On my first trip to India, rather taken aback by the culture shock of it all, I sought refuge in the hotel's dining room where I fell in love with this dish. It probably had something to do with the copious amounts of cream and butter, but it is truly scrumptious and makes a great addition to an Indian meal.

Ingredients

• 1½ cups urad dal (black lentils)
• ½ cup red kidney beans
• 8 cloves garlic, crushed and peeled
• 10 cardamom pods, crushed
• 1 cinnamon stick, crumbled
• 2-3 blades mace, optional
• 1 tablespoon cumin seeds, toasted
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds, toasted
• ½-1 teaspoon whole cloves
• 4 cups water
• ¼-1 teaspoon chilli powder
• 1 cup cream
• 150 grams butter

Method

1. Soak the urad dal and kidney beans in separate bowls overnight in plenty of water. Allow 3-4 times the amount of water to beans and dal.
2. Turn the slow cooker on to low to pre-warm while gathering and preparing the ingredients.
3. Boil the kidney beans in plenty of fresh water for 20 minutes. Drain well and place with the dal into the pre-warmed slow cooker.
4. Take a new of clean Chux cloth or piece of muslin and place the garlic, cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, mace if using, cumin and coriander seeds and cloves into the centre and tie securely to enclose the spices. Add to the slow cooker with the water and cover with the lid.
5. Cook on low for 5-6 hours or on high for 3-4 hours, or until the beans are tender. Check the water level towards the end of cooking as sometimes more may be required. You need the lentils and beans to have just enough to cover by the end of cooking time but no more as the finished sauce will be too thin.
6. Remove the spice bag and mash the lentils and beans coarsely with a potato masher if wished.
7. Season with sufficient chilli powder to suit your taste. Stir in the cream and butter and, once the butter has melted, allow the dal makhani to cook on high for a further 30 minutes without the lid, stirring occasionally.
8. Serve garnished with chopped fresh coriander if wished as part of an Indian meal, or with naan or paratha bread as a meal on its own.

Cooks Tips

- To toast cumin and coriander seeds, place them in a dry frying-pan and cook over a moderate heat unti lthey are fragrant and darker in colour. As cumin seeds are smaller than coriander seeds, they will toast faster. Remove from the pan once toasted to arrest any further cooking as burnt spices will leave a nasty flavour to any dish they are used in.