Dal Makhani is a delicious popular Indian recipe made by slow cooking black lentils in spices with butter & cream. The word ‘makhani’ literally translates to ‘buttery’ in english and is derived from hindi word ‘makkhan’ which means butter.
The dal makhani recipe shared here is easy to make, vegetarian & gluten free. This dal basically originated from Punjab region in India & is known for its rich, creamy & velvety texture that literally melts in your mouth. Though it can be enjoyed with any kind of flatbread but it pairs best with tandoori roti, butter garlic naan or lacchha paratha.
Which dal is used for dal makhani?
Whole Urad Dal, also known as sabut urad, black gram or black matpe beans, is mainly used in making dal makhani along with a very small quantity of rajma (red kidney beans) for colour and texture. Adding kidney beans is optional as dal makhani tastes good even without it.
To get prefect tender melt-in-mouth texture, it is essential to cook the lentils properly for which we first soak it for at least 6 to 8 hrs and then pressure cook till it becomes soft and attains mash-able consistency. Instead of pressure cooker, you can even use instant pot to cook the lentils.
My husband loves dal makhani and it is a must-have on our table whenever we visit Indian restaurants. Almost everyone has their own way of making this dal with slight change of ingredients but through this post I have attempted to share the recipe that tastes closest to the ones served in restaurant or Indian takeaways.
Apart from sabut urad (black beans), some of the other ingredients used in making dal makhani are-
Whole Spices- Addition of traditional whole spices like cinnamon, bay leaf and black cardamom adds aroma to dal while making it stand apart from other lentil preparations. If whole spices are not readily available near you, then you can swap them with their powder versions like cinnamon powder.
Onion, Tomatoes and Ginger- Caramelised onions give subtle sweetness to dal while tomatoes add reddish colour and tanginess to it. I always add ginger in dal makhani but never garlic as I feel it sometimes overpowers other spices but if you wish you can add 1 to 2 minced garlic cloves.
Spices- Other Indian spices that are used here are coriander powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder and garam masala. Instead of cumin powder, you can even use cumin seeds (jeera).
Ghee- Also known as clarified butter, traditionally dal makhani is cooked in desi ghee as it acts as a carrier of all aromatic spices while adding richness and earthy aroma of it’s own. If you don’t have ghee, you can also use any neutral cooking oil.
Butter & Heavy Cream- Both butter and heavy cream are added later to dal makhani to slowly incorporate fat in it. I always try to use white butter for authentic taste but regular butter can also be used. Cream should always be added slowly while continuously mixing to avoid getting it split.
As the authentic creaminess of this dal mainly comes from heavy use of dairy, it is more like an indulgence for me and something you would make at home on special occasions. If you want to make it low in calories, then prepare it without cream or butter or swap with their low-fat versions.
Trick to get perfect dal makhani-
The secret behind the heavenly taste of this Dal is ‘Slow cooking’. Though most people will try to sell quick dal makhani recipes but the real flavours develops when it is slow cooked while adding fat little by little. More you give it time to cook on low flame with gradual addition of butter/cream, better it will taste.
How to get smoky flavour in dal makhani?
Sometime you might have noticed in certain dhaba or resturants, when you taste daal makhani you get a whiff of smoky tandoori aroma. You can easily get that same aroma in you dal makhani at home using a piece of charcoal with ‘dhungar‘ method. I have explained it with images in the end of post. Though it is an optional step, but do give it a try to notch up the flavour of dal makhani.
Hope you will like this easy Indian dal makhani recipe. More lentil recipes you might like to try:
- Dal Palak (Spinach Lentils)
- Masoor Dal (Red Lentil Curry)
- Chana Masala (Chickpea Curry)
- Rajma Masala (Kidney Beans Curry)
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- Sabut Urad Dal (Black Matpe Beans)- 3/4 cup
- Rajma (Kidney beans)- 3 tbsp
- Water- 4 cups
- Turmeric Powder- 3/4 tsp
- Salt- (1+1/2) tsp (to taste)
- Ghee (Clarified butter)- (1+1/2) tbsp
- Whole Black Cardamom* (Badi Elaichi)- 2 (optional)
- Bay Leaf (Tej Patta)- 1
- Cinnamon- A small piece
- Asafoetida (Heeng)- A pinch (optional)
- Onion- 1 medium
- Ginger paste- 1 tsp
- Tomatoes- 2 large
- Tomato Puree- 3 tbsp
- Green Chilli (deseeded)- 1
- Cumin Powder (Jeera Powder)- 1 tsp
- Red Chilli Powder- 1/2 tsp
- Garam Masala- 1/4 tsp
- Coriander Powder (Dhaniya Powder)- 2 tsp
- Dry Fenugreek Leaves (Kasuri Methi)- 2 tsp
- Cream- 1/4 cup
- Butter- 2 tbsp
- Cilantro (chopped)- For garnishing (optional)
Notes:
- Instead of whole cinnamon, you can use a big pinch of cinnamon powder.
