Vegan Dal Makhani
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry whole urad dal, debris removed and soaked in plenty of water overnight or for at least 6 hours
- 4 cups water
- 15 oz can kidney beans (1 1/2 cups), drained and rinsed
- 3 tbsp coconut oil or vegan butter
- 1 tsp cumin seed
- 1 small bay leaf
- 4-6 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp minced ginger
- 1-2 chiles, minced with seeds removed if desired
- 1 small onion, finely chopped (~1 cup)
- 1 cup tomato puree or strained tomatoes
- 1 1/2 cups water (including water reserved from cooking urad dal)
- 1-1 1/2 tsp salt, to taste
- 1/2 tsp garam masala
- 1/2 tsp ground coriander
- 1/2 tsp cayenne, optional & more or less to taste
- 1/4 tsp turmeric
- 1 tbsp kasoori methi, crushed (optional)
- 1/4-1/3 cup coconut cream or coconut milk
- Minced cilantro
- Basmati rice
Preparation
Add the soaked urad dal to a pot along with 4 cups of water
Bring it to a boil, then lower the heat to simmer
Cook covered for 30-40 minutes or until dal is very tender
Turn off heat and strain the lentils, reserving any leftover cooking water
In a large pot eat the coconut oil or vegan butter over medium
Add the cumin and bay leaf and fry until they crackle and turn a shade darker
Add the garlic, ginger, and chiles and cook about 30 seconds to 1 minute
Add the onion and fry until golden and soft, 4-6 minutes
Add the tomato puree (watch for splattering), the reserved dal cooking water + fresh water to equal 1 1/2 cups of water, 1 teaspoon of salt, garam masala, coriander, cayenne if using, and turmeric
Crush the kasoori methi between your hands into the pot
Simmer for 3-5 minutes
Add the urad dal and the kidney beans
Cover and simmer over low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally so the lentils don't stick and burn on the bottom of the pan
Taste and adjust salt if desired, add more salt if the dish tastes flat
Stir in the coconut cream and simmer for 5 minutes
Garnish finished dish with a swirl of coconut milk and minced cilantro
Serve with basmati rice
