Dal makhani ki recipe | Punjabi dal makhani recipe | How to make dal makhani

Dal aka lentils are the most common staples in Indian diet. There are myriad dal recipes prepared every day in each house of India. Whether its lunch or dinner, a bowl of comforting dal is always there on the dining table. But this dal makhani recipe is always treated as special recipe for dal which is completely different from others.

Dal makhani ki recipe is a rich creamy and buttery dal recipe which is prepared with lots of cream and butter. Hence, it is prepared on special occasions. Any north Indian party or ceremony is incomplete without Punjabi dal makhani recipe. This classic delight is also one of the most ordered dal recipe in any north Indian restaurant.

What is dal makhani?

Dal makhana recipe is a classic Punjabi dal recipe where black gram dal and kidney beans are slow cooked with butter, cream and minimal amount of spices.

Traditionally, the dal makhani recipe is prepared on tandoor where the lentils are simmered with the masala for several hours. This slow cooking process yields thick, creamy and salivating buttery dal.

Tandoor is basically a cylindrical shaped clay oven which is used to prepare different types of foods like tikkas, rotis, naan, dal and curries etc. in wood or coal fire.

Slow cooking process is the secret behind the preparation of delicious dal makhani recipe. The more it is slow cooked for longer duration, the dal makhani enhances its flavour and tastes even more better.

In dhabas and most of the authentic north Indian restaurants, the dal makhai ki recipe is cooked in a tandoor and simmered for either overnight or for several hours which induces a mild smokey flavour from the charcoal-wood fire and gives perfect consistency to the dal.

Many people get confused between dal makhana and kali dal. But both the preparations are way far from each on aspects of taste, flavour and texture.

Difference between dal makhani and kali dal

Dal makhani is a special dish which is mostly prepared on special occasions. On the other hand, kali dal recipe is a comforting dish which is regularly prepared at home.

Recipe for dal makhani is prepared with the combination of whole black gram, red kidney beans or rajma. Whereas the kali dal is prepared only with whole black gram or sabut urad dal.

The texture of dal makhani is much creamier and richer than kali dal. Dal makhani is cooked for longer duration for the creamier and thicker texture as compared to kali dal recipe.

In dal makhani recipe, generous amount of butter and cream is added which is to make it special and rich. On the other side, these two things are not mandatory in kali dal recipe. As I already mentioned, kali dal is a regular comforting dal recipe.

Recipe for dal makhani is one of my favourites and since my childhood, I have ordered it countless number of times in restaurants. I never tried this classic Punjabi dish at home before my marriage. My husband is addicted towards dal makhani and whenever we used to go to any north Indian restaurant, he always ordered a plate of it.

His passion towards the Punjabi dal makhani dragged me towards the kitchen to prepare it at home. Honestly on my first attempt the taste of the dish was ok but not like the restaurant served ones. Preparing a perfect dal makhani at home requires generous amount of experience and expertise too. After my multiple attempts and experiments, finally I got the key to prepare a perfect dal makhani ki recipe which my husband certified to be better than the restaurant bought ones.

I have included all the tips and tricks to prepare perfect restaurant style dal makhani. I have tried my level best to keep the recipe as simple as possible so you can opt in making the recipe effortlessly.

Dal makhani ki recipe aka Punjabi dal makhani recipe is a simple and easy dal recipe. Though it is a slow cooking recipe on pan, and it takes several hours to get cooked but the way of cooking it is quite easy. The key thing which you require for the perfect dal makhana recipe is patience and lots of time. Surprisingly, this dal recipe requires very few ingredients which are easily available in any Indian grocery.

Dal makhani ki recipe with step by step photos and instructions have been provided in the ‘Instructions’ section of the recipe. But before directly jumping into the recipe, let me share few interesting facts about the urad dal recipe and whole black gram.

Health benefits of Black gram

Tips to prepare perfect Punjabi style dal makhana

How to make a dal makhani?

To prepare the perfect Punjabi style dal makhana, it is very important to take correct proportion of lentil and to soak the dal properly.

I have used ¾ cup of black gram and ¼ cup of kidney beans and washed it properly. Soak the dal for at least 8 hours or for overnight. Next day, drain the excess water and add fresh water into the lentil and rub it nicely for a minute. Then wash the dal again. This step helps to get perfect coloured dal makhani ki recipe.

Transfer the lentils into a pressure cooker and add salt, water and give a stir. Close the lid and put the cooker on medium flame and cook it till 8-10 whistles. Allow the cooker to release its pressure. After the pressure gets released completely, drain the major portion of excess water. It helps to give better colour to the dal and reduces the strong flavour of the lentils too.

You can cook the dal in pan too, but the usage of pressure cooker reduces the effort and time of boiling the dal.

On the other hand, finely chop the onion, garlic and make a smooth paste of tomatoes and green chillies for the Punjabi dal makhana recipe.

Now put a pan on flame and add generous amount of ghee and butter and allow them to melt. The ghee resists the butter to burn. Add chopped garlic and toss it in butter till golden and then add chopped onion into the pan and cook it for another 5-6 minutes over medium flame. Stir in regular intervals.

