Dal Makhani Recipe

About Dal Makhani

Like I said in the beginning, the Dal Makhani is that quintessential Punjabi dish that you really can’t get enough of, ever. Once your palate gets a taste of it, its going to keep longing for more and more. And why not? When whole black lentils and kidney beans are cooked in a spiced onion-tomato base, with generous amounts of butter and cream; the dish is bound to be decadent. Yes, it is calorie laden too. But then, there’s no harm in consuming such bingeworthy food once a while. We all have our cheat days and I’m quite sure that this luscious, smooth and creamy Dal Makhani Recipe is a perfect fit for such days. Also, after eating a meal of this rich dal, do not forget to burn those extra calories by exercising a bit more or running for a longer time! Now, you might be wondering what exactly is the origin of the Dal Makhani? According to food historians, the Dal Makhani Recipe is believed to be an invention of Punjabi Hindu migrants from Peshawar, named Kundan Lal Gujral and Kundan Lal Jaggi. They are the ones who are associated with the invention of butter chicken too. The vegetarian makhani dal was created to complement this non-vegetarian dish.

Why This Recipe Works

Before I list out and explain to you the beauty of this recipe of Dal Makhani, let me tell you that it is one of our most reviewed recipes on the blog, even till the present day. This dish never seems to get old! It has been made by many of our readers and they have absolutely loved and endorsed it. It also happens to be my most shared recipe on social media. For this Dal Makhani Recipe, I have used a pressure cooker to cook the lentils, but I have also explained the method of cooking the dal in a pan or pot in the notes section of the recipe card. So, here are all those essential elements that make this Dal Makhani Recipe, one of the best ones and a STAR:

Whole Spices

The variety of aromatic whole spices that are used in this Dal Makhani Recipe, make it more flavorful. In my experimentation with this dish earlier, I remember making it without whole spices many times and hoping to get a restaurant-like flavor and texture in the lentils. But it never matched, and my experiments continued. When we were residing in Goa, we used to have Dal Makhani in a restaurant (and it was one of their best dishes) at the quiet and serene Benaulim beach. I once found a black cardamom and clove in their version. I thought, maybe it is these spices that impart a lovely aroma and flavor in the dal. Thereafter, I tried the makhani dal many times by adding whole spices and realized that they do actually add a good flavor and faint aroma to the dish. But I still felt, something was missing.

Butter & Cream

The answer to the above was cream and butter. These two ingredients made the whole difference in the Dal Makhani Recipe. Thus, I kept on experimenting and when I was also testing the recipe of Dal Bukhara, I realized it was the cream and butter bringing in the desired richness, apart from the slow cooking. Dal Makhani is a rich dish, and the fats in the form of butter and cream help in achieving that richness. Many recipes do have a large quantity of these two ingredients added in it. However, in my recipe, the amount of butter and cream is just enough to lift the dish to the required richness. You can make a Dal Makhani with even lesser quantities of butter and cream. Just remember to slow cook it for a longer period of time, to get the real deal sealed!

Slow Cooking

It is the gospel truth about the perfect Dal Makhani Recipe: The more you slow cook it, the better it tastes. Most Indian restaurants specializing in authentic North Indian food simmer their Dal Makhani overnight or for many hours. Basically, it is the slow cooking of the lentils, which makes a world of difference to the consistency of the dish, on the whole. The lentils are slow cooked in a tandoor. The tandoor is a cylindrical shaped oven made of clay. The fire in the tandoor comes from lit charcoal or wood. Overnight simmering of the Dal Makhani also brings in some smokiness in the dish, from the charcoal or wood. In most Indian homes, you will not find tandoor. But you will easily find a stovetop pressure cooker. The fastest way to cook the lentils is in a pressure cooker. In this post, I have used a stovetop pressure cooker, but you can cook the dal in an Instant Pot too. I have cooked the lentils and beans in a pressure cooker for about 30 minutes. Later, I have slow cooked them on low heat for 25 minutes. You can slow cook for more time, than what I have done. It will only make the lentils viscous, creamy and the end result will be a finger-licking Dal Makhani Recipe.

