Dal Makhani (Black Lentils with Cream)
Dal makhani is a rich black lentil dish from Punjab, built on whole urad dal and a small handful of kidney beans. Cooks there once simmered it for hours over charcoal, which gave it a creamy body and a finish of cream or fresh butter. This home version gets the same effect from an overnight soak, a tomato and spice base, and a short simmer, ending with cream and clarified butter stirred in.
Instructions
Wash the urad dal and kidney beans, then soak them overnight in enough lukewarm water to cover them generously.
Put the soaked dal and beans in a pot with 5-6 cups of water, the salt, red chile powder, turmeric and grated ginger. Cook until both the dal and the beans are completely soft, then set the pot aside.
Heat the ghee or oil in a heavy-bottomed pan. Add the hing, bay leaves, cinnamon and cloves, then the chopped onion if you are using it, and cook until the onion is light golden brown.
Stir in the ginger garlic paste and sauté briefly. Add the chopped tomatoes and the coriander powder, and keep sautéing until the tomatoes have broken down into a mash.
Tip in the cooked dal and beans, adding water as needed to reach the thickness you like. Mix well and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
Stir in the cream and the clarified butter and simmer for another 5 minutes, then take the pan off the heat. Taste and add more salt if needed, since this dal takes more than most.
Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with naan, paratha or rice.
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