Dal Makhani / Black dal

Dal Makhani ----The much awaited recipe is here.

Ingredients

1. 1 cup black dal / whole urad dal (lentil)-- not soaked just washed
   
2. 1/4th cup Rajma / kidney beans -- the pink variety not purple soaked over night
   
3. 1 onion grated or chopped in a chopper
4. 1 small tomato grated / pureed in chopper
5. 1 tsp. coriander powder
6. 1 tsp cumin seeds / jeera
7. 1/2 tsp garam masala
   
8. 1/4 tsp. haldi / turmeric
   
9. 2 tbsp. oil
10. 1 tbsp. ghee
11. 1 tsp. each ginger and garlic chopped
12. 2 cloves / laung
13. 1/2 cup curds beaten or cream
    
14. salt and red chili powder to taste.

Method:

1. In a pressure cooker put oil add jeera when it crackles add onions -- saute till they turn brown. Add all the dry masalas--- red chili pwd, dhania pwd, haldi and garam masala saute. (no salt)
   
2. Add the tomato cook till tomatoes are done. (dry)
3. Add the washed urad dal and soaked rajma saute for a minute
4. Add add water appox 3 cups. mix.
5. Close the cooker and after one whistle on high flame --turn the flame low and cook for 20 mins.
   
6. When the pressure cooker is cool open it. Transfer the dal into another vessel most preferably into a copper vessel as this imparts a great flavor to dal.
7. Add water and salt mix by masing a bit. Let the dal simmer for 15 minutes if water dries up add some more. Take care as the dal tends to stick to the bottom so you might need to stir in-between
8. Now add curds or cream or milk or a mixture of curds and cream. mix. One can even add white butter to make it richer. simmer the dal for further 15 mins. The more you cook this the tastier it gets. Just remember to stir and add water as required. (do not add lot of water in the beginning add little by little)
   

Tempering: In the end give tempering :- heat ghee in a small vessel, add 1/2 tsp. jeera, 2 cloves when they crackle add garlic let it turn pink, add ginger saute add red chili powder to taste. add this hot hot to the dal. ( note the ginger and garlic are for those who like the flavour of both you can avoid either or both)

Contributed by: Rajul Sanghvi
Have tried to explain as best as i could in case of queries leave a message.