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There are certain road trip rituals I look forward to more than the road trip itself. For instance, a stopover at a highway dhaba to tuck into some greasy but delicious food. At times, we settle for parathas dripping with ghee; we sometimes need something more elaborate, but in any case, Dal Makhani is a staple. This has, to an extent, also led me to set my own benchmarks to judge an Indian restaurant. If you can’t do Dal Makhani right, you are probably not good enough, in my view.
The Journey Of Dal Makhani
Interestingly, the lentil preparation that rules the vegetarian spread in most North Indian spreads was made by the same man who gave us two of India’s most iconic chicken delicacies Butter Chicken and Tandoori Chicken. Kundan Lal Gujral, the founder of Moti Mahal restaurant, came up with this revolutionary recipe wherein he used black urad dal to make a creamy and tangy delicacy we all know as Dal Makhani today.
Kundan Lal Gujral was a famous cook who had to shift base to Delhi after partition. Moving his base also meant an influx of recipes and cooking styles that were typical to West Punjab. For instance, Black Urad was not as popular in ‘this’ side of the country. Just like how most of the ‘non-vegetarian Punjabi fare happens to be a post-partition development.
Black Urad dal is a significant component of Dal Makhani. The unique preparation entails slow and arduous cooking of dal in a tomato-based gravy thickened with cream. This slow-cooking makes the dal dense, rich and creamy.
The Magic Of Masoor
While black urad dal is an essential part of Dal Makhani preparation, that does not mean you cannot mix and match things or play around with certain ingredients.
Masoor dal is a common lentil you find in most Indian households, along with moong and urad. One of the oldest cultivated pulses, the history of Masoor could be traced back to the seventh and sixth millennium BC in places like Turkey and Iran. In India, Masoor has found mention in ancient texts such as Brhad Samhita and Vajasaneyi Samhita. Masoor comes in two varieties, one small and one large. And both of these lentils can be used to make Dal Makhani with this delicious recipe.
This delicious Dal Makhani maybe not have that distinct brown hue you associate with Dal Makhani, but it does not fall short on a department of creamy richness. It goes best with naan and tandoori roti, and you can pair it with rice too. Sirke wala pyaaz, or vinegar-soaked onions and pudina chutney, would be the perfect sides for the meal.
Here is the recipe you have been looking for. Try it as soon as possible and let us know your experience.
