Combine whole black dal and kidney beans in a bowl and rinse with cold water 2-3 times. Leave to soak for 6 hours or overnight. Rinse again before cooking
Cook the dal
Add whole black gram, kidney beans, water, and a pinch of salt to a stovetop pressure cooker or INSTANT POT.
STOVETOP COOKER: Bring to high pressure under high heat. Reduce heat slightly, and cook for 7 minutes, then turn off the heat. Allow the pressure to come down naturally for 15 minutes, check for residual pressure, and open the lid safely.
INSTANT POT: Reduce the water by half a cup. Put on the lid, select “Pressure Cook” on “High” and set the timer for 17 minutes. Wait 15 minutes for the pressure to come down naturally. Check for residual pressure, and open the lid.
Make the sauce
Heat ghee in a medium skillet on medium heat. Add onion, garlic and ginger and cook until it starts to just brown. Add tomato puree and simmer gently until the ghee floats to the surface (about 10 minutes). Add a bit of water if it gets too thick.
Add the tomato mixture to the cooked dal and turn on the heat to medium low. (If you are using the Instant Pot, select the “Saute” button to reheat the beans.) Add water if necessary to thin it out.
Add Kashmiri chili powder, garam masala, turmeric powder, optional kasoori methi, and salt. Simmer for 15-20 minutes.
Mash dal using a spoon or potato masher, or process slightly with an immersion blender. (Mashing creates a smoother consistency, but you still want about half or more of the beans to remain whole.)
Optional: Add butter or cream, and continue to simmer for about 5 minutes.
To serve
If you are feeling rich, garnish with more cream or pats of butter.
Alternatively, garnish with minced cilantro, tomato, and a squeeze of fresh lime.
Enjoy with basmati rice, cooked greens, and/or naan flatbread.
Notes
Garam masala is a spice mixture popular in North Indian cuisine. There are many recipes for garam masala, but the mixture generally contains cumin, coriander, cinnamon, black pepper, ginger, cloves, cardamom, bay leaves, nutmeg, and more.Kashmiri chili powder is made from a mild red chili, and it is known for giving a bright red color to dishes more than its heat. This is why you will substitute with a much smaller quantity of red chili or cayenne. Kasoori methi, also known as dried fenugreek leaves, are slightly bitter and highly savory. You can imagine the taste like a cross between celery and fennel, but more rustic and wild.If you don’t have kasoori methi, substitute with ¼ teaspoon celery seed or fresh celery leaf, or leave it out.