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Dal Makhani, the popular Indian lentil dish, is loved by everyone — both in the country and outside of its borders. Prepared with hefty amounts of ghee and various seasonings, the red kidney beans and whole black lentils (urad) are slowly cooked in a rich, tomato-based sauce. The name makhani, meaning butter, comes from the last addition to the dish — a drizzle of melted ghee or butter over the dal that gives the classic its velvety flavour.
So, on the occasion of Independence Day, Chef Ranveer Brar took to Instagram to share the rich history of Dal Makhani, which he believes is a result of the partition of 1947.
“The story behind Dal Makhani and its credit should be given to three individuals. There were three friends — Kundan Lal Jaggi, Thakur Das Magu and Kundan Lal Gujral. All the three friends used to work in Lahore in a restaurant,” he started out saying. “However, after partition, they got separated. But days after partition, they luckily met one day while roaming inside the refugee camp. They decided that if they wanted to start some work in Delhi, they should do the same thing they were practicing in Lahore.”
According to the chef, they opened a restaurant in which they cooked some of the dishes they had prepared earlier in Lahore. The name of the restaurant was Moti Mahal.
“One of the most popular dishes they made that is still a part of our staple diet is Dal Makhani. The true and actual Dal Makhani is actually a result of friends getting together after partition. It’s a result of the refugee drive to excel. It is the story of Moti Mahal,” he said.
Notably, the trio were Punjabi Hindu migrants from Peshawar, who had already invented butter chicken, and were looking to create a vegetarian dish that would complement it — resulting in the creation of the dish we today know as Dal Makhani.
If you’re fascinated with the history behind the dish, wait till we present you with this finger-licking recipe of Dal Makhani you can prepare from the comfort of your home, courtesy of Chef Brar.
Ingredients
Whole black gram (sabut urad) 1/2 cup
Red kidney beans (rajma) 2 tablespoons- Wash and soak urad dal &rajma overnight, drain
Salt to taste
Red chilli powder 1 teaspoon
Ginger chopped 2-inch pieces
Butter 3 tablespoons
Oil 1 tablespoon
Cumin seeds 1 teaspoon
Garlic chopped 6 cloves
Onion chopped 1 large
Green chillies slit 2
Tomatoes 2 medium- blended to paste
Garam masala powder 1 teaspoon
Method
*Boil sabut urad and rajma in three cups of water with salt and half the red chilli powder and half the ginger. Cook for three whistles in a pressure cooker or until the rajma is completely soft.
*Heat butter and oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds. When they begin to change colour, add ginger, garlic and onion and sauté till golden brown.
*Add slit green chillies, tomatoes puree and sauté on high heat. Add the remaining red chilli powder and sauté till the tomatoes are reduced to a pulp.
*Add the cooked dal and rajma along with the cooking liqueur. Add some water if the mixture is too thick.
*Add garam masala powder and adjust salt.
*Simmer on low heat till the dals are totally soft and well blended.
*Serve hot. Garnish with a swirl of cream and sprigs of fresh coriander.
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