Dhal Makhani

Thanksgiving officially sets the holiday mood and the onset of my lazy days until the rest of the year. The long awaited thanksgiving weekend was busy and it flew by so soon. My black friday shopping was time restricted (was trying to get back before the baby woke up, so got a decent 2 hrs to shop) and as usual I ended up with stuff I don't really need but just bought it as it was hard to pass it off (I am easily tempted, what can I say??). So, did I buy the ice cream maker that I have been intending to buy for a long time now? Nope!!! But got a whole bunch of other stuff. You are probably thinking, what's the big deal about an ice cream maker. Well, no biggie but its just an excuse to get something that I had on my 'to buy' list for a long long time. Either way, no more waiting...definitely planning to get an ice cream maker before the end of this year and I can't wait to try a whole bunch of frozen treats :)

Anyway, coming to the recipe, Dhal Makhani is a popular punjabi dish. Dhal Makhani mainly comprises of whole black lentils (black urad dhal) and red kidney beans (rajma). It is a rich and creamy gravy packed with flavors traditionally cooked for a day or so. Nowadays, most recipes have a shortcut version, so why wait to enjoy a tasty bite?

Ingredients:

3/4 cup black urad dhal
1/4 cup red kidney beans
1 big onion, finely chopped
1 medium tomato, finely chopped
3/4 cup tomato puree
1 1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 1/2 tsp garam masala powder
1/4 cup coconut milk creamer (increase quantity, if you like it creamier)
1 tsp fenugreek leaves, crushed and powdered
3-4 cinnamon sticks (small bits)
4-5 cloves
1 tsp vegan butter (optional)
1 1/2 tbsp oil
Salt, to taste

Method:

In a bowl, soak the black urad dhal and red kidney beans overnight.

Pressure cook the black urad dhal and red kidney beans using a weight for  3-4 whistles. Mash the cooked dhal and beans and set aside.

In a pan, heat oil and vegan butter, add cinnamon, cloves and onions. Sauté until the onions are slightly brown (add little salt to cook the onions faster). Add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté till the raw smell is gone.  Add tomato and cook until it gets pulpy.

Now, add turmeric powder, chilli powder, garam masala powder and cook for 3-4 minutes. Add the tomato puree and cook for few mins until it blends with the spices.  Add the mashed dhal mix and salt to the gravy and cook for 8-10 mins. 

Add the coconut milk creamer and crushed fenugreek leaves to the dhal and mix well. Cook for few mins. If you find the gravy too thick, add 1/4 cup water and stir well.  Serve hot with rotis.

Makes 5-6 servings.