Dal makhani

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Dal makhani: (Black lentils daal, Daal makkhani, dhaal makhani, dhal makhani, Maa Ki Daal) is a staple food, originally from Punjab in India made from beans and or lentils served in a creamy tomato sauce.

Ingredients

pulses

• 180 ml whole urad (dried black lentils)
• 2 tablespoons dried kidney beans

spices etc

• 1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
• 2 green chillies, slit
• 1 x 5 cm stick cinnamon
• 2 cloves
• 3 green cardamoms
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon Crushed garlic
• 1 tablespoon grated ginger
• 1 teaspoon chilli powder
• ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
• 200 ml of tinned tomatoes, mashed
• 2 tablespoons tomato purée
• 150 ml single cream
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander
• Salt to taste

Method

1. Rinse the dried pulses, soak overnight in cold water, refreshing a few times. Rinse well and drain.
2. Add the pulses to a pan, cover with twice the volume of water, bring to the boil, cover and simmer vigorously until they are slightly overcooked. Skim any scum from the surface and add extra boiling water if they start to dry out. This will take about an hour and a quarter.
3. Drain the beans and lentils and roughly mash into a dal, cover and set to one side.
4. Heat the butter in a pan or wok and add the whole cumin seeds
5. Once they start to pop, add the cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, cloves, garlic, ginger and the onions and sauté until the onions are translucent.
6. Stir in the tomatoes and tomato purée, chilli powder, chillies, turmeric and mashed dal. Taste for seasoning and simmer for 15 minutes, adding extra water if needed.
7. Remove from the heat, add the cream and garnish with coriander leaves.
8. Serve immediately.

Chef's notes

Having no fresh coriander available, I used a mixture of fresh basil and parsley.

See also

• A selection of other Daal recipes