Dal Makhani

If using dried lentils and beans, soak them overnight in water to speed up cooking. Rinse the soaked legumes thoroughly and put them into a pot. Add approximately 1.5 liters of water, the whole ginger, a clove of garlic, all the spices, and salt. Cook over low heat, covered, for about an hour to an hour and a half, until the legumes are soft.

Towards the end of cooking the legumes, start preparing the sauce. Finely chop the onion, slice the garlic, and cut the ginger into small pieces. Heat a larger pot; once hot, add ghee and let it melt. Add the chopped onion and sauté, stirring occasionally, until translucent. Then add the ginger and garlic and continue to sauté for several more minutes. Add all the spices and heat for one minute, stirring constantly, to release their aroma. Finally, add the tomato paste and heat for another minute.

Cut the tomatoes into larger pieces and add them to the pot along with the cooked legumes and salt. Pour in approximately one liter of water, cover with a lid, and reduce the heat to minimum.