Dal Makhani Recipe: The best savoury from India

the Butter chicken of vegetarians. Dalmakhani combines black lentils and kidney beans with a velvety and creamy texture. Makhani means butter, and this dish has lots of cream in it, which adds to the overall taste. With a bit of smoky and spicy flavour, it simply melts in your mouth. No occasion is complete without dal makhani, as it is soul food. If you, too, are a fan of this mind-blowing dish, we have the perfect recipe for you.

Origin

Dal Makhani is a popular dish created by the Peshawaris of West Punjab. However, this part of Punjab is now in Pakistan. This dal was a trendy dish in Punjab, and after the partition, the Peshawar Is brought this dish to India. In Punjab, the Maash ki daal or Maa ki dal is famous, and every household has its version of it.

This type of dal is made by cooking the lentils in a cooker for a long time. Some lentils even cook for the whole night, adding a unique flavour to the dish. Langars in gurdwaras are incomplete without serving Maa ki Dal. In the dal makhani recipe that the Peshawar Is used before partition, there was no use of tomatoes or kidney beans. Kundan Lal Gujral, the owner of the Motilal chain of restaurants, is the one who gave rise to dal makhani.

Kundan Lal, who made tandoori dishes famous in Delhi, wanted to make something for his vegetarian customers. So he thought of adding some sushi ingredients like butter and cream to the dal to make it royal. Some of you may not know that Kundan Lal is also the inventor of butter chicken.

By adding a creamy sauce to the dal, he simply made some changes in the recipe of his ancestors to create this ultimate dish. From Nehru Ji Queen Elizabeth, to famous actors, Kundan Lal’s dishes were well-known. His grandson is still running a restaurant, Daryaganj, in Delhi, where authentic recipes are made.

In this post, you are going to get the recipe of yummy dal makhani. If you are a vegan, then worry not. Here you are also going to get the recipe of vegan dal makhani along with expert tips and note. Let us firstly begin with the recipe of the most palatable homemade dal makhani.

How to make Dal Makhani?

Let’s us firstly give you a short brief about the recipe. Take a large bowl, add black lentils and rajma to it, wash them thoroughly and soak them in water for a couple of hours. Then, take the dal rajma and put them in a pressure cooker. Let them cook until the contents inside the cooker are tender. In the meantime, chop the onions finely and make ginger garlic paste. Chop tomatoes, puree and keep it ready. Add butter, ghee, bay leaf, cardamom and saute them. Let them saute for a while before adding the tomato puree. Add garam masala and chilli powder and let the gravy cook. Take the cooked lentils, mash them roughly and add them to the masala. Add boiling water to this mixture and stir everything. Now it is time to slow cook the lentils, so bring the heat down to low to medium. Let it cool for one hour and keep stirring it in between. Next, add half a cup of water, let the dal thicken, and add another half cup of water.

Furthermore, let the dal thicken while adding salt to taste and Kasturi methi to it. Finally, add cream to the dal makhani and top it with butter. With this easy dal makhani recipe, you can now prepare it at home whenever you like. Remember that slow cooking enhances the taste of a dal, so have some patience.

Ingredients required for Dal Makhani Recipe

Whenever it comes to preparing your most loving dal makhani, the part of all ingredients matters the most. So, do not miss out on arranging all the ingredients beforehand.

1 cup urad dal

1/4 cup rajma

Water

1 finely chopped onion

2 green chillies

2 teaspoons ginger-garlic paste

2 medium-sized tomatoes

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

3 green cardamoms

1 black cardamom

3 cloves

Cinnamon

Small tej patta

1/2 tsp red chilli or Kashmiri powder

Nutmeg powder

1/4 cup low fat cream or 2 tbsp heavy cream

Butter

Salt

Charcoal (optional)

Chopped coriander

Instructions

Starting with our restaurant style dal makhani recipe, soak the lentils and rajma after washing them for around 8-10 hours. Drain them 2-3 times before using them and put them in a pressure cooker. Add the required water and let them cook.

Keep the cooker on a high flame; let it have at least 20 whistles, so the lentils cook entirely. If they are still not tender, add more water and wait for five whistles. Finally, do a mash test on the rajma and lentils with a spoon.

Take the chopped potatoes to make a puree in the blender. For this instant dal makhani recipe, you need around one cup of tomato puree.

Next, take a pan and heat butter in it. Here, you can take salted or unsalted butter, whichever is available to you.

Add cumin seeds, cloves, green cardamom, black cardamom, 1 ten pasta and one cinnamon to the butter. Fry till the spices leave a specific aroma.

Add the chopped onions to this mixture and saute it nicely on low heat till you see they turn golden brown.

