Dal Makhani (Lentil Rich sauce)

I was never a dal makhani fan. Until one day when i was at pune, my roommate took me to a restaurant near by and made me taste it. She told I wouldn't regret it and She was right :) The Dal Makhani they provide was just yummy and I still feel the taste of it in my buds.

As the name says this is definitely rich in both flavors and calories. Generally lotttsss of butter and heavy milk is used to make it rich. But I figured, if its going to appear quiet often, then I need to make a little variation and make it low on calories.

Preparation time: 5 mins

Waiting time: 2 to 4 hrs

Cooking time: 30 mins + 15 mins

Serves : 2

INGREDIENTS:

• Black Urad / Black gram - 1/2 cup

• Tomato puree - 1 cup (from 3-4 tomatoes)

• Onion - 1/2 cup (finely chopped)

• Ginger garlic paste - 1 tbsp

• coriander powder - 1tbsp

• Red chilli powder - to taste

• cumin seeds - 1 tsp

• Milk - 1 cup

• Butter - 1/2 tbsp

• Oil - 1/2 tsp

• salt - to taste

• Dal makhani masala or channa masala powder -2 tbsp

• coriander leaves - for garnishing

Note:

• I did not use Rajma, generally small portion of it is also used. You can always go ahead and add the same.

• If you are not using Dal makhni masala powder use the below combination, it is much easier to use the masala powder (Coriander, Chili, Cumin, Black Pepper, Dry Mango Powder, Cinnamon, Big Cardamom, Bay Leaves, White Salt, Black Salt, Turmeric Powder, Pomegranate powder, Green Cardamom, Fennel Seeds, Nutmeg, Mace, Asafoetida)

DIRECTION

Soak the dal (along with rajma if you are using) overnight or minimum 2 hours and then pressure cook .

In a blender add tomatoes and make tomato puree. Then finely chop onions and keep it aside. Meanwhile cook the dal which was soaked overnight or pressure cook until it can mashed easily. In instant pot I cooked in beans setting for 25 mins

In a tawa / sauce pan, add butter/ ghee and heat it. Then add in jeera and saute it along with ginger and garlic paste. once the raw smell of ginger and garlic is gone, add chopped onions and saute it again until the onions turn pink. Then add in the tomato puree, salt and other masala's (coriander powder, red chilli powder, dal makhani powder) mix well and cover it with a lid. Cook until all the raw flavors of the powder is gone. Open the lid and keep stirring  once in a while. If necessary add water and don't let it burn.

Once the raw flavors are gone, add milk or cashew paste and cooked dal to the gravy and mix well. Now turn down the heat to low and let it simmer for 20 mins. Or turn off and reheat before serving.

Dal Makhani goes great with Roti and Jeera rice. Serve Hot. Trust me. It needs to be piping hot.

Enjoy and Happy Cooking !!