Dal Makhani (Curried Red Lentils & Kidney Beans)
Dal Makhani is a famous dish of Punjab and Northern part. This is a rich recipe which has all heavy creams and butter that makes it so divinely tasteful. If you want to make it healthier then reduce the fatty ingredients. Instead of butter, I am using purified butter from cow's milk which is relatively less fatty and beneficial for bone health. In regular dal makhani black gram lentils are used. But in this recipe I have used brown whole lentils with red kidney beans.
I would give the credit of this recipe to one of my sister-in-law who normally uses whole brown lentils (whole masoor dal) for this recipe. I have given a twist of spices to this lentils and legumes and the recipe turned out as mouth watering as traditional dal makhani one which you can't resist to stop eating. Plus the lentils and beans are full of protein and nutrition. So one more healthy and nutritious food for your family especially kids. This recipe is a lighter version of authentic dal makhani but in taste it's equally tasty.
If you are looking for low-carb version, then use regular oil or olive oil. How ever If you are following keto diet, then you are free to add extra heavy cream and butter to the recipe. But in keto lentils are restricted since it has some carb. Else you may control the quantity. I have used fresh cream only to garnish and not added to the gravy while preparing this. I must admit that this is one of the best item I have made so far.
The basic paste I have used are pureed onion, garlic, ginger, tomatoes along with cloves, cardamom, black pepper, cinnamon powder, nutmeg powder, mace powder. Grind them together into a smooth paste. These whole spices added have dominating flavor in the preparation.
Normally what I do is prepare the curry paste in well advance and store in refrigerator to reduce the cooking time. This time also I had the prepared paste and you will not trust me if I say I made this dal makhani in just 10 minutes (excluding the passive time of 15 minutes for pressure cooking the lentils and beans.)
These 3 are the basic ingredients you need for faster cooking. Anyways you can prepare fresh curry paste and saute them till cooked completely and releases oil from surface. This process may take up to 15 minutes. Its an important part to fry and cook the onion paste really well to get that perfect taste.
Lovely!! Lets Make this protein rich Indian Style Curried Lentils and Beans Soup/ Dal Makhani.
Dal Makhani (Curried Red Lentils & Kidney Beans)
Ingredients
- 5 tbsp Ghee/ Refined oil
- 3 Onion
- 2 Tomato
- 1 inch Ginger
- 10 Garlic pods
- 1 tbsp Red Chilli Powder
- 2 tbsp Coriander Powder
- 1 tsp Cumin Powder
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric powder
- 1/2 tsp Cinnamon Powder
- 4 Cardamom
- 1 Black Cardamom
- 1/4 tsp Nutmeg Powder
- 1/4 tsp Mace
- 2 Bay Leaves
- 1/2 Black pepper
- 1 tbsp Salt
- 5 Cloves
To Pressurecook
- 1 cup Whole Brown gram lentils (whole masoor dal)
- 1/2 cup Red Kidney Beans
- 1/2 tsp Salt
Instructions
- Soak the lentils and beans for 8 hours or over night. Pressure cook adding salt and turmeric powder. Strain them and keep the water or stock for use in further process.
- In a food processor or mixer add chopped onions, ginger, garlic, tomatoes, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, mace, black pepper, nutmeg powder. Blend them to a smooth paste.
- Heat oil in a pan or kadai. Add 2 bay leaves and wait till its aromatic. Then add the onion paste and saute well. Saute till its dry and leaves oil from surroundings and visibly brown in color as shown in picture.
- Add cumin powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and mix them well. Saute for another 4 - 5 minutes. You can prepare and store this curry paste in refrigerator for future use.
- Then add the boiled lentils and beans and mix well.
- Add stock and simmer for another 5 minutes. Add heavy cream and stir well. (optional)
- Garnish with fresh cream and coriander leaves and serve hot with rice or chappati/ flattened bread.
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