- The above recipe yields 4 to 5 servings.
Directions:
Step 1:
Transfer sabut urad and kidney beans in a bowl and rinse 2-3 times till water turns clear. Soak in fresh water for at least 7-8 hrs or better overnight.
(The lentils softens by absorbing water with time (image 4), making them faster to cook and easy to digest.)
Step 2:
Drain soaked lentils over a colander & discard the water. Transfer them in a pressure cooker and add 4 cups water, salt, turmeric powder & black cardamom (optional). Pressure cook for 1 whistle and simmer for 15 minutes (image 1 & 2 below).
Once the pressure is released naturally from cooker, open the lid and check if the lentils have softened by pressing between your fingers. If they are still undercooked, pressure cook for 4-5 minutes more. If you have soaked dal for lesser time, you will need to cook them longer.
Step 3:
Puree onions in a blender jar (add water if required). Heat ghee in a pan. Add bay leaf, cinnamon & heeng (optional). Saute for 30-40 seconds till spices release their aroma. Add onion puree and cook till it turns slightly pink in colour.
Step 4:
Add ginger paste and cook for another 1-2 minutes till onions turn slightly golden in colour.
Step 5:
Blend tomatoes & green chillies together in a blender jar. Add it along with tomato puree. Cook till the mixture becomes thick and glossy.
Step 6:
Add cumin powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder, garam masala and cook till the mixture thickens up and begins to slightly release fat (as shown below). Stir in between.
(Tip: If the mixture starts to sticking to the pan, turn the flame to low and add 1-2 tsp water. Continue stirring till it all comes together as shown in image above.)
Step 7:
Add around 1/2 cup water and mix well. Remove whole spices at this step.
Step 8:
Add cooked lentils (remove cardamom) and mix well. Slightly mash them with a masher while adding more water if required. Bring it to boil first and then simmer. Add kasuri methi, butter, half of cream and mix well. Simmer for 15 minutes while stirring in between to prevent dal from sticking to bottom.
Step 9:
Add remaining cream and mix again. Simmer for 15 minutes more while stirring often. Adjust the consistency by adding more water if required. If you have time, you can even simmer it for 50-60 minutes & add fat little by little (keep stirring in between). Slow cooking gives this lentil creamier texture and helps in absorbing flavours.
Taste and adjust salt as per your taste. Garnish with more butter / cream and chopped coriander (cilantro) before serving. Enjoy it hot with tandoori roti or garlic naan.
Step 10: OPTIONAL
To infuse smoky flavour in dal makhani, you can use charcoal. Heat a piece of charcoal directly on stove till it becomes red hot. Make a small bowl using aluminium foil or use steel bowl.
Place the bowl inside dal makhani pan and keep hot coal in it using tongs. Drizzle 2 tsp ghee on it and as it starts emitting smoke, cover the pan with lid. Keep it covered for 2-3 minutes.
Note: If the bowl starts to sink in dal, place a trivet inside it first and then place bowl over it. Do not leave the pan covered for too long as otherwise dal can taste ashy, overpowering other flavours & aroma of dal.
Tips:
- If you have white butter at home (especially the homemade one), then do use it in this recipe as it makes the dal makkhani taste even better.
- For advance prep, you can boil or pressure cook lentils a day in advance and store them in fridge in airtight container to make dal next day.
- Any leftover dal can easily be stored in fridge for 2-3 days. As lentils absorb water with time and tend to become thicker, add a splash of water to adjust the consistency before reheating.
- You can freeze it for upto a month. Thaw it by leaving in fridge overnight or for 1-2 hrs on kitchen counter.
Few side dishes ideas for dal makhani & naan:
If you try this dal makhani recipe & share pics on social media, then don’t forget to tag on Facebook, Instagram or use #kuchpakrahahai.
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(P.S: The post was originally published on 28 Aug’2016 and has been updated with better recipe and images.)
(4 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)
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The look and presentation is superb…it looks so tempting that i will be trying it very soon
Thank you so much 🙂