Best 7 Dal Makhani Indian Brown Lentils Recipes

DAL MAKHANI RECIPE (INSTANT POT & STOVETOP)

Steps:

• Add urad dal and rajma to a large pot and rinse them well a few times. Drain the water and soak them in 3 to 4 cups of water for 7 to 8 hours. To reduce the soaking time, you may soak them in boiling hot water for 4 to 5 hours.
• Later drain the water and rinse them well.
• Pour 4 cups fresh water and pressure cook for 10 whistles on a medium heat. You can also cook in a pot until soft and tender adding more water whenever needed. If cooking in instant pot, pressure cook on high pressure for 20 mins.
• Both urad dal and rajma must cook to very soft. When mashed with a spoon the dal and rajma must be soft and get mashed well easily. If not then pour another half cup hot water and continue to cook for another 3 to 4 whistles on a medium heat.
• Heat a heavy bottom pot with butter & ghee. If using whole spices, add them and saute for half a minute. Then add onions and fry until they turn golden.
• Stir in ginger garlic paste and saute for 1 minute until the raw smell goes away.
• Then transfer tomato puree and cook for 3 to 4 minutes until thick.
• Add salt, chilli powder & garam masala. Saute well until the masala smells good and turns thick.
• Mash the cooked urad dal slightly and pour it along with the stock. Pour another 1 cup hot boiling water & mix.
• Cook on a low flame until the dal thickens stirring often in between to prevent burning the bottom. After 60 mins, the dal thickens.
• Add another ½ to 1 cup hot boiling water and continue to cook until thick. This takes another 30 mins. Totally cook for about 90 mins from the time you added the cooked dal to the pot.
• Then add kasuri methi and pour cream. Stir and cook again for 6 to 8 mins until it becomes thick and creamy.
• Taste and add more salt if needed. Add butter and mix well.
• Place a small piece of foil or a tall steel cup on the dal makhani. Hold 1 to 2 inch piece of natural wood charcoal with a tong and burn it on direct fire until red hot. Then place it on the foil kept over dal or in the steel cup.
• Quickly pour ¼ tsp ghee on the hot coal. Immediately cover the pot and allow to smoke for 3 to 4 mins. For stronger flavor, add another ¼ tsp ghee on the coal and repeat the smoking.
• Garnish dal makhani with butter or cream & serve with naan.
• Press SAUTE button on the Instant pot. Add ghee and butter to the steel insert.
• Once the butter melts, add onions and saute until transparent. Add ginger garlic paste and saute for 30 seconds.
• Pour the tomato puree, red chilli powder & garam masala. Saute for 3 to 5 mins.
• Drain the water from the lentils and add them. Pour 3 cups water and deglaze the pot by scrubbing the bottom with a wooden spatula.
• Press CANCEL button. Secure the Instant pot with the lid. Position the steam release handle to sealing.
• Press PRESSURE COOK button and set the timer to 30 mins.
• When the IP finishes it will beep. Wait for the pressure to release naturally.
• Open the lid. You will see the dal being runny at this stage. Add salt & slightly mash the urad dal, not rajma.
• Press SAUTE button. Adjust the setting to LOW by pressing the saute button twice.
• Cook further stirring often until thick. When most of the moisture evaporates, dal turns thicker. Optional - I prefer to add 1 more cup of hot water in 2 batches, ½ cup each time. Cook further until really creamy and thick.
• Then add cream and kasuri methi. Continue to cook until creamy.
• Stir in the butter and garnish dal makhani with cream.

DAL MAKHANI (INDIAN BUTTER LENTILS)

Steps:

• Add the black lentils and red beans to a large bowl; fill the bowl with room temperature water and soak overnight. Rinse and drain the next day.
• The next day, rinse and drain the soaked lentils and beans. Add them to a 5-quart pot along with the vegetable stock. Bring up to a boil, then cover the pot, turn heat down to simmer, and cook 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
• Meanwhile, heat the ghee in a large skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft and deep caramel in color, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. You can add a splash of water or turn the heat down at any point if the onions start to get too dark or the pan starts to get too hot.
• Once the onion is caramelized, turn the heat to medium (if it wasn't there already) and add the garlic and ginger; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
• Add the bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, cloves, red chilies, garam masala, coriander, cumin, chili powder, sweet paprika, fenugreek, and black pepper. Cook until fragrant, about 20 seconds, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat.
• Once the lentils and beans have cooked for 1 hour, stir in the onion/spice mixture, the diced tomatoes, and the tomato paste.
• Gently simmer (uncovered) until the sauce is somewhat thickened and the lentils and beans are fully tender, about 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring frequently. (Of course you can cover the pot if the sauce gets too thick before the lentils and beans are already tender.)
• Turn off the heat and stir in the butter and cream.
• Serve topped with any garnishes you like along with rice or Indian bread.

