How To Make Dal Makhani | Dal Makhani Recipe

See Recipe In हिन्दी (Hindi)

Dal makhani recipe is a very popular Indian restaurant style vegetarian recipe. It’s very popular in North Indian households. You can get it in almost every Indian restaurants.

Dhaba is my favorite dine out destination. I love dhaba food. I love the whole ambiance, familiar and welcoming nature that is typical of dhabas, over fancy top-notch restaurants. When in a Dhaba, I always order dal makhani. It is a specialty of Punjab and a luxury food for vegetarians. So today, I decided to share with you its recipe, prepare it with your heart.

You can also see my dal fry, turai chana dal or dal tadka etc.

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While other cuisines measure their ingredients in mg and oz, the Punjabi style metric goes by the “generous” amount. Dal makhani is prepared with black urad dal and mashed rajma or kidney beans, with “generous” amounts of butter and cream. This high protein dish is loaded with nourishment; no wonder Punjabi men can rip off tube wells with their bare hands! In my home though, this dish is reserved for special occasions, because as you can see, it is very rich in calories, and being south Indian, we are used to light food.

Traditional dal makhani involves slow simmering of the dal with whole spices to bring out the sensational aroma and impeccable taste, as well as the texture. But, if that seems a lot of hard work for you, you can just pressure cook it like me, it will still be very delicious.

I am using the traditional whole black urad dal, but it can be prepared with your favorite dal, like, masur dal, which can be a scrumptious choice, you can also use mixed dal. The urad dal is used to balance out the calorie quotient in this dish, since it is less in calories than all other lentils or pulses. I would say if you are having this dish occasionally, and are not diabetic or have any other health issues, then go by the Punjabi rule of generosity, and enjoy it to the fullest.

How to make dal makhani:

• Clean, wash and soak both the rajma and urad dal for 3-4 hours or overnite. If you do not have much time of soaking the dal then you can put both the rajma and urad dal in hot water and leave it for an hour.
• After soaking drain all the water and transfer it in a pressure cooker to boil.

• Add salt, 4 cups of water (add water upto immersing level). Mix it well.
• Close the lid of pressure cooker and cook dal over medium flame for 8-9 whistles. Turn off flame.

• Allow the steam to escape naturally before opening the lid. If they are not cooked thoroughly, then add water accordingly and pressure cook for few more whistles.
• Mash the dal with laddle or the large spoon after cooking the dal in pressure cooker.
• Let’s prepare our seasoning.
• Heat butter/ ghee in a pan, once the butter melts adds chopped onion and saute on medium flame till the onion becomes translucent or light brown.

• Add ginger garlic paste and saute for a minute till the raw smell goes away.

• Add ¾ tsp of red chilly powder and mix it well.

• Add tomato paste (Grind tomatoes to make paste) and sauté till it starts leaving the sides of pan and all the moisture gets evaporated and it becomes just like thick paste.

• Add cumin powder and few chopped coriander leaves and saute it for a minute.

• Add cooked dal and rajma with its water, mix it well.

• Dal Makhani is usually has medium to thick consistency so add more water as per requirement and bring it to the desired consistency.
• Add garam masala, remaining red chilly powder and mix it well.

• Add salt to taste (I have added salt while boiling the dal and rajma so add salt accordingly)

• Cook dal on low flame for 6-7 minutes till you get the smooth and creamy texture. Keep on stirring in between so that it does not stick to the bottom of a pan. You can add more water if required.

• Lastly add fresh cream, freshly chopped coriander leaves and stir for a minute.

• Garnish with some chopped coriander leaves, fresh cream and serve.

• Serve hot with Nan, Jeera rice.

See Recipe In हिन्दी (Hindi)