Panch Ratan Or Five Jewels Dal-Mayank's Mixed Beans Medley (Five Jewells)
Panchratan or Panchmale Dal/Beans
Mayank Kumar
This is a mix of 5 dals and beans, which give it a delicious, creamy taste. It is so easy to make, well worth a try. The recipe comes from my nephew in Noida, India. He loves cooking on his days off - Mamta. Serves 4-6
Ingredients
For boiling
1 cup kidney beans
3 heaped tbsp. chickpeas (Kabuli Chana or garbanzo beans)
2 full tbsp. whole Black Gram beans (Sabut Urad)
2 heaped tbsp. Mung Beans (Sabut Moong)
2 tbsp. skinless Chana dal (split Bengal Gram)
3 medium onions
1 piece of ginger to taste
1 tbsp. oil
2 brown cardamoms
6-7 each cloves
6-7 black peppercorns
1 small cinnamon bark
A couple of bay leaves
1/2 cup full cream yoghurt
For Tarka or Tempering
1 1/2 -2 tsp. ghee or clarified butter
1 full tsp. cumin seeds
A large pinch of asafoetida resin
2-3 whole red chillies
2 tbsp. tomato puree
Instructions
Wash and soak all beans together overnight or for a few hours.
Place beans mix, onions, ginger, oil, cardamoms, bay leaves, cinnamon, cloves and black pepper in a pressure cook with 3 cups of water. Bring to full pressure, then reduce heat and cook for 30 minutes. The mix of beans should be soft and creamy when ready. Allow to cool before opening the lid.
Stir in yoghurt/cream.
Tempering or Tarka:
Heat ghee in a tarka ladle or a small pan.
Add cumin seeds, asafoetida, red chillies.
When cumin seeds splutter/crackle, add tomato puree. Stir everything together with a small spoon for 20-30 seconds (longer if tinned or fresh tomatoes are used instead of tomato puree. Tomatoes should become soft and mushy and water should be absorbed).
Pour over the beans and close the lid. This allows the flavour to infuse.
Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
A big knob of butter or a tablespoon of double cream can also be poured on top of the dish just before serving.
Serve hot with Onion Parathas or Tandoori Roti 1 or Chapatties and Boiled Rice.