Take two tablespoons of ginger garlic paste, mix everything and saute. Wait till the raw smell of garlic and ginger vanishes.

To this, you have to add one or two chopped green chillies, 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder and tomato puree. You can also add two pinches of nutmeg powder to the mixture to enhance the flavour.

Keep stirring the mixture till you see fat leaving the mix from the sides. Ensure that you are stirring it at low to medium flame as the dish may burn at this point.

Take the dal, rajma and the stock and mix it well with this masala. Let it simmer on low flame and keep stirring, so the dal does not get stuck to the pan.

As soon as the dal starts to get thick, add salt to taste and mix everything. Stir the dal on low flame so the urad dal and rajma can simmer well.

If the dal looks dry or thickens soon, add water to it. Remember to simmer the dal for a long time, and only then you can achieve the desired results.

Let the gravy thicken and add a little water to it again. The whole process will take around 30-45 minutes. Do not keep the flame high at this time because slow cooking is the main factor of dal makhani.

When the dal has a medium consistency, add two tablespoons of heavy cream to it. Mix the cream, add Kasturi methi, and switch the heat off.

This step is entirely optional, and dal makhani will taste equally good without this step. Place a steel pot in the centre of the pan where you have dal makhani. Take coal, let it turn red hot and keep this in the steel pot. Add half a spoon of ghee, and you will see that fumes start to appear immediately. Cover the pan of dal makhani and keep it this way for around five minutes. The smoke will give a beautiful flavour to the dal makhani.

Add cream on the top of dal makhani, add some crushed coriander and serve it hot.

Expert Tips

For making dal makhani instant pot, you need to soak the lentils and rajma. This step is mandatory, and you need to soak them overnight or at least for 8-10 hours. Soaking reduces the phytic acid and helps in cooking the beans faster. Phytic acid is responsible for causing indigestion.

Ensures that the beans and lentils are fresh and not expired. It can upset your stomach or take a much longer time to cook. Such beans will hinder the taste of dal makhani as they will not melt directly in the mouth. The need for chewing dal makhani is not a good sign.

Before adding the tomatoes, do taste them. If they are tangy or sour, it is better not to use them. Instead, opt for sweet tomatoes that will blend perfectly with the instant dal makhani recipe.

Smoking the dal makhani is an optional step. If charcoal is not available to you, don’t worry, as you can still get a smoky flavour. Instead of red chill powder, use smoked paprika to obtain unique flavours.

If you do not have ginger garlic paste, you can make your own paste easily at home. First, crush ginger garlic and make a thick consistency paste. In the absence of these ingredients, add a pinch of Hing to get a similar taste.

Butter and cream are essential ingredients here.

Dal Makhaniis a royal dish that contains such shahi ingredients. Without this, it will not be as unique and flavourful as it should be. Therefore, be generous while adding butter and cream to make delicious dal makhani.

Notes

You can double or triple the recipe easily by looking at the ingredients mentioned above. Take care of the amount of water you add to dal makhani after every step. Too thin or too thick dry makhani is not the ideal consistency. Try to make the consistency to medium to get the authentic taste.

While reheating dal, you do not have to add any water. Simply heat it, garnish it with some cream and coriander, and be ready to serve. Nutmeg powder used in the recipe above is optional. It will not change the taste of the dish. You do not need any substitute for nutmeg powder.

Freezing dal makhani for small amounts of time is safe, and it will not change the taste. However, freeze the dal makhani within two hours of cooking it for best taste.

If you are not a fan of beans or rajma, you can skip it. But, again, there is no need to use any substitute for this ingredient as there will be no change in the taste.

Through the entire process of making dal makhani, keep the flame low to let the lentils simmer nicely. Do not even use the medium flame to spoil the authentic taste.  Also, keep stirring the mixture at regular intervals; otherwise, it may burn or get stuck to the bottom of the pan.

If you are in a hurry, you can soak the urad dal and rajma in hot water and cover them for 3-4 hours. It will give somewhat the same taste, and you should use this method only when it is urgent.

Kasuri Methi proves to be a magical ingredient in this dish. The amount of Kasuri methi can entirely change the taste, to add the mentioned amount and not any more than that.

If you want to keep the dal makhani recipe light, you can cut down on cream and a little bit of milk. Or else, you can add low-fat cream, which is readily available in the market.

Nutritional Value

Fat: 22 grams

Saturated Fat: 13 grams

Carbohydrates: 37 grams

Fibre: 16 grams

Protein: 15 grams

Iron: 5 mg

How to make Vegan Dal Makhani

For vegan buddies, here’s the recipe of vegan dal makhani. Follow the recipe to make an authentic dish that will satisfy your taste buds, and you just can’t have enough of this dish. So without further ado, let’s get started with the recipe.

