Best 9 Dal Makhani Recipes

DAL MAKHANI (INDIAN LENTILS)

Steps:

• Place lentils and kidney beans in a large bowl; cover with plenty of water. Soak for at least 2 hours or overnight. Drain.
• Cook lentils, kidney beans, 5 cups water, and salt in a pot over medium heat until tender, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour. Remove from heat and set aside. Keep the lentils, kidney beans, and any excess cooking water in the pot.
• Heat vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook cumin seeds in the hot oil until they begin to pop, 1 to 2 minutes. Add cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, and cloves; cook until bay leaves turn brown, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium-low; add ginger paste, garlic paste, turmeric, and cayenne pepper. Stir to coat.
• Stir tomato puree into spice mixture; cook over medium heat until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Add chili powder, coriander, and butter; cook and stir until butter is melted.
• Stir lentils, kidney beans and any leftover cooking water into tomato mixture; bring to a boil, reduce heat to low. Stir fenugreek into lentil mixture. Cover saucepan and simmer until heated through, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes. Add cream and cook until heated through, 2 to 4 minutes.

DAL MAKHANI (BUTTER LENTILS)

Steps:

• Soak lentils in a saucepan of water for 1 hour. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes. Drain.
• Heat cinnamon, chile powder, coriander, cumin, turmeric, nutmeg, paprika, black pepper, cayenne, cloves, allspice, and bay leaves in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 5 minutes.
• Stir olive oil into the skillet. Add tomatoes, ginger paste, and garlic; simmer until flavors combine, about 10 minutes. Stir in sugar and salt. Cook until mixture thickens into a pulpy sauce, about 5 minutes. Add lentils and simmer until tender, about 5 minutes.
• Stir cream and butter into sauce. Cook until sauce thickens and lentils are very soft, about 30 minutes. Squeeze some lime juice over each serving.

DAL MAKHANI

Steps:

• Drain the soaked black urad dal and Kashmiri rajma beans and transfer to a 6-quart Instant Pot®. Add 4 cups water and 2 teaspoons salt. Follow the manufacturer's guide for locking the lid and preparing to cook. Set to pressure cook on low for 1 hour (see Cook's Note). (Alternatively, use a stovetop pressure cooker over medium-high heat set for 15 minutes.)
• After the pressure-cook cycle is complete, follow the manufacturer's guide for natural release. Once the pressure is released, unlock the lid and add the garlic, ginger, Kashmiri chili powder, garam masala and 1 teaspoon salt. Set the pot to medium sauté and simmer, stirring often so the mixture doesn't scorch on the bottom, until the raw smell is gone, about 5 minutes. (If using a stovetop pressure cooker, saute over medium-high heat.)
• Lightly mash the urad dal mixture with a potato masher, leaving some intact. Add the tomato puree and butter and mix well. Cover with the lid (but do not seal), set the pot to slow-normal (slow cooker) and cook, checking and stirring occasionally to make sure it's not sticking to the bottom and adding a little water if it gets too thick, about 2 hours. It should be the consistency of a pourable lentil soup. (If using a stovetop pressure cooker, stir in 1/2 to 1 cup water along with the tomato puree and simmer over low following the instructions above.)
• Add 6 tablespoons of the heavy cream, set the pot to low sauté and simmer, stirring as needed to keep it from sticking to the bottom, until cooked down slightly and combined, another 10 minutes. Taste and adjust with more salt if needed. (If using a stovetop pressure cooker, simmer over medium heat.)
• Make a cappuccino swirl with the remaining 2 tablespoons cream just before serving. Optionally, you can add another pat of butter on the dal just before serving for some extra love!

MAKHANI DAL (BUTTER DAL), MOGUL-STYLE

Steps:

• Combine the legumes with 4 cups water in a large saucepan and bring to a boil; cook, uncovered, for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and cover the pot; let the legumes soak for 2 hours.
• Add the whole-milk yogurt, 1 cup onions, tomatoes, ginger, turmeric, cardamom, paprika, chili and salt to the pot and bring to a boil once more. Cook, partly covered, over low heat for 90 minutes, or until the dal is very soft. Turn off the heat and use an Indian mathani (see related article) to purée the dal for about 1 minute; it should be saucy but not soupy.
• To make the tadka, heat the oil in a small saucepan over high heat. When the oil is hot, add the remaining cup of onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until they begin to soften, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until medium brown. Turn off the heat and stir in the cumin and garam masala.
• Transfer the dal to a large bowl and cover with the low-fat yogurt; top with tadka, stir gently and serve.

