Dal Maharani | Queen of Lentils Gravy with Step by Step Pictures

Dal Maharani is a North Indian side dish which is usually made with mixed lentils. Here the black lentils, rajma and channa dal are cooked along with the indian spices. Butter and fresh cream are added at the end to provide with richness and a nice flavor to the dish. In traditional method, the process of cooking seems to be very time consuming as it takes more than 10 hours to cook the lentils. Nowadays the time and our energy are saved with the help of pressure cooker.

Dal Maharani | Queen of Lentils

Recipe Cuisine: North Indian | Recipe Category: Accompaniment

Prep Time: 8 hrs soaking + 10 mins | Cooking Time: 1 hr | Serves: 5

Ingredients:

Black Gram / Whole Urad dal - 1/2 cup

Rajma / Red Kidney Bean - 1/2 cup

Channa dal - 1/2 cup some add moong dal also

Onion - 1

Tomato - 2

Bay leaf - 1

Chilli - 1

Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp

Ginger garlic paste - 1 tsp

Red chilli powder - 1 tsp

Turmeric - 1/4 tsp

Salt - to taste

Butter - 2 tblspn

Fresh cream - optional

Coriander leaves - 2 tblspn

Oil - 2 tblspn

To roast and grind: (For Garam masala)

Coriander seeds - 1 tblspn

Chilli - 1

Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Fennel seeds - 1/2 tsp

Bay leaf - 1

Cinnamon - 1 stick

Cloves - 3

Cardamom - 1

Star anise - 1/4 piece

Method:

Soak rajma and black gram overnight or 8 to 10 hours.

Pressure cook the soaked rajma, black gram and channa dal for 8 whistles.

Dry roast the ingredients listed for garam masala and blend it to a smooth powder.

In a vessel, heat little oil. Add chilli, bay leaf and cumin seeds. When cumin starts to crackle, add the finely chopped onion and sauté till it becomes soft.

Add chopped tomatoes and sauté till it becomes mushy. Add in ginger garlic paste and sauté till the raw smell goes off.

To this, add the ground masala, chilli powder and turmeric.

Now, add the pressure cooked dal, salt and enough water. Add in melted butter and cook it for few mins.

Serve with roti.

Note:

• You can also skip the roasting part and replace with garam masala and coriander powder.
• Moong dal can also be used.
• Adding fresh cream is optional.
• This gravy can be either thick or little thin. It is upto your choice.
• You can also add little curd to this.

Pictorial:

Keep all your ingredients ready.

Soak rajma and black gram overnight or 8 to 10 hours.

Pressure cook the soaked rajma, black gram and channa dal for 8 to 12 whistles.

Dry roast the ingredients listed for garam masala

and blend it to a smooth powder.

Once pressure subsides, mash the dal

In a vessel, heat little oil. Add chilli, bay leaf and cumin seeds.

When cumin starts to crackle, add the finely chopped onion and sauté till it becomes soft.

Add chopped tomatoes and sauté till it becomes mushy.

Add in ginger garlic paste and sauté till the raw smell goes off.

To this, add the chilli powder, turmeric.

And ground masala,

Saute for a minute

Now, add the pressure cooked dal

salt to taste

and enough water. Add in melted butter and cook it for few mins.

Add some fresh creams on the top.

Finally garnish with coriander leaves

Serve with roti.