Daal Makhni

Servings: 3-4

Cooking Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients:

3/4 cup black urad daal (whole)
1/4 cup Rajma (kidney beans)
1 big tomato for tomato puree (if you have medium sized tomato then take two)
1 tbsp grated ginger
2 cloves of garlic grated (if cloves of garlic are small then take 4-5)
3-4 green chillies finely chopped (you can adjust it according to taste)
2 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
Salt to taste
1 tsp cumin powder (jeera powder)
2 tsp garam masala powder
1 tsp cardamom powder (elaichi powder)
4 tbsp butter
1/4 cup heavy cream/fresh cream (malai)
1 tsp kasuri methi (MDH,Everest any)
1 tbsp coriander finely chopped for garnishing

Procedure:

Step 1: First of all rinse the black urad daal and rajma nicely and soak in sufficient water over night or for at least 6-7 hours.

Step 2: Then take rajma and daal in a pressure cooker and add at least 2-3 cups water,1 tsp salt and 1 tsp turmeric powder and pressure cook it until lentils are very soft and mushy. It will take at least 30 minutes in medium heat.Open the lid of cooker only when the pressure escapes automatically.Then take daal and press it between your fingers,if it mash easily then it means daal is cooked properly.If rajma is still not cooked properly then pressure cook it for some more time.

Step 3: In the mean time take tomato in a blender jar and blend it to get a smooth puree.Take butter in a deep kadhai/pan and when butter starts melting then add grated ginger and garlic to it.Saute it for about a minute.

Step 4: Then stir in green chillies and tomato puree prepared in step 3.Mix it nicely.Now add turmeric powder,salt,cumin powder,cardamom powder,garam masala and saute it nicely.Keep the gas on medium heat.Cook the tomato mixture for around 5 minutes and when tomato starts reducing then stir in the cooked daal in the kadhai/pan with the tomato mixture.

Step 5: Adjust the consistency as per your liking by adding little water if too thick. Also give it a taste at this stage and adjust salt and spice as per taste.Now cover the kadhai/pan and let the daal simmer for at least 20-25 minutes.The more daal simmers with the spices more flavorful it becomes.Keep stirring in between so that it does not stick to the bottom of pan.

Step 6: After 20 minutes,add cream and kasuri methi,give it a good stir.Let it simmer for 5 more minutes and then switch off the heat.Take it out in a bowl and garnish with coriander and serve with Roti , Paratha, Naan , Garlic Naan or any bread of your choice.Any paneer dish also goes very well with this daal like Paneer butter masala,vegetable jalfrezi or Kadhai paneer.Make it in your next party and be a party queen. Enjoy !!