DAL MAKHANI (BUTTER LENTILS)

Steps:

• Soak lentils in a saucepan of water for 1 hour. Bring to a boil for 5 minutes. Drain.
• Heat cinnamon, chile powder, coriander, cumin, turmeric, nutmeg, paprika, black pepper, cayenne, cloves, allspice, and bay leaves in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until fragrant, about 5 minutes.
• Stir olive oil into the skillet. Add tomatoes, ginger paste, and garlic; simmer until flavors combine, about 10 minutes. Stir in sugar and salt. Cook until mixture thickens into a pulpy sauce, about 5 minutes. Add lentils and simmer until tender, about 5 minutes.
• Stir cream and butter into sauce. Cook until sauce thickens and lentils are very soft, about 30 minutes. Squeeze some lime juice over each serving.

DAL MAKHANI (INDIAN LENTILS)

Steps:

• Place lentils and kidney beans in a large bowl; cover with plenty of water. Soak for at least 2 hours or overnight. Drain.
• Cook lentils, kidney beans, 5 cups water, and salt in a pot over medium heat until tender, stirring occasionally, about 1 hour. Remove from heat and set aside. Keep the lentils, kidney beans, and any excess cooking water in the pot.
• Heat vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook cumin seeds in the hot oil until they begin to pop, 1 to 2 minutes. Add cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, and cloves; cook until bay leaves turn brown, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium-low; add ginger paste, garlic paste, turmeric, and cayenne pepper. Stir to coat.
• Stir tomato puree into spice mixture; cook over medium heat until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Add chili powder, coriander, and butter; cook and stir until butter is melted.
• Stir lentils, kidney beans and any leftover cooking water into tomato mixture; bring to a boil, reduce heat to low. Stir fenugreek into lentil mixture. Cover saucepan and simmer until heated through, stirring occasionally, about 45 minutes. Add cream and cook until heated through, 2 to 4 minutes.

DAL MAKHANI (INDIAN BROWN LENTILS)

Steps:

• Place lentils and kidney beans in a large bowl; cover with plenty of water. Soak for at least 2 hours or overnight. Drain.
• Cook lentils, 5 cups water, and salt in a pot over medium heat until tender, stirring occasionally, about 1/2 hour. Remove from heat and set aside. Keep the lentils and any excess cooking water in the pot.
• Heat vegetable oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook cumin seeds in the hot oil until they begin to pop, 1 to 2 minutes. Add cardamom pods, cinnamon stick, bay leaves, and cloves; cook until bay leaves turn brown, about 1 minute. Reduce heat to medium-low; add ginger, garlic, turmeric, and cayenne pepper. Stir to coat.
• Stir tomato puree into spice mixture; cook over medium heat until slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Add chili powder, coriander, and butter; cook and stir until butter is melted.
• Stir tomato mixture into the lentils, keeping any leftover cooking water from the lentils; bring to a boil, reduce heat to low. Stir fenugreek into lentil mixture. Cover saucepan and simmer until heated through, stirring occasionally with the lid off, about 45 minutes. Add cream and cook until heated through, 2 to 4 minutes.

DAL MAHARANI (THE QUEEN OF INDIAN LENTILS!)

Steps:

• Soak red kidney beans, black gram and chana dal in water for 4-5 hours.
• Pressure cook the above dals (lentils) once the time for soaking is over.
• Transfer the dals to a skillet.
• Simmer, on low flame, for 30 minutes, until the lentils (dals) become extremely soft.
• Heat oil in a skillet.
• Sauté the onions and ginger in it till the raw smell of ginger is gone and onions turn golden brown.
• Add tomatoes and green chillies and continue to sauté.
• Add turmeric powder and red chili powder once the onion-tomato mixture becomes soft.
• Continue to sauté.
• Pour the cooked dal over this mixture and bring to a boil.
• Add salt to taste.
• Stir well.
• Just before removing from flame, add butter and fresh cream.
• Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with white Basmati rice!

DAL MAKHANI (SPICY BLACK LENTILS)

Steps:

• Clean, wash and soak the whole black lentils and kidney beans overnight. Drain and keep aside.
• Combine the lentils and beans with salt and 2 cups of water and cook till the dals are overcooked. Whisk well till the mixture is almost mashed.
• Heat the butter in a pan and add the cumin seeds.
• When the cumin seeds crackle, add the green chillies, cinnamon, cloves, green cardamom, onions, ginger-garlic paste and sauté till the onions turn golden brown in color.
• Add the chilli powder, turmeric powder and tomato puree and cook over a medium flame till the oil separates from the tomato gravy.
• Add the dal mixture, water and salt if required and simmer for 10 t 15 minutes.
• Add the cream and mix well.
• Garnish with the cilantro and serve hot.