Add ginger paste and garlic paste into the pan and cook it in low flame for another 2-3 minutes until the raw smell goes away.

Add smoked paprika or red chilli powder and give a nice mix. Cook the masala in lowest flame for another minute.

Add the tomato-green chilli paste into the pan and give a nice stir. Cook it over medium flame for 5-6 minutes until the masala releases butter.

Add the boiled lentil into the pan and mix it properly. Cook it in medium flame for couple of minutes.

Now the main part aka simmering the dal has come. Add 1 cup water into the pan and give a nice stir. Then add 1 more tablespoon of butter, salt and mix them nicely.

Put the flame in low and allow the dal to simmer for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally and don’t forget to scrap the sides and bottom of the pan.

In this way, I have simmered the dal for 2 hours and added 1 cup of water in 30 minutes interval. You can increase or reduce the time of simmering the dal accordingly. But the more you simmer the dal, it will taste better and better.

10-15 minutes before switching off the flame, add gamram masala, sugar and give a nice mix. Then add fresh cream, kasuri methi into the dal makhani and mix it nicely.

Switch off the flame and add 1 tablespoon of butter at the end and give a nice stir. Cover the pan and keep it aside.

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup Black lentils or Black gram or Sabut Urad dal
• ¼ cup Kidney beans or Rajma
• 3 & ½ cups Water
• 1 teaspoon Salt

• 1 small Onion, finely chopped
• 3 Tomatoes, for the paste
• 2-3 green Chillies, for the paste
• 2 teaspoons Garlic, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon Garlic paste
• 1 teaspoon Ginger paste
• 1 teaspoon smoked Paprika or red Chilli powder
• ¼ teaspoon Garam Masala powder
• 1 teaspoon Kasuri Methi (Dried fenugreek leaves)
• ¼ cup Fresh cream for cooking
• 1 tablespoon Ghee (Clarified Butter)
• 4 tablespoons Butter, divided 2+1+1
• ½ teaspoon Sugar, optional
• Salt to taste
• 4 cups of water, divided 1 cup water for each 30 minutes
• 2 tablespoons Fresh cream for garnishing

1. Take ¾ cup black Lentils, ¼ cup kidney beans (Rajma) in a large bowl. Wash the lentils and soak it for at least 8 hours or for overnight with enough water.
2. Next day morning, drain away the excess water and add fresh water into the bowl. Rub the black gram for a minute and wash the dal for 2-3 times until the water gets clear. Drain away the water.
3. Transfer the dal into a pressure cooker. Add 3 ½ cups of Water and 1 teaspoon Salt into the cooker. Give a stir and close the lid of the pressure cooker.
4. Put the cooker on medium flame for 8-10 whistles.
   Note: Number of whistles may vary due to quality, quantity and temperature.
5. Rest the pressure cooker and allow the pressure to settle down. Then take off the lid. Drain out the excess water as much as possible from the cooker. This step helps to give better colour to the dal makhani recipe and reduces the strong flavour of the lentil as well. Keep the dal aside.
6. On the other hand, cut the Tomatoes into four pieces and deseed them. Then add the tomato chunks, green chillies into the jar of the mixer grinder. Grind it till smooth paste. Keep the tomato-green chilli paste aside.
7. Now put a pan on flame and let the pan become completely dry. Add 1 tablespoon of ghee and 2 tablespoons of butter and allow them to melt. The ghee resists the butter to burn and induces better flavour to the dal makhani ki recipe.
8. Add 2 teaspoons chopped garlic and toss it in butter for 1-2 minutes till golden in colour.
9. Then add chopped onion into the pan and cook it for another 5-6 minutes over medium flame. Stir in regular intervals.
10. Add ginger paste and garlic paste one by one into the pan and give a nice stir. Cook it in low flame for another 2-3 minutes until the raw smell goes away.
11. Add 1 teaspoon smoked paprika or red chilli powder and give a nice mix. Cook the masala in lowest flame for another minute.
12. Add the tomato-green chilli paste (Step 6) into the pan and give a nice mix. Cook it over medium flame for 5-6 minutes until the masala releases butter.
13. Add the boiled lentil (Step 5) into the pan and mix it properly. Cook it in medium flame for couple of minutes.
14. Add 1 cup water into the pan and give a nice stir.
15. Then add 1 tablespoon of butter, salt and mix them nicely.
16. Put the flame in low and allow the dal to simmer for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally and don’t forget to scrap the sides and bottom of the pan.
17. In this way, simmer the dal makhani for 2 hours. Add 1 cup of water for each 30 minutes interval.
    Note: You can increase or reduce the time of simmering the dal according to your own preference. But more you simmer the dal it will taste better and better.
18. 10-15 minutes before switching off the flame add ¼ teaspoon garam masala, ½ teaspoon sugar and give a nice mix.
19. Then add ¼ cup fresh cream, 1 teaspoon kasuri methi (Dried fenugreek leaves) into the dal makhani and mix it nicely. Don’t forget to taste the salt before switching off the flame.
20. Then switch off the flame and add more 1 tablespoon of butter at the end and give a nice mix.
21. The dal makhani recipe is now ready to serve. Swirl some cream on the top for extra rich and creamy texture.

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