Ingredients for vegan dal makhani

1 cup whole urad dal

1/4 cup kidney beans or rajma

1 tsp baking soda

Grapeseed oil or neutral oil

3-inch cinnamon sticks

Green cardamom pods

Three cloves

One bay leaf

Cumin seeds

One large onion

Fresh ginger

Tomato paste

Nutmeg powder

Coriander

Red chilli powder

Kosher salt

Black pepper

Two tomatoes

Cashew cream or coconut milk

Water

Cilantro leaves

Lemon juice

Organic cane sugar

Charcoal (optional)

Vegan butter

Kasoori methi

Garam masala

Preparation of vegan dal makhani

Here’s the quick brief of this recipe. Firstly wash the dal and kidney beans thoroughly. Soak them overnight and drain the water. Boil the urad dal and rajma for a few minutes. Add kosher salt, cover the lid, and let it boil for an hour. After cooking, drain the water and mash the dal and rajma. Take a pan to add oil, cinnamon stick, cardamom, cloves, bay leaf and cumin seeds to it. Cook until you smell the aroma of the spices. Add onions and saute them until they turn golden brown. To this, add ginger, garlic, tomato paste, nutmeg, coriander, red chilli powder, salt and pepper to taste. Mix everything and keep stirring till the tomatoes leave their juices. Put the mashed rajma and dal along with the stock in the pan. Bring this mixture to a boil and keep stirring it every ten minutes. Do this for at least an hour while keeping the flame low. Add cashew cream or coconut milk when the gravy starts to thicken. Stir it continuously at this point.

The dhungar method is optional, but it adds a smoky flavour to the dish. Place a steel bowl in the middle of the cooked dal, add red hot charcoal to it and add one teaspoon of neutral oil. Cover the lid instantly and remove it after two minutes. To make the tadka for vegan dal makhani, add vegan butter in a frying pan. Add ginger, crushed kasoori methi, garam masala and red chilli powder. Cook for a few seconds and put this tadka on the dal.

Instructions

Scrub the lentils and rajma nicely to remove any debris or impurity. The colour of urad dal will change from black to reddish brown when you rinse it thoroughly.

Take a large bowl, add rajma and lentils to it with 1 teaspoon of baking soda. Cover the bowl and let it rest overnight or at least 8-10 hours. This step is mandatory. Otherwise, the pulses will not cook properly.

Drain out the water, wash them again and put them in a pan. Fill it with water and add a little salt. Let it boil once, and then cover it. Leave it for one hour till the dal and rajma becomes tender. Use a fork or knife to check the softness of the dal.

Once cooked, reserve the stock and mash the pulses with a spoon or fork. Heat a deep pan with some oil over low to medium flame.

Add cinnamon sticks, cloves, cumin seeds, bay leaf and cardamom as mentioned in the ingredient list. To this, add onions and saute the mixture for five minutes till the onions turn golden brown. If they start to stick to the pan, sprinkle some water and saute.

Next, add ginger and garlic to the pan. While stirring the mixture, add salt, pepper, tomato paste, chilli powder and two pinches of nutmeg. Cook for a minute till the raw smell of ginger garlic fades away.

Now it is time to add the diced tomatoes to the mixture and cook until they become soft. Add the stock, the reserved liquid and the mashed and cooked pulses to the pan. Let this mixture come to a boil.

Simmer the dal for around 60-90 minutes. Give it a stir every 10-15 minutes, so it does not get stuck to the bottom of the pan.

If you notice that the mixture is drying, add some water. Let it thicken again and some water yet again if required. You have to let the dal simmer for an hour or so, and only then it will cook properly.

As soon as the dal becomes thick, you can add cashew cream or coconut milk to it. To make cashew paste, either soak the cashews overnight or boil it in water for fifteen minutes with a closed lid. Blend the cashews with water, lemon juice and salt. Blend it for about three minutes until you see a nice consistency of the paste.

After adding the cashew cream, the dal will become extremely creamy. If you find it too thick, you can always add a little water and simmer it.

Next, smoking the dal is an optional step, but most people do it because it gives a unique smoky flavour that enhances the taste of dal makhani. Take a stainless steel bowl and place it in the centre of the cooked dal.

Take a small piece of charcoal and put it on an open flame using tongs. Keep it on your gas burner, rotate it a few times to properly burn it till it is red from a few spots. Heat the charcoal for only two to three minutes. Otherwise, it will overpower the taste of the dish.

Quickly keep this charcoal in the stainless steel bowl, add a little oil to it, and you will see flames coming out of it. Cover the lid and let it rest for around two minutes.

To make the tadka, heat the vegan butter on medium heat. Add kasoori methi, garam masala and red chilli powder to this. Stir everything and put it on the dal.

