Restaurant-style Dal Makhani or slow cooked black lentils in 45 minutes
Preparation time: 6 hours 30 minutes
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Servings: 4 to 5
Ingredients
¾ cup black lentils
¼ cup kidney beans
2 tbsp clarified butter or ghee
3 tbsp butter
½ tsp cumin seeds
2-inch cinnamon stick
3 green cardamom
3 cloves
2 bay leaves
½ cup onion (finely chopped)
1 ½ tbsp ginger garlic paste
½ cup tomato puree
1 tsp chilli powder
2 green chillies
¼ tsp nutmeg powder
4 cups water
½ tsp dry fenugreek leaves
¼ cup fresh cream
1 tbsp coriander leaves
Salt to taste
Method
Step 1:
Take black lentils and kidney beans separately in bowls. Add enough water and soak them overnight for 5 to 6 hours. Then, rinse and drain.
Step 2:
Pressure cook the soaked black lentils with 350 ml of water until they are well cooked – 5 to 6 whistles.
Step 3:
Heat a large kadai or a pan. Add two tablespoons of clarified butter and 1 ½ tablespoons of butter. Add cumin seeds, cinnamon sticks, cardamom, cloves, and bay leaf. Sauté for a few seconds over medium heat.
Step 4:
Add chopped onions and a pinch of salt, and sauté until they become light brown in colour.
Step 5:
Add ginger-garlic paste and sauté until the raw smell dissipates.
Step 6:
Add tomato puree, salt (as required), red chilli powder, chopped green chillies, and nutmeg powder. Saute over low to medium flame until the oil separates.
Step 7:
Add the cooked lentils and kidney beans and give it a good stir. Keep stirring often so the lentils don’t get stuck at the bottom of the pan. Also, mash the lentils with the spatula for a slightly thick consistency.
Step 8:
Add two cups of boiling water. Mix well and allow it to boil. Once it starts boiling, reduce the flame to medium. Cook for another 10 to 15 minutes.
Step 9:
Add dry fenugreek leaves and continue cooking for 1 or 2 minutes, then turn off the flame.
Step 10:
Add fresh cream and mix well.
Step 11:
Add the remaining 1 ½ tablespoons of butter. Mix well. Finally, garnish with coriander leaves. Dal Makhani is now ready to be served.
Note:
To make homemade tomato puree, blend two chopped tomatoes to a smooth puree in a blender or mixer jar—no need to blanch them.
Sobha Varghese is a homemaker based in Mumbai, India. Sobha runs a popular YouTube blog called ‘Sobha's Kitchenette’ that focuses on authentic and traditional Kerala recipes.
What other recipes would you like featured? Tell us at food@gulfnews.com