Bachelor's Daal Makhani for JFI

My Entry to JIHVA for Ingredients initiated by Indira, and this month being hostess by the Andhra Cuisine Queen, Sailu's The JFI . Since everybody seems to cook daal, and everybody else seems to cook daal Makhani too, I thought I what have I left with to cook. And with my blog, having been ignored enough, what with work et al, and not been in the kitchen too frequently, I thought What I cook for the JFI should be Bachelor Friendly as well, what with my theme and all that and many people dropping by searching bachelor's Recipes..

I decided to cook up an easy Daal Makhani minus the Makhan...
Funny, why Daal Makhani then?
Can't call it Daal only either, can I???

The only difference between this Daal makhani and the real Daal makhani will be that This was cooked without any Cream... Cream is very tasty and all that, but it is quite heavy in the stomach so I often have this Home-made daal makhani type daal. Makes for much tasty eating..

What you need:

Kaali Daal (Black Lentil or Horse Gram): 1/2 Cup
Rajma (Kidney beans) : 1/3 Cup
Chana Daal (Chick pea Daal) : 1/3 Cup
Toor/Arhar Daal (Optional) : 1/4 cup

1 large onion finely chopped.
2 green chillies slices into halves.
1 inch finger of ginger and few Cloves of garlic crushed to a coarse paste.
2 large tomatoes Steamed/Blanched and skinned.

2 bayleaves
2 kashmiri Mirch
1 TBS Coriander(dhania) powder.
1 tsp of Jeera(cumin seed) Powder.
1 TBS Garam Masala.
Pinch of heeng(asafoetida)
1/2 Tsp of turmeric powder.

Salt to taste

Start:

Soak the Rajma Daal overnight or at least six hours.
Wash, drain the water and then pressure cook all the daal with turmeric powder and salt. After 2-3 whistles, ( No of whistles depends on the size and make of the Cooker) or after the daal is cooked, keep aside.
Remember, add turmeric when you boil the daal.
Add 3 cups of water.



Heat kadhai and put 3-4 TBS Ghee or Butter.
Add red chilli. Add Onions and fry till golden brown.
Add green chilli and ginger garlic paste, and saute for a minute.
Add all the remaining masala and stir quickly, then add s few spoons of water, spoon by spoon. Saute till oil and mixture separates...

Add the tomato and crush with the back of spoon, now add the boiled daal. When you add the daal, check how much water is left. If you think you need more water, add more water, if not, Shimmer for a few minutes and serve.

If you really want to eat Authentic daal makhani, add Cream just before putting out the fire.
Enjoy....
Curry Mela is also comming soon....