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I believe that salt is to food, what food is to life. In right proportions, it can heighten the taste of what you eat..and in the wrong - destroy! Even the most delicious sweets come added with some salt...to taste!

As for me, I've never enjoyed cooking. And as contrary to my owning a food-blog as it may sound, I always think about daily, routine cooking as a chore. But my tryst with the pots and pans began when I got a kitchen all to myself...I began experimenting and exploring new worlds in my own home. Some outcomes were excellent and some plain disasters. Then sprouted the need to keep track of all those good ones...and hence this blog!

Here, I share those experiments that pleased more than one palate!



August 19, 2009

Daal not-so-Makhni

Just like Paalak Paneer, Dal Makhni too comes with oodles of fat. So I converted this North Indian delicacy to a more healthy version. Which explains why I call it Daal not-so-Makhni. But, by all means, if you choose to add on those calories... go ahead and use butter instead of oil and throw in some fresh heavy cream in the gravy just before you close it for cooking! This version of the dish is packed with proteins and when combined with whole wheat rotis can sure fill you up like nothing else.

Ingredients
1/2 Cup - Whole Black Gram (Kaali Urad Dal)
1/8 Cup - Red Lentils (Matki Masoor)
1/8 Cup - Raajma (Red Kidney Beans)
1/2 Large Onion - Finely chopped
4 pcs Green Chillies
3 tbsp - Ginger garlic paste (You could grate fresh ginger and garlic too)
1.5 tsp - Corriander Powder (Dhania powder)
1 tsp - Red Chillie Powder
1 tsp - Jeera (Cumin seeds)
A pinch of hing (Asafoetida)
Oil
And, of course, some salt to taste!!

Method
- Soak the dals over night.
- The next morning pressure cook the dals with salt, green chillies, hing and a drop of oil.
- Once the dals are cooked, mash them to a gravy like consistency. Do not overdo this step if you like the chunky dal taste (I do!) in this dish. If there is excess water drain it out before you mash the dal but do not throw it. Save it for some further steps.
- Now in a saucepan, heat oil
- Add the jeera and allow it to splutter
- Now add the onions and fry until transclucent
- Toss in the ginger garlic paste and fry further
- Add the garam masala, dhania powder and red chillie powder and fry for a few seconds
- Now add the cooked dals and stir. If it happens to be too thick then pour the water left from draining the dals. If you had no water left simply add some fresh water to dilute the gravy to the consistency you want.
- Adjust spices and salt based on your requirement
- Cover and cook on a very low flame for 20-30 minutes

Serving Suggestion
Serve hot with home-made rotis, lemon wedges, onions and salad.

SERVES 4
Prepared by at
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1 comment:

  1. armchair_ gypsyNovember 9, 2009 at 8:30 PM

    I too make it like this, but add on low fat/fat free skim milk after everything is done. It gives it that rich creamy feel without any guilt! :)

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