Chef Varun Inamdar takes the classic Dal Makhani, which is a combination of whole black urad dal and rajma, and gives it an earthy flavour with the addition of walnuts.
Photograph: Kind courtesy California Walnuts
Dal Makhani
Serves: 3-4
Ingredients
- ¾ cup sabut kala urad dal or whole black lentils
- ¼ cup rajma or large red kidney beans
- ¼ cup walnuts, chopped roughly
- 6 cups water
- Salt to taste
- ½ cup fresh tomato puree
- 1 tbsp or more ginger-garlic paste
- 1 tbsp Kashmiri chilly powder
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp cream
- Pinch of kasuri methi or dried fenugreek leaves
- ½ tsp garam masala
- Cream for garnish
Method
- Wash and soak the black urad dal along with the rajma and walnuts in 3 cups of water overnight.
- Rinse and transfer the soaked dal mixture into a pressure cooker.
Add 3 cups of water and cook on low heat for 20 minutes.
Increase the heat to high and cook for 4 whistles.
Take off heat, allow the pressure to release, open the lid and mash the contents with 1 cup water.
Once the rajma, urad dal and walnuts have been mashed to a creamy paste, place the open pressure cooker back to heat.
Add the tomato puree, cream and cook over medium-low heat for 15 minutes.
In a bowl combine the ginger-garlic paste, chilly powder, butter, kasuri methi and garam masala.
Mix well and add to the cooked dal.
Stir and cook for another 10 minutes.
Take off heat, transfer into a serving bowl, garnish with a dash of cream and serve warm with jeera rice or naans or rotis and sliced onions or green onions.
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