Makhni gravy for Paneer Butter Masala, Butter Chicken and Dal Makhni

You might remember my husband's birthday cake, way back in June. Well, today I am going to talk about the rest of the menu for the birthday lunch.
He loves paneer and dal makhni like most vegetarian North-Indians :). But, my daughter and father-in-law do not like paneer. They prefer chicken to paneer any day. I saw that the common link between all the three dishes was - makhni sauce. That would make my work easier. Instead of having to prepare 3 separate dishes with separate ingredients, I could prepare the makhni sauce beforehand and on the day of the lunch, I could just put the dishes together.

Paneer Makhni	Dal Makhni	Butter Chicken

I made the makhni sauce on the previous day and stored it in the fridge.

On the day of the birthday lunch;

1. For Paneer Makhni,
   
   • Combine a 3/4 to 1 cup of the makhni sauce with half the amount water to make it liquid.
   • Brought it to a light boil
   • Reduce the flame to slow and added equal (to water) amount of cream. I used Amul cream.
   • Check for salt and sugar. Adjust consistency with water and cream.
   • Finally, added 400 grams of good quality malai paneer
2. For Butter Chicken,
   
   • Heat a tablespoon of butter in a pan.
   • Add 200 grams of cubed chicken pieces. Cook on both sides for 2 minutes each. You know the chicken is cooked when you cut it and it is white all over inside. Do not overcook if you want a juicy chicken.
   • Now add 1/2 cup of the makhni sauce and combine.
   • Add water and bring to a light boil.
   • Add cream and check for salt and sugar.
3. For Dal Makhni,
   
   • Soak about 400 grams of dal makhni mix in water. Leave it overnight (8-10 hours). Dal makhni mix has about 80% whole black urad dal and 20% rajma.
   • Drain the soaked dal. Add to a pressure cooker with enough water to cover it by two inches. Add 2 bay leaves and salt. Cook on medium flame for 5-6 whistles.
   • Heat a pan and add about a tablespoon of butter to it.
   • Add a tablespoon each of chopped ginger and garlic. Cook for a couple of minutes.
   • Add a scant 1/2 cup of makhni sauce. Add a tablespoon of coriander powder. Cook for a few minutes.
   • Add the flavored butter to the dal in the pressure cooker. Now, this pan is free to be used for either one of the above dishes.
   • Add water to adjust the consistency. Keep it on thinner side than the final outcome.
   • Let the dal boil on low flame for about 30 minutes.
   • Add about 2 tablespoons of cream.

Let's get on with the recipe for the much talked about makhni sauce, finally.

Makhni sauce

Adapted from vahchef

Ingredients:

13	large tomatoes
9	medium onions
20	small garlic cloves
3 inch	piece of ginger
4	bayleaves
1/2 tsp	pepper corns
1	whole cinnamon stick
4	cardamom pods
5	cloves
1.5 tbsp	kasoori methi
1/2 cup	butter
2 tsp	sugar
2 tsp	honey
2 tsp	salt

Method

• Wash and roughly chop the onions, tomatoes, ginger and garlic.
  
  
• Take a small, clean cotton handkerchief. Add the whole garam masalas : bayleaves, peppercorns, cinnamon stick, cardamom and cloves. Make a potli or a bag by tying the handkerchief.
  
  
• Heat butter in a pressure cooker. Add the masala potli.
• Add the chopped onions. Saute for a few minutes and add the chopped ginger and garlic. Cook till onions look a little transparent.
• Add the tomatoes. Saute for a couple of minutes.
• Put the lid on the pressure cooker and cook on medium flame for 5 whistles.
• When the pressure cooker is cool, blend the contents of the pressure cooker, except the potli, to a smooth paste.
• Return the pressure cooker to heat and add the paste.
• Add salt, sugar and honey. Add as per your taste which might be different from the quantities I mentioned.
• Bring to a boil and cook for 5-10 minutes till it thickens.
• Add crushed kasuri methi. The sauce is ready to use.

Notes:

• As always, I did not add chillies. You can add kashmiri chilli powder as per your taste.
• This makes enough for the 3 dishes to serve about 8 people. Reduce the quantities as required.
• The sauce freezes well for atleast 3 months. So you might want to make the whole amount and freeze the remaining sauce for quick meals.