Creamy Dal Makhani – Indian Lentil Stew

Dal Makhani is a protein rich, delicious, and flavorful Indian lentil stew. This creamy and buttery dish is from Punjab, India. A perfect dish to enjoy on busy weekdays with some jeera rice or homemade garlic naan. 

Traditionally, dal makhani is cooked slowly on charcoal to create a perfect buttery and silky texture with loads of butter and cream. You can prepare the dal with ease in the pressure cooker. It makes a very comforting dish which is bursting with aromatic spices that will blow your mind.

Dal makhani is prepared in restaurants by adding ample butter and creams which you can enjoy occasionally. The homemade version of this dal is made with less butter and cream but still tastes amazing, so you can have it frequently. 

The combination of dal makhani, jeera rice, and some oven roasted veggies will make a very warm and comforting meal especially when the temperature cools down. I love to make this piping hot creamy dal from fall to winter once every 15 days.   

This heart warming stew is made with whole black gram (urad whole) and red kidney beans (rajma). The dal is prepared in an onion, ginger, garlic, and tomato sauce with some exotic Indian spices. It is further cooked on simmer for about 20-25 minutes for the best flavors in the dish. Later on some cream is added for some richness in the gravy! 

Whole black gram and kidney beans are a good source of fiber and protein. Lentils are generally slow digesting food, so soaking for 6-8 hours will help them cook faster and be easier to digest. 

Ingredients

• Whole black gram
• Kidney beans
• Onions
• Tomatoes
• Ginger
• Garlic
• Coriander leaves
• Bay leaf
• Cumin seeds
• Asafoetida
• Turmeric powder
• Kashmiri red chili powder
• Red chili powder 
• Coriander powder
• Garam masala
• Kasoori methi
• Salt
• Oil
• Butter
• Ghee
• Heavy cream 

Step By Step Dal Makhani Recipe

Prepare The Dal

Rinse the whole urad and kidney beans in ample water by rubbing with your fingers to remove all the debris. In a large bowl, soak the lentils in 3 cups of water for 6-8 hours. 

Throw out all the water, rinse the lentils thoroughly with some fresh water, and drain. 

Transfer the lentils to a pressure cooker, add 3 cups of water, and cook them for 6 whistles on medium heat. Lower the heat and let them cook further for 15 minutes. 

Let the pressure release naturally from the pressure cooker. Gently open the lid and check if the dal is cooked by pressing the kidney beans between your fingers. 

Next, mash some of the cooked lentils with a potato masher and set aside. 

Make The Sauce

Heat 1 tbsp oil and 1 tbsp butter in a pan on medium heat. Add cumin seeds, let them splutter, and add 1 bay leaf.

Add some asafoetida and crushed ginger garlic. Let the ginger and garlic cook for 30 seconds. 

Next, add turmeric powder, ½ tsp Kashmiri red chili powder, ½ tsp red chili powder, and mix. 

Add the chopped onions, coriander powder, and sauté them for 5 minutes. 

Transfer the tomato puree, salt, 2-3 tbsp water, and mix well. 

Cover the pan with a lid and let the sauce cook for 12-15 minutes, stirring in between. 

Add some coriander leaves and mix them well.

Gently transfer the cooked dal to the pan, add 1 to ¼ cup water, and mix well. Add another 1 tbsp butter, garam masala, ¼ cup coriander leaves, mix, cover with a lid, and cook the dal on simmer for 5 minutes. 

Meanwhile, heat 2 tsp ghee in a tempering pan. 

Add ¼ tsp Kashmiri red chili powder, 3-4 finely chopped garlic cloves, and let them fry on low heat for 1 minute. 

Switch off the heat, add crushed kasoori methi, and transfer the tempering to a dal pan. Mix everything well. 

Let the dal cook for 15 minutes on low heat, stirring in between. 

Add heavy cream, mix, and let the dal cook for about 2 minutes. 

Drizzle some cream while serving the dal if you like. 

Tips For Making Dal Makhani

• Lentils are generally a slow digesting food and soaking for 6-8 hours will help them cook faster and be easier to digest. 
• The secret to perfect tasting dal makhani is cooking the dal on low heat for a long time. Slow cooking helps release amazing flavors and texture in the dal. 
• Butter, cream, and ghee play a very important role in giving richness and creaminess to the dish. Do not skip these ingredients. I have used minimal quantities in the dish but still gives tons of flavors; you can add some more butter if you wish. 

Variations

• If you don’t have a pressure cooker, soak the dal overnight, and cook it over a stovetop for 1.5 to 2 hours with 7-8 cups of water. 
• For a vegan diet, skip adding butter, ghee, and cream. Add oil or vegan butter and use cashew cream or coconut cream instead of heavy cream in the recipe. 
• To make it restaurant style dal makhani, use 6 tbsp butter and ¼ cup cream in the recipe. 

How To Store Dal Makhani? 

Dal Makhani tastes best when served hot. It tastes even better the next day once all the spices and flavors are settled down in the dish. 

It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days in an airtight container. 

Store the dal in a freezer in a freezer safe container for 2 months. Keep the dal on the countertop for 2-3 hours and heat it in the microwave until piping hot before serving. 

How To Serve Dal Makhani? 

Serve the dal with some plain basmati rice or jeera rice for a comforting meal. Mango pickle and roasted papad can be served along with the rice and dal. 

It tastes amazing with any Indian flat bread like roti, whole wheat paratha, naan, or garlic naan. 

Serve some mango pickle, garlic chutney, dry peanut chutney or green chili pickle along with some rice and yogurt. 

Dal Recipes 

• Green Split Peas Dal
• Spinach Dal

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