Dal “Makhani”
This North Indian preparation is a healthy mix of many lentils in a dark brown gravy. Enjoy this thick stew with steamed whole plain or flavoured rice, rotis or parathas.
Ingredients
- 1½ cups whole black gram (sabut urad), rinsed and soaked for a minimum of 8 hours
- ½ cup kidney beans (rajma), rinsed and soaked for a minimum of 8 hours
- 4 cups water
- 1” pc unpeeled ginger
- 7-8 cloves garlic
- 1 tsp cumin (jeera) seeds
- ¼ tsp asafoetida (hing)
- 2-3 green chillies, thinly sliced
- 2 medium-sized onions, finely chopped
- 3 medium-sized tomatoes, finely chopped
- 1 tsp unrefined salt
- 1 tbsp cashew butter
- 1 tbsp cashew cream, for the garnish (soak cashew nuts for 4 hours and grind with very little water to make cashew cream)
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander leaves, for the garnish
Method
Discard soaking water and rinse the black gram and kidney beans, add 4 cups water and cook in a pressure cooker for 1 whistle. Then, reduce heat to medium and cook for about 5 to 10 minutes.
Grind ginger and garlic to a paste. Heat a pan and dry roast cumin seeds and asafoetida on low heat. Add thinly sliced green chillies and mix. Add ginger-garlic paste and onions and roast on medium heat until golden brown, adding a tablespoon of water if the mixture dries up. Add tomatoes and salt. Cook while stirring regularly, until the mixture thickens into a pulpy sauce (about 3 minutes). Now, add cooked black gram and kidney beans and mix well. Cook for 4-5 minutes. You can add half a cup of water if you find the mixture to be too thick. Add the cashew butter and cook for 2 minutes. Dal makhani is ready to serve. Garnish with cashew cream and coriander leaves and serve hot.
Serves 8