India is famous for its curries, but of all the curries, Dal makhani is probably the most famous and loved one. It has the perfect balance of spiciness and creaminess that is suitable for all taste palates and also has a subtle smokiness to it that takes the dish to the next level.
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Dal Makhani Lentil Curry
Dal Makhni is the heartthrob of every Indian. This rich lentil dish with a creamy and luxurious texture is a luxury and delicacy at the same time. This dal was invented by the same person who invented the famous Butter Chicken - Kundan Lal Jaggi. When Jaggi created the Butter Chicken, he started to look out for a vegetarian option to compete with this non-veg delicacy. This gave birth to Dal Makhni. This dish is a modern take on the age-old lentil dish that is known as Maa ki Dal.
If you enjoy curry but want to keep it vegetarian, you might also appreciate our shahi paneer curry or even this rajma masala curry. Both are flavorful, easy to prepare, and sure to please.
Ingredients
A few pantry staples, some lentils, kidney beans, and a few added garnishes create a rich curry that is sure to please and ideal for serving your vegetarian guests.
- Black lentils
- Kidney beans
- Unsalted butter
- Water
- Ghee
- Ginger garlic paste
- Red pepper flakes
- Tomato sauce
- Salt
- Heavy cream
Kitchen Tools Needed
- Bowls
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Stovetop pressure cooker or Instant Pot electric pressure cooker
- Deep skillet
- Wooden spoon
How to Make Dal Makhani Lentil Curry on the Stovetop
Wash the black lentils and dry kidney beans well, then pour into a medium bowl and cover with water. Set aside to soak overnight.
Drain the lentils and kidney beans, then place them into a stovetop pressure cooker and cover with water. Cook for 25 to 30 minutes (8 to 10 whistles), until the lentils and beans are completely cooked and tender.
Pour the bean and lentils in their liquid into a bowl then add butter to the cooked dal and stir to combine, then set aside.
In a medium skillet, heat ghee over medium heat. Add in the ginger-garlic paste, and red pepper flakes. Cook 2 minutes.
Add the tomato puree or sauce and cook, stirring regularly, for addtional 3 minutes.
Pour the cooked dal and butter into the tempering mixture into the skillet.
Mash the dal until mostly smooth with some lumps.
Keeping the heat on medium, add salt and butter to the mixture and stir well to combine.
Cook over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes to combine, and if the mixture is too thick, add water in ¼ cup increments to adjust to your preferred thickness.
Serve hot with steamed rice and garnish with cream and fresh coriander.
How To Make Dal Makhani In The Instant Pot
Rinse the dry lentils and kidney beans well then pour the lentils and beans into the Instant Pot liner and cover with water.
Place the lid onto the Instant Pot and set to seal.
If the beans and lentils have been soaked, set to manual high pressure for 15 minutes. Once the cooking cycle is done, allow to naturally release for 10 minutes before releasing any remaining pressure.
If cooking without soaking overnight, set to manual high pressure for 45 minutes. Once the cooking cycle is done, allow to naturally release for 10 minutes before releasing any remaining pressure.
Follow steps 3 to 9 above.
Dal Makhni involves two major elements - black lentils (urad dal) and red kidney beans (rajma). This lentil dish doesn’t involve the use of too many spices, but it does use a lot of butter. Traditionally, the dish is slow-cooked overnight on a tandoor that imparts the iconic smoky flavor associated with it. But for our recipe, we will keep it simple and tasty, without compromising on the flavor profile.
While you can use already cooked lentils or canned kidney beans, if you will be cooking this with dry lentils and beans, it is vital to soak them. If you are using an Instant Pot, this step is less important. Soaking overnight soaking is ideal, but if you're trying to make this for a quick lunch, allow them to soak for at least 30 minutes in hot water to get that perfect texture and taste.
You can make this on the stovetop by cooking the lentils and kidney beans in a stockpot until tender. This can take from 40 minutes to 1 hour. Then continue the steps as shown above.
One of the best parts about this curry is the fact that you can easily make this ahead of time and store it for later, or even store the leftovers for the next day. It freezes really well. Just prepare the base without the cream and transfer it to an airtight, freezer-safe container. After that, all you have to do is reheat it, add in the cream, and finish up. It is that easy.
