Dal Makhani (Indian Lentils)
Ingredients
- 1 cup lentils
- ¼ cup dry kidney beans (Optional)
- water to cover
- 5 cups water
- salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
- 4 cardamom pods
- 1 cinnamon stick, broken
- 4 bay leaves
- 6 whole cloves
- 1 ½ tablespoons ginger paste
- 1 ½ tablespoons garlic paste
- ½ teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or more to taste
- 1 cup canned tomato puree, or more to taste
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 tablespoons ground coriander
- ¼ cup butter
- 2 tablespoons dried fenugreek leaves (Optional)
- ½ cup cream (Optional)
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Instructions
- Place lentils and kidney beans in a large bowl; cover with plenty of water. Soak for at least 2 hours or overnight. Drain.
- Cook lentils, kidney beans, 5 cups water, and salt in a pot over medium heat until tender, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour. Remove from heat and set aside. Keep the lentils, kidney beans, and any excess cooking water in the pot.
- Heat vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook cumin seeds in the hot oil until they begin to pop, 1 to 2 minutes. Add cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, and cloves; cook until bay leaves turn brown, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium-low; add ginger paste, garlic paste, turmeric, and cayenne pepper. Stir to coat.
- Stir tomato puree into spice mixture; cook over medium heat until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Add chili powder, coriander, and butter; cook and stir until butter is melted.
- Stir lentils, kidney beans and any leftover cooking water into tomato mixture; bring to a boil, reduce heat to low. Stir fenugreek into lentil mixture. Cover saucepan and simmer until heated through, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes. Add cream and cook until heated through, 2 to 4 minutes.
Source
Original recipe: View Original