Dal Makhani Recipe- Step by step photos with description

Dal makhani or dal makhani is a dish originating from the Punjab region of the Indian subcontinent. The primary ingredients are Split black lentils (urad), Kidney beans (rajma), butter, and cream. The dish gets its richness from the use of cream or butter, but it can also be prepared with yogurt, milk, or no dairy.

Dal makhani is a staple in the Indian subcontinent. It was popularized in India following partition when many people from Punjab migrated to the northern regions of India. As the Punjabi diaspora migrated across India and internationally, the dish was introduced to new locals by entrepreneurial Punjabi migrants Kundan Lal Gujral, Thakur Dass.

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Dal Makhani Recipe:

Preparation Time: 20 mins

Cooking Time: 40-45 mins

Servings: 3-4 people

We need to cook Dal Makhani Recipe in 3 steps:

Soaking
Pre-Preparation
Cooking Dal Makhani Recipe

1. Soaking:

Rajma (Kidney beans): 1/2 cup
Kali Urad dal (Split black gram): 1 cup

Wash the Rajma & Urad dal in separate bowls. Soak it for 7-8 hrs or overnight in lots of water.

Ingredients:

Onions: 2
Tomatoes: 3
Paste (Ginger, garlic, green chili): 2-3 tsp
Oil / Ghee: 4 tsp
Fresh cream/ Malai: 1/2 cup
Butter: 1 tbsp
Bayleaf (tejpatta): 2-3
Cinnamon sticks (dalchini): 2- 2-3"long
Star anise: 2
Cumin seeds (Jeera): 1/2 tsp
Turmeric powder (Haldi): 1/2 tsp
Red chili powder (Lal Mirch): 3/4 tsp
Coriander powder (Dhania): 1 tsp
Garam masala: 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida (Hing): 1/4 tsp
Sugar: 3 tsp
Salt: As per taste
lemon: 1/2
Water: 1.5 cups

2. Pre-Preparation:

Step 1:

Take the pressure cooker, add rajma to it. Pressure cook rajma till it becomes soft (not mushy) i.e 7-8 whistles on high flame.

Step 2:

Now in the same Pressure cooker, add urad dal and pressure cook till it becomes soft i.e 4-5 whistles on high flame.

Step 3:

Now take a mixer jar, add onions (roughly chopped). Make the puree.

Step 4:

Now take the same mixer jar, add tomatoes (roughly chopped). Make the puree.

3. Cooking Dal Makhani Recipe:

Method:

Step 1:

Take a kadhai, heat some ghee/oil. Add tejpatta, dalchini, and star anise. Now add jeera, hing, & ginger, garlic & green chili paste, give it a good mix. Cook for 40-50 secs.

Step 2:

Now add onion puree. Cook on medium flame till it becomes slightly brown (as shown in the image). Now add tomato puree to it. Give it a good mix.

Step 3:

Now add haldi, Lal Mirch powder, Dhania powder, and salt. Mix it and cook on medium flame till oil/ghee separated from the sides.

Step 4:

Now add Rajma & urad dal. Mix it well. Now add 1.5 cup water to it. Cover the lid and again cook for 5-8 mins.

Step 5:

Now add fresh cream/ malai, garam masala, sugar, and adjust the salt. Mix well. Cook for 3-4 mins with cover lid on low-medium flame.

Step 6:

Now add lemon juice and freshly chopped coriander leaves to the dal makhani.

Step 7:

Before serving add butter (1 tbsp) and Serve Hot.

Notes:

1. If you want to save the time of Pressure cook rajma, you can add cooking soda (1/2 tsp) to Rajma and take 4-5 whistles only.

2. I recommend using ghee instead of oil. As ghee enhances the taste of Dal Makhani.

3. In Dal Makhni, Cooking time of gravy is very important. Always give sufficient time to cook gravy till it becomes aromatic (cook on low-medium flame).

4. Dal Makhani Recipebest served hot and you can pair it with rice/ lachcha paratha/ plain paratha/ butter naan/ Malabar parotta.

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