I think there’s something really comforting about weekdays which go right for you. You tend to rest a lot more than you would on a hectic weekend with tons of activities lined up. I am not a Monday morning optimist by any wildest assumption, but I cannot deny that there are good weeks too. So last week was one of those uneventful good weeks.
Also, the time of the year has something to do with it. The holiday spirit and frenzy is picking up gradually. The red, green and gold are slowly surfacing everywhere. And the pace of things has definitely slowed down a little. For me weeknight dinners have become more of a one-pot, one-skillet happy affair. I am reinventing and adapting traditional Indian recipes to keep up with this one-pot theme and had some great success at it.
The recipe I am sharing today is one such Indian classic made-easy, in fact, made very easy. It’s called Dal Makhani or Ma Ki Dal which is essentially slow stewed lentils in a rich tomato, butter and cream based gravy. It starts with soaking the lentils for a good ten to twelve hours in water and then slow-cooking them to perfection. However, I did not do any of that. Instead, I found a way of preparing this classic in 10 short minutes from start to finish. You’ll love me for this recipe I promise.
You will not believe me when I tell you the name of the star ingredient in this dish. It’s refried beans!! Yes! Yes! You heard it right! A humble Mexican aisle staple can be turned into the most heavenly tasting Indian side-dish. In the US, cans of refried beans are readily available in grocery stores. I use the Trader Joe’s Fat-Free one which has just the right texture. It beautifully renders itself to the smoothest Dal Makhani without the use of any butter whatsoever. However, a lot can happen over butter, so I leave that to your discretion.
I am definitely not a canned food person and swear by from-scratch recipes but once in a while it feels good to take it easy.
Instant Dal Makhani Recipe
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 10
- Total Time: 15
Print Recipe
Pin RecipeDescription
A quick, tweaked and tasty version of the Dal Makhani. Try this Instant Dal Makhani Recipe and cook Dal Makhani in 10 minutes.
Ingredients
- Refried Beans – 1 can
- Medium Onion- 1, finely grated
- Garlic cloves- 3, finely grated
- Ginger root- ½ inch, grated and juiced
- Cilantro – 1 bunch, chopped
- Medium Tomatoes – 2
- Tomato paste – 2 tsp
- Salt – to taste
- Water – 1 cup
- Red Chili Powder – 1 tsp
- Vegetable oil- 1 tbsp
- Whole cumin seeds – 1 tsp
- Butter – 2 tbsp
- Green chilies – 2, slit lengthwise
- Sugar – 1 tsp
- Garam Masala (Indian spice mix) – 1 tsp
- Heavy Cream – 1 tbsp (optional)
Instructions
- In a wok, heat the vegetable oil.
- Drop in the garlic and fry until it is lightly browned and fragrant, for about couple of minutes.
- Add the onion, ginger, tomato, tomato paste, chilies and half the chopped cilantro. Fry for a good 6-7 minutes or until you see that the mixture is even browned.
- Add the red chili powder, salt and sugar.
- Add the can of refried beans and break it down with the spatula and mix well with the onion mixture.
- Add the water and let it come to a boil.
- Pour in the butter and mix it in.
- Sprinkle the lentils with Garam Masala and chopped cilantro.
- Top with heavy cream before serving. This dish is enjoyed with any kind of Indian flatbread.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 176
- Sugar: 4
- Sodium: 550
- Fat: 8
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Unsaturated Fat: 3
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 20
- Protein: 7
- Cholesterol: 20
Keywords: Instant Dal Makhani Recipe
Made it and it is FANTASTIC! 🙂
Thanks for trying Shawn 🙂