Dal Makhani, served at Urban Village Grill, has smoky flavors and the creaminess of lentils. This authentic, gently spiced Punjabi dish is luxurious and rich in flavors.
A simple dal is a staple everyday meal for Indians, made of many lentils. But Dal Makhani is popular as King of Dals. This popular recipe is made with whole black lentils and kidney beans cooked with butter and cream, simmered on low heat for that unique flavor. It is truly a celebratory dal.
History of Dal Makhani:
The dish ‘Dal Makhani’ means lentils cooked in butter. The original recipe didn’t have tomatoes as a souring agent. Instead, yogurt was used as the souring agent. Kundan Lal Jaggi and Kundan Lal Gujral, who first invented butter chicken, were looking to create a vegetarian dish. The idea for this dish came from one of their regular diner who suggested that something exciting could be made of urad dal. That idea has led to the creation of dal makhani.
What makes Dal Makhani so good and king of all dals?
Whole Spices
The flavorful and aromatic whole spices make this dal more flavorful. The quantity of spices used in this dish is minimum to keep the flavor of lentils dominant. The whole spices we use are bay leaf, black cardamom & green cardamom. These spices release a unique aroma to the dal when simmering for hours and make a huge difference.
Butter and Cream
Besides the slow cooking, the cream and the butter give this dish a rich taste. The richness comes from the fats in the butter and cream, and they are added just enough to lift the dish in its richness.
Slow Cooking
The lentils for this dish cook slowly in a tandoor, a cylindrical clay oven. The slower it cooks, the more it tastes better. This dish simmers for many hours, which makes a huge difference. Also, overnight simmering gives the smokiness in the dish from the charcoal or wood. The slow cooking makes the lentils in this dish dense and creamy, resulting in a finger-licking dal makhani.
Smoky flavors
The lentil dish naturally imparts a smoky aroma to the dish when it cooks on wooden or charcoal fires. There is another charcoal smoking technique, i.e., charcoal-infused smoke, which works fabulously to give a smoky flavor to the dish.
Making of Dal Makhani:
The main ingredients for this dish are black lentils and red kidney beans. These soak the lentils overnight and boiled in water till soft and tender. The next step is to make masala by tempering the whole spices in butter, adding finely chopped onions, and sauteeing till golden along with ginger garlic paste. Stir in tomato puree, add the spices powders, and cook till the masala is thick and an aroma arises. The final step is to add lentils and simmer them to the lowest possible heat. The final touch is adding cream and Kasuri methi to bring out the unique flavor.
Are you looking to relish some creamy, delicious dal makhani in Denver? Then what are you waiting for? Visit us now and place the order for your favorite meal. We have the best authentic and delicious Indian food. Everything at Urban Village Grill, from the taste and ambiance of the place to the music played, and the staff’s hospitality, takes one on a journey through India.