Smoky Flavor

For that restaurant style taste, smoky aroma and flavor is the key. As I have mentioned above, this smokiness in the makhani dal comes from slow simmering and cooking this dal on wooden or charcoal fires or embers. To replicate this smoky flavor and aroma in the dish, I have 2 tried and tested methods for you:

Charcoal Infused Smoke: This is also called as ‘dhungar’ in Hindi language. It is a charcoal smoking technique. It works fabulously for any recipe, where you need some smoky flavor. The Dal Makhani Recipe smoked with this method tastes exactly like the restaurant one. The dhungar smoking technique is optional and you can just skip, if you don’t have the charcoal. Use Smoked Paprika: Using smoked paprika is the easiest method and especially great when you cannot source the charcoal. Just replace the red chili powder in the recipe with smoked paprika. I have added smoked paprika so many times to my dal, to get that smoky flavor.

How to make Dal Makhani

Soak & Cook Lentils

Soak both ¾ cup whole black gram (whole urad dal) and ¼ cup kidney beans (rajma) overnight in enough water for 8 to 9 hours. Drain them well. The picture below shows the soaked whole urad dal and rajma.
Rinse the urad lentils and rajma a couple of times in water.
Drain well and add them in a 3-liter stovetop pressure cooker.
Add 3 cups water and stir well.
Pressure cook on high heat for 18 to 20 whistles or till both the black gram and kidney beans have cooked thoroughly and softened. If they are undercooked, then add about ½ cup water again and pressure cook for 4 to 5 whistles more.
In the below picture, both the kidney beans and the black gram are cooked and softened well. The black gram or urad dal should melt-in-mouth and should not give any bite or resistance when eaten. You can also just mash the urad dal with a spoon or with your fingers to check the doneness. The same rule applies for kidney beans too. Keep the cooked beans aside. Remember that both the black gram and kidney beans have to be fresh. If they are old or close to their expiry, they take a lot of time to cook.

Make Tomato Puree

In a blender or mixer jar, take 2 large (200 grams) chopped tomatoes. No need to blanch the tomatoes.
Blend to a fine and smooth puree. Set aside. You can also use 1 cup of canned tomato puree, instead of blending the fresh tomatoes.

Sauté Onion-Tomato Mixture

Now, in a pan, heat 3 tablespoons butter. Keep the heat to medium-low. You have the option to use salted butter or unsalted butter.
Add the below listed whole spices and fry them until they splutter and turn fragrant.

½ teaspoon cumin seeds 2 to 3 cloves 2 to 3 green cardamoms 1 black cardamom 1 inch cinnamon 1 small to medium tej patta (Indian bay leaf)

Then, add ½ cup finely chopped onions.
Sauté the onions on low to medium-low heat, stirring often.
Sauté the onions until they turn light golden.
Next, add 2 teaspoons ginger-garlic paste. Stir to mix and sauté until the raw aroma of ginger-garlic dissipates. 15. Add 1 teaspoon chopped green chilies and sauté for a minute. 16. Add the prepared tomato puree.
Mix again thoroughly.
Add ½ teaspoon red chili powder.
Next, add about 2 to 3 pinches of grated nutmeg or nutmeg powder.
Mix very well and sauté this mixture on a low to medium heat, till you see fat releasing from the sides. This sautéing process takes about 3 to 4 minutes on a medium-low to medium heat.

