Dal Makhani

Ingredients

• 250g whole black urad dal (sabut urad)
• 50g red kidney beans (rajma)
• 1.5 litres water for cooking, plus more as needed
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste for the dal
• 1 tsp red chilli powder for the dal
• 80g salted butter
• 2 tbsp ghee
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 onion, very finely chopped
• 1.5 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 400g tomato puree
• 1 tbsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)
• 150ml double cream
• 1 tsp sugar

Before you cook

• Rinse the urad dal and kidney beans in several changes of water until the water runs clear.
• Soak them together in cold water overnight, at least 8 hours.
• Drain and rinse the soaked pulses.
• Finely chop the onion so it disappears into the gravy.

Steps

1. Put the drained pulses in a pressure cooker with 1.5 litres water, 1 tsp salt, 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste and 1 tsp chilli powder.
2. Cook on high pressure for 40 minutes, then let the pressure release on its own.
3. Open the cooker and press a bean against the side; it should collapse with no resistance, so cook another 10 minutes if it does not.
4. Mash roughly a quarter of the pulses against the side of the pot to release their starch.
5. Heat the ghee in a wide heavy pan and crackle the cumin seeds.
6. Add the chopped onion and fry for 8 minutes until soft and golden.
7. Stir in the ginger garlic paste and cook for 2 minutes.
8. Add the tomato puree, Kashmiri chilli powder and sugar and cook for 12 minutes until thick and darkened and the oil separates.
9. Tip the cooked dal with all its liquid into the tomato base and stir well.
10. Add 40g of the butter and set the heat as low as it will go.
11. Simmer uncovered for 90 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes and scraping the bottom so nothing catches.
12. Add hot water in small splashes whenever the dal gets thicker than a pouring cream.
13. Crush the kasuri methi between your palms and stir it in with the garam masala.
14. Pour in the cream and the remaining butter and stir until the dal turns glossy and pale mahogany.
15. Taste for salt, then leave it on the lowest heat for another 15 minutes to settle.
16. Serve with a swirl of cream, a cube of butter on top, and naan or plain basmati rice.