Secret ingredient that adds Malai taste to simple Masoor dal

Professional women or men, while hosting guests in emergencies always want to prove their culinary skills as best as they could in their respective professions. We attempt to unveil one such 'secret ingredient' that will turn ordinary food very tasty. Here the secret ingredient for main dal, kheer, the dessert and cold coffee is just few table spoons of milk powder. Make it and see how the guests wonder at the taste.

Masoor Malai

Generally 'urad' dal is used in making makhni and then cream. Thus, makes it difficult to digest, here both are replaced to get equally good (in fact a better) nice and creamy dal effect.

Ingredients: Masoor dal with chilka (whole dal) 250gms

Masala: Garlic-ginger paste, tomato 3, asafoetida (hingh), garam masala, oil for cooking and salt to taste

Secret Ingredient: Milk powder - two table spoons

Method:

1. Soak dal in warm water for half an hour and pressure cook. Masoor dal is easier to digest.

2. Take one table spoon of oil and add ginger garlic paste, tomato, hingh and garam masala.

3. To this add the dal

4. Once it starts boiling add two table spoons of milk powder and see how dal transforms to creamy texture.

5. Cook and serve with chapati or bun

For any Kheer: Again just add two table spoons of milk powder to sewai or any other

kheer and see the transformation in taste, all will wonder without using khoya how such wonderful taste has come about.

For Cold Coffee: In mixer besides coffee, milk and sugar add one table spoon of milk powder to get a frothy creamy texture.

(Writer is a retired IAS officer and  former Secretary - GoI)

(This story has been published under arrangement from Better Kitchen magazine)