Dal Bukhara

Dal Bukhara, a rich, creamy and classy royal delicacy. It is usually made with whole black urad dal which is packed with proteins, dietary fiber, calcium and iron. It is a must have dish in both punjabi and nawabi cuisine.

The process of cooking dal bukhara is quite long made on hot charcoal for about 6 to 7 hrs. But in my kitchen i did quick up the process with out missing the original taste.

Ingredients:

Split black urad dal : 1.5 cup (You can also take whole black urad dal but to quick up the process of cooking i used split black urad dal).
Tomatoes : 3 to 4 medium sized
Onions : 1 medium sized chopped finely
Ginger garlic paste : 1/2 tspn
Turmeric : 1/4 tspn
Red chilly powder : 1.5 tspn or as per your taste
Split green chilies : 2 to 3 or as per your taste.
Laung/clove : 2
Salt : As per your taste
Ghee : 3 to 4 tblsn
Jeera / Cumin seeds : 1/4 tspn
Mustard seeds : 1/4 tspn
Cumin/jeera powder : 1/4 tspn
Coriander seed powder/dhania powder : 1/4 tspn
Garam Masala : 1/4 tspn
Fresh Cream : 1 tspn
Water : 3 to 4 cups to pressure cook dal
Oil : 2 tblspn
hing/asafoetida : 1 pinch
Curry leaves : few
Dhani / cilantro leavs: few chopped
Dry red chilies : 1 chopped

Method:

• Soak split black lentils / Urad dal for about 2 to 3 hrs in water.

• Pressure cook them with 3 to 4 cups of water, turmeric, 1 tblspn of oil and little salt, for up to 4 whistles then turn off the flame.
• Once all the pressure is released from pressure cooker, smash dal with wooden smasher or churner. Keep this a side. 

• Now place a small frying pan on medium flame, add 1/2 tblspn butter or oil. Once it is hot, add jeera/cumin, mustards seeds, laung/cloves and onions.

• Let onions cook until they turn translucent. Then add turmeric powder, ginger garlic paste and saute for 2 to 3 mins.

• Now add chopped tomatoes, green chilies and mix.

• Close the lids and let it cook for about 4 mins or until tomatoes become some. You can add little salt to tenderize tomatoes quickly.

• Once tomatoes or cooked, take frying pan off the flame.
• Now place pressure cooker in which dal was cooked. Turn flame to low and add tomato mixture and ghee.

• Mix it well and let it cook for about 5 to 6 mins.
• Now add red chilly powder, cumin/jeera powder, coriander seed powder/dhania powder, and garam masala.

• Mix them all well, close the lid and let it cook on low flame for about 10 mins, and turn off the flame.

• Burn a charcoal. Once it turns hot, place it in a small bowl, Place this bowl on dal and then pour ghee over burning charcoal.
• Close the lid immediately and let it sit for about 10 mins.

• This gives authentic taste of food that is cooked over charcoal.
• Add oil, once it is hot, add curry leaves, dry red chilies, jeera/cumin seeds and hing/asafoetida. 
• Pour this mixture over dal.
• Garnish it with some cream and serve it hot with pulav, jeera rice, roti or naan. I had with jowar roti and it tasted heaven in my mouth. 

For more nawabi cuisine recipes : https://desifusiontwist.blogspot.in/2016/06/veg-nawabi-platter_14.html