Dal Makhani

Today there were no vegetables for lunch box.I was thinking how can I prepare lunch with the groceries available @home.An Idea flashed in my mind and I thought of cooking Dal Makhani.This treasured staple food which is a delicacy of punjab is commonly eaten with rotis/naans.The recipe source is from one of my colleague who is a punjabi.Traditionally this dal is cooked on low flame, for hours, on charcoal, which gives it a rich creamy texture. People who count calories has to think twice before consuming this recipe.

 

 

 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup black urad dal
• 50 gm rajma
• 4 medium sized tomatoes
• 2 medium sized onions finely chopped
• 11/2 tbsp crushed ginger
• 1 tsp garlic paste
• 3 green chillies finely chopped
• ¼ tsp turmeric powder
• 2 sticks cinnamon
• 4 cloves
• 1 black cardamom peeled
• 2 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tsp cumin seed powder
• 2 tbsp fresh cream/ malai
• finely chopped coriander leaves (to garnish)
• sufficient water to boil the dal
• 5 tbsp ghee

 

Procedure:

1. Wash and soak the dal,rajma in sufficient water for 8 hours or overnight.
2. In a pressure cooker add 1tbsp ghee and once the ghee is hot add cumin seeds.
3. Mean while grind cloves,cardamoms,cinnamon and prepare dalmakhani powder.
4. When the jeera turns brown,add dalmakhani powder and roast till the rawness disappears.
5. Pressure cook the dal and rajma in sufficient water along with salt, turmeric powder,bay leaves,ginger. Pressure cook first on a low flame for 3 whistles..
6. Now lightly heat the remaining ghee in a kadai.Add onions and saute till they become transparent.
7. Now add green chillies and saute for few seconds.
8. Add the tomato puree,garlic paste and little salt. Saute for few minutes.
9. Add red chilli powder and cumin seed powder. Saute on a low flame till oil separates.
10. Add the onion tomato mixture to the dal. Mix well.Cook on a low flame for 15 to 20 minutes till the masalas and the dal are well blended.
11. Garnish with fresh cream or malai and coriander leaves.
12. Serve hot with hot phulkas, steamed rice and onion rings.