Dal Makhani

INSTRUCTIONS

• 1
  If you are using dried lentils and beans, soak them overnight in water to cook them faster. Rinse the soaked legumes thoroughly and place them in a pot. Add about 1.5 liters of water, whole ginger, a clove of garlic, all the spices, and salt. Cook on low heat with a lid for about an hour to an hour and a half until the legumes are soft.
• 2
  Towards the end of cooking the legumes, start preparing the sauce. Finely chop the onion, slice the garlic, and cut the ginger into small pieces. Heat a larger pot, and once it's hot, add ghee and let it melt. Add the chopped onion and let it become translucent, stirring occasionally. Then add the ginger and garlic and sauté for a few more minutes. Add all the spices and heat for a minute while stirring constantly to release the aroma, then add the tomato paste and heat for another minute.
• 3
  Chop the tomatoes into larger pieces and add them to the pot along with the cooked legumes and salt. Pour in about a liter of water, cover with a lid, and reduce the heat to a minimum.
• 4
  Let it simmer for at least 2 and a half hours, stirring occasionally from the bottom, the longer the better, adding water as needed. During cooking, the legumes should almost completely disintegrate and form a thick mash.
• 5
  Once the legumes are completely disintegrated and the mash has a thick consistency, add butter and cream to soften, and heat gently to combine all the flavors. Serve garnished with coriander leaves and a bit of cream.