Dal makhani, home-style

You'll need

• ¾ cup whole urad dal (black gram), soaked overnight
• ¼ cup rajma (kidney beans), soaked overnight
• 2 tbsp butter or ghee, 1 bay leaf
• 1 onion, 2 tomatoes, 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste, blended
• 1 tsp cumin powder, ½ tsp turmeric, ½ tsp red chilli powder, 1 tsp garam masala
• 2 tbsp cream (optional)
• Salt to taste, coriander to finish

Method

1. Pressure cook the soaked urad and rajma together with fresh water and a pinch of salt for 6–7 whistles, until completely soft.
2. Warm the butter, add the bay leaf and onion, cooking until golden.
3. Add the ginger-garlic paste, then the tomato and dry spices except garam masala, cooking until the oil separates.
4. Add the cooked dal with its liquid. Simmer on low heat for 20–25 minutes, mashing some of it against the pan to thicken.
5. Finish with garam masala, cream if using, and coriander.

Why this dish

The long simmer that makes restaurant dal makhani so rich is also what breaks the beans down further, which is part of why a slow-cooked dal like this is considered easier to sit with than the same beans cooked quickly.