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Dal makhani

Creamy black dal

Dal makhani

Dal makhani

Not Too Tricky

serves 6

About the recipe

I learnt this recipe from the best. Chef Manjit Gill, my mentor, taught me the method: he always said to slow cook this dal in big batches because the lentils get creamier and combine well with the tadka. Yes, this is indeed a labour of love, but when you serve dal makhani with roti, you don’t need any other side dishes or accompaniments.



Recipe From

Romy Gill's India

Romy Gill's India

By Romy Gill

Ingredients

FOR THE DAL

200g (7 oz/1 cup) urad dal (black lentils)

2.5 litres (84 fl oz/10½ cups) hot water

1 tsp salt

1 tsp grated (shredded) ginger root

2–3 whole green chillies

FOR THE PASTE

30g (1 oz) butter

1 tsp cumin seeds

15g (½ oz) ginger root, peeled and grated (shredded)

4 large garlic cloves, peeled and grated (shredded)

3 tsp tomato purée (paste)

1 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasoori methi)

1½ tbsp double (heavy) cream

1 tsp chilli powder

2 tsp garam masala (see page 232 of Romy Gill’s India for homemade)

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp ground coriander

1 tsp salt

4 tsp melted ghee, to serve

TO SERVE

Indian flatbreads

Method

  1. Soak the dal overnight in cold water then drain and rinse until the water runs clear.
  2. Place the dal in a deep saucepan with 2 litres (68 fl oz/8 cups) of the hot water plus the salt, grated (shredded) ginger and whole green chillies. Place the pan over a high heat and bring to a boil, then lower the heat, cover the pan and cook until the dal is soft. This will take around 1½ hours.
  3. Meanwhile, make the paste. Heat the butter in a frying pan (skillet) over a medium heat. Once melted, add the cumin seeds and, as soon as they start to sizzle, add the grated ginger and garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomato purée, dried fenugreek leaves and cream, and stir to combine. Cook for 2–3 minutes, then add the remaining spices and salt. Stir well and cook for a further minute.
  4. Once the dal is cooked, add the paste to the dal along with the remaining 500ml (16 fl oz/2 cups) of hot water and stir well to combine. Cover with a lid and cook for a further 30 minutes until the dal is mushy, creamy and soft. Serve hot, drizzled with the melted ghee and enjoy with any Indian flatbread.

Tags

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