Dal Makhani, 4 servings
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Cooked Lentils · Step 1 of 4
Put 200 g whole black urad dal and 55 g red kidney beans (rajma) in a large bowl and rinse them, rubbing well between your hands. Drain and repeat twice more.
rinsing water much clearer
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Cooked Lentils · Step 2 of 4
Cover with 945 ml water, for soaking and soak overnight. Drain, rinse again and drain.
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Cooked Lentils · Step 3 of 4
Put the lentils in a pressure cooker with 960 ml fresh water, for cooking and cook over medium heat for about ten whistles (or 20 min at high pressure in an Instant Pot). Let the pressure drop by itself.
both urad and rajma mash completely with the back of a spoon
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Cooked Lentils · Step 4 of 4
If any rajma is still firm, add half a cup of hot water and cook for another three or four whistles. Keep all the cooking liquid.
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Dal Makhani · Step 1 of 7
Heat 30 ml ghee in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add 1 leaf bay leaf, 2 pods green cardamom pods and 1 pod black cardamom pod and let them sizzle for 1 min.
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Dal Makhani · Step 2 of 7
Add 65 g onion (1 small to medium) and fry until golden, about 7 min. Stir in 18 g ginger garlic paste and fry for 1 min.
onions golden
ginger and garlic smell cooked, not raw
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Dal Makhani · Step 3 of 7
Pour in 220 g tomato puree or passata and cook for 3 min to 4 min. Add 5 ml salt, 3.5 to 7.5 ml Kashmiri chili powder and 5 ml garam masala and keep cooking, stirring, until thick.
masala thick and fragrant
ghee starts to separate at the edges
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Dal Makhani · Step 4 of 7
Lightly mash the cooked lentils and add them to the pot with all their cooking liquid and half of 480 ml hot water, added in stages. Stir well.
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Dal Makhani · Step 5 of 7
Simmer on the lowest heat for about 1 h, stirring often and scraping the bottom so it does not catch.
dal thick and starting to turn creamy
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Dal Makhani · Step 6 of 7
Add the rest of the hot water and keep simmering gently for another 30 min, or longer if you have time.
urad broken down and creamy
thick enough to coat the ladle
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Dal Makhani · Step 7 of 7
Crush 15 ml kasuri methi between your palms over the pot and stir in 60 to 80 ml heavy cream. Cook for 6 min to 8 min. Taste for salt and garam masala, then stir in 42 g unsalted butter, cultured if you can find it.
thick, glossy and creamy
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Charcoal Smoking (Optional) · Step 1 of 2
Set a small foil cup on the surface of the dal. Hold a small piece of natural wood charcoal over a gas flame with tongs until it glows red, then drop it in the cup. Pour 1 to 2.5 ml ghee, for the charcoal over the coal and immediately cover the pot. Leave for 3 min to 4 min; repeat once for a stronger flavour.
thick smoke as soon as the ghee hits the coal
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Charcoal Smoking (Optional) · Step 2 of 2
Remove the cup and coal. Serve topped with extra butter or a swirl of cream, with basmati rice or naan.