Soak time: overnight. Prep time: 10 mins. Cook time: 2 hours.

Ingredients

• 1 medium white onion
• 3/4 urad dal (whole black lentils)
• 1/4 cup rajma (kidney beans)
• 1 tsp + 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp + 1 tbsp + some more butter
• 1 tsp + (optional) 1 tbsp ghee
• 2 tsp ginger garlic paste
• 1/2 cup tomato puree
• 1/4 tsp garam masala
• 1/2 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1/4 cup + some more cream
• (optional) 1 piece of charcoal

Preparation

Wash and rinse 3/4 cup urad dal and 1/4 cup rajma in a large bowl. Soak in 3 cups water overnight. Discard the water in which the dal and rajma were soaked (this liquid contains toxins extracted from the rajma). Finely grate 1 medium white onion.

Cook dal and rajma

Add dal and rajma to pressure cooker with 1 tsp salt and 3.5 cups water. Place on high heat to bring up to temperature, scrape off any scum with a slotted spoon, and stir. Pressure cook on high-medium heat for 10 whistles, then lower heat to low-medium and cook for another 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow pressure to release naturally. The dal and rajma should be completely cooked and you should be able to mash them with your fingers. Mash some of them with a potato masher. Place on low heat and simmer while you make the masala.

Make masala

In a large pot/pan, heat 2 tsp butter and 1 tsp ghee on medium heat. Once butter melts and is hot, add the grated onion. Cook the onion, stirring continuously so it doesn’t burn, until it turns light golden brown (6 to 7 minutes). Add 2 tsp ginger garlic paste. Cook until the raw smell goes away (1 to 2 minutes). Add 1/2 cup tomato puree and mix. Cook until the puree mixes well with the masala and oil starts oozing from the sides¹ (about 2 minutes).

Combine and simmer

Add the cooked dal (with the water it was cooked in) and mix. Mix in 1/4 tsp garam masala, 1/2 tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder, 1/2 tsp salt. Stir in 1/2 cup water. Simmer (uncovered) on low heat, stirring often (every 10 minutes or so) to stop it sticking to the pot, and adding water when it gets dry (total about 1.5 cups), for about 45 minutes.

Cream

Add 1/2 tsp sugar, 1 tbsp butter, 1/4 cup cream. Mix well. Simmer on low heat 10 minutes.

Dhungar method (optional)

Melt 1 tbsp ghee. Place a steel bowl (or the outside shell of half an onion) on top of the dhall. Heat a piece of charcoal to read hot using a flame (e.g. blowtorch). Place charcoal into the bowl and pour melted ghee on top. It will start smoking immediately. Cover the pan and leave for up to 5 minutes (the longer, the smokier).

Garnish

Garnish with more cream and a pat of butter.

Adapted from this recipe