Dal makhani Recipe | Dal makhni | Restaurant style Dal makhani Recipe | How to make the best dal makhni with step by step instructions

Dal makhani Recipe | Dal makhni, also known as ‘Maa ki Dal’ is an exotic and most popular lentils recipe that has origins from Punjab. It is prepared by cooking whole Urad dal (whole black lentils) and Rajma (kidney beans) in spiced gravy of onion-tomato, with generous amounts of butter and cream.

Here dal translates to lentils and makhani means creamy as butter. It’s a perfect accompaniment for Steamed Rice, Roti / Naan and Vegetable raita, Lachha pyaz/Onion rings  and some chopped salad on the side.

Best lentil recipe, Dal makhani recipe | Dal makhni

This restaurant style Dal Makhni Recipe is full of subtle flavors and creaminess of the lentils. If you are a foodie who loves North Indian style food then you are going to love this makhani dal even more.

My other dal/lentil recipes on the blog –

Sindhi Sai bhaji ( chana dal palak)

Masoor dal tadka

Mung bean curry

Sukha moong dal

Tri dali dal

Brown lentils curry

Sindhi dal pakwan

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Dal makhani Recipe | Dal makhni | Restaurant style Dal makhani Recipe

Dal makhani Recipe | Dal makhni, also known as 'Maa ki Dal' is an exotic and most popular lentils recipe that has origins from Punjab. It is prepared by cooking whole Urad dal (whole black lentils) and Rajma (kidney beans) in spiced gravy of onion-tomato, with generous amounts of butter and cream.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time2 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Soaking time8 hours hrs

Course: Main course, Lunch

Cuisine: Indian

Keyword: dal makhani, langar wali dal, maa ki dal, makhni dal

Servings: 4

Author: Lata Lala

Ingredients

To make Dal

• 1 cup Black Urad Dal /Black lentils
• 2 tbsp Rajma /Kidney beans
• 1 tsp Salt
• 2 Whole peppercorns
• 1 inch Cinnamon
• 1 Green Ilaichi cardamom
• 4 Laung/ cloves
• 4 Cups Water
• 1 cup Milk

To make gravy

• 2 tbsp Ghee/clarified butter
• 1 Piece Bay leaf
• 2 Onions finely chopped
• 3 tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste
• 3 Tomatoes chopped finely
• 1 tbsp Red Chilli Powder
• 1/2 Tsp Garam masala powder
• 1 tsp Kasuri Methi
• To taste Salt
• 2 Charcoal pcs
• 1 tsp Ghee

For garnish

• 2 tbsp Butter
• 2 Tbsp Coriander
• 1 Tbsp Fresh cream

Instructions

To pressure cook dal

• Wash both whole black gram and red kidney beans together and soak them in sufficient water for 7-8 hours.
• Transfer the soaked lentils into a pressure cooker, add 4 cups water.
• Once it starts to boil you will see scum floating on top. Remove that scum, add all the whole spices by placing them in a cotton cloth, tie it by making a potli (bag) except bay leaves in it.
• Allow the lentils to cook first on high flame for 2 whistles and after that over low flame for around 20 minutes. Switch off the flame and let the cooker de pressurise naturally.
• Remove the whole spices bag. With the help of back side of the ladel start mashing the dal and rajma.
• Meanwhile add half of the warm milk into the dal and let it cook on slow flame. In between keep stirring the dal continuously so that it doesn't stick to bottom.
• Once the dal starts to thicken keep adding remaining milk little by little.

Make onion tomato gravy

• On the other side start making onion tomato gravy to be added to dal.
• Heat ghee in a pan and add asafoetida, bay leaves and cumin seeds in it.
• Add onions, minced ginger, garlic and chilli in it and mix well. Saute over medium flame till onions are golden brown in color and raw aroma goes away.
• Add chopped/pureed tomatoes and mix well. Saute over medium flame for few minutes.
• Add all the powdered spices except garam masala.
• Mix well and saute it over medium flame for 2-3 minutes till the masala becomes dry and starts releasing oil from its sides.
• To this add boiled lentils and mix well.
• At this stage if you feel that the dal is thickened, add 1 cup of hot water and mix well.
• Cover the pan with a lid and allow the dal to simmer for next 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• In the last add cream and mix well. Again simmer for 10 minutes.
• Next add kasuri methi by rubbing it in between your palms.
• Add butter and mix well. Simmer for next 40 minutes. Add some water if dal is getting too thick. The more you will cook the dal on low flame the more it will be tasty. Also add garam masala powder at this stage.
• Now take out the dal in a bowl and keep aside.

