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