DAL MAKHANI (INDIAN BROWN LENTILS)

Steps:

• Place lentils and kidney beans in a large bowl; cover with plenty of water. Soak for at least 2 hours or overnight. Drain.
• Cook lentils, 5 cups water, and salt in a pot over medium heat until tender, stirring occasionally, about 1/2 hour. Remove from heat and set aside. Keep the lentils and any excess cooking water in the pot.
• Heat vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook cumin seeds in the hot oil until they begin to pop, 1 to 2 minutes. Add cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, and cloves; cook until bay leaves turn brown, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium-low; add ginger, garlic, turmeric, and cayenne pepper. Stir to coat.
• Stir tomato puree into spice mixture; cook over medium heat until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Add chili powder, coriander, and butter; cook and stir until butter is melted.
• Stir tomato mixture into the lentils, keeping any leftover cooking water from the lentils; bring to a boil, reduce heat to low. Stir fenugreek into lentil mixture. Cover saucepan and simmer until heated through, stirring occasionally with the lid off, about 45 minutes. Add cream and cook until heated through, 2 to 4 minutes.

BLACK GRAM BEANS IN CREAM SAUCE (DAL MAKHANI)

Steps:

• Drain dal; rinse; combine dal with the 3 cups water, turmeric and oil in a medium saucepan; heat to boiling, cover and cook until dal are cooked through but not mushy, about 30 minutes- the dal should absorb most of the water.
• Stir in garlic, ginger, cumin, garam masala, salt, red pepper, butter and half-and-half; heat to boiling over medium heat; cook, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens and flavors blend, about 10 minutes.
• Serve over cooked rice; garnish with cilantro and ginger.

DAL MAKHANI

Steps:

• Wash and soak the kidney beans and the dal together in huge bowl.
• If you see a scum or froth on the surface this is due to humid climatic conditions. Wash the dal thoroughly with water if this happens to avoid the sour taste of dal.
• Drain the dal in a pressure cooker; add finely chopped garlic. Salt to taste and red chili powder. Add enough water fill almost 2/3 of pressure cooker.
• Leave it on high for about 15 minutes, then slow down the flame for about 20 minutes. This simmering will help the dal thicken and cook properly.
• In the meantime, prepare the tempering (tadka).
• Heat oil in a wok. Add cumin; let it splutter but make sure it doesn't burn. Add the puréed tomatoes. Let it simmer for about 4-5 minutes. When the tomatoes start leaving oil on the sides of the pan it means the tadka is ready.
• Add this steaming tadka to the dal and let it simmer for a while uncovered.
• When the dal thickens to the consistency you want (I usually let it simmer for about 10 minutes or more--we like really thick dal that can be poured on the plate that's the actual consistency of dal makhani) add the cream; cook for a minute turn off the flame.
• Serve with hot naan or paranthas.

DAL MAKHANI

Steps:

• Mix and wash dals well.
• Soak for 30 minutes.
• Pressure cook till soft but not overcooked (approx. 3 whistles).
• Mash the dals while hot.
• Heat oil in a pot.
• Add cumin seeds and let them splutter.
• Once they stop spluttering, add onion, ginger and green chillies.
• Stir fry till soft.
• Fold in red chilli powder and turmeric powder.
• Mix well and then add the tomatoes.
• Once tomatoes get cooked, add salt followed by the dals.
• Mix well and allow to boil.
• Simmer for 3-4 minutes.
• Garnish with the chopped corriander and lemon juice.
• Serve hot with roti or rice and your favourite raita on the side(cucumber and tomato raita is a nice one to enjoy this with).

BLACK LENTIL DAL MAKHANI

Steps:

• 1. Soak the black lentils in 3 cups water overnight. Cook the lentils in the same water with added salt and the chili powder until soft. About 45 minutes.
• 2. In a large skillet add the butter. Add the onion, ginger and garlic and cook until the onions are soft. Crush the tomatoes with your hands and add them to the mixture. Add the cumin and garam masala and simmer for 20 minutes. Add the red kidney beans. Crush the black lentils a bit with the back of a spoon and add them with the water to the pan.
• 3. Simmer another 10 minutes. Add the cream and simmer 5 more minutes. Serve with Basmati rice and naan if desired.