Urad (Black gram)

Urad, or Black Gram, is a small black bean commonly used in Indian cooking. It is often sold as "black lentil," but it is a bean and not a true lentil. To make things more confusing, there is a true black lentil that is much smaller than urad. Urad originates in South Asia and is one of the most prized legumes in India. You can find it often in restaurants as the main ingredient of dal makhani.