Dal Makhani

Dal makhani or dal makhni (pronounced daal makh-nee, "buttery lentils") is a dish originating from the Indian subcontinent, notably in the Punjab region. The primary ingredients are whole black lentil (urad), red kidney beans (rajma), butter and cream. The dish gets its richness from the use of cream, but it can also be prepared with yogurt, milk or no dairy.

Dal Makhani Recipe Card

Dal makhani is one of the most popular Indian dishes. This spicy lentil preparation is made a mix of rajma or red kidney beans and whole black gram or sabut urad dal and a perfect blend of whole spices. The recipe does complete justice to the name and uses plenty of butter which balances out the heat from the spices and makes the final dal rich and creamy. Try out this restaurant style recipe at your next family gathering to get accolades of praise your way. In my home we always make dal makhani in large quantities to ensure some left overs, because this black dal tastes even better the next day even when, eaten right out of the fridge.

Prep Time : 8-10 hour

Cook time : 31-40 minutes

Serve : 4

Level Of Cooking : Moderate

Taste : Mild

Ingredients for Dal Makhani Recipe

• Whole black gram (sabut urad) 1/2 cup

• Red kidney beans (rajma) 2 tablespoons

• Salt to taste

• Red chilli powder 1 teaspoon

• Ginger chopped 2 inch pieces

• Nutralite Butter 3 tablespoons

• Oil 1 tablespoon

• Cumin seeds 1 teaspoon

• Garlic chopped 6 cloves

• Onion chopped 1 large

• Green chillies slit 2

• Tomatoes 2 medium

• Garam masala powder 1 teaspoon

Method

Step 1

Pick, wash and soak sabut urad and rajma overnight in three cups of water. Drain.

Step 2

Boil sabut urad and rajma in three cups of water with salt and half the red chilli powder (you can add half the ginger too if you wish) for three whistles in a pressure cooker. Open the lid and see if the rajma is totally soft. If not cook on low heat till the rajma becomes totally soft.

Step 3

Heat butter and oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds. When they begin to change colour, add ginger, garlic and onion and sauté till golden.

Step 4

Add slit green chillies, tomatoes and sauté on high heat. Add the remaining red chilli powder and sauté till the tomatoes are reduced to a pulp.

Step 5

Add the cooked dal and rajma along with the cooking liquour. Add some water if the mixture is too thick. Add garam masala powder and adjust salt.

Step 6

Simmer on low heat till the dals are totally soft and well blended.

Step 7

Serve hot.