~~>Taste Buds<~~

DAL MAKHANI

The name alone can make your mouth water!!! Yummy...this takes the first place in my favorite dishes! It is easy to cook, delicious and goes with both rice and chapathis! :) 

Ingredients :

1. 2 cups lentil              (Lentils ,soak the seeds in water say,3-4 hours prior to preparation)
2. 2 large onions            finely chopped 
3. 4 tomatoes                finely chopped
4. Bay leaves                1 or 11/2
5. Green chillies            2-3
6. Ginger                      a small piece
7. Jeera                        1 tbsp  
8. Mustard seeds          1tbsp
9. Red chilli                   1     
10. Garam masala           1 tsp
11. Salt          
12. Pepper
13. Turmeric
14. Vegetable oil

Method:

Flame:Medium

Time: 30-45 min (Cooking lentils seeds + making the gravy)

1. Put the soaked lentils in a pressure cooker and allow it to give 2-3 whistles.
2. Simultaneously, keep a frying pan and pour some oil into it. Once the oil is heated, add bay leaves , mustard seeds,jeera and a piece of red chilli. Fry till the mustard seeds start to splutter.
3. Then add some finely chopped onions into the frying pan. Add a pinch of salt.(This would avoid the onions from over frying and burning).
4. Make green chilles, ginger paste and add it into the frying pan. Keep stirring.
5. Then add turmeric and finely chopped tomatoes into the pan.
6. Try smashing the chopped tomatoes in the pan , this would give a nice taste, as onions and tomatoes blend well.
7. Then add garam masala ,red chilli powder and salt to taste.
8. One you see that the tomato puree is cooked (oil has formed on the top layer) you can add the cooked lentils in the puree.
9. Now, either you can pressure cook the cooked lentils and the puree or leave it in the frying pan.
10. When you pressure cook it, the salt is absorbed in the seeds well , takes less time and tastes better.It would be the same in the frying pan too...but would take a little extra time and energy!! :)Your choice!!! 

And "garama garam dal makhani tayyar hain!!"

            

Note:

• Cashews,almonds fried in butter can be used for garnishing.
• Remember that you are adding salt twice, once when the onions are frying and one after you add tomatoes.
• While adding salt, make sure you add a pinch extra than what you generally add for cooking as the salt needs to be absorbed by the seeds as well.

Happy cooking!!!