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According to Madhur Jaffrey's =Flavors of India=:

  == begin quote ==

  Urad beans, whole black: Small, black-skinned oval beans that are pale
yellow inside. Their texture is somewhat glutinous. You can buy them
from all Indian grocers. Ask for whole urad or sabut urad. In the
Punjab, where they are much loved, they are known as ma di dal.

  Urad dal: A small, pale yellow split pea that is used, among other
things, to make all manner of South Indian pancakes. It has a slightly
viscous texture. It is also used as a seasoning. It is South Indians who
seem to have discovered that if you throw a few of these dried, split
peas into hot oil... the seeds will turn red and nutty. Anything
stirfried in the oil afterwards will pick up that nutty flavour and
aroma.

   ==end quote==

Gayle, I suspect you've got the split pea flour.
--
Linda Blanchard
http://www.ccgs.com
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