Daal Makhani

Overview:

So, I just happened to run into a cooking enthusiast in the Indian grocery store today. A charming woman looking for ingredients to prepare "Daal Makhani" , a regular favorite at any Indian Restaurant but a rare food in a regular Indian family. Well, on account of health factors. But I never realized how delectable it could be for someone who isn't habitual of daals ! Clearing a myth, Daal Makhaani can be made as a healthier "protein rich" version too, considering the fact that it has daal(beans) which are carb and proteins as well.

Cooking Time: 30 mins, excluding overnight soaking of the beans.

Ingredients:

You will need,

• Kidney beans ( 1 cup)
• Whole Urad daal (1 cup)
• 2X2 inch piece of ginger, thinly sliced
• 4-5 cloves of chopped garlic
• 2 diced tomatoes/ or 3 tbsp tomato puree
• 1 diced onion
• garam masala (a pinch), I use "Shan foods"
• chopped green chillies( not necessary..!)
• salt as per taste
• turmeric powder (1/2 tsp)
• cumin seeds
• 1 tsp asafoetida powder
• 2 tbsp fat-free half-and-half

Recipe:

1. Soak the mentioned quantities of washed kidney beans and whole Urad beans in lukewarm water overnight. Its better to soak them separately.
2. In a steam pressure cooker / or crock pot, boil the mentioned quantities of beans in 4 equivalent cups of water along with salt, diced ginger and green chillies, let go atleast 5-6 whistles. This process make take a while in a crock pot. Keep checking the mixture in between. The best results will be when the mixture turns smooth and beans are soft/ completely moistened. Set this mixture aside.
3. In a separate pan, heat 3 tbsp oil/butter/margarine on high flame and  add the cumin seeds and asafoetida powder. Let them pop for a while and then add chopped garlic.
4. Fry until golden brown and then add onion and fry until golden pink. Add chopped tomatoes and sprinkle a little salt on them so that they become soft and mushy. You can use tomato puree instead to save this process.
5. Now add turmeric powder and mix well. Add a pinch of garam masala and mix again. This blend is to be added into your crock pot mixture.
6. Add this spice blend into the crock pot mixture or steam boiled mixture and stir well. By this time you can distinctly smell the aromas of spice blends.
7. In the end, add 2 tbsp of fat-free half-and-half and stir.

Presentation:

You can dash a little cream or half and half in the serving bowl and even garnish with cilantro leaves, chopped ginger. Enjoy with Rice or Naan.

This pic is for reference, its not mine !! ;-)