Black lentils flavored with tomato, fresh herbs & spices are slow-cooked with butter to create this silky but filling signature delicacy from Punjab.
Servings: 5 Servings
Ingredients
Recipe Kit
- 1 pack Dal Makhani Recipe Kit (No. 02)
Indian Groceries
- 0.75 cup Whole Black Lentil (Hindi Name: Sabut Urad Dal) [1 cup = 7 oz]
- 0.25 cup Bengal Gram Lentil (Hindi Name: Chana Dal) [0.25 cup = 2 oz]
Canned Goods
- 8 oz Red Kidney Beans [8 oz = Half of Small Can]
Produce & Natural Foods
- 1 piece Onion [1 medium-sized = 0.4 lb]
- 1 piece Fresh Ginger Root [2 inch long & roughly ½ inch diameter OR Equivalent]
- 5 piece Garlic Cloves (medium-sized)
- 1 piece Jalapeno
- 2 piece Tomato [2 medium-sized = 0.6 lb]
Dairy & Eggs
- 3 Tablespoon Unsalted Butter
Basic Cooking Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon Cooking Oil [Sunflower, Safflower, Canola or Olive Oil based on preference]
- 1 teaspoon Salt
Instructions
Preparation
- Cutting & Chopping
1. If using canned red kidney beans go to next step. If using dry red kidney beans, soak dry red kidney beans in 2 cups of water for 6 hours. - 2. Peel & finely dice onion.
- 3. Peel & finely dice fresh ginger root OR grate using ginger grater.
- 4. Peel & finely mince garlic cloves OR crush using garlic press.
- 5. De-seed jalapeno/ serrano pepper and slit it length-wise.
- 6. Finely chop tomatoes.
Cooking
- Preparing Herb & Spice Mix (Layering Technique)
Layer 1
Heat 1 Tablespoon of oil in pressure cooker (or sauce pan) - Layer 2
When oil is heated, turn heat to medium and add entire contents of Gold Pack to roast spices. Continue on medium heat, stirring often, till you smell slight aroma of roasted spices. It will take 10-15 seconds to roast spices if oil is hot enough. - Layer 3
Add diced onion, diced ginger, mince garlic and de-seeded jalapeno. Continue on medium heat, stirring often, until the onions become translucent and ginger & garlic loose their pungent smell and start smelling nutty & little sweet. - Layer 4
Add entire contents of Black Pack, ¾ teaspoon of salt & ground red chili (optional, according to taste) and roast on medium heat for another 1 minute, stirring gently and mixing well. - Layer 5
Add chopped tomatoes and ½ cup of water to the herb and spice mix. Stir it gently to mix it well. Continue on medium heat stirring occasionally till tomatoes become pulpy and their skin separate. - Layer 6
Add the tempered herb and spice mix to pressure cooker OR covered sauce pan. Add lentils with 5 cups of water to herb and spice mix and boil the mix until lentils become tender and thickened. If cooking in sauce pan, add more water to prevent drying out. - Layer 7
Add 1 cup of water and 3 Tablespoon of unsalted butter to the boiled lentil mix and simmer it for another 5 minutes.
Notes
Dry Red Kidney Beans
Dry red kidney beans can also be used instead of Canned red kidney beans. In that case 3 ounce of Dry Red Kidney Beans need to be soaked in water for 4-6 hours and then boiled in water till they are soft.
How to Tell When Oil is Hot
When a small piece of food (a bit of ginger OR garlic OR onion) sizzles immediately when added to the pan.
Start Cooking only after all the Preparation steps are completed
In Indian Cooking each step move fast so every ingredient should be in ready-to-cook state and should be close to the cooking station before starting cooking.
Cooking Time
Cooking Time quoted is in case Pressure Cooker is used to cook.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!