Authentic recipe with a twist

Down foodpath

Anthony Bourdain once said that good food is very often, even most often, simple food. But when it comes to Indian cuisine, I think there’s much more to its said simplicity. There are so many complex flavours, textures and variety that we can grow up with.

In fact, given how diverse our culture is, there are still so many dishes across the country that most of us haven’t had.

I’ve been in the culinary industry for about 15 years. My forte is Indian cuisine.

For as long as I can remember, it’s the only cuisine that I have loved the most. Not just because I grew up in a household that made these dishes, but as I said earlier, there’s so much more to the dishes we prepare at home than what we actually know.

My father is a retired chef and he specialised in Indian cuisine too.

I remember spending hours with him in the kitchen and learning everything from him. He is a true role model.

It’s through him that I inculcated the love for the culinary world. I did my diploma in culinary arts and started my professional journey from there.

Cooking makes me the happiest man alive. I love the amalgamation of different ingredients and creating something delicious from it.

There are certain classic Indian dishes where recipes have been passed down from generations. Everyone’s version is different and yet delicious.

I look forward to festive seasons the most. With Holi coming up, I can’t wait to indulge loads of thandai, bhujiya, biryani and of course, dal makhani.

The recipe I’ve shared today may not be a new one but there are some things I’ve done differently to give it my own twist. It’s simple to make and everyone at home can enjoy it.

Govind Dhakal

(Head chef of ‘Masala Mani’)

Ingredients

Black dal, 1 kg

Toor dal, 100 gm

Kidney beans, 150 gm

Butter, 250 gm

Ginger garlic paste, 100 gm

Tomato puree, 200 gm

Garam masala, 2 tbsp

Coriander powder, 1 tbsp

Kasuri methi, 1 tbsp

Cream, 500 ml

Desi ghee, 200 ml

Kashmiri chilli powder, 4 tbsp

Salt to taste

Method

- Wash and soak rajma, urad dal and chana dal in enough water overnight or for 8 to 10 hours.

- Add rajma, urad, chana dal, 2 tbsp ghee, ginger garlic paste, red chilli powder, cumin powder and salt in a cooker.

- Add five cups of water and cook till the dal is nicely done.

- Garnish it with cream and kasthuri methi. It’s ready to serve with some steaming hot rice.