Dal Makhani (Mom's Authentic Recipe)
There’s something truly magical about Dal Makhani—the rich, buttery, slow-cooked lentil dish from North India. It is made with whole black lentils (urad dal) and kidney beans (rajma), simmered in a velvety tomato-based gravy and finished with cream and butter. Learn to make restaurant-style Dal Makhani with my mom's authentic recipe and tips to get the best creamy dal.
Servings: 5
Ingredients
- 1 cup Black gram lentils (Sabut Urad Dal)
- 1/4 cup Red Kidney Beans (Rajma)
- 1 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1 Bay leaf (Tej Patta)
- 1-2 Black Cardamom (Moti Elaichi)
- 1/4 teaspoon Carom seeds (Ajwain) optional, helps for digestion
- 4 cups Water for stovetop pressure cooker, 3.5 cups for instant pot
- 1 tablespoon Ghee
- 3 tablespoons Butter I used amul butter, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon Cumin seeds (Jeera)
- 1 pinch Asafoetida (Hing) optional, use gluten-free if needed or skip
- 1/2 cup Yellow onion grated or finely diced (optional)
- 1 Green Chili Pepper finely diced or slit lenghtwise
- 1/2 tablespoon Ginger freshly grated or paste
- 6 cloves Garlic freshly minced or paste
- 1/2 cup Tomato puree use store-bought if possible, or puree 2 fresh tomatoes
- 2-3 teaspoon Kashmiri red chili powder or Deggi mirch, adjust to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon Garam Masala
- 1.5-2 cups Water adjust as needed
- 1/4 cup Cream
- Amul butter for topping when served
- Cilantro leaves to garnish
Dhungar (optional, for smokey flavor)
- 1 piece Charcoal
- 1 teaspoon Oil
Instructions
Pressure Cook the Dal
- Wash and rinse urad dal and rajma in a large bowl. Soak overnight in 3 cups of water.
- Drain the water in the morning and transfer the dal and rajma to a pressure cooker with 1 1/2 teaspoon salt, bay leaf, black cardamom, and ajwain. Add 4 cups of water (or 3.5 cups if using instant pot).
- Pressure cook on high-medium heat for 3 whistles, then reduce the heat to low-medium and cook for another 15 minutes. (For the instant pot, pressure cook on high pressure for 22 minutes)
- Let the pressure release naturally. The dal and rajma should be thoroughly cooked and melt-in-the-mouth soft. Check by mashing them with your fingers. Now, you can mash some of the dal and rajma using a potato masher or ladle. Don't overmash, you want to have some texture to the dal.
Make the Masala
- In a large pot or pan, heat 2 tablespoon of butter and ghee on medium heat.
- Once they melt, add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle. Then, add the asafoetida and then the onions. Cook the onions for around 5-6 minutes until they turn light golden.
- Add the ginger and garlic. Cook for 1 minute until the raw smell is gone.
- Add the tomato puree. Cook for 3 minutes while stirring continuously. The masala is cooked when oil starts oozing out from the sides.
- Add in the boiled dal, Kashmiri red chili powder and garam masala.
- Add 1 cup of water and stir it in. Bring to a boil, set heat to low, and simmer the dal uncovered for about 30-40 minutes. Sit at regular intervals so that the dal does not stick to the pan. You can add more hot water to adjust the consistency of the dal.
- Once the dal is simmered for 30 minutes, add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and 1/4 cup cream and stir it. Simmer for another 5 minutes. The dal can be served as is or you can do the dungar method below to add a smokey flavor.
Dhungar Method (optional, for smokey flavor)
- Place a trivet and small steel bowl on top of the dal (it should not submerge in the dal). Heat a piece of charcoal over a direct flame until it is red hot. Now, place this hot charcoal in that steel bowl and pour 1 teaspoon of oil on top. This will make fumes come out of the charcoal. Immediately cover the pan with a lid for 5-7 minutes. The longer you keep, the smokier the dal gets. Remove the lid, the steel bowl with charcoal, and the trivet.
Serving
- Garnish dal makhani with chopped cilantro leaves, some more cream and serve with a dollop of butter.
Video
Notes
Tomato puree: If you cannot find store-bought puree, you can puree two ripe tomatoes and use that in the recipe.
No Pressure Cooker: Add soaked dal and rajma to a large pot, add 5 cups of water and the whole spices, and bring to a boil. Then, simmer and let it cook for 70-80 minutes. Once cooked, ensure the dal is tender and can be mashed easily.
Chana dal: Many people add chana dal when making dal makhani. You can add 2-3 tablespoons if you like.
Optional Onion-Free Version: Some traditional Punjabi households make it without onions & garlic, focusing on tomatoes, cream, and whole spices.
Kasoori Methi: I don't add it as my mom does not add it. If you like, add and crush 1 tablespoon of dried fenugreek leaves between your palms and add to the dal just before adding cream.
Second Tempering: I did not add a second tempering. But if you like, you can heat 1 tablespoon of butter or ghee in a small pan. Add a pinch of hing, 2-3 sliced garlic and let them cook until the garlic is golden in about a minute. Then turn off the flame and add 1/2-1 teaspoon of Kashmiri red chili powder. Stir and top it on the dal.
Nutrition
Calories: 311kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 15g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 39mg | Sodium: 824mg | Potassium: 319mg | Fiber: 11g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 763IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 72mg | Iron: 5mg