Daal Makhni

Ingredients:

Whole Urad Dal/Black Gram                                  - 1 cup
Red Kidney Beans/ Lal Rajma                                - 1/2 cup
Onion                                                                       - 1 medium finely chopped or pureed
Tomatoes                                                                 - 1 large finely chopped or pureed
Ginger                                                                      - 1/2 inch crushed or pureed
Garlic                                                                       - 5-6 cloves crushed or pureed
Hing                                                                         - a pinch
Cumin Seeds                                                            - 1/2 tspoon
Black Cardamom                                                     - 1
Bay leaf/Tej Patta                                                    - 1
Cloves/ Laung                                                         - 2-3
Black pepper/Kali Mirch                                        - 4-5
Whole Coriander                                                    - 5-10 seeds
Cinnamon Stick/Dalchini                                       - 1 inch small stick
Mace/Javitri                                                           - one cover
Butter                                                                     - 2 tblspoon
Oil                                                                          - 1 tblspoon
Salt                                                                         - to taste
Garam Masala                                                        - 1/2 tspoon
Amchoor                                                                - 1/2 tspoon
Turmeric                                                                - 1/4 tspoon
Yogurt / cream                                                       - 1 tblspoon
Fresh Coriander leaves                                          - 2 tblspoon chopped well
Water                                                                     - as required for your choice of consistency


Method:

Wash and soak the Kidney Beans overnight.
Wash the whole black gram.
In a pressure cooker, Black gram and soaked kidney beans.
Add water. Pressure cook for some 12-15 whistles, as Kidney beans and black gram takes lots of time to soften.
Open and check if both the lentils and beans are cooked.
You should be able to mash both the urad dal and rajma with your fingers if they are cooked completely.
If they are not cooked thoroughly, then pressure cook for few more whistles. Add some more water if required.
Now open the cooker and take the lentils and beans out in a bowl and keep aside.
Now in a heavy bottom pan, heat butter and oil and add all whole spices, Hing, Cumin, Cardamom,Bay Leaf,Cloves,Black Pepper,Cinnamon,Mace, and coriander.
When whole spices starts to crackle, add chopped Onion and Garlic. Saute them until they start to turn golden brown.
Now add ginger and tomato puree along with all the powdered spices, Turmeric, Amchoor,Salt and Garam Masala.
Mix it well and let it cook until the oil starts to separate.
Now add the lentil and beans mix to the tadka. Mix very well and add some water if it's too dry.
Let the daal simmer in the pan for 5-7 minutes.
Switch off the flame after maximum of 7 minutes, mix it again well.
Once its starts to cool down a bit add some cream to it and mix well again.
Garnish the Daal Makhni with some freshly chopped coriander and some cream.
Dal Makhni goes very well with Rice, Naan or Laccha Paratha.