Dalmakhani Recipes

Steps:

• Soak whole black urad and rajma overnight in 3-4 cups of water.
• Cook the soaked dal and rajma in the same water with salt, red chili powder and half the chopped ginger till dal and rajma are cooked and soft.
• Peel and chop the onion, ginger and garlic finely. Also chop the tomatoes.
• Heat oil and butter in a thick-bottomed pan. Add cumin seeds, when it crackles add chopped onions and fry till golden brown.
• Add chopped ginger, garlic and chopped tomatoes. Sauté till tomatoes are well mashed and fat starts to leave the masala. Add boiled dal and rajma to this.Do not add the liquid at first.Crush(mash) the dals with the back of the ladle while stirring continuously, this gives that creamy texture to the dal .
• Add the liquid and some water if required and simmer on very low heat for fifteen minutes.
• Add fresh cream and garam masala powder let it simmer for another five minutes. Finish off with a couple of pinch of Kasoori methi powdered.
• Serve hot with Naan or Paraatha.
• Tip: Replacing the tomatoes with 4 tablespoons of thick tomato paste will enhance the taste and colour of the dish manifold.

Steps:

• Drain the soaked black urad dal and Kashmiri rajma beans and transfer to a 6-quart Instant Pot®. Add 4 cups water and 2 teaspoons salt. Follow the manufacturer's guide for locking the lid and preparing to cook. Set to pressure cook on low for 1 hour (see Cook's Note). (Alternatively, use a stovetop pressure cooker over medium-high heat set for 15 minutes.)
• After the pressure-cook cycle is complete, follow the manufacturer's guide for natural release. Once the pressure is released, unlock the lid and add the garlic, ginger, Kashmiri chili powder, garam masala and 1 teaspoon salt. Set the pot to medium sauté and simmer, stirring often so the mixture doesn't scorch on the bottom, until the raw smell is gone, about 5 minutes. (If using a stovetop pressure cooker, saute over medium-high heat.)
• Lightly mash the urad dal mixture with a potato masher, leaving some intact. Add the tomato puree and butter and mix well. Cover with the lid (but do not seal), set the pot to slow-normal (slow cooker) and cook, checking and stirring occasionally to make sure it's not sticking to the bottom and adding a little water if it gets too thick, about 2 hours. It should be the consistency of a pourable lentil soup. (If using a stovetop pressure cooker, stir in 1/2 to 1 cup water along with the tomato puree and simmer over low following the instructions above.)
• Add 6 tablespoons of the heavy cream, set the pot to low sauté and simmer, stirring as needed to keep it from sticking to the bottom, until cooked down slightly and combined, another 10 minutes. Taste and adjust with more salt if needed. (If using a stovetop pressure cooker, simmer over medium heat.)
• Make a cappuccino swirl with the remaining 2 tablespoons cream just before serving. Optionally, you can add another pat of butter on the dal just before serving for some extra love!

Steps:

• Place lentils and kidney beans in a large bowl; cover with plenty of water. Soak for at least 2 hours or overnight. Drain.
• Cook lentils, kidney beans, 5 cups water, and salt in a pot over medium heat until tender, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour. Remove from heat and set aside. Keep the lentils, kidney beans, and any excess cooking water in the pot.
• Heat vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook cumin seeds in the hot oil until they begin to pop, 1 to 2 minutes. Add cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, and cloves; cook until bay leaves turn brown, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium-low; add ginger paste, garlic paste, turmeric, and cayenne pepper. Stir to coat.
• Stir tomato puree into spice mixture; cook over medium heat until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Add chili powder, coriander, and butter; cook and stir until butter is melted.
• Stir lentils, kidney beans and any leftover cooking water into tomato mixture; bring to a boil, reduce heat to low. Stir fenugreek into lentil mixture. Cover saucepan and simmer until heated through, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes. Add cream and cook until heated through, 2 to 4 minutes.

Steps:

• Tip the dhal into a sieve and rinse under cold water several times until the water runs clear. Put in a large bowl or pot and cover in double their volume of warm water. Stir in the bicarbonate of soda and leave to soak at room temperature for at least 12 hrs.
• Drain the dhal (but don't rinse), tip into a pan and cover with 1.5 litres water. Add the sliced ginger, whole chilli and turmeric, then bring to the boil, skim off any scum that rises to the top and reduce the heat. Simmer uncovered for 1 hr until very tender, or cook in a pressure cooker for 20 mins. Remove the ginger and chilli.
• Heat the butter in a separate pan over a medium-high heat until it has foamed up and turned nut-brown. Pour half into a small container and set aside. Return the pan and remaining butter to the heat and add the cumin seeds, fenugreek leaves, ground coriander, garlic, grated ginger and tomato purée and cook for 2 mins more. Stir the spice mixture into the cooked dhal, then add the kidney beans along with the liquid from the can and season generously with salt.
• Roughly mash the dhal mixture with a potato masher until some of the pulses are crushed. Cook, stirring, over a very low heat for 15-20 mins until the dhal is thick and creamy. Stir through most of the reserved brown butter, the garam marsala and half the cream. Tip the dhal into a serving dish and drizzle over the remaining cream and brown butter. Scatter over the chopped chilli and ginger matchsticks and serve.

Steps:

• Wash and soak the kidney beans and the dal together in huge bowl.
• If you see a scum or froth on the surface this is due to humid climatic conditions. Wash the dal thoroughly with water if this happens to avoid the sour taste of dal.
• Drain the dal in a pressure cooker; add finely chopped garlic. Salt to taste and red chili powder. Add enough water fill almost 2/3 of pressure cooker.
• Leave it on high for about 15 minutes, then slow down the flame for about 20 minutes. This simmering will help the dal thicken and cook properly.
• In the meantime, prepare the tempering (tadka).
• Heat oil in a wok. Add cumin; let it splutter but make sure it doesn't burn. Add the puréed tomatoes. Let it simmer for about 4-5 minutes. When the tomatoes start leaving oil on the sides of the pan it means the tadka is ready.
• Add this steaming tadka to the dal and let it simmer for a while uncovered.
• When the dal thickens to the consistency you want (I usually let it simmer for about 10 minutes or more--we like really thick dal that can be poured on the plate that's the actual consistency of dal makhani) add the cream; cook for a minute turn off the flame.
• Serve with hot naan or paranthas.