Ulundhu Sadam Recipe with step by step photos. Ulundhu sadam made in pressure cooker, is a healthy white rice substitute that is very high in fibre and protein yet light on the stomach making it perfect for diabetics.
Most of us use healthy grains and seeds as rice substitute but when you use a lentil in its place, the nutritional value of your entire meal gets amped up and I’m sure you will agree that its not only most economical compared to Quinoa but also easily available everywhere.
Ulundhu sadam is very popular around the areas of Tirunelveli and Nagercoil and they usually serve it along with Ellu thogayal. This is always a part of the mid week lunch while growing up in my grandparents home.
But we serve it with puli kulambu and coconut thogayal always. While you can serve it with sambar or rasam, because of the earthy taste of Skinned Ulundhu, it won’t go well and taste delicious at the same time. You need something tangy and very spicy to even out the taste.
We also make Kanji (Gruel) using this split urad dal that is usually served for breakfast. Though you can, cook this sadam in an open pan, I prefer cooking it in a pressure cooker as it comes out perfect without much effort like this Millets.
Ulundhu or Karuppu Ulundhu is called as Chilkewali Urad Dal in hindi and most commonly called as Split Black Gram in English. Apart from using this as this ulundhu sadam as a rice substitute, you can also make several dals to serve with chapathis or rotis.
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Notes:
– Instead of brown rice, you can also use regular rice (sona masoori) or millets.
– If using regular rice, you can reduce the water by 1/2 cup and reduce the number of whistles in pressure cooker to 4 or 5 as well.
– You can reverse the ratio of the rice and urad dal used.
– You can store the left over ulundhu sadam in refrigerator, but make sure that you finish it off within the next 2 days.
– You can skip dry roasting the urad dal and just wash and use but the resulting ulundhu sadam will be very sticky and lumpy, which I do not personally like. So I always dry roast before using it.
Ulundhu sadam recipe with stepwise photos:
1. Wash & soak brown rice. Dry roast split ural dal till fragrant and hot to the touch.
2. Transfer both brown rice and dal to a pressure cooker.
3. Add Garlic, fenugreek and salt.
4. Add water and pressure cook for 7 to 8 whistles.
5. Let the pressure release by itself, ope lid, mix well and serve this ulundhu sadam for lunch.
Ulundhu Sadam recipe details below:

Ulundhu Sadam Recipe
Ingredients
- Split Urad dal with skin - 1/2 cup
- Brown Rice - 1/4 cup
- Water - 3-1/2 cups
- Garlic pods - 8 to 10
- Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp
- Salt - 1/4 tsp
Instructions
- Wash brown rice and soak for 10 to 15 mins.
- Meanwhile heat a pan and dry roast split urad dal till fragrant and hot to the touch over low flame.
- Transfer dry roasted urad dal and drained brown rice to a pressure cooker.
- Add garlic pods, fenugreek seeds and salt.
- Add water, stir and close with lid. Simmer the flame completely.
- Pressure cook for 7 to 8 whistles. Switch off the flame.
- Let the pressure reduce by itself and open the lid.
- Mix well. Ulundhu sadam is ready.
- Serve with any puli kulambu and coconut or ellu thogayal.

Yummy! This recipe seems to be quite interesting and tasty. Thanks for sharing.
I’m a North Indian and I like to eat south Indian foods. I am looking forward to more Indian recipe, and Indian cuisine is my favorite. I tried your recipe that taste was quite good.