Sultani Daal

Sultani Daal

Lucknowi Sultani daal is one of the gems of Lucknowi Kitchen of Nawabs . The aroma coming out from this heavenly dish is so tantalizing , you can’t resist yourself taking it again and again . The specialty of this preparation is ,the daal is smoked by coal on a betel leaf (paan pata) before giving bagar (tempering spices).

Ingredients :

1 cup of pigeon peas / arhar daal/ toor daal
1/2 ( half) tea spoon ginger paste
1/2 ( half) tea spoon garlic paste
1 tea spoon turmeric powder
1/2( half) cup of yogurt
1/2 ( half) cup of heavy cream
Salt to taste
4/5 Whole green chilies
1/2 ( half) teaspoon cinnamon powder
Special masala , apply all

For the special masala , take 10 cloves , 1 tea spoon cumin , 1 tea spoon coriander , 1 tea spoon fennel , 4/5 cardamoms . Dry roast them and grind them into a fine powder .

For the tempering or bagar:

1/4 th cup of finely sliced onion
2 garlic cloves ,thinly sliced
1 tea spoon whole jeera or cumin
2/3 whole red chilli

Ghee

Other ingredients :

1 coal and a betel leaf to smoke the daal .
1 tea spoon clove powder
1 tea spoon ghee

Procedure:

1. Soak the daal overnight or at least 5 hours . Wash and drain well .

2. Cook the daal with ginger , garlic paste and enough water until the daal gets well cooked and becomes mushy and thick .

3. Place a betel leaf ( paan pata) on the daal and add a burning coal on the leaf . Add immediately ghee and clove powder . Close the lid of the pot and let it smoked for 2 minutes .

4. Carefully take out the coal and the leaf from the daal . Now add the beaten yogurt and cream . Add the cinnamon powder and special masala . Add the salt . Cook for another 5 minutes . Add the whole green chilies .

5. For tempering , heat ghee and add whole cumin . Add the onion , garlic and whole red chili . Fry until the onion and garlic gets brown . Pour this over the daal .

Serve hot with rice , pulao , roti , paratha or naan . 🙂

Tips:

1. Don’t add salt while boiling the daal . Always add salt after the daal being properly cooked .

2. While smoking the daal , always remember , the coal must be fully burning one . If the coal is not properly burnt , the flavor won’t come and may ruin your dish .