Dal Makhani in Slow Cooker

A friend gifted me a slow cooker when we moved into our new house. I had been thinking of using it for a long time, but never got around it.

Finally, last night, we decided to make daal makhani for dinner for today, so I thought I will put the slow cooker to work.

Traditionally, daal makhani is made by cooking the the whole Urad daal (Mah ki Daal) on low flame overnight, so I thought it would be a perfect thing to try to make in the slow cooker.

Using a slow cooker does require some prep time though, so make sure to set aside 20-30 minutes in the morning, if you plan to turn on the cooker before you leave for work. The reward is, when you come home in the evening, you will have food, all cooked and ready for you.

Here is what I did for daal makhani in slow cooker.

Ingredients:
1 cup Whole Urad (Mah ki Daal or Kaali Daal)
3 Tablespoon Kidney Beans,
Water to soak
3 Cups water for cooking,
1 Tablespoon Oil or Butter, (I used oil)
1 Pinch Asafoetida
1/2 Cup Onion, Chopped
3 Cloves Garlic, Chopped,
1 Inch Piece of Cinnamon,
1/2 Inch Piece of Ginger, Grated
Salt to Taste,
2 Teaspoons Cumin Seeds,
3 Teaspoons Red Chili Powder,
1 Teaspoon Garam Masala,
1 Tablespoon Coriander Powder (I used Cumin-Coriander Powder, as I was out of Coriander Powder),
1/4 Cup Cream or 2% milk (I used 2% Milk for Low Fat Version)

Method:
The night before cooking, wash and soak the daal and kidney beans in enough water to completely immerse them.

Next morning, drain the water from the daal and transfer it to the slow cooker insert. Add 3 cups water, salt, chili powder, garam masala, ginger, and coriander powder.

Heat oil in a pan. When hot, add the cumin seeds and cinnamon. Once the seeds stop spluttering, add the asafoetida. Cook for 5 seconds, then add the onion and garlic. Cook on medium-low flame until the onions turn translucent. Switch off the stove, and add this to the daal mixture.

Put on the lid of the slow cooker. Cook on high for the first 2 hours, then cook on low for 5 hours. Add the milk or cream and cook on low for another hour.

Turn off the slow cooker. Mash the daal a just a little bit with a potato masher.  Serve hot with rice, naan or kulcha.


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Oats Khichadi

I have been trying to incorporate oatmeal in my daily meals.
I generally don't eat breakfast. My doctor has asked me to start eating breakfast, so that I don't feel very hungry in the afternoon, and that way I can make healthy choices for lunch.

I don't like to eat sweet things for breakfast, and most of the healthy breakfast recipes I looked for where sweet, and that's when I decided to come up with a savory oatmeal recipe. I make oatmeal Khichadi at night and pack it in a container to have it as a breakfast at work. You can definitely have this as lunch or dinner.

Ingredients:

Khichadi
1/2 Cups Old Fashioned Oats (Not the Instant Kind)
1/2 Cup Daal of Your Choice (I Pick and Change Between Mung Daal, Masoor Daal, and Tur Daal)
Salt to Taste
1 Green Chili, Slit
1/4 Teaspoon Turmeric
2 Cups Water

Tempering:
2 Teaspoon Ghee or Oil  (I use Oil),
1/2 Teaspoon Mustard Seeds,
1/2 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds,
1 Pinch Asafoetida

Method:
Take out your choice of daal in a container and wash with water. Drain the water. Add the oatmeal, salt, turmeric powder, slit chili and water. Pressure cook on medium flame for 5 whistles. Switch off the stove and let the cooker cool down. Take out container from the pressure cooker.
 Heat oil/ghee in a small pan. When hot, add the mustard seeds. Once the mustard seeds stop spluttering, add the cumin seeds and Asafoetida. (Make sure to not burn the cumin seeds). Wait for 5 seconds, then add the cooked Khichadi to the pan. Stir to combine the tempering. Switch off the stove. Serve hot.

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