Dal Makhani

Ingredients

For 4 portions

• 🫘 200g urad dal (dry)
• 🫘 50g kidney beans (dry)
• 🧈 1 Tbsp ghee, clarified butter
• 🧈 40g butter
• 🌿 1 Tsp cumin seeds
• 🧅 1 medium onions
• 🧄 4 cloves garlic
• 🪴 3 centimeters ginger
• 🌶️ 1 small green chilli peppers
• 🥫 250ml passata
• 🌶️ 1.5 Tsp kashmiri chilli powder
• 🌿 1 Tsp garam masala
• 🧂 1.5 Tsp salt
• 🥛 80ml heavy cream
• 🌿 1 Tsp kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves)
• 🌿 1 Tbsp fresh coriander

Method

1. Rinse the urad dal and kidney beans, then soak them overnight (8–10 hours) in plenty of water.
2. Drain, put them in a large pan with 1 litre of fresh water and half the salt, and boil hard for 10 minutes (this makes the kidney beans safe). Then simmer, covered, for about 1 hour, until the lentils are completely soft and crush easily. Or pressure-cook for 20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, heat the ghee and half the butter in another pan over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle for 30 seconds.
4. Add the finely chopped onion and cook for 8–10 minutes until golden.
5. Stir in the grated garlic, ginger and slit green chilli and cook for 1 minute.
6. Add the passata, Kashmiri chilli powder and the rest of the salt. Cook for 8–10 minutes, stirring, until the sauce thickens and the butter starts to separate.
7. Lightly mash some of the cooked lentils with the back of a spoon, then tip them with their cooking liquid into the sauce.
8. Simmer gently on low heat for 20–30 minutes, stirring often and adding a splash of hot water if it gets too thick. The longer it simmers, the creamier it gets.
9. Stir in the garam masala, the cream, the rest of the butter and the kasuri methi crushed between your palms. Simmer for 2 more minutes.
10. Taste for salt, swirl over a little extra cream, scatter with chopped coriander and serve with rice or naan.