Black Makhani Dhal

Ingredients – Serves 2

• • x1/2 cup brown lentils
  • x1 cup water
  • x1/2 tsp coriander seeds, toasted and crushed in a pestle and mortar
  • x2 green cardamon pods, bruise to release the seeds
  • vegetable oil for cooking
  • x1/2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1/2 inch piece of cassia bark
  • x2 whole cloves
  • x1 dried Kashmiri chilli
  • half a star anise or 1/4 tsp fennel seeds
  • x1 small brown onion, finely diced
  • 10g ginger, grated
  • 2 cloves of garlic, grated
  • x1-2 green finger chillies, slit lengthways
  • x2 tsp sea salt, or to taste
  • half tsp garam masala
  • 100g vegan butter
  • x1 tbsp tomato puree
  • x1 and a half cups of water
  • 50ml passata
  •  200g tinned black beans (drained weight 720g)
  • pinch of Kasuri methi (dried fenugreek)
  • 4tbsp of coconut milk

Method

1. 1. 1. Firstly, let’s start with cooking the brown lentils, you’ll need a large lidded saucepan. These will cook in under 30 minutes. Read the packet instructions, and cook until tender (please don’t overcook into a mush). You’ll need three to four times the volume of water to lentil, bring to a rapid boil and simmer. Skim off any scum, and don’t allow the pan to run dry. Remove from the heat, and set aside.
      2. Next toast off your coriander seeds in a dry frying pan and transfer to a pestle and mortar. Lightly grind – they’ll still have some texture – set aside. Next place your cardamon seeds in to the mortar, add in a pinch of salt which will act as an abrasive, and grind with the pestle until you have a powder.
      3. Move on to making the tarka, the foundation of every curry. Take a large 30cm saute pan or similar, activate your whole spices – cumin seeds, cassia bark, cloves, dried chilli, and star anise – in a 3 or 4 tablespoons of oil on a medium to high heat. When the fragrant aromas waft up, tip in your onions, the crushed coriander and powdered cardamom, reduce the heat to medium. Give these at least 10 minutes or so to allow the onions to soften and become translucent.
      4. Next add in the ginger, garlic, and chillies, cook out for a couple of minutes before also adding the salt and garam masala. Toast for 30 seconds before dropping in half of the vegan butter as this will prevent the masala from catching. Once melted add the tomato puree, and give everything a good mix. We want a few minutes to cook the puree out. Add in some water, about half a cup to help it on its way.
      5. Now it’s time for the passata, bring to a boil them simmer for a few minutes to cook out. When you see the tell tale sign of the oil separating on the surface it’s time to taste and make your adjustments. Though it will taste salty at this point, you are likely to need more when the lentils and beans have been added.
      6. Stir all of your cooked lentils and beans through the tarka, you’ll need extra water also, about a cup. Ensure everything is mixed well and bring to a boil, then immediately reduce to a simmer. Taste again now, you’ll probably need more salt. Add the methi (dried fenugreek), the rest of the vegan butter, plant-based yoghurt and cream. You may want to hold some of the cream back for a decorative swirl just before serving. Allow to simmer for a little longer and for all of the flavours to develop – say another 10 minutes or so.
      7. Enjoy! Pair with whichever bread takes your fancy, or rice.