‘Dal Makhani’ is an authentic Punjabi (North-Indian) lentil soup made out of whole ‘Black gram or ‘Urad Dal’. ‘Punjabi Cuisine’ has varied flavors and is traditionally made with generous amount of ghee and cream. Today as people have become more conscious about their health and prefer low calorie diet, many traditional Indian recipes are given a miss, even though they are loved. Dal Makhani is one such recipe. That is why I have introduced this recipe which is made with no oil/ghee and no cream, so that you can have your favorite dal makhani anytime without any guilt.

Ingredients:

1 cup whole Black gram or urad dal,

1/2 cup rajma (red kidney beans),

1 onion; diced,

4-5 cloves of garlic,

3 large tomatoes; diced,

2 tbsp tomato ketchup,

2-3 green chillies,

1/2 tsp red chilli powder,

1 tsp tandoori masala or garam masala,

A pinch of amchoor (dry mango powder),

1 cup skimmed milk,

1/4 cup low fat yogurt; beaten until smooth,

Few coriander leaves; washed and finely chopped,

Salt to taste,

Water as required.

Method:

Soak urad dal and rajma over night (or for at least 7-8 hours). Cook dal and rajma along with onion, garlic, tomatoes and 4-5 cups of water in a pressure cooker on high flame up to 5 whistles and then simmer on low flame for 30 minutes. Remove from flame and open the lid when pressure drops. Add milk to the cooked dal mixture (in the pressure cooker or you can transfer it to another pot/kadhai) and mash the dal so that all the ingredients form a nice mixture. Place it on the stove, add red chilli powder, tandoori masala, amchoor and stir. Now add water only as much required and bring the dal to boil. Then add amchoor, tomato ketchup and green chillies. Cook for a minute or two before you remove from the flame. Transfer to a serving bowl, garnish with beaten yogurt and chopped coriander leaves. Serve with steamed rice or parathas.

Ingredients:

200gms paneer; cubed,

2 onions; very finely chopped,

1-2 green chillies (as per taste); finely chopped,

1/2 cup thick yogurt,

1/4 tsp turmeric powder,

Salt to taste, (Use black salt for better results)

Oil for tempering.

Achari Spices -

1/2 tsp mustard seeds (rai),

1/2 tsp cumin seeds (jeera),

1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds (methi dana),

1 tsp fennel seeds (saunf),

1/2 tsp onion/nigella seeds (kalonji),

1/4 tsp asafoetida (heeng).

Method:

Heat oil in a pan on medium flame and add mustard seeds to it. Let them splutter and then add all the rest ‘Achari spices’. Roast them for 15 seconds and add chopped onion. Sauté on medium flame until onions turn light pink in color. Then add chopped green chillies, turmeric powder, mix well. Then add paneer cubes and mix properly. Beat the yogurt and add it to the pan. Stir well, season with salt, cover and cook for 2 minutes and serve hot with parathas.

TIP: You can use red chilli powder instead of green chillies or use both.

This is the authentic Punjabi recipe for chana.

Ingredients:

200gms dry chana (chhole); washed and soaked in water overnight,

1 tsp tea leaves; tied in a muslin cloth,

2 onions; finely chopped,

2 tomatoes; finely chopped,

2″ piece ginger; julienned,

3 green chillies; deseeded and slit vertically,

1/4 tsp turmeric powder,

1 1/2 tsp red chilli powder,

2 tsp dhania (coriander) powder,

1 tsp roasted jeera (cumin) powder,

2 tsp chhole masala or garam masala,

1/2 tsp amchoor powder (dry mango powder),

1 tbsp kasoori methi (dry fenugreek leaves), crushed,

Salt to taste,

Oil for frying,

Chopped coriander leaves and sliced onions to garnish.

Method:

Pressure cook chana along with tea leaves, some salt, little ginger and 8-9 cups of water upto 5 whistles on high pressure, then on low flame for 20 minutes. Later open the lid, and separate a cupful of chana and mash it well.

