Daal Makhni

Dals or lentils have a very important place in Indian food.  Whichever part of the country you go to, staple crop: beans or legumes grown there become the important part of the meal. Check or my collection of dals and curries. Being a vegetarian, beans and lentils are a good source of protein and the combination with rice or roti also provides complete proteins to my family.

Kaali daal means black daal and it is a very popular dish from the Northern parts of India. You may also know this creamy and smooth dish by Dal Makhani or Ma ki daal as it is readily cooked in most North Indian homes. Being a Gujarati, and born and brought up in Mumbai, toor dal or Gujarati simple daal (without use of onion and garlic) is our staple. But, I do enjoy trying and experimenting various daals. I was never introduced to black urad dal or rajma while growing up. But when I entered into the kitchen and would check out various ingredients for my family, legumes and beans started looking attractive and interesting. I started cooking rajma/kidneybeans and eventually it became our favorite and staple.

Bought urad daal and fell in love with the taste and texture! I tried my way of soaking and pressure cooking and tempering with onions and spices. And it came out delicious. Then I tried to find out the nutritional value of this whole black dal...and WOW so tasty and full of fiber, protein, and perfect for women's health. This Daal is surely a keeper! Urad daal or kaali daal is now a staple in our family. It is cooked at least once a week and we love it! Urad daal has a slimy texture on cooking so this daal is naturally going to be smooth. Restaurant add makhan, butter, or cream to make it rich in texture. Adding cream is optional, and I do not do it every time. It does make this daal special for special occasions. Also, pressure cooking is easy. However, cooking in clay pot is easy as well as improves the nutritional value, and gives it a rustic flavor and aroma.

The clay pot used in the recipe in a pressure cooker made of clay. MittiCool makes various clay cooking utensils. This pressure cooker keeps the pressure in to cook the food but noes not whistle or release pressure. I like the flavors of the food cooked in clay. Clay cooking is also beneficial as it increases the alkalinity of the food and increases the nutritional value. Here is the link.

However, this recipe can be made in regular pressure cooker too with spices easily found at home. I am not from the Northern parts of India so this might not be the traditional method of preparation, but this recipe is surely delicious.

Ingredients:
1 cup whole black urad daal/black lentils
1/4 cup rajma/ kidney beans
2-3 tbsp. ghee (oil if you are vegan)
1 tsp. cumin seeds/ whole jeera
1 cup chopped onions
1 cup chopped tomatoes
2-3 dry red chilies
Chopped green chilies
1 tbsp.chopped ginger
Around 2 tsp.salt
1 tsp. turmeric powder
1 tbsp. red chili powder
1 tsp. garam masala powder
3 tbsp. fresh cream (optional)
1/4 cup chopped coriander leaves

• Wash and soak black urad daal and rajma in 3 cups water for 8-10 hours. Soaking makes them easy to cook.
• Remove water. In a pressure cooked add soaked daals with 3 cups of water, 1 tsp.salt, and turmeric powder. Cook for 1+1/2 hour (around 4-5 whistles on low to medium heat) This will help cook and soften dal.
• Open the pressure cooker. Mix and lightly mash dal.
• In a separate pan heat ghee. Add cumin seeds, dry red chilies, and chopped onions and saute well.
• When onions soften, add chopped tomatoes and green chilies. Add 1/2 tsp. salt and mix well. This will help tomatoes to soften and get mushy. Add chili powder and garam masala. Mix well and fry for a minute or two. Add this to the pressure cooker with cooked dal. Add 1 cup water to the pan to deglaze and get all the delicious spices into the dal. Add that water to dal. Add chopped ginger. Mix well.
• Add 3 tbsp. of fresh cream or malai from the milk. This is optional. I don't put malai on regular basis but just on special occasions or for guests.
• Simmer dal for 10 to 15 minutes and serve or cover the pressure cooker again and cook for an hour on low heat.
• Also use a hand blender to mash only a part of daal. I just keep the hand blender in one spot and turn it on for 30-45 seconds. That way only partial daal is mashed to form a homogeneous mixtures. I like few bits of daal and rajma to be seen. If you like the entire daal to be smooth, blend it using hand blender. Simmer for 10-15 minutes.
• Add chopped coriander leaves.
• Serve with rice or roti.

Here is step-by-step pictorial recipe:

Wash and soak black urad daal and rajma in 3 cups water for 8-10 hours.

Remove soaked water. In a pressure cooked add soaked daals with 3 cups of water, 1 tsp.salt, and turmeric powder. Cook for 1+1/2 hour (around 4-5 whistles on low to medium heat) This will help cook and soften daal.

My terracotta pressure cooker from Mitticool.

Open the pressure cooker. Mix and lightly mash daal.

In a separate pan heat ghee. add cumin seeds, dry red chilies, and chopped onions and saute well.

When onions soften, add chopped tomatoes and green chilies. Add 1/2 tsp. salt and mix well. This will help tomatoes to soften and get mushy. Add chili powder and garam masala. Mix well and fry for a minute or two. Add this to the pressure cooker with cooked daal. Add 1 cup water to the pan to deglaze and get all the delicious spices into the daal. Add that water to daal. Add chopped ginger. Mix well.

Fresh cream or malai collected after boiling milk.

Cook for another hour.

Also use a hand blender to mash only a part of daal. I just keep the hand blender in one spot and turn it on for 30-45 seconds. That way only partial daal is mashed to form a homogeneous mixtures. I like few bits of daal and rajma to be seen. If you like the entire dal to be smooth, blend it using hand blender. Simmer for 10-15 minutes.

Add chopped coriander leaves.

Enjoy Smooth and Silky
Daal Makhni!