For seasoning, you can add lemon juice, chopped cilantro, salt to taste and coriander.

Tips and notes for making delish vegan dal makhani

Ensure that you are getting whole urad dal and not black lentils. They are very similar, but the creaminess in dal comes from the whole urad dal.

Using cashew paste or coconut milk is equally good. You can use either of them to add a beautiful texture to the dal. Cashew paste can be easily made at home, while you can get full-fat coconut milk from any store. With cashew cream, you get a rich nutty flavour.

If you do not want to add vegan butter, you can skip it and use neural oil instead. However, dal makhani is simply incomplete without such rich ingredients. We would highly suggest that you add vegan butter to the recipe. Without butter, the creaminess will be missing, and you cannot expect the same authentic taste.

Do not leave the dal unattended for more than 10 minutes at any instant, as it may get stuck on the bottom of the pan. Once this happens, the burnt taste will be noticeable in the dish.

Soaking the pulses overnight is a must. You may come across short tricks like boiling the pulses and then using them. Such tricks work to a certain extent, and the taste will not be the same. While chewing the dal, you will see that you have to put in some effort. On the other hand, soaking the dal overnight will make the dal melt in your mouth.

Dal makhani tastes the best if you eat it the next day. Keep it overnight in the fridge, reheat it the next day and add some kasoori methi to it to add a nice flavour. It will taste way better than the day you cooked it.

The choice of tomatoes also matters a lot while making vegan dal makhani. Make sure to take big, ripe and sweet tomatoes. Tangy tomatoes can spoil the flavour of the dal.

See to it that you add water every time the dal gets thick. Add small quantities of water and then let the dal simmer. Letting it cook for a long time is the most important part of the recipe, so do not rush.

Butter naan, tandoori roti, jeera rice and plain rice are some dishes that taste great with dal makhani.

You can also make this recipe without onions. Other steps will remain same.

Urad dal is difficult to digest, but ingredients like garlic and other spices balance this factor.

Health benefits of ingredients of dal makhani

If you wonder whether this dish is healthy or not then we are ready to clarify your doubt. Here are some health benefits of the ingredients you will put in dal makhani.

Urad Dal

Due to a high amount of magnesium and fibre, urad dal keeps the cholesterol levels in control. In addition, it improves blood circulation levels and reduces the chance of harm to arterial walls. Keep your diabetes in check by consuming urad dal regularly. From boosting kidney health, improving heart health, enhancing bone health to nourishing the nervous system, urad dal has several benefits.

Rajma

Rajma is a superfood that helps in weight loss, maintains blood sugar levels as well as helps in maintaining the digestive system. It is an incredible source of iron, copper, manganese, potassium and vitamin K1. In addition, studies show that rajma may eliminate the risk of colon cancer.

Cumin seeds

Cumin seeds contain antioxidants that combat the free radicals. It has anti-cancer properties along with controlling blood sugar levels. Not only do they have anti-inflammatory effects, but they also lower cholesterol levels. In addition, it stimulates the nervous system, thereby increasing your memory and helping in weight loss.

Cardamom

Cardamom has antioxidant properties and can help in lowering blood pressure levels. In addition, its compounds prevent inflammation in the body and protect the body from digestive issues. Also, it can reduce the number of ulcers in the stomach and treat has breath effectively.

Cloves

Cloves are a powerhouse of antioxidants that can quickly combat free radicals. It may prevent several diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and even cancer. In addition, cloves can kill food bacteria as it contains significant nutrients. They are present in several Ayurvedic medicines to treat diseases.

Cinnamon

Cinnamon is anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, and has medicinal properties. Its main benefit is that it can improve and support gut health. Moreover, it enhances sensitivity to hormonal insulin and lowers blood sugar levels. In addition, cinnamon fights germs and bacteria present in the mouth and prevents bad breath.

Onions

Vitamin C and phytochemicals are present in onions that can boost your immunity. It regulates your blood pressure, and the sulphur in the onion is suitable for your eyes. Onions are rich in antioxidants, so they support heart health, gut health, and bone health. From fighting inflammation, boosting digestive health to offering antibacterial properties, onions have a wide range of benefits.

Tomatoes

Loaded with lycopene, tomatoes are great for skin, hair, and overall health. They protect your cells from damage as they contain potassium, vitamin B, vitamin E, and several other nutrients. Tomatoes promote a healthy vision and heart health. Also, they are great for reducing the effects of type two diabetes.

Coriander

Vitamin A and vitamin C are present in coriander that strengthens the immunity system. It is an incredible source of iron and folate that promotes the production of red blood cells. Furthermore, it reduces cholesterol and controls diabetes.

Frequently Asked Questions