The Dal Series

So I decided to get creative one Sunday and made an entire photographic series called the Dal series, a series of photographs depicting how to make my favourite Dal Makhani just like mom used to make it when I was a kid. So here it goes.

1. Spice.

Add it to your life but before add a little to this dal with me. Dry roast this add bay leaf, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, Badi elaichi, star anise to a pan, dry roast and then grind.

Add this while the "masala" is cooking and voila. Your masala is done all you've to do is add this to the cooked dal and you my friend are done.

2. Masala.

I like a lot of ginger. The masala has to have a little bit of that, and if you're a fan of garlic put lots of that too. These two, ginger and garlic are like Ross and Rachel, like Romeo and Juliet, like Homer and Marge, like Peter and Lois. You see where I'm going, the flavor of this couple intensifies when you cook it. Just bhunofy the ginger garlic for some time till light brown before you add the onions, tomatoes and spices for the masala (see step three)

3. Soak.

The most important step would be soak it for at least 12 hours. Five parts dal to one part rajma by weight once soaked put them in the cooker with a bay leaf for at least 8 whistles. Then cook for twenty minutes add water to your liking. Key here being that it breaks down the starch so it's creamy, naturally​ like a risotto is.

4. Tadka.

I always keep this masala in the freezer. Pretty easy this, sauté some onions with garlic and ginger (I like lots of it) and add tomatoes, add the dry roasted (ground) spices cinnamon, bay leaf, cloves, cumin, cardamom and some garam masala and a little chili powder helps. Cook till fats separate. Add this tadka to the dal after the pressure cooker has done its job and cook it for another thirty minutes.  You can keep the masala in the freezer for a week if you make it well.

5. Sour.

Step 5 in the dal process, the richness of the dal needs to be cut somehow to balance the flavors. I use little butter, but the starch in the dal makes it thick and rich. You can use dry mango powder but it turns a little bitter of cooked for too long. I suggest use fresh lemon juice at the end and add some kasuri methi. To get the savoury, sour bitter flavor.

6. Dal

The final product. Made my favorite dal makhani sometime back. Good dal takes time. Learned how to make this epic thing from mom it turns out better every time I make it. Namak mat bhoolna, salt. Add it.