Dal Makhani
It was difficult to choose my favourite Indian meal but after a long think I have to say it’s dal makhani. Whenever I have a chance to have this, I use it. It is quite easy to make but it takes a bit of time. You have to soak beans over night and then cook it but it is so worth it!
Ingredients
2tbsp vegan butter (or vegetable oil)
3 cloves of garlic (grated or minced)
1cm piece of ginger (grated or minced)
1 medium onion (diced)
1/2 cup tomato passata
2/3 cup urid beans
1/3 cup kidney beans
1/2tsp chili powder (I used kashmir chili)
1/2tsp garam masala 1tsp salt (or to your taste)
1/4cup cashew nuts
Rice or naan to serve
Coriander
Method
Put urid beans and kidney beans together into a large bowl, cover with 4 cups of water and let soak over night.
Put cashew nuts into a small bowl, cover them with 1/4 cup of water and let soak over night as well.
Next day
Get rid of the bean water, replace it with fresh 4 cups of water, bring to the boil and cook for 50-60 minutes. It can vary, depends how old your beans are. Just cook them until they are soft.
Once the beans are cooked, pour the water away.
In a large saucepan heat up butter or oil. Add onion and cook for 5-6 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and cook for 2 mins. Add passata to the pot and cook for 2 mins.
Add beans, chili powder, garam masala and salt and 1 cup of water. Now cook for about 40 mins with no lid on. Stir once in a while and if it becomes too thick, add some water (I usually add around 1/2 cup additional water but it varies each time).
Meanwhile the daal is cooking, make the cashew cream - just blend cashews and water with hand blender.
Once the daal is cooked, blitz it few times with a hand blender (not completely, just a bit so it’s got nicer texture) and add cashew cream.
Serve with rice or naan (or both as I would) and with some coriander on top.
Notes:
If you can get urid beans in a can, good for you! Less work with cooking (I just haven’t seen it anywhere).
If you can’t find urad dal, you can substitute it with beluga lentils - they are easier to find and you don’t need to soak them and cook for that long.