For dhungaar (smoky flavour)

• Heat a piece of charcoal over high flame till it becomes red hot.
• Keep the charcoal in a small bowl and pour 1 teaspoon of ghee over it. Immediately transfer this bowl of coal over the dal bowl.
• Cover the lid of the dal bowl and let it rest for 1 minutes. The more you will leave the charcoal inside the dal the more smoky flavor and aroma it will have.
• Open the lid after one minute and remove it. Yummy Dal Makhani is ready.
• Serve it with a dollop of butter and fresh coriander leaves.

Step by step instructions and pictorial presentation to make Dal makhani Recipe | Dal makhni

To pressure cook dal

Wash both whole black gram and red kidney beans together and soak them in sufficient water for 7-8 hours.

Transfer the soaked lentils into a pressure cooker, add 4 cups water.

Once it starts to boil you will see scum floating on top. Remove that scum, add all the whole spices by placing them in a cotton cloth, tie it by making a potli (bag) except bay leaves in it.

Allow the lentils to cook first on high flame for 2 whistles and after that over low flame for around 20 minutes. Switch off the flame and let the cooker de pressurise naturally.

Remove the whole spices bag. With the help of back side of the ladel start mashing the dal and rajma.

Meanwhile add half of the warm milk into the dal and let it cook on slow flame. In between keep stirring the dal continuously so that it doesn’t stick to bottom.

Once the dal starts to thicken keep adding remaining milk little by little.

Make onion tomato gravy

On the other side start making onion tomato gravy to be added to dal.

Heat ghee in a pan and add asafoetida, bay leaves and cumin seeds in it.

Add onions, minced ginger, garlic and chilli in it and mix well. Saute over medium flame till onions are golden brown in color and raw aroma goes away.

Add chopped/pureed tomatoes and mix well. Saute over medium flame for few minutes.

Add all the powdered spices except garam masala.

Mix well and saute it over medium flame for 2-3 minutes till the masala becomes dry and starts releasing oil from its sides.

To this add boiled lentils and mix well.
At this stage if you feel that the dal is thickened, add 1 cup of hot water and mix well.

Cover the pan with a lid and allow the dal to simmer for next 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

In the last add cream and mix well. Again simmer for 10 minutes. Next add kasuri methi by rubbing it in between your palms.

Add butter and mix well. Simmer for next 40 minutes. Add some water if dal is getting too thick. The more you will cook the dal on low flame the more it will be tasty. Also add garam masala powder at this stage.

Now take out the dal in a bowl and keep aside.

For dhungaar (smoky flavour)

Heat a piece of charcoal over high flame till it becomes red hot.

Keep the charcoal in a small bowl and pour 1 teaspoon of ghee over it. Immediately transfer this bowl of coal over the dal bowl.

Cover the lid of the dal bowl and let it rest for 1 minutes. The more you will leave the charcoal inside the dal the more smoky flavor and aroma it will have.

Open the lid after one minute and remove it. Yummy Dal Makhani is ready.

Serve it with a dollop of butter and fresh coriander leaves.

Pro tips

1. Always soak your lentils and rajma at least for 8 hours or overnight. This will speed up the cooking procedure.

2. Cook your lentils and rajma very well as undercooked lentils won’t work for this recipe.

3. Cooking this dal with required quantity of butter is the key ingredient for perfect dal makhani. You may use homemade white butter also.

4. Slow cooking this dal on lowest heat brings out the best flavour. In several restaurants in India it’s cooked for several hours or overnight.

5. Make sure to use red ripe tomatoes to make this dal as it impacts the final colour of dal.

6. Patience is the key to make this dal. Be patient with the cooking procedure and let it slow cook for best taste.

7. Limit the amount of usage of garam masala in this dal as otherwise it will overpower the taste.

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