Dal Makhani

I hate the fact that I have to scratch my head every single day for coming up with what to cook for dinner. If I ask my other half he never gives an answer really, or maybe I should say I only cook something if I am also upto eating it /cooking it  :) Every single day when I enter the kitchen I declare to my hubby that I hate cooking and washing up and its a fact that  I hate my daily cooking if its usual things, so blogging has kind of helped me to enjoy  cooking and whip up  something interesting / different. 

Back home when we used to live in Pune I never used to have this dilema as the veggies available were endless and there was a fish market nearby so most of the time the question is which fish curry to make rather than which curry to make. But here things have changed, we dont like  fish curry that much, mainly because the english fish doesnt give that authentic  taste when they are curried, so we prefer to fry it so curry options are limited.

 I miss Pune very badly when thinking about all those fishes and fresh vegetables and most of all the eating out. If I ever go back to Pune again first thing I will do is go and eat out in all my favourite restaurants and cook some nice fish curry ! Anyway Dal makhani is something I got introduced from Pune and there was this Punjabi dabba, a kind of take away place and all I had  to do on lazy day is to just pick up the phone and order our favourite tandoori chicken or dal makhani   etc etc..I never cared to make dal makhani back then, who will when you get such great food outside ! I love Dal makhani , I have been trying to  recreate the one which I used to have from the Punjabi dabba in Pune and after few attempts  I am very  happy the way they turned out this time. So this recipe is for my own future use aswell :)

Ingrediets

Sabut Urad / Whole urad / Uzhunnu - 1 cup

Rajma/ Red kidney beans  - 1/4 cup

Onion - 4 ( chopped )

Tomato - 3(chopped )

Ginger - garlic paste - 2 tbs

Coriander powder - 1 tbs

Garam masala - 1 1/2 tsp

Redchillly powder - 1 tbsp

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp

Ginger (Julienned) - 1 tbs

Fresh cream- few tablespoon

Coriander leaves 

Salt 

Water as required 

Method

• Soak whole urad and rajma overnight or atleast 10-12 hours.
• Pressure cook the dals adding enough water until cooked very well. Mash the dals lightly.
• In a saucepan add oil and add chopped onions and saute until light brown.
• Add ginger garlic paste and fry for 1-2 minutes.
• Add chopped tomatoes, redchilly powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, salt and cook tomatoes until mushy.
• Add cooked and mashed dal and boil for 5- 10 minutes.
• Finally add garam masala, fresh cream  and cook for 1-2 minutes.
• Remove from fire and add finely chopped corainder leaves.
• Meanwhile in small pan add juliened  ginger and fry until brown. Add this to the dal.
• Serve with rice / roti with a dollop of fresh cream on Dal !