Makhani Daal/Black grams with kidney beans

Daal  Makhani is one of Punjabi cuisine's most characterstic signature dishes. This is probably the only one daal I can enjoy with naan/roti without any side dish. Butter and cream along with onions and tomatos makes it quite rich and the slow cooking brings out the best flavors. I have never cooked this daal in a crock-pot but I hear from friends that it is less cumbersome and tastes divine,when cooked on slow for long hours in a crock pot. The key to my success with this daal is soaking it over night and pressure cooking it on reduced flame for 20-25 minutes.

Ingredinents:

Black gram with kidney beans : 1 cup
Onions: 1 big grated
Ginger: 1 tbsp
garlic: 1 tbsp
Tomato pureed: 1 cup
Salt: 1 tsp
Turmeric: tip of the tsp
Red pepper: 1 tsp
Garam masala: tip of the tsp
Fenugreek leaves: 1 tsp dried and roasted and crushed
Fresh cream: 1 tbsp
Oil: 2 tbsp

Method:

Take the soaked daal and pressure cook it on reduced flame with a glass of water salt and turmeric. I normally ,for any pressure cooking estimate cooking time  and not time it by the number of whistles . For this particular daal I will wait for the steam to build up and then when that happens I reduce the flame , and let the daal cook for 15 - 20 minutes. In-between I open it to make sure there is enough water( initially I add less to avoid all the spillage  from the cooker) This daal requires more water.

When the daal is very soft and you can easily mash the kidney beans with the back of the spoon,it is time to mash 70% of it .Doing so will make the daal thick.Now add some water and keep it on low flame for 10 minutes or so.

Meanwhile take a kadai and heat 2 tbsp of oil. Now add the grated onions and cook till deep golden brown. Now add the ginger and garlic paste along with salt. Cook for couple minutes and then add tomato puree along with  red pepper and garam masala. Cook till the masala starts to leave oil on the edges of the kadai .

Add this masala to the daal,mix well. Cook for another 10 minutes on low flame. The daal is thick so you do not want it to stick to the bottom of the utensil,you keep stirring it every now & then .

Now take the roasted fenugreek leaves ,crush them and add them to the daal and gently stir in 2 tbsp of fresh cream and serve with hot naan's or roti. Garnish with cilantro ,onion tomato's and green chilli .