Awards and Dal Makhani ( Restaurant Style)

Re-Posting this For Pari's FLAVOURS OF PUNJAB Event originally hosted by Nayna at Nayna’s space.

Dal makhani दाल माखनी is a treasured staple food, originally from Punjab in North India. This dish is a type of daal (boiled lentils or other dried legume/pulse) eaten in India (in the states of Punjab, Haryana, Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and the Bhojpuri area of Bihar). As well as with roti or rice, it is also commonly eaten with either phulkas or rotis.

Dal Makhani is one of Punjabi cuisine's most characteristic signature dishes, and is high in protein--an important attribute in primarily vegetarian cultures. Traditionally this dal is cooked on low flame, for hours, on charcoal, which gives it a rich creamy texture. When cooked at home today, more moderate amounts of cream or butter are often used. When prepared in restaurants, it is cooked slowly on low heat and usually has a large amount of cream and/or butter added.

I've been feasting on this dish at restaurants in India.I was a Delhite ( well not exactly…was in Gurgaon) for some 2-3 years and is always on praise for dishes available in Delhi. Coming back to Dal Makhani, getting the right indgredients and the consistency is important. Dal Makhani is not only eaten with rotis or phulkas, I just simply eat it as it is….. Well that goes to say how delicious it would be.

Also I am very new to blogging....and this is my first award....thank you Rach from Indian food ..... I know its a bit late....but I have this special dish to thank you and would also like to forward it to Malar, Shanti and praniskitchen.

Whole black gram (sabut urad dal) 1/2 cup

Red kidney beans (rajma) 2 tablespoons

Salt to taste

Sugar a pinch

Tomatoes, roughly chopped 3 medium

Onions finely chopped 1 cup

Garlic, roughly chopped 8-10 cloves

Ginger, roughly chopped 1 1/2 inch piece

Oil 1 teaspoons and Butter – 30 gms

Cumin seeds 1 tsp.

Red chilli powder 2 tsp

Garam masala powder 2 tsp.

Fresh Cream- ¾ cup

1. Soak sabut urad and rajma overnight.

2. Drain. Pressure cook urad and rajma in three cups of water with salt and red chilli powder till completely cooked and soft. 

3. Grind together tomatoes, to a smooth puree. 

4. Heat oil and butter in a pan. Add cumin seeds. When they begin to change colour add the onions and saute till they get little brown.

5. Now add the ginger garlic, fry it for another minute or two, then tomato puree and stir. Saute the mixture nicely till oil starts separating.Simmer for five minutes. 

6. Mash the urad and rajma slightly and add to the tomato mixture. Add red chilli powder, garam masala powder and mix. Adjust salt and add little sugar, as the Dal makhani is little on sweeter side. Simmer for fifteen minutes. 

7. Add the fresh cream leaving little for garnishing later and again simmer it for 5 mins. Serve hot garnished with Fresh Cream. 

I would like to add one more name to whom I can forward the award and ie. Sanjeeta.