Dal Makhani Recipe: Indian Lentils

Dal makhani is a complete organic food for all the food and health-conscious people out there. This dal makhani recipe includes the perfect plant-based ingredients with several spices and herbs that give a deliciously fragrant and loaded with enough protein that you need to keep going. This is one of the easy delicious recipes from Indian lentils that will surely make your day.

Ingredients

• 1 cup lentils
• 1/4 cup dry kidney beans (optional)
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp cumin seeds
• 4 cardamom pods
• 1 cinnamon stick, broken
• 4 bay leaves
• 6 whole cloves
• 2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 2 tsp coriander powder
• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 tsp dried fenugreek powder (optional)
• salt

Dal Makhani Recipe

1. Put lentils and kidney beans in a big container; fill with plenty of water. Soak for at least 2 hours or overnight. Drain.
2. Cook lentils, kidney beans, 5 cups water, and salt in a pot over average heat till it gets soft, mixing occasionally, about 1 hour. Remove from heat and keep aside. Keep the lentils, kidney beans, and any extra cooking water in the pot.
3. Heat vegetable oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Cook cumin seeds in the hot oil till they start to pop, 1 to 2 minutes. Add cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, and cloves; cook until bay leaves change its color to brown, about 1 minute. Lessen heat to medium-low; add ginger paste, garlic paste, turmeric, and cayenne pepper. Mix to spread.
4. Mix tomato puree into spice blend; cook over medium heat until slightly evaporated, about 5 minutes. Add chili powder, coriander, and butter; cook and stir until butter is dissolved.
5. Mix lentils, kidney beans, and any leftover cooking water into tomato mixture; set to a boil, lessen heat to low. Mix fenugreek into lentil mixture. Cover the pan and cook until toasted, stirring in-between about 45 minutes. Add cream and cook until heated through 2 to 4 minutes.