I had this Marwadi friend in college who used to rave about a Marwadi black dal which her mom used to prepare. So, we friends used to tease her saying “ when did black dal become Marwadi” as it is a known fact that black dal or dal makhni hails from Punjab. It was then that she explained to us that Marwadi black dal also known as Dal Banjari was made with split black gram (chilkewala udad dal) and split bengal gram (chana dal) with a tadka (seasoning) of ghee. I had taken the recipe from her mom and had tried this dal. After preparing the dal a couple of times, I have tweaked the recipe a little to suit the taste buds of my family. Here goes the recipe:
Ingredients
1 cup Chilkewala udad dal (Split black gram with skin)
1/2 cup Chana dal (split bengal gram)
2 onions, finely chopped
2 green chillies, finely chopped
2 to 3 cloves
A small piece of cinnamon
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 tsp red chilly powder
1 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
Salt as per taste
For seasoning
1 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
4 cloves of garlic, chopped
½ tsp of asafoetida
1 to 2 dry red chillies
Additional ingredients
Ginger juliennes, chopped coriander leaves and lime juice
Method:
- Wash the dals (black udad dal and chana dal) and soak in water for 30 minutes.
- In a pressure cooker, add the soaked dal, salt and 3 cups of water and cook for 4 to 5 whistles.
- After the steam escapes, open the pressure cooker and keep the cooked dal aside.
- Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a pan.
- Add cloves, cinnamon, cumin seeds, chopped green chillies, ginger garlic paste and saute for a minute.
- Add the chopped onions and cook till they change colour and become soft.
- Add the cooked dal and mix.
- Add turmeric powder, red chilly powder, mix and cook for 3 to 5 minutes.
- Heat a small pan.
- Add 1 tbsp ghee.
- Add chopped garlic, asafoetida and dry red chillies.
- When they start spluttering, pour the seasoning into the dal and mix.
- While serving the dal, add lemon juice to the dal and garnish with chopped coriander leaves and ginger juliennes.
- Serve Dal Banjari with rotis, phulkas or rice.
WATCH RECIPE VIDEO
Also do have a look at the following recipes of different dals:
Drumstick Dal, Dal Makhni, Masoor Dal with vegetables, Hara Bhara Moong Dal, Masoor Usal, Dal Dhokli
