Moghlai Dhal ( A lentil and Kidney bean curry)

   Moghlai Dhal served with Naan and pickle.                                        

                                                               Soak the lentil overnight.

                   

Prepare the ingredients.

                                          

Serves 6

The black gram and the kidney bean curry is referred to as Dhal.

Whole black gram [urad sabut]           1 cup

Red kidney beans [rajmah]                 ¼ cup

Water for cooking                               3 cups

Soda bi carb                                        ¼ tsp

Salt                                                      1 ½ tsp

Turmeric                                              ½ tsp

Green chilies                                       2, or to taste

Garlic                                                  6 – 8 cloves, finely chopped

Onions                                                 1, chopped (⅓ cup)

Oil                                                       2 tsp

*Tomatoes                                           3, medium, blanched, skinned and chopped. (About ¾ cup)

Extra hot water                                   ¼ to ½ cup

Curd or yoghurt                                  ¾ cup, well mixed

                                   

Melted butter or ghee                         2 Tbls

Ginger                                                 1 ½” piece, finely chopped, (2 Tbls)

Green chilies                                       2, sliced

Garam masala*                                    ½ tsp

Chilli powder [opt]                             ½ tsp

Lime juice                                           1-2 Tbls

Fresh cream                                         ½ cup

Chopped coriander                             1 Tbls

                                   

Method

Pick and wash the black gram and the red beans in several changes of water and soak over night. Wash again, add the next 8 ingredients and cook in a pressure cooker for 30 minutes. Remove from heat.

Mash the cooked dhal until evenly blended and creamy. Put the dhal back on medium heat, add the tomatoes and bring to a gentle boil. Cook, stirring frequently, until the tomatoes form part of the gravy. The extra water may be added at this stage if the dhal becomes too thick. Blend in the well-mixed curd and simmer gently for 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from fire and keep warm.

In a separate pan, heat the butter or ghee gently. Add to it the chopped ginger and green chilies. Stir until aromatic and crisp. Add half of this fried mixture and garam masala along with the chilli powder and the limejuice to the cooked dhal.

Stir and simmer gently for a few minutes. Remove from heat, check seasoning, stir in the fresh cream and sprinkle the chopped coriander and the rest of the fried mixture on top.

Serve hot with parathas or any other Indian bread.

* Tomatoes can be grated as well. Cut into half and grate all the pulp into a bowl. The skin can then be discarded. Use this method only if you are using a couple of tomatoes in your cooking. It is easier to blanch, skin and chop a larger quantity.

* Garam masala: I suppose one can call this a generic term since every state in India has its own wonderful blend of aromatic spices. Individual preferences can also come into play. I like to use equal quantities of cloves and cardamom and a bit more of cinnamon in my blend of garam masala.

Roast small quantities of the spices. Grind. Sieve and store in an airtight container.