Dal Makhani

Name: Dal Makhani
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 9 h 15 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: ½ cup urad dal (whole black gram); 2 tablespoons dry red kidney beans; 2 dry Indian red chilies; 1- inch piece fresh ginger; 6 cloves garlic; 3 cups plus 2 tablespoons water; ½ teaspoon ground turmeric; 1 tablespoon vegetable oil or ghee; 1 medium onion; 2 teaspoons ground coriander; 1 teaspoon garam masala; 1 teaspoon cumin seeds or ground cumin; ½ teaspoon Indian red chili powder; 1 cup canned tomato sauce; 2 tablespoons butter; kosher salt; 2 tablespoons heavy cream

User Reviews

5.0

24 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
Soaking Time
8 hrs
Total Time
9 hrs 15 mins
Servings
4 servings
Calories
272 kcal
Course
Side Dish, Main Course
Cuisine
Indian

Dal Makhani

Megan Mendez

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Dal makhani is an extremely popular North Indian vegetarian curry dish of lentils and beans in a spicy and creamy sauce. It's often made for special occasions, and is also sometimes called the Queen of All Dals.

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Ingredients

Servings

½ cup urad dal (whole black gram)
2 tablespoons dry red kidney beans
2 dry Indian red chilies stems removed
1- inch piece fresh ginger peeled and roughly chopped
6 cloves garlic
3 cups plus 2 tablespoons water
½ teaspoon ground turmeric
1 tablespoon vegetable oil or ghee
1 medium onion finely chopped
2 teaspoons ground coriander
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon cumin seeds or ground cumin
½ teaspoon Indian red chili powder
1 cup canned tomato sauce (tomato puree)
2 tablespoons butter
kosher salt
2 tablespoons heavy cream (optional)

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Instructions

Soak both the dals (urad dal and kidney beans) in plenty of cold water for 8 hours or overnight. Rinse well and drain.
Soak the dry red chilies in hot water for 15 minutes and then drain well. Add the reconstituted chilies, ginger, garlic, and 2 tablespoons water to a small food processor and puree until it forms a smooth paste. (Add a little extra water if needed to get the mixture moving).
To a medium-large pot add the soaked dals, the remaining 3 cups water, half of the ginger-garlic-chili paste, and the ground turmeric. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer covered for 35 to 45 minutes until the dal is tender. Mash it a little with the back of a spoon, and set aside.
Meanwhile during the last 15 or so minutes of the dal cooking, heat the oil over medium heat in a large sauté pan or skillet. Add the onions and sauté until they start browning, about 10 to 15 minutes. Add the remaining ginger-garlic-chili paste and sauté for another minute. Then add the ground coriander, garam masala, cumin, and chili powder, stirring for a few seconds. Then add the tomato sauce and butter, and cook until the butter melts and the sauce becomes incredibly fragrant, a few minutes more.
Immediately add this mixture to the pot with the dal and its liquid. Season with salt (but not too much as it will reduce) and bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer uncovered for another 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens and the flavors infuse. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Stir in the heavy cream, if desired, and cook for another 3 minutes. Serve hot with any Indian bread or rice.

Notes

Store leftover dal makhani in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days. Reheat on the stovetop in a pan or in the microwave in a microwave safe dish. If the consistency thickens during refrigeration, you may thin it out with a little water if desired. For longer storage, you may freeze it in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.
If you need to use canned (cooked) kidney beans, drain and rinse the beans well, and plan to use about 3 times as much (around 6 tablespoons cooked beans). Add cooked kidney beans at the same time you add the tomato-spice mixture to the cooked ural dal. Then proceed as directed.
I use dried Indian red chilies and Indian chili powder (listed as medium-hot spice) that I purchased at Kalustyan's Indian grocery store in New York City. You can find these ingredients in well stocked international markets or online as well. In a pinch, use cayenne pepper powder as a substitute, though spice levels may vary.
I like to use canned tomato sauce (or tomato puree) for this recipe as it's always consistent, readily available, and easy to use. You could use homemade pureed tomatoes, but they will likely be quite watery. In this case you may need to cook them down more. You may also add a little tomato paste to thicken them up in that case.
Adapted from Padhu’s Kitchen

Nutrition Information

Show Details

Calories 272kcal (14%) Carbohydrates 31g (10%) Protein 10g (20%) Fat 13g (20%) Saturated Fat 6g (30%) Polyunsaturated Fat 3g Monounsaturated Fat 2g Cholesterol 25mg (8%) Sodium 619mg (26%) Potassium 677mg (19%) Fiber 9g (36%) Sugar 5g (10%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 272 kcal

% Daily Value*

Calories	272kcal	14%
Carbohydrates	31g	10%
Protein	10g	20%
Fat	13g	20%
Saturated Fat	6g	30%
Polyunsaturated Fat	3g	18%
Monounsaturated Fat	2g	10%
Cholesterol	25mg	8%
Sodium	619mg	26%
Potassium	677mg	14%
Fiber	9g	36%
Sugar	5g	10%