Dal Makhani/Slow Cooked black lentils and Kidney beans…the low to high calorie versions!!

Dal Makhani...if you have come looking for THE DAL served at Bukhara, this is not it…in fact, if you are searching for that recipe on the net, am sorry to say but don’t even bother…that taste cannot be replicated no matter what anyone says...they may use all the tricks in the world but no, not possible…do what I do…book a table there every couple of months or whenever you can and get your fix …if you are looking for a home cooked Dal Makhani, yes this is it…with options to make it low to high calorie versions J

Dal Makhani (Slow Cooked black lentils and Kidney beans)…the low to high calorie versions

Ingredients:

• Sabut Urad dal/ Whole Black lentils, 1 cup
• Rajma/Ramah//Kidney beans, ¼ cup
• Fresh Ginger, paste, 2 tbsp
• Fresh garlic, paste, 2 tbsp
• Salt, to taste
• Red chili powder,1 – 1 ½ tsp
• Fresh tomato puree, ½ cup (blanch, peel and then blend or finely grate the tomatoes)
• Milk, 1 ¼ - 1 ½ cups (We get double toned milk at home and that is what I use..you can use whatever you have at hand: skimmed, toned or whole…your choice)
• Water, 7 cups and more if needed

Instructions:

Wash the dal and rajma till water runs clear. Let both soak together in water overnight/8 hours. Drain the water, rinse under cold running water and keep aside.

Cook the lentils till soft with 1 tbsp ginger, salt and about 7 cups of water – if in a pressure cooker, one whistle on high and two on low; if in a pan, your guess would be as good as mine!! J

Open the cooker once the pressure cools down. Mash the dal lightly against the sides of the cooker/pan with a ladle. 

Add the balance 1 tbsp ginger paste, garlic paste, red chili powder and tomato puree. Mix well and let the dal simmer on low heat for about half an hour to forty minutes. 

Add the milk, stir and let it cook for about another hour and half to two hours on low heat stirring intermittently to prevent sticking. If you think it is getting too thick, please go ahead and add some water.

Dal is ready when it gets thick and creamy. Should to be served warm and not piping hot…with any Indian bread of your choice.

The picture that you see has no cream, butter, ghee added in. And pleaseeee don’t even think of adding any oil to this. 

If you want and depending on how rich you want this and who is coming over for a meal, these are the things you can do:

• Add a tablespoon or two of ghee or butter or cream or all three before serving.

• Reduce the quantity of milk to half. Add about half a cup of cream about 15 minutes before taking it off the heat. Top with a tablespoon or two of butter at the time of serving.

• Skip the milk and add about half a cup of butter along with the tomato puree. Add about a cup of cream about 15 minutes before taking it off the heat. Top with another tablespoon or two of butter at the time of serving.