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Creamy black lentil dahl

Number: 4 persons

Complexity: easy

Working time: 45 min

Total preparation: 10+ hours

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    Ingredients

    • 175 g black lentils

    • 75 g dried kidney beans

    • 1 tbsp ghee (regular butter works fine)

    • 3 tbsp butter

    • 1 tsp cumin seeds

    • 1 bay leaf

    • 2 extra spicy (rawwit) peppers

    • 2 large onion

    • 3 cm ginger root

    • 6 cloves of garlic

    • 2 tsp (Kashmiri) Chili powder

    • 2 tsp garam masala

    • 1 can of tomato paste

    • 60 ml whipped cream

    • some coriander

    • salt and pepper to taste

    • some sugar

    • some vegetable oil (not olive oil)

    • some cayenne pepper or chili powder to make it spicier

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    Other supplies

    Large pan

      Just this:

      Actually the dish is called; Daal Makhani or Creamy Black Lentil Dahl. Sounds tastier too. Anyway...recipe comes from; Bible of Indian Cuisine, page 139.

      Serves 4 people, but as a side dish it is certainly enough for about 8 people. We have mainly adjusted the quantities of spices (a little more of everything) because it is just a little tastier.

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      This dish can also be made a day earlier, it improves the taste and gives you more time for other things on the day of serving.

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      Preparation 8 hours!

      Rinse black lentils and kidney beans a few times until the water is clear.

      Put them in a pan with plenty of water, put them away (does not have to be in the fridge).

      Let them soak for at least 8 hours or preferably overnight.

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      --- so wait overnight or 8 hours ---

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      Drain the liquid from the lentils and kidney beans.

      Add fresh water and bring to the boil with some salt.

      Simmer gently for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

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      --- in that hour you can easily do the following ---

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      cut open the (rawit) peppers, remove the seeds and cut into small pieces; chop.
      (tip: do not rub your eyes!).

      Chop the onion.

      Chop the coriander.

      Grate the garlic, ginger and mix together with a little oil.

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      Heat the ghee/butter in a large (frying) pan.

      Fry the chopped onions.

      Then add the bay leaf, cumin seeds and fry for another 5 minutes, stir.

      Add the ginger/garlic and peppers, fry for another 5 minutes, stir.

      Add the tomato puree, fry for another 5 minutes, stir.

      Add the Kashmiri Chili powder, garam masala and some salt to taste.

      ... and yes, fry again and stir.

      Let it simmer on low heat.

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      Mash half of the lentils with a potato masher (not with a hand blender!).

      Add all the lentils, kidney beans to the mass in the pan and stir well!

      Let it simmer gently with the lid on the pan for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally (also over the bottom because it can "stick").

      Add 2/3 of the cream, stir.

      Taste and season with salt, pepper, chilli pepper or some other spices.

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      --- set aside until use ---

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      Serving:

      Heat the mixture.

      Put in a nice, pretty, cozy or ugly bowl.

      Decorate with the remaining cream; drops, strings or a nice swirl if you can.

      Add some coarsely chopped coriander or just some coriander leaves.

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      KPK/29dec22

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