Dal Makhani

dal makhani

Dal makhani is a rich,creamy dal which has huge fan following and it belongs to North Indian cuisine. The traditional recipe of this dal calls for hearty addition of butter and cream but i have deliberately reduced the amount of fat in the given recipe keeping in mind the health conscious generation of today. This does not mean that my dal makhani has inferior taste. In fact it tastes fantabulous.


     Recipe of dal makhani

      1/2 cup sabut urad dal (whole black gram)
      2 tbsp rajma (red kidney beans)
      1 inch ginger- chopped
      2 tsp oil
      1 tbsp butter
      1/4 cup malai (cream of milk)
      Salt to taste
      1/2 tsp jeera (cumin seeds)
      1/2 tsp garam masala powder
      3/4 tsp red chilli powder
      1 big sized onion- chopped
      2 tomatoes- pureed
      4-5 garlic cloves- chopped
    
1. Wash and soak urad and rajma for at least 3 hours in hot water or overnight in normal water.
2. Cook the soaked dals with enough water, salt, red chilli powder, ginger and 1 tsp oil in a pressure cooker for about 25 minutes in total. Turn the heat to medium after 1 whistle.
3. Take a kadahi or a pan and heat oil and butter in it. Add cumin seeds. When they turn brown, add chopped onion and fry till golden brown.
4. Add garlic and saute and after few seconds, add tomato puree. Cook till oil begins to separate.
5. Add boiled dals and stir in garam masala powder. Give one boil, lower heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
6. Add malai and simmer on a low heat for 5 more minutes.
Dal makhani is ready which tastes good with both paratha and naan and even boiled rice.

Note- If say you are entertaining some guests at a short notice and you do not have time to soak the dal for 3 hours then i have a solution. Put the dal with enough waterin a pressure cooker and after 1 whistle turn off the heat.Take care not to open the lid of the cooker. Then after 1 hour boil the dal as usual. Your dal makhani will be ready in a short time.