“Ever go to an Indian restaurant and wonder how they make those lentils? I hated lentils before I discovered Indian food. Then I scoured the internet to figure out how they achieved them, and through mixing and matching recipes and methods on videos, I've arrived at this recipe, which I think is pretty close. This version is very rich, but you can leave out the cream to make it lighter. Kasuri methi (fenugreek leaves) is almost impossible to find in the U.S., even in NYC, but it gives this dish something very special.” - by SOGOLONDJATA
Ingredients
Adjust Servings
Original recipe yields 6 servings
Directions
- Place lentils and kidney beans in a large bowl; cover with plenty of water. Soak for at least 2 hours or overnight. Drain.
- Cook lentils, kidney beans, 5 cups water, and salt in a pot over medium heat until tender, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour. Remove from heat and set aside. Keep the lentils, kidney beans, and any excess cooking water in the pot.
- Heat vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook cumin seeds in the hot oil until they begin to pop, 1 to 2 minutes. Add cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, and cloves; cook until bay leaves turn brown, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium-low; add ginger paste, garlic paste, turmeric, and cayenne pepper. Stir to coat.
- Stir tomato puree into spice mixture; cook over medium heat until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Add chili powder, coriander, and butter; cook and stir until butter is melted.
- Stir lentils, kidney beans and any leftover cooking water into tomato mixture; bring to a boil, reduce heat to low. Stir fenugreek into lentil mixture. Cover saucepan and simmer until heated through, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes. Add cream and cook until heated through, 2 to 4 minutes.
Nutrition
Amount Per Serving (6 total)
- Calories
- 375 cal
- 19%
- Fat
- 21.2 g
- 33%
- Carbs
- 34.2 g
- 11%
Based on a 2,000 calorie diet
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Reviews (3)
Rate This Recipe
"I have to agree with cengelberg, the recipe shown is far too salty. I made the recipe for 6 people and it called for 2 tablespoons of salt, but change that to 2 teaspoons and you'll be fine. I also us..." See moreed canned kidney beans instead of dry, so if you go my way be sure to drain the excess water after cooking the lentils and beans or you'll end up with dal makhani soup."
cengelberg
"I think the recipe would have turned out great if much less salt was used. I adjusted the recipe for 16 people and it called for 1/3 cup salt. It was extremely salty. Tried to reduce salt by adding po..." See moretatoes with minimal results. I would recommend at least halving the salt content and work up from there."
Davisfam08
"This recipe was tried by my family during Phase 1 of South Beach. We did not use any of the optional ingredients and omitted the butter. We did add some butter flavor. We salt our meals at the tabl..." See moree, so I cannot remember how much salt we added. This is authentic Indian food with the raw form of spices. Chew carefully to keep from biting a clove etc."
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