Sultani Dal

I donno why, but each time I read the words SULTANI DAL, I think of Razia Sultana :P Like this dish was made especially for dacoits or rebels or something :D But that's also probably because the dish is from U.P. & I recently watched Gangs of Wasseypur (which isn't in U.P. but was shot there).

You're gonna need the following:

- 1.5 kg arhar dal
- 500 ml hot milk
- 125 gm cream
- 250 gm curd
- 8 cloves of garlic
- 1 tbsp cumin seeds
- 1 tsp saffron
- 1/4 tsp chili powder
- Salt to taste
- 25 gm pure ghee
- 2 green chilies
- 1 betel leaf
- 10 cardamoms
- Mint leaves
- 6 cloves
- A muslin cloth
- A piece of charcoal :D

And here's how to make it:

1. Wash & soak the dal for 10 min.
2. Strain the milk, cream & curd through the muslin cloth & keep in a cool place.
3. Grind the cardamoms & cloves to a paste.
4. Finely chop the chilies & mint leaves, then cut fine slivers of the garlic (the garlic for the baghar).
5. In a patila, take 5 cups of water & boil the dal, salt & chili powder; keep this covered & cook on a slow flame till the dal is done.
6. Once cooked, drain the extra water. Follow this up by mashing the dal till it becomes consistent.
7. Now, place the betel leaf on the dal & put the charcoal in it (Just don't ask me how I managed to get the charcoal; I just did) :P Then, pour 1 tsp ghee in it, cover & keep for 10 min.
8. Add the milk-cream-curd, clove-cardamom, milk & saffron to it. Then cover & simmer for 5 min on a super slow flame.
9. Finally, for the baghar - heat the remaining ghee in a karchi, add the cumin seeds & garlic. Once it turns pink, immediately put the karchi in the patila & cover.
10. Then stir lightly & garnish with mint leaves. Voila! The dacoit dal is done :D