Tips to Nail the Dal Makhani Recipe
Want to perfect your recipe? Here are a few tips and tricks to keep in mind.
- To intensify the tangy flavors of the dal, you can add in some store-bought tomato paste too.
- Don't have ginger garlic paste? Use chopped ginger and garlic instead. Just make sure you fry them well in the oil before you add in the other ingredients.
- This isn't a recipe where you'd want to control your fat intake. Be generous with the butter and cream- they both add a lovely richness to your dal and complement the spices in it perfectly.
- If you're making the dal makhani on your stovetop, make sure you leave it uncovered, and allow it to cook for atleast 45 minutes or until the lentils are soft, tender and perfectly cooked. Keep stirring to prevent any dal from sticking to the bottom of the pot, and add water if the dal starts to turn too thick.
- If you don't mind the spice, add in a teaspoon garam masala powder (Indian allspice) towards the end, and give it a good mix. This will lend the dal a nice kick of spice and some smokiness as well.
- The earthy flavors of the lentils really shine through in this recipe, but if you want that extra added touch of smoky flavor, you can give it the typical Indian charcoal smoke for 2-3 minutes.
- A lot of Indian curries also finish up with a pinch or two of kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) whcih takes the taste and flavor of the dal up a notch. If you have it handy, don't forget to add it in as well!
Serving Ideas & Suggestions
Ready to get started with the recipe? Here are a few ideas to serve it, the right way.
- Just like pretty much any other Indian curry, you can serve the dal makhani with some steamed Basmati rice or homemade naan.
- If you like your meals to be spicy, the curry can also be served with some spicy lemon rice and some roasted poppadum on the side.
- No Indian meal is complete without a side of salad. You can make a quick salad of sliced veggies like cucumber, tomatoes and onions or just serve some salted onion slices on the side if you don't want to put in too much effort.
- Wash down this lip smacking Indian meal with some tangy tamarind cooler or the good old mango lassi.
- You can also team this up with another Indian style curry like some mushroom masala curry or an easy aloo matar paneer.
Indian Dal Makhani Lentil Curry Recipe
Ingredients
For boiled dal
- 1 cup Dry black lentils
- ¼ cup Dry kidney beans
- As reqd Water
- ¼ cup Unsalted butter
For Tempering
- ¼ cup Ghee
- 1 tsp Ginger garlic paste
- 1 tsp Red pepper flakes
- 1 cup Tomato sauce
- ¼ cup Unsalted butter
- 2 tsp Salt
- ¼ cup Heavy cream
- 4 tsp Unsalted butter cubes
Instructions
How to Make Dal Makhni on the Stovetop
- Wash the black lentils and dry kidney beans well, then pour into a medium bowl and cover with water. Set aside to soak overnight.
- Drain the lentils and kidney beans, then place them into a stovetop pressure cooker and cover with water. Cook for 25 to 30 minutes (8 to 10 whistles), until the lentils and beans are completely cooked and tender.
- Pour the bean and lentils in their liquid into a bowl then add butter to the cooked dal and stir to combine, then set aside.
- In a medium skillet, heat ghee over medium heat. Add in the ginger-garlic paste, red pepper flakes, and tomato sauce. Cook, stirring regularly, for 4 to 5 minutes.
- Pour the cooked dal and butter into the tempering mixture into the skillet.
- Mash the dal until mostly smooth with some lumps.
- Keeping the heat on medium, add salt and butter to the mixture and stir well to combine.
- Cook over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes to combine, and if the mixture is too thick, add water in ¼ cup increments to adjust to your preferred thickness.
- Serve hot with steamed rice and garnish with cream and fresh coriander.
How to Make Dal Makhni in the Instant Pot
- Rinse the dry lentils and kidney beans well then pour the lentils and beans into the Instant Pot liner and cover with water.
- Place the lid onto the Instant Pot and set to seal.
- If the beans and lentils have been soaked, set to manual high pressure for 15 minutes. Once the cooking cycle is done, allow to naturally release for 10 minutes before releasing any remaining pressure. If cooking without soaking overnight, set to manual high pressure for 45 minutes. Once the cooking cycle is done, allow to naturally release for 10 minutes before releasing any remaining pressure.
- Follow steps 3 to 9 above.
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