Dal Makhani - South Asian Recipe

Dal Makhani

🌍 South Asian, Punjab Difficulty: ●●●○○

The long slow cook over dying embers overnight is the hallmark of dhaba (roadside restaurant) cuisine.

Ingredients

• 250 g whole black lentils (urad dal), soaked overnight
• 50 g kidney beans (rajma), soaked overnight
• 4 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 in ginger, grated
• 2 tomatoes, puréed
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• ½ tsp Kashmiri chili powder
• 100 ml cream
• Salt to taste

Method

1. Boiling — Boil soaked lentils and beans in 1.5 L water until completely soft, 45–60 min (or pressure cook 20 min). Reserve cooking water.
2. Heating — Heat butter and oil; add cumin seeds, then onion. Cook until deep brown, 20 min.
3. Adding — Add garlic and ginger; cook 2 min. Add tomato purée; cook until oil separates, 15 min.
4. Adding — Add spices and cooked lentils with some cooking water. Simmer on very low heat 45–60 min, stirring occasionally.
5. Stirring — Stir in cream, simmer 10 more min. The long simmer is essential — restaurant versions cook 6–8 hours.

Tags: whole black lentils, kidney beans, butter, onion, garlic cloves · Source: Brittani's Almanac