Dal Makhani

SO I might be going out on a limb here but this is my recipe for Dal Makhani. I've always loved Dal Makhani but never really ate it much because it's a North Indian dish that my Mom doesn't cook. And now I'm craving my Mom's food....

Anyways, I decided to give this recipe a go because it doesn't require a lot of ingredients and a lot of it came straight out of a can. (Hint: If you're in college this should be up your alley!) And boy am I glad. The dal was DELICIOUS and took less than 10 minutes to prepare!! It totally satisfied my Indian food craving, and I could not believe how easy yet flavorful it was. I also gave this to my roommate and another friend and both of them gave it a double thumbs up. So no need to take my word for it. Winner Winner, Dal for Dinner? :)

Dal Makhani

1 15-19 oz can lentils
1 15 oz kidney (rajma) beans
1 onion, diced
8 cloves garlic, minced
1 can tomato paste (6 oz)
4 tbsp butter
2 cups milk
2 teaspoons chilli powder
1 1/2 teaspoons coriander
1 1/2 teaspoons cumin powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 1/2 tsp salt


1. In a skillet, heat 2 tbsp butter and cook garlic and onions until browned. 

2. Add milk and tomato puree to the onions and garlic. Mix together until it is smooth and no clumps remain. 

3. Strain and rinse the lentils and kidney beans thoroughly before adding to the pan. Once washed add the lentils, kidney beans, and spices and cook for 5 minutes on medium heat. 

4. Once the beans are fully heated through, add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and let it melt into the curry. 

5. Serve when naan, rice, or paratha!

3/4 Cup Saltine Crunch Bars

You may be wondering what's up with the 3/4? Well in this recipe EVERYTHING is in a 3/4 cup proportion. Except for the saltines, cause you can't measure the crackers in a measuring cup without making them into crumbs. But you do need close to 3/4 a package of saltines, so I think the name is more than appropriate. I actually first made this recipe in 7th grade during my first cooking class in Middle School! #tb...Sunday? I don't have the original recipe so I'm not sure who to give credit to, but over the years I have made this easily 20+ times. 


I always have a hard time to explain what the crunch bars taste like and how SALTINES are actually the base of this delicious dessert. People say it resembles a heath bar? But I can't verify that because I've never tried one.

This recipe can be easily found on the internet BUT the proportions are always wrong. My dearly beloved cousin asked me how to make this after eating them at my house, but when I searched the recipe online, NO ONE had the right proportions or instructions!

It's time someone set the record straight to make this nut-lovers, chocolate-lovers, toffee-lovers dream recipe come true. 

3/4 Cup Saltine Crunch Bars

Serving size: 10 hungry people

3/4 cup light brown sugar

3/4 cup chocolate chips

3/4 cup butter

3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

1 column of saltines (minus a handful)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Line a 9 x 13 pan with aluminum foil. Then line the bottom of the pan with saltines in a a single layer. If there are gaps along the sides, break the saltines in half and fill in the empty spaces. 

3.  To make the caramel, bring the butter and sugar to a boil. This is the first tricky part! Keep the heat on medium/medium-high because having the temperature too hot will cause the caramel to burn easily. I also like to stir the butter and sugar frequently to make sure that the consistency is right and that the ingredients are well incorporated. Once it comes to a boil, cook for another minute or so. A rich light-brown color is desired. 

4. Pour the caramel evenly on top of the saltines and bake until brown and bubbly. (5-7 minutes) Keep watch on the oven because this is usually where people will burn the caramel. You want a medium brown color, so if you need less time, pull out the pan early!

5. Take the pan out of the oven and immediately sprinkle the chocolate chips on top.  Place the pan back in the oven for another ~2.5 minutes. 

6. Remove the oven and test if the chocolate is warm and gooey. If so, spread the chocolate chips evenly across the saltines. 

7. Top with nuts, let cool, and then refrigerate until serving! 

TIPS:

If you are worried about the caramel, a little lighter than this COLOR is desired when you bring it to a boil in the pan. This is also the perfect COLOR for the caramel color in the oven. Any darker and you might have burned your caramel, so if you're worried, just pull it out early! It still tastes good. I promise. I've also noticed when I use an opened bag of chocolate chips, the chocolate is stubborn and does not want to spread. If this is the case, just let the whole chocolate chips remain and then sprinkle with the nuts.