Dal Makhani (Black Gram with Cream)

By RecipeLot

Dal makhani is a delicacy from Punjab, India. Traditionally this dal was cooked slowly, for hours, on charcoal. This gave it a creamy texture. It had ?malai? (cream) or fresh butter added to it. When cooked at home these days, more moderate amounts of cream or butter are used. When prepared in restaurants, it is cooked slowly on low heat and often has a large amount of cream and butter added. Lentils and beans were soaked overnight for at least 8 hours and gently simmered on low heat along with ginger, garlic and a few other spices (garam masala). These are then combined with a tangy masala base which includes onions, tomatoes (chopped or puree) or dried mango powder or even pomegranate seeds. Dollops of fresh cream and butter lend the rich finishing touch. It is garnished with finely chopped coriander leaves and fresh cream. It is a sumptuous meal and a staple diet in Punjab and most of Northern India. It is commonly eaten with roti, rice, naan chapatis. This dal is rich in starch and minerals, it is also considered heavy for digestion, however ginger solves this problem and makes it easy to digest. This dish is extremely popular not just in North India but elsewhere as well. It tastes very good the following day after reheating properly.

• Cooking time: 20 minutes
• Servings: 4