Dal Makhani is one of the most renowned dish from North Indian Punjabi cuisine that tastes with subtle smoky flavors exactly like restaurants or dhabas, prepared mainly with the mix of whole black lentils (sabut urad or kaali dal), red kidney beans (rajma) – a rich, creamy and buttery Dal Makhani is one of India’s most loved dal!
“Dal” refers to lentils whereas Makhani means “buttery”, so basically this dish is made with the combination of whole black lentils (urad sabut) and rajma (red kidney beans) that soaked for overnight and then slow cooked for hours on hot coals, usually overnight and garnished with the butter, spices and cream or sometimes yogurt. This luscious, creamy-textured dal is super easy to make and protein-rich. It is sure to be on the menu of every Indian restaurant or even at wedding and parties and even at home make on some special occasions. Served with garlic or butter naan, tandoori roti or jeera rice.
I’m sharing all my tips and tricks to make this dal in a pressure cooker and an instant pot or on the stovetop, these all three techniques will give you the perfect dal makhani!’
So make the Best Dal Makhani ever using my easy recipe for a weekend or special festive meal.
PrintDal Makhni
- Total Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
- Yield: 6
Description
Dal Makhni is a popular Punjabi dish from North India. This delicious dish is made from Urad dal and Rajma. This recipe is very rich in cream and butter. Served with jeera rice and naan.
Ingredients
1 cup whole black gram lentils (urad dal)
¼ cup red kidney beans (rajma)
3 cups water for pressure cooking
For Tadka
3 tablespoons ghee
1 bay leaf
1 inch cinnamon stick
4-5 cloves
2-3 cardamom pods
1 tablespoon garlic paste
1 tablespoon ginger paste
2 green chilies finely chopped
1 large onion finely chopped
4 tomatoes finely chopped (or 1 ½ cup tomato puree)
1 teaspoon red chili powder or paprika
Salt to taste
1 teaspoon garam masala
For topping
¼ cup fresh cream+ more for topping
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons dried fenugreek (kasuri Methi)
1 to 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves (cilantro)
Smoking or Dungar Method (optional)
1 piece of charcoal
1 tablespoon ghee or oil
Instructions
Preparation:
- Wash and rinse both the lentils – whole black gram (sabut urad dal) and red kidney beans (rajma) a couple of times and soak them together in enough water overnight or at least 6-8 hours.
- Drain the water completely in which both the lentils were soaked.
- Add them to a pressure cooker with 1 teaspoon salt.
- Add around 3.5 to 4 cups of water.
- Pressure-cook it on high-medium flame for 8 to 10 whistles and then reduce the flame on low-medium.
- Cook for another 10 more minutes around 15 to 20 whistles. Allow the steam release naturally.
- The lentils should be completely cooked and softened well.
- Once cooked, lightly mash the lentils with a spoon or with your fingers to check the doneness.
- The lentils should melt in the mouth and when eaten should not give any bite or resistance.
- f you are making in an Instant pot then pressure cook the lentils on high pressure for 45 minutes.
- Release the pressure naturally.
- Open the lid, and mash the lentils partially using a potato masher and simmer for 20 more minutes on low heat till it thicken up.
- Mix once or twice to avoid the dal from sticking to the bottom.
Preparation for Tadka:
- In a large pan, heat 3 tablespoons ghee or butter on medium flame.
- Add the whole spices – bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom.
- Saute them for a minute or till the spices become aromatic and sputter.
- Then add garlic, ginger, sauté them till the raw aroma of ginger-garlic goes away, further add green chillies and onions to the pan.
- Cook the onions on a low flame till they become light golden or turn translucent. Keep stirring it continuously so that it doesn’t burn.
- Now add the tomatoes (or the tomato puree). Mix well to combine.
- Add the spices -red chilli powder, salt and garam masala.
- Sauté this mixture on a low to medium flame till the tomatoes are mushy and the oil starts oozing out from the sides.
- Then add the cooked lentils along with the remaining stock or more water if required.
- Mix very well and let it simmer the dal uncovered for around 30-35 minutes or until the dal has thickened, keep on stirring often, else dal will stick to the bottom of the pan.
- When simmering you can add more water if the consistency looks thick or dry. The longer you keep dal makhani to simmer, the better it tastes.
- When the gravy has thickened enough then add full fat cream, butter and kasuri methi.
- Turn off the flame. Stir again. Cover and keep the dal makhani aside and when to serve topped with more cream.
- At this point, you may serve the dal or do the additional step of giving it a smokey flavor using dhungar method.
Dhungar method (optional):
- To smoke dal makhani, start by heating a piece of charcoal over direct flame or grill till it is red hot.
- Place a heat proof bowl in the middle of the pot of dal makhani.
- Place the hot charcoal in it.
- Pour melted ghee or oil on top of the coal. You will immediately see fumes coming out of charcoal.
- Cover the entire pot with a lid. Let the lid be covered for 5 minutes but don’t do more. Remove the bowl from dal.
- Garnish this luscious creamy dal makhani with more cream and a dollop of butter.
- Enjoy!
Notes
- The lentils like whole black gram and red kidney beans are found easily at Indian grocery stores. Both of them must be fresh. If they are old or close to their expiry, they take a lot of time to cook.
- Dried fenugreek leaves that help to enhance the flavors of the dal makhani.
- The full fat cream and butter in this recipe give the dal makhani a distinct texture and flavor.
- You can adjust the spice levels based on your tastes by reducing the green chilies.
- Simmering the dal on low flame is the key to make a good dal makhani.
- If you do not have a pressure cooker, you can cook the dal on stove top. Add soaked lentil to a pan, add water and let it cook on medium heat for 1 hour & 15 minutes. It might take even longer. Once cooked, lentil should be softened well.
- To make a vegan version of this Dal makhani, use oil and yogurt instead of using ghee and butter. Use cashew paste instead of full fat cream.
- Dal Makhani tastes even better the second day, so try to make it a day before for the maximum flavor.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 2 hours
- Cuisine: North Indian
