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.
Equipment
- Pressure Cooker
Ingredients
- 1 cup Whole black gram urad whole
- 2 tbsp Kidney beans rajma
- 1/2 medium Onions chopped
- 2 large Tomatoes pureed
- 1 inch Ginger crushed
- 7-8 Garlic divided, crushed and chopped
- 1/3 cup Coriander leaves divided, chopped
- 1 Bay leaf
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds
- 1/4 tsp Asafoetida
- 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
- 3/4 tsp Kashmiri red chili powder divided
- 1/2 tsp Red chili powder
- 1 tsp Coriander powder
- 1/2 tsp Garam masala
- 1 tbsp Kasoori methi crushed
- 1 1/2 tsp Salt or as required
- 1 tbsp Oil
- 2 tbsp Butter
- 2 tsp Ghee
- 2 tbsp Heavy cream
Instructions
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.
Notes
- 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.