Recipe- The Most Ultimate Dal Makhani

Dal Makhani is the most butter and luscious food loved by all.This dal is usually made with black urad dal and kidney beans (rajma), and today I’m showing you how to make this dal on the stovetop, traditional pressure cooker and an instant pot. All three methods will give you the perfect dal makhani!Traditionally, dal makhani is a labour of love, slow cooked for hours on hot coals, usually overnight till the dal breaks down on its own to a buttery, creamy consistency. But we don’t have that kind of time do we? We have to get to work, send kids to school and get some Netflix time in between.

Ingredients

1 cup black whole Urad Dal (whole Black Gram Lentils)
1/4 cup Rajma (Kidney Beans)
3 tablespoons Ghee (clarified butter)
1 Bay Leaf
1 inch Cinnamon Stick
4–5 Cloves
2–3 Cardamom Pods
1 tablespoon minced Garlic
1 tablespoon grated Ginger
2 Green Chillies, finely chopped (Serrano Peppers)
1 large Onion, finely chopped
4 large Tomatoes, finely chopped (or 1 1/2 cup tomato puree)
1 teaspoon Red Chilli Powder (or Paprika)
1 1/2 teaspoon Salt, divided
1 teaspoon Garam Masala
1/4 cup Heavy Cream
2 tablespoons Butter
2 tablespoons Kasuri Methi (dried Fenugreek)
More cream for topping

Method

* Soak urad dal (black gram) and rajma (kidney beans) in enough water that there is an inch over, for at least 8 hours.

* Drain the water from the soaked lentils and add them to a pot with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 4 cups water.

* Bring this to a boil and then reduce the flame to a simmer.

* Cover and cook for an hour till the beans can be easily smashed between your fingers.

* Once the beans are cooked, lightly smash them with a potato masher, making sure to leave them partially intact.

* Heat ghee in a pot and add bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom. Saute them for a minute or two till you can smell the spices and add garlic, ginger, green chilli and onions to the pot. Cook this till the onions turn translucent.

* Add the tomatoes (or tomato puree), red chilli powder, salt and garam masala. Cook till the tomatoes are mushy, and add the cooked lentils with 1 cup water.

* Bring this to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes or till the dal has thickened, making sure to stir occasionally because the dal tends to stick to the bottom.

* Mix in the heavy cream, butter and kasuri methi. Switch off the flame and let the dal makhani rest for 15 minutes before serving, topped with more cream.

* Dal Makhani is ideally made the previous day to let the flavors mingle.