Dal Makhani - Creamy Black Lentils in Butter
Dal makhani is one of Punjab's most comforting and indulgent dishes: black lentils (urad dal) and red kidney beans simmered for a long time, then enriched with butter, cream and warm spices until velvety and generous. Traditionally slow-cooked for hours over gentle heat in the dhabas of northern India, our homemade version keeps all the richness while staying manageable for a family evening.
Ingredients
- 200 g whole urad dal (black lentils), soaked overnight
- 50 g red kidney beans (rajma), soaked overnight
- 1.2 litres water
- 1 tsp salt
- 400 g crushed tomatoes
- 80 g butter
- 50 ml full-fat single cream
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, grated
- 1 piece fresh ginger, grated
-
2 cloves
-
1 mace blade
-
1/2 nutmeg, freshly grated
-
1 tsp ground cumin
-
1 tsp garam masala
- 1/2 tsp chilli powder (to taste)
-
1 tbsp Kasuri Methi (dried fenugreek leaves), crushed between your palms
- 1 tbsp neutral oil
- Salt, to taste
- Fresh coriander, to finish
Instructions
-
1
Drain the soaked urad dal and kidney beans, rinse them, then place them in a large pot with the water and salt.
-
2
Bring to the boil, then simmer covered for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the lentils are very tender and start to break down slightly. Skim regularly.
-
3
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large pot and fry the chopped onion until golden.
-
4
Add the grated garlic and ginger, the cloves and the mace blade, and cook for a minute until fragrant.
-
5
Stir in the crushed tomatoes, ground cumin, garam masala and chilli powder, then simmer for 10 minutes, stirring regularly, until the sauce thickens.
-
6
Add the cooked lentils with their cooking water to the tomato sauce, mix well, then simmer gently for 30 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally: the longer it cooks, the creamier the dal makhani becomes.
-
7
Stir in the butter and cream, mix gently and heat for another 5 minutes without boiling.
-
8
Grate the half nutmeg straight into the pot and crush the Kasuri Methi between your palms before adding it: these two final touches make all the difference.
-
9
Adjust the seasoning with salt, remove the mace blade and cloves if you like, scatter with fresh coriander and serve at once.
Tips
The real secret of dal makhani is time: the longer the lentils simmer gently, the creamier the texture and the better the flavours meld. If you're short on time, a pressure cooker cuts the lentil cooking time to 20-25 minutes. Serve with basmati rice or homemade naan for a complete meal.
Spices used
Find the spices from this recipe in our shop.
Mace (Javitri)
Whole Nutmeg
Kasuri Methi (Dried Fenugreek Leaves)
Cumin Powder
Garam Masala
Whole Cloves
Get this recipe by email
Receive the recipe in PDF format directly in your inbox, ready to print.
Your email will only be used to send you the recipe. See our privacy policy.
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to review this recipe!