Dal Makhani

Dal Makhani is a favourite in party food and restaurant orders. There is a reason this particular preparation is far ahead in its appeal compared to other dal preparations. The creamy texture and the slightly spicy taste with a hint of ginger is just irresistible and goes so well with the fried rice or pulao items.

I always wanted to try this but was apprehensive about how well folks at home will take to having butter and cream mixed into their healthy dal. But I decided it wouldn't do us much harm to make this once a while.

So here goes the recipe I used this afternoon for a yummy lunch.

Ingredients:
Black Urad Dal - 3/4 cup
Asafoetida/Hing - 1/4 tsp
Onion - 2 medium sized chopped fine
Tomato - 2 medium sized diced
Coriander powder - 1/2 tsp
Cumin powder - 1/2 tsp
Ginger Paste - 1 tsp
Amti masala - 1/2 tsp
Green Chillies - 2 (slit lengthwise)
Chilli powder - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste
Butter - 1 tbsp
Cream - 2 tbsp

Method:
Soak the urad dal in 3 cups of water over night.
Boil the urad dal with asafoetida in the pressure cooker giving 7-8 whistles until soft.
When the cooker cools down, mash the dal well. 
In a kadai, heat some oil and fry the chopped onions until pink. Add the tomato and saute until soft. Add the green chillies, chilli powder, ginger paste, amti masala, coriander, cumin and salt and fry for a few seconds. Add the mashed dal and let boil for a few minutes. Add the butter and cream and allow to simmer for a minute or so. Serve hot and garnish with coriander leaves, with rice or rotis. 

Verdict: Enjoy the creamy and mildly spiced dal makhani with your favourite pulav. A dish worth investing your time in.