Dal Makhani is one of the most popular recipes of Punjab. It is a very famous dish of North India and served in almost all the restaurants, parties and marriages. Dal Makhani is a lentil curry made whole black gram sabut urad dal or kali dal), red kidney beans, butter, full fat cream and spicy. It is rich, creamy and delicious.

Dal Makhani is a slow cook recipe. The slow and longer it is cooked it tastes better. It goes really well with Naan, Rotis, Stuffed Kulchas, Paratha or Jeera Rice.

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Dal Makhani Recipe

Course

Main Dish

Cuisine

Indian

Prep Time

9 hours

Cook Time

1 hour

Passive Time

10 hours

Servings

4 people

Ingredients

• 150 gms whole black lentil (sabut urad dal or kali dal)
• 50 gms red kidney beans (rajma)
• 2 small-medium onions
• 2 large tomatoes
• 1 inch ginger
• 2-3 cloves garlic
• 1 medium bay leaf (tej patta)
• 1 black cardamom (badi elaichi)
• 2-3 green cardamom (hari elaichi)
• 2-3 cloves (lavang)
• 1 inch cinammon stick (dalchini)
• 1/2 tsp red chili powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tbsp dal makhani powder
• 3 tbsp butter
• water (as per requirement)
• salt to taste

Course Main Dish Cuisine Indian Prep Time 9 hours Cook Time 1 hour Passive Time 10 hours Servings 4 people Ingredients 150 gms whole black lentil (sabut urad dal or kali dal) 50 gms red kidney beans (rajma) 2 small-medium onions 2 large tomatoes 1 inch ginger 2-3 cloves garlic 1 medium bay leaf (tej patta) 1 black cardamom (badi elaichi) 2-3 green cardamom (hari elaichi) 2-3 cloves (lavang) 1 inch cinammon stick (dalchini) 1/2 tsp red chili powder 1 tsp coriander powder 1 tbsp dal makhani powder 3 tbsp butter water (as per requirement) salt to taste

Instructions

1. Soak the lentils and red kidney beans (rajma) overnight or for 7-8 hours.
2. In a pressure cooker, add lentils, kidney beans and water. Pressure cook for 14-15 whistles. Open and check if the lentils are cooked and is able to mash easily. Else pressure cook for 2-3 whistles more.
3. In a blender, add tomato, ginger and garlic and blend it into a smooth paste.
4. In another pan, heat some butter on low flame as the butter might burn on high flame. Add bay leaf, cinnamon, green cardamon, black cardamom and cloves. Saute it for a minute.
5. Now add onions and saute it till it turns golden brown.
6. Add tomato paste and mix well.
7. Add red chili powder and coriander powder. Mix well and saute it till the tomato starts leaving oil on the sides.
8. Add dal makhani powder. Mix well and saute it for a minute. You can add a little water if the masala starts sticking to the bottom of the pan. Also you can also add 1/2 tsp garam masala powder instead of dal makhani powder.
9. Now finally add all the masala to the pressure cooked dal. Add some water and salt. Cook dal on low flame for about 30 minutes. You can even add full fat cream at this point to amke it more rich and creamy. But it is optional.
10. Serve hot with butter naan or butter garlic naan, jeera rice or roti.

Directions to prepare the recipe:

1. Soak the lentils and red kidney beans (rajma) overnight or for 7-8 hours.
2. In a pressure cooker, add lentils, kidney beans and water. Pressure cook for 14-15 whistles. Open and check if the lentils are cooked and is able to mash easily. Else pressure cook for 2-3 whistles more.
   
3. In a blender, add tomato, ginger and garlic and blend it into a smooth paste.
   
4. In another pan, heat some butter on low flame as the butter might burn on high flame. Add bay leaf, cinnamon, green cardamon, black cardamom and cloves. Saute it for a minute.
   
5. Now add onions and saute it till it turns golden brown.
   
6. Add tomato paste and mix well.
   
7. Add red chili powder and coriander powder. Mix well and saute it till the tomato starts leaving oil on the sides.
   
8. Add dal makhani powder. Mix well and saute it for a minute. You can add a little water if the masala starts sticking to the bottom of the pan. Also you can also add 1/2 tsp garam masala powder instead of dal makhani powder.
   
9. Now finally add all the masala to the pressure cooked dal. Add some water and salt. Cook dal on low flame for about 30 minutes. You can even add full fat cream at this point to amke it more rich and creamy. But it is optional.
   
10. Serve hot with butter naan or butter garlic naan, jeera rice or roti.