Puneri Dal Yellow Lentils Pune Style Food

DAL MAKHANI (INDIAN LENTILS)

Steps:

• 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.

PUNERI DAL (YELLOW LENTILS PUNE-STYLE)

Steps:

• Simmer the lentils in 4 cups of water for approximately 20 minutes, until just cooked, but not ‘mushy’.
• Keep an eye on the lentils while they cook to ensure the water does not fully evaporate.
• Drain off most of the water when the lentils are cooked and add the powder spices, kokum (or tamarind paste), desiccated coconut and salt to taste.
• Simmer for a couple of minutes and stir until well mixed, adding more water if necessary to make a moist, but not ‘sloppy’, consistency.
• Remove from the heat and keep warm.
• Heat oil in a small pan, add the mustard seeds, and saute until they pop and crackle.
• Add the cumin seeds, asafoetida and curry leaves.
• Stir once, then pour the oil and spices over the lentils.
• Mix well, and serve hot garnished with cilantro.
• Accompany with rice and a vegetable curry if desired.

GODA MASALA

Steps:

• Split open the cardamom pods and remove the seeds from the husks.
• Discard the husks.
• Heat the oil in a small skillet and saute the cinnamon, cloves, cardamom seeds and bay leaves until the cloves swell.
• Dry roast the remaining ingredients over a low heat until the coconut is slightly darker than a golden brown.
• Stir and watch carefully as the coconut can suddenly burn!
• Cool both mixtures, than place all the spices in a clean coffee grinder, and grind until fine.
• Store in an airtight container for up to 4 months.