Heat oil in a kadhai/pan. Add onion and saute on low-medium flame until soft. Then add turmeric powder and red chilli powder. Fry for a minute. Add tomatoes, stir, cover and cook until they are soft. Uncover, add coriander and jeera powder and cook till the masala starts leaving out oil. Then add the mashed chana, whole chana with the water. Stir well. Add chhole masala or garam masala, amchoor, little salt, green chillies and bring to boil. This recipe has a thick consistency, so cook till water is reduced. Later add chrushed kasoori methi, stir, cover and remove from flame. Let it settle down for few minutes. Then garnish with chopped coriander leaves and sliced onions and serve hot with parathas.

Ingredients:

200 gms paneer; cut into cubes,

For marinade-

1/2 cup thick yogurt,

1 tsp ginger-garlic paste,

1 tbsp vinegar or lemon juice,

1/2 tsp red chilli powder,

1/2 tsp garam masala powder,

Salt to taste,

1 tsp vegetable oil,

Few drops of red food color (optional, you can add little Kashmiri red chilli powder too),

For the gravy-

2 large size tomatoes;

1″ stick of ginger,

4-5 pods of garlic,

2 tbsp cashew nuts; soaked into hot water for 15 minutes,

1 tbsp tomato ketchup,

1/4 tsp turmeric powder,

3/4 tsp red chilli powder,

1 -1 1/2 tsp garam masala powder,

Salt to taste,

1 tsp sugar,

Butter to saute,

1 tsp crushed Kasoori methi (dry fenugreek leaves),

1/2 cup fresh cream,

Chopped coriander leaves,

Water.

Method:
Mix all the ingredients for marinade and marinate the paneer cubes for over an hour. Keep in a cool place or for best results in a refrigerator.
Place the marinated paneer cubes on the a greased tray and grill them at 150 degree C for 5 minutes. Flip them over and grill them again for 5 minutes.

To prepare the gravy, grind tomatoes, ginger, garlic, cashew nuts, tomato ketchup into a puree.
Melt butter in a pan. Let the flame be low-medium. Add turmeric powder and red chilli powder, stir and add the tomato puree. Stir and cook on medium flame, stirring until the masala starts leaving out oil. Then add garam masala, sugar, water enough to prepare a thick gravy. When the gravy boils add salt, kasoori methi and chopped coriander leaves. Garnish with fresh cream and serve hot with butter rotis.

Tip:
Prepare Paneer Tikkas as given above and serve as appetizers or cocktail snacks.

I am not sure from which part of India has this recipe originated, but green peas curry is prepared commonly in every household in India. Since India a multilingual nation, this recipe may be cooked by different names. This is my own recipe, simple one that doesn’t take more than 15 minutes to prepare.

Ingredients:

2 cups mutter (shelled green peas); fresh or frozen – thawed, parboiled,

4-5 small potatoes; peeled and parboiled,

1 tsp jeera (cumin seeds),

2 medium size onions; finely chopped,

1 tomato; finely chopped,

1/4 tsp turmeric powder,

1 tsp red chilli powder (adjust as per taste),

Salt to taste,

Oil,

Freshly chopped coriander leaves to garnish.

Method:

Heat oil in a kadhai, add jeera and when it splutters add onion. Saute on low-medium flame until soft. Then add turmeric and red chilli powder and stir fry for a minute. Then add tomatoes, mix, cover and cook for 4-5 minutes. Uncover and mix occasionally. When oil separates from the gravy, add parboiled peas and potatoes, stir, season with salt, add some water (stock from the boiled vegetables), cover with lid and let it cook for 5 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with parathas.

TIP:

If you are in a hurry, this is an ideal vegetable to prepare. Just boil the vegetables in the microwave oven or another stove while your prepare the gravy. Then add vegetables to the gravy and bring to boil.