to grind idli dosa batter. This doesn't require it to be soaked overnight. So the urad didn't turn green nor the skin loosened off the dal. So I got grey coloured batter which fermented beautifully and yielded proper idlis and dosas. If it had indeed been moong dal, I wouldn't have got authentic tasting idlis and dosas. By the way I won't recommend idli dosa made with chilka urad, if taste and looks are important for you. It tastes heavier than the regular ones and doesn't look pretty as well compared to the white urad ones. But I am sure it is healthier.