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Dal Makhani

4 servings

Cooked Lentils

  • 200 gwhole black urad dal
  • 55 gred kidney beans (rajma)
  • 960 mlfresh water, for cooking
  • 945 mlwater, for soaking

Dal Makhani

  • 30 mlghee
  • 1 leafbay leaf
  • 2 podsgreen cardamom pods
  • 1 podblack cardamom pod
  • 65 gonion (1 small to medium), finely chopped
  • 18 gginger garlic paste
  • 220 gtomato puree or passata
  • 5 mlsalt
  • 3.5 to 7.5 mlKashmiri chili powder
  • 5 mlgaram masala
  • 480 mlhot water, added in stages
  • 15 mlkasuri methi
  • 60 to 80 mlheavy cream
  • 42 gunsalted butter, cultured if you can find it

Charcoal Smoking (Optional)

  • 1 to 2.5 mlghee, for the charcoal
  1. Cooked Lentils Put 200 g whole black urad dal and 55 g red kidney beans (rajma) in a large bowl and rinse them, rubbing well between your hands. Drain and repeat twice more. 5 min
  2. Cover with 945 ml water, for soaking and soak overnight. Drain, rinse again and drain. 8 h to 12 h
  3. Put the lentils in a pressure cooker with 960 ml fresh water, for cooking and cook over medium heat for about ten whistles (or 20 min at high pressure in an Instant Pot). Let the pressure drop by itself.
  4. If any rajma is still firm, add half a cup of hot water and cook for another three or four whistles. Keep all the cooking liquid.
  5. Dal Makhani Heat 30 ml ghee in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add 1 leaf bay leaf, 2 pods green cardamom pods and 1 pod black cardamom pod and let them sizzle for 1 min.
  6. Add 65 g onion (1 small to medium) and fry until golden, about 7 min. Stir in 18 g ginger garlic paste and fry for 1 min.
  7. Pour in 220 g tomato puree or passata and cook for 3 min to 4 min. Add 5 ml salt, 3.5 to 7.5 ml Kashmiri chili powder and 5 ml garam masala and keep cooking, stirring, until thick.
  8. Lightly mash the cooked lentils and add them to the pot with all their cooking liquid and half of 480 ml hot water, added in stages. Stir well.
  9. Simmer on the lowest heat for about 1 h, stirring often and scraping the bottom so it does not catch.
  10. Add the rest of the hot water and keep simmering gently for another 30 min, or longer if you have time.
  11. Crush 15 ml kasuri methi between your palms over the pot and stir in 60 to 80 ml heavy cream. Cook for 6 min to 8 min. Taste for salt and garam masala, then stir in 42 g unsalted butter, cultured if you can find it.
  12. Charcoal Smoking (Optional) Set a small foil cup on the surface of the dal. Hold a small piece of natural wood charcoal over a gas flame with tongs until it glows red, then drop it in the cup. Pour 1 to 2.5 ml ghee, for the charcoal over the coal and immediately cover the pot. Leave for 3 min to 4 min; repeat once for a stronger flavour.
  13. Remove the cup and coal. Serve topped with extra butter or a swirl of cream, with basmati rice or naan.
  • Safety: Raw kidney beans contain a toxin destroyed only by thorough boiling. Never use slow-cooker or low-temperature methods for the beans until they have been pressure cooked or boiled hard and are completely soft. (The author)
  • Safety: For the optional smoking step, handle the burning charcoal with tongs, keep it on foil or in a metal cup, and do it away from anything flammable. (The author)