Make Dal Makhani

Add the cooked lentils and kidney beans.
Add all of the stock or broth in which the lentils and kidney beans were cooked. Additionally add 1 cup water or as needed.
Mix very well and simmer or slow-cook the dal uncovered on low heat.
Keep stirring often, so that the lentils don’t get stuck to the bottom of the pan. The lentils become viscous and start to stick at the bottom, if not stirred. Mash a few lentils too, while stirring.
Once the Dal Makhani has begun to thicken, add salt as required.
Mix very well and continue to simmer on low heat. Keep stirring while the lentils are simmered on low heat. When simmering, you can add more water if the consistency looks thick or dry. The longer you keep to simmer, the better it tastes. The lentils become creamy, viscous and the consistency of the dal will keep on thickening as you simmer. I kept for about an overall 25 minutes on low heat. Keep stirring at intervals.
When the gravy has thickened enough, add ¼ to ⅓ cup of light cream or half and half. If using heavy cream, then add 2 tablespoons of it. The consistency of Punjabi Dal Makhani is neither too thick or too thin. It has a medium consistency with a viscosity coming from the thoroughly cooked lentils.
Mix the cream very well. Then, turn off the heat.
Next, add ¼ teaspoon crushed dry fenugreek keaves (kasuri methi). Stir again. Cover and set aside, if you are proceeding to the dhungar method. Or else you can serve Dal Makhani straightaway.

Charcoal Smoking or Dhungar Method (Optional)

Turn on the stovetop and set the flame to low or medium-low. Position a flame-proof wire rack with a handle on the stovetop. I use a round metal rack as shown in the photo below. Place a small piece of charcoal on this rack and heat it on the direct flame until it becomes red hot. With the help of steel tongs, keep on turning the charcoal piece so that it evenly burns. Exercise caution during this process, and if unsure, consider omitting this step altogether.
Keep the red hot charcoal in a small steel bowl.
Pour ½ to ⅔ teaspoon oil on the charcoal. The hot piece of charcoal would begin to smoke as soon as you pour oil on it.
Immediately, keep this bowl on top of the dal.
Cover tightly with a lid for one minute and allow the charcoal to infuse its smoke in the Dal Makhani. I usually keep for one minute.
Stir again. Serve Punjabi Dal Makhani garnished with chopped coriander leaves and a few teaspoons of light cream or whipping cream.

Serving & Storage

Choose to pair this restaurant style Dal Makhani with Indian flatbreads like Naan, Tandoori Roti, Paratha, Chapati, Aloo Paratha. If serving with rice, serve with plain steamed basmati rice or savory and fragrant Jeera Rice. Dal Makhani keeps well in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days. Reheat while serving and add water, if the consistency looks very thick. Add a few dollops of cream and butter while serving.

Expert Tips

Can we cook the lentils in a pot or pan? Yes, you can cook lentils in a pot or pan on the stovetop. Cooking them in a pan will take about 45 minutes to 1 hour or more. Soak lentils overnight and then cook them covered with enough water in a deep pot. Add a few drops of butter or oil, so that the water does not froth much while boiling the lentils.
What can I substitute whole urad dal with? You can use split urad dal with husks. You can also use beluga lentils (black lentils), whole red lentils (masoor dal) and whole moong lentils. The taste with all these lentils will be different. The closest taste you can get is with split urad dal with their black skins.
Can I make this recipe without onion and garlic? Yes, you can easily make Dal Makhani Recipe without onion and garlic. You just need to add a generous pinch of asafoetida (hing), after the whole spices crackle and before adding ginger paste.
How can I make this recipe in the Instant Pot? Melt the butter using the sauté mode of the Instant Pot. Add the whole spices and let them crackle. Then, add the onions and sauté till light golden. Next, add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté for a few seconds. Add the tomato puree and sauté for 3 to 4 minutes. Now, add red chili powder and nutmeg powder. Stir and mix. Add the lentils and 2.5 cups water. Pressure cook on high for 30 minutes. Wait for natural release. Lift the valve and remove the lid. Use the sauté option and simmer till the consistency thickens. Mash a few lentils with a spoon, while stirring. Keep stirring, so that the lentils do not stick to the pot. Lastly, add the cream and crushed dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi).
What can be used instead of charcoal or smoked paprika for the smoky flavor? One of our readers had given this suggestion. If you can get access to dried Mexican peppers, then try getting Morita peppers. They are similar to chipotles that are smoked jalapeño peppers, but these are smoked with a different method that leaves them with a fresh charcoal flavor. As a bonus, since they are less harshly dried, it leaves them with a nice fruity pepper flavor that blends very well with the tomatoes.