Dhaba Dal

Step 1

Place the chana dal, urad dal and rajma in a pressure cooker with enough water to cover the legumes by two inches. Add ¼th of a teaspoon of turmeric. Pressure cook or cook in Instant Pot or saucepan over stovetop until the legumes are very tender. Set aside. (Presoaking the rajma in hot water for an hour or two before cooking with the lentils ensures the legumes cook together perfectly).

Step 2

Place the oil in a Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. Once the oil is hot, add the ginger garlic paste and saute for a minute. Add the onions to the pot and saute until the onions begin to brown.

Step 3

Stir in the tomatoes and cook for about 5-8 minutes or until tomatoes are very soft and have broken down in a pulp.

Step 4

Add the spices to the onions and tomatoes: ground cumin, ground coriander, cayenne and remaining ¼th teaspoon turmeric. Crush the kasoori methi in the palms of your hands and add to the pot. Mix well.

Step 5

Add the cooked lentils to the pot along with 2 cups of cooking water (or just water) and mix. Remove half the lentils to a blender and carefully blend until smooth.

Step 6

Return the blended lentils to the pot and mix. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and let the dal simmer over low heat for 10 minutes. Add more water if the dal is too thick. Add salt to taste.

Step 7

Stir in the garam masala and vegan butter. Cook the dal for another couple of minutes, check for salt and add more if needed, then turn off heat. Serve hot.