Atul Kochhar's dal makhani - Serves four

150g whole urid (black) dal 1 tsp ground fenugreek

50g dried red kidney beans 1 tsp garam masala
1 green chilli, chopped 1 large onion, finely chopped
2 cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and chopped 150 ml passata
1 tbsp sunflower oil 1 tbsp tomato purée
1 tsp cumin seeds 1 tbsp lemon juice
5 garlic cloves, finely chopped 45 g butter
1 tbsp ground coriander 100 ml single cream
1 tsp red chilli powder sea salt

A day ahead, soak the dal and kidney beans together overnight in 600ml cold water to cover by 2.5cm.
The next day, drain and rinse the dal and kidney beans, then put them in a saucepan with double their
depth of fresh salted water. Bring to the boil and boil hard for ten minutes, then skim the surface, add
the green chilli and ginger and simmer over a low heat for 50 minutes, or until both are very tender. Set
aside to cool in the liquid and they will continue to absorb liquid as they cool.
Heat the oil in a saucepan, add the cumin seeds and sauté over a medium heat until they crackle. Add
the garlic and sauté until light brown in colour. Add the onion and sauté for 8-10 minutes until they are
light brown.
Add the coriander, chilli powder, fenugreek and garam masala, and sauté for a further minute, then
add the passata and tomato purée. Reduce the heat to very low and simmer, stirring frequently, for 10-
15 minutes until blended.
Stir in the cooked dal and kidney beans with any remaining liquid and bring to the boil, then simmer,
uncovered, for a further 12-15 minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened. Set aside until required. At
this point the dal can be left to cool and chilled for up to two days.
Just before serving, reheat if necessary, stir in the lemon juice, butter and single cream with salt to
taste.