Recipe
All Recipes | Veggies | Dal Makhani Dal Makhani | Indian Recipes | Proud Cooks | For the Love of Cooking
Dal Makhani
Ingredients
Serves 4 to 6
Whole Black Lentils (Saabut Urad)
3/4 cup (8 oz cup)
Butter
2 tablespoons and a 1/2 inch cube
Garlic Cloves
8, peeled and finely crushed
Red Tomato
1 medium, pureed
Turmeric Powder
1/8 teaspoon
Coriander Powder
1/2 teaspoon
Cumin Powder
1/4 teaspoon
Water
About 4 cups (8 oz cup)
Red Kidney Beans (Rajma)
1/4 cup (8 oz cup)
Onion
1 medium, finely chopped
Ginger
1 and 1/2 inch, peeled and finely crushed
Thai Chili
3 or according to taste, cut into half
Kashmiri Red Chili Powder
1 teaspoon
Garam Masala Powder
1/4 teaspoon
Salt
1 and 1/4 teaspoons or according to taste
Method
Step 1
Soak the whole black lentils (saabut urad) and red kidney beans (rajma) overnight.
Step 2
In a pressure cooker, add the soaked whole black lentils and red kidney beans with 4 cups of water and 1 teaspoon salt. Close the pressure cooker lid and set the heat to high. After one whistle, bring the heat down to low and cook for another 7 minutes. Remove the pressure cooker from heat, and let the pressure release on its own for the lentils and kidney beans to cook completely.
Step 3
Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a pan on medium-high. Add chopped onions and fry until the onions turn golden brown. Then, add the crushed ginger and garlic, and continue to fry for another 1 to 2 minutes to let the aroma of ginger and garlic combine with the onions.
Note - Save rest of butter for later use.
Note - Save rest of butter for later use.
Step 4
Add the pureed tomato and 1/4 teaspoon salt and mix. Continue to cook the pureed tomato with onions, ginger, and garlic (for about 3 minutes) until tomato turns darker in color.
Step 5
Add turmeric powder, kashmiri red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, and garam masala powder. Add a couple tablespoons of water and mix the spices well with the onion-tomato-ginger-garlic mixture. Continue to cook for 5 to 6 minutes on medium-high until the oil separates from the mixture. Keep stirring the mixture frequently to prevent it from sticking to the bottom of the pan. You will see oil bubbles on top of the spice mixture when it's ready. In this process, you may need to add a few more tablespoons of water to prevent the spices from burning.
Step 6
Now, add the cooked whole black lentils and red kidney beans (along with the water in which they were cooked) and bring to boil. Taste the mixture for salt, and add some more if needed. Bring the heat to medium-low, cover the pan, and cook for another 15 to 20 minutes. Keep stirring occasionally. In this step, you can add some more water if you want the consistency of the dish to be thinner.
Step 7
Add the 1/2 inch cube of butter and mix well. Your Dal Makhani is ready. Serve hot with any Indian bread or Rice dish.
Share your thoughts and questions!
In this recipe, whole black lentils and red kidney beans are first cooked in a pressure cooker, which are further cooked with butter, onions, tomatoes, and spices. The perfect balance of butter and spices makes it a deliciously rich and spicy dish. Dal Makhani tastes best when served hot with any Indian bread or rice dish.
Happy Cooking!