Dal Makhani

I am sharing the authentic recipe where dal makhani is slow-simmered to get the best flavors. Also, sharing all the tips and tricks to perfect them.

❤️ What Is dal makhani?

Dal makhani is a popular North Indian dish made with black lentils, lots of butter, cream and it is mildly spiced.  It is one of the popular lentil dishes that you’ll find in any North Indian restaurant or dhaba (roadside stalls). 

Traditional Method: In dhaba, it is slow-cooked overnight in a tandoor (cylindrical clay oven) on a low flame. Hence you’ll find a smokey taste in dal makhani from charcoal/wood. The slow cooking technique results in the creamy, velvety consistency of the dal. Modern/Household Method: At home, we don’t have a tandoor and no one has that much time. So we use a pressure cooker to speed up the lentil cooking process. Later, it is simmered on low heat for 25-30 minutes to get the best texture.

You’ll Love This Dal Makhani Recipe

It tastes exactly the same as your favorite Indian restaurant. It has the perfect texture: creamy, buttery, velvety, thick and rich. The flavor is too good: mildly spiced, aromatic, with a hint of smokiness. Super easy to make with easy-to-find ingredients. Meal prep friendly: Make a big batch ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator or freeze. It pairs well with jeera rice, tandoori roti or naan. 

🧾 Ingredient Notes

Lentils: You’ll need black lentils (whole urad) and red kidney beans (rajma). Both of them are easily available in Indian grocery stores or online and nowadays you’ll find them in American grocery stores too. Onion: I recommend using red onions. But yellow or white works too. Ginger & Garlic: Use ready-made or homemade paste. Or freshly grate them and use them in the recipe. Tomato: Fresh tomato is grounded into a smooth puree. Always use ripe, red roma or plum tomatoes. You can use store-bought tomato puree but it adds a slight tanginess to the dal, so in that case, I would reduce the amount of canned puree. Spices: Only red chili powder, garam masala and kasoori methi are added and that too is in very little quantity. Butter & Cream: Do not reduce the amount of butter and cream. Both make the dal rich and super delicious. Smoked paprika: It is added to give a hint of smokiness. A few years ago, I used to do the dhungar method using charcoal to get a smokey flavor. But after using smoked paprika in recent years, I like the taste and flavor of it better than smoking it with charcoal.

👩‍🍳 How to make dal makhani? (Stepwise photos) 

Soaking & Boiling Lentils

1. Take whole urad and rajma in a colander and rinse under running cold water until water runs clear. Massage the lentils lightly using fingers while rinsing. Alternatively, you can rinse them in a bowl 2-3 times until the water is not cloudy anymore. Soak in enough water (2 inches above the lentils) for 8 hours or overnight. They will get doubled in size.
2. Drain and discard the soaking water.
3. Take soaked lentils in a pressure cooker (or instant pot) along with fresh water. Stovetop pressure cooker: Cook on medium heat for 10-12 whistles (that is about 15 minutes).Instant pot: Cook on manual (high pressure) for 20 minutes.
4. Let the pressure go down by itself and then open the lid. Check by pressing a lentil or bean, it should mash easily without any effort. Making Dal Makhani:
5. Heat the oil in a pan on medium heat. Once hot add whole spices (cloves, cinnamon, black cardamoms, bay leaf). Saute for 40-60 seconds or until spices are aromatic.
6. Add chopped onion and sprinkle a little salt to speed up the cooking process.
7. Cook for 5 minutes or until onions is soft and light brown in color.
8. Add ginger-garlic paste. Saute for a minute or until the raw smell of ginger garlic goes away.
9. Add tomato puree and slit green chili.
10. Cook until most of the water is evaporated and it becomes a thick paste.
11. Add red chili powder and smoked paprika.
12. Mix and cook for a minute.
13. Add boiled lentils, remaining salt and little more water.
14. Mix well and let it comes to a boil.
15. Add butter.
16. Let it simmer on low heat for 25-30 minutes. Do stir in between to make sure that it is not sticking to the bottom of the pan. If it looks too thick then you can add a splash of more water.
17. Add garam masala and crushed kasoori methi. Mix well.
18. Add heavy cream.
19. Mix and again simmer for 10 minutes on low.
20. Lastly, garnish it with freshly chopped cilantro.

Dhungar Method (Optional)

This method is used instead of adding smoked paprika.

1. Heat the small piece of natural lump charcoal on open flame until it is red hot.
2. Meantime place a steel bowl (katori) in the center of the pan. Place this hot charcoal in a steel bowl. 
3. Drizzle a teaspoon of ghee on the hot charcoal. Immediately you’ll notice the fumes coming out.
4. Cover the pan right away to trap the fumes. Let it rest for 2-5 minutes. Do not go above 5 minutes. 

💭 Expert Tips For BEST Dal Makhani Recipe

Soaking lentils for at least 8 hours is recommended. When properly soaked lentils are cooked they get a creamy, soft texture. So the quick soaking method won’t work here. Pressure cooking lentils until soft before adding to cooked onion-tomato masala is highly recommended. Even slightly undercooked lentils won’t give the right texture. Simmering on low for at least 30 minutes is highly recommended. You can go up to 90 minutes on simmer. More the better. Slow simmer brings out the best texture of dal makhani. Plus, whole spices are simmered for longer and those impart a nice aroma to the dish. Do not reduce the amount of butter and heavy cream. This is not your everyday kind of dish. This is high calorie, special occasion dish so enjoy its best taste. Smoking the dal makhani with dhungar is optional. I used to do infuse it using charcoal, but nowadays I use smoked paprika to get the smokey flavor. Charcoal: Always use natural lump charcoal for dhungar method. Never use instant charcoal briquettes that have chemicals in them. It will ruin the flavor and taste of the lentils. 

🍽 What to serve with dal makhani?

Garnish the dal makhani with a pat of butter or a drizzle of heavy cream.  Serve with jeera rice, plain basmati rice or brown rice with a side of Indian onion salad. It can be served with garlic naan. 

🥣 Storage Instructions

In the refrigerator, it stays good for 3-5 days in an air-tight container.  Freezing dal makhani: If making a big batch and planning to freeze it for later then do not add heavy cream. Freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 4 months. Thaw, reheat, add cream and serve.

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