Dhal Bukhara (Dhal Makhni)
Creamy Brown Lentils
Modern chef's recipe
Pat Chapman's India: Food and Cooking
This chestnut brown-coloured dish takes its name from the famous Bukhara Tandoori restaurant at Delhi's Maurya Sheraton Hotel. It is a modern development of the classic north Indian lentil dish, Maharani Dhal, held in such respect that its name means 'lentil queen'. Butter (makhni) and cream are continuously added to the black lentils (urid dhal) during the cooking, and tomato provides its distinctive taste and reddish colour.
Serves
8 to 12 as an accompaniment
Ingredients
225 g (8 oz) whole black lentils (urid dal)
1.25 litres (21/4 pints) water
40 g (11/2 oz) fresh root ginger, finely chopped
2 tablespoons ghee
10-12 garlic cloves, puréed
200 g (7 oz) brown onion paste
1 teaspoon tomato purée
200 g (7 oz) tinned tomatoes, puréed
3 tablespoons Garam Masala
150 ml (5 floz) single cream
150g (5oz) unsalted butter
2 teaspoons Kala Namak (Black Indian Rock Salt)
Masala
2 teaspoons Sweet Noble Paprika
1 teaspoon coriander seeds, roasted and ground
1 teaspoon cummin seeds, roasted and ground
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
Method
Soak the lentils in plenty of water for at least 12 hours. Drain and rinse well.
To cook the lentils, bring the measured water to the boil in a 2.5 litre (41/2 pint) saucepan. Add the lentils and and half the ginger. When it comes to the boil, stir to ensure nothing is sticking to the bottom of the pan.
Boil for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat to a very low simmer for a further 1 hour or so, stirring from time to time. By this time, the lentils should have absorbed all the water and be soft not al dente.
Heat the ghee in a 2.5 litre (4 1/2 pint) ovenproof casserole dish. Add the masala and stir-fry for 1 minute or so. Add the garlic, onion paste and the remaining ginger and stir-fry for a further 2 minutes. Mix in the lentils.
Add the tomato purée, tinned tomatoes and garam masala to the lentils. Cook for a further 15 minutes, adding a cupful or two of water as needed as to retain a pouring consistency.
Put the casserole in a preheated oven, 180˙C / 360˙F / Gas 4 and cook for at least 3 hours. Check the consistency of the mixture every 40 minutes or so - adding water to maintain the pouring consistency.
On your fourth check, add the cream, butter and salt and give it a final 20 or so minutes cooking in the oven with the oven switched off.
Find this recipe in Pat Chapman's India: Food and Cooking
Recipe Testing Notes:
14/08/2010 - Soaked the lentils for 24 hours, instead of 12 hours. Added double cream, instead of single cream. Used half and half of pink Indian rock salt and table salt. I didn't need to oven bake the lentils for three hours, because I soaked them for twice the recommended time. Delicious! - my favourite lentil dish!
