Kasi Kitchen
Dal makhani
Dal makhani is comfort food royalty – black dal and kidney beans, slow-cooked with spices, butter, garlic, cream and tomatoes.
Ingredients
- 200g/7oz dried black urid dal
- 100g/3½oz dried red kidney beans, soaked overnight
- 3 tbsp ghee
- pinch asafoetida
- 1 bird’s-eye chilli, slit lengthwise
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 250g/9oz onions, finely chopped
- 220g/7¾oz fresh tomatoes, finely chopped
- 4 tbsp tomato purée
- 2cm/¾in fresh root ginger, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder (or mild chilli powder)
- 1 tsp garam masala powder
- 80ml/2¾fl oz double cream
- salt
- naan bread, to serve
For the spiced butter
- 2 tbsp butter
- 5 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- ½ tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
- 2 tbsp fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped
Method
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Tip the urid dal, kidney beans and 1.6 litres/2¾ pints water into a large saucepan. Bring to the boil for 10 minutes, and then simmer for 1 hour 45 minutes until the lentils are cooked through, stirring often. Leave to cool slightly, then mash with a potato masher and set aside.
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Heat the ghee in another large saucepan over a medium heat. Add the asafoetida, chilli and cumin seeds. Fry for a few seconds, then add the garlic. Fry for 20 seconds. Add the onions and fry for another 10–12 minutes to soften. Add the tomatoes and continue to cook for 5 minutes more until softened. Add the tomato purée and stir well for a minute.
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Add the ginger and chilli powder and fry for 1 minute more. Add the cooked dal. Stir until well combined. Season with salt and add 400ml/14fl oz water. Simmer for 20 minutes over a low heat. Keep an eye on it and stir often to make sure the dal doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan. Add the garam masala and double cream. Stir well and turn off the heat.
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To cook the spiced butter, melt the butter in a small frying pan over a low heat. Add the garlic and fry for 1 minute. Add the chilli powder and remove from the heat. Add the coriander and stir well. Pour over the dal, stir and serve warm with naan bread.
Dal makhani