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Dal Makhani

Dal Makhani

Published on May 17, 2020 | In | By
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Simplicity Coimbatore , India’s favourite Dal

Sometimes along with my blog posts there is a recipe. When that happens I tend to share it together in my recipe section. I realised lately that when people are searching for a recipe they do not necessarily have the time to read the entire blog post as well. Having said that I also get mails and messages from readers who go back and enjoy the read later.

So from this post onwards, the blog is available at the link above (highlighted in green ) and will also be added to my blog post section later.

The Dal Makhani is something we all love. I have made it a few times in the past but always with a trepidation of adding too much of this or too little of that so while it tasted okay , I was never entirely satisfied with the texture. It had to be thick ,creamy and comforting while still keeping the butter and cream to a bare minimum.

After reading up on how the pairing of ingredients work,I truly believe that a small amount of butter and malai (the cream removed from the top of boiled milk) is necessary to aid in the absorption of the protein from the lentils. This will not work if Olive oil or any other fancy oil is added. Over the years people may have turned this recipe into the rich decadence it portrays now but it does not have to be that way. None of us like the feeling of discomfort after a meal. Do we have to forgo a tasty dish just because we are less inclined to cut down on the fat ? If so that would be a pity  🙂

The pot I have used for this dish is a piece from the beautiful black pottery of Manipur called Long pi pottery . I love using this cookware because it reminds me of the enterprising women folk from the North East of India.

 

This recipe originated in Punjab apparently during the partition. With people then migrating to set up livelihoods across the country, this recipe too went along with them. I can just picture a hungry family sitting around a warm pot of these black lentils, cooked slowly on an open fire , adding comfort while they pick up the threads of a new life. Change is inevitable…how we deal with it is what keeps us going !

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Ingredients

  • Black urad dal- 3/4 C (soak overnight)
  • Rajma- 1/4 C (soak overnight)
  • Butter-1 Tbsp + 1 Tbsp
  • Malai - 1 Tbsp
  • Tomatoes-10 large
  • Onion-1 + 1 finely chopped
  • Ginger garlic paste-1 tsp
  • Garlic- 1 big clove
  • Water- 31/2 C + 1 C
  • Red chilli powder-1 tsp + 1 1/2 tsp
  • Garam masala powder-2 tsp + 1/2 tsp
  • ginger- 1 " piece thinly sliced into sticks (optional)
  • Kasuri methi-1 tsp
  • Salt to taste
  • cumin powder-1tsp
  • Ghee- 1 Tbsp +1 tsp

Instructions

  1. After soaking overnight , drain the soaking liquid and maybe pour it for a plant instead of down the drain. Put the urad dal and rajma in a pressure cooker, add the 3 1/2 C water, 1 tsp red chilli powder, 2 tsp garam masala powder, cumin powder, a little salt and close the lid, add the weight to let cook on medium heat for 10 whistles.
  2. Turn the flame to low and let cook for another 10 whistles. Switch off the fire and let the pressure come down on its own. Beat the tomatoes,1 onion and 1 garlic in the blender with very little water. to get a thick puree. Set aside.
  3. On opening the lid check if the rajma is well cooked and goes squishy when pressed between the fingers.
  4. You can mash it up lightly at this stage or leave it as it is. Reserve the water and drain the lentils.Set aside.
  5. Take a deep pan and add the 1 Tbsp ghee or oil, set on low heat. Add the chopped onions and saute until soft. Add the ginger garlic paste and saute well. Add the tomato puree and cook until the raw smell goes and it is thick and sauce like.
  6. Add the cooked lentils, the remaining chilli powder and garam masala and 1 Tbsp butter. Keep stirring on very low heat for 15 minutes.Keep adding a little of the water from the cooked dal . Add salt. Keep stirring until the lentils mash and start becoming creamy. As it thickens ,add a few spoons of the lentil water,keep stirring. Repeat this for about half an hour on a slow flame.
  7. The constant stirring and adding the liquid makes it creamy. Add another tbsp of butter and mix.
  8. When it has all come together, taste and adjust seasoning. Add the kasuri methi and mix.
  9. Take off the fire and swirl in the cream , a tsp of ghee and fresh ginger sticks.
  10. Serve with rice or roti.

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