Dal Makhani

It is one of the most popular authentic recipe of Punjab, north part of India. It is prepared in rich tomato gravy with main ingredient like 3:1 of whole black gram and red kidney beans, cream, butter.

Ingredients serving for 8-10

150 gm Whole Black gram( urad dal )
50 gm Red kidney beans ( Rajma )
500 gm Tomatoes
20 gm Garlic
20 gm Ginger
30 ml Cream
1 Tbsp Cashew-nuts paste
1 tbsp  Red chilli pwd
100 ml Butter/ ghee
Salt to taste
Spice-bundle 
1 no.  Cinnamon stick
1 no. Bay-leaf
1/2 tsp Peppercorn
2-3 no. Green cardamom
1 no. Black cardamom

1 tsp Kastoori methi( Dry fenugreek leaves)
1 gm honey
Chopped coriander for topping

Preparation

• Wash & soak lentils overnight.
• Drain the lentils in a pressure cooker add salt and water, give 4-5 whistles on medium high fire, lentils should be soft and cooked 90%.
• Mashed the lentils with back of the spoon.
• Cut the tomatoes into half and cook them with ginger garlic paste and salt.
• When cooked, blend them and strain to remove all skins and seeds.

Method

• Put the strained tomato puree in a thick bottom pan and simmer it with the potli masala(Spice-bundle), red chilli powder and the butter cook for 20 minutes or till butter separates.
• Now add the cooked and mashed lentils with 1/2 cup of the stock in which lentils are cook, (adjust the consistency of gravy according to you) cook for 10-15 minutes. 
• Remove from the fire, add the cashew-nut paste and fresh cream to finish the makhni.
• Adjust the sharpness by adding honey and kasoori methi.
• Garnish with chopped coriander leaves. serve hot with naan.

The taste of dal makhani also improves with time. so you might like it even more on the second day.