Daal Makhani

Ingredients

• 1.5 cups whole/ sabut urad daal
• 1/2 cup rajma/ red kidney beans
• 2 medium finely chopped onions
• 3 medium tomatoes finely chopped
• 2 green chilies finely chopped
• 1-inch ginger finely chopped or grated
• 6-7 cloves garlic finely chopped or crushed or one can use 2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 1 tsp jeera
• 1 tejpatta/ bay leaf
• 1-inch a / cinnamon stick
• 2-3 cloves/ the
• 2-3 cardamom/ elaichi, green and black both
• 1/2 tsp red chili powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
•  oil/ ghee
• cream/ malai 1 cup
• finely chopped coriander
• water
• salt to taste

For dhungar method

• 1 piece of charcoal
• 1/2 tsp oil

Preparation

• Soak daal and rajma overnight in enough water.
• rinse the lentils in water and drain.
• Add daal in the pressure cooker with 4-5 cups of water and a little salt.
• pressure cook them for at least 15-20 whistles, until the lentils are soft.
• after one whistle you can keep it for half an hour on low flame.
• daal should melt in your mouth and finger which says it's done.

Procedure

• In a kadhai, preferably iron made take 2 tsp of oil and heat it
• add whole spices, jeera, tejpatta, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon
• saute for there aroma to release
• add finely chopped onions
• ginger garlic paste
• once the raw aroma is gone and onions turn golden brown now add green chilies
• add tomatoes and let it saute till oil releases from sides

• add powder spices to it and little salt to help it soften
• once the masalas are all done add urad daal & rajma to it and stir well till all spices are mixed up.

• let it simmer for a while on low flame and keep stirring as it may stick to the bottom of a pan.
• once the gravy looks thickened add cream/ malai.

Its done if want to serve it now, add crushed coriander for garnish.

If you want to do dhungar method then burn a piece of charcoal on high flame till its red hot, add little oil to help it burn. add the hot piece directly to daal or you can keep it in small steel cup and keep it over daal, close the lid for a while so all smoke is consumed in the daal.
It's ready to serve with hot roti's, chapatis or naan or even tastes great with rice too.