Dal Makhani

Dal makhani was invented at Moti Mahal restaurant in Delhi's Daryaganj neighbourhood in the 1950s, where owner Kundan Lal Gujral slow-cooked whole black lentils overnight in the residual heat of the tandoor. The result — a butter-enriched, tomato-deepened dal of extraordinary creaminess — became the most iconic dish of Punjabi restaurant cuisine worldwide. Patience is the key ingredient.

Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 250g (1¼ cups) whole black urad dal (sabut urad), soaked overnight
• 60g (¼ cup) rajma (kidney beans), soaked overnight
• 1 litre (4 cups) water for pressure cooking
• 3 tbsp butter, plus extra to finish
• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• 1 medium onion, finely diced
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger paste
• 1 tbsp garlic paste
• 400g (14 oz) crushed tomatoes
• 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• ½ tsp cumin powder
• ½ tsp garam masala
• 100ml (7 tbsp) double cream (heavy cream)
• Salt to taste
• Fresh coriander to garnish

Instructions

1. Pressure cook (35 minutes): Drain soaked dal and rajma. Pressure cook with 1 litre water and ½ tsp salt for 8–10 whistles until completely soft. The urad dal should be almost dissolving. Do not drain.
2. Build makhani base (15 minutes): Heat butter and oil in a heavy-bottomed pot. Fry onion over medium heat 12 minutes until deep golden. Add ginger and garlic paste; fry 2 minutes until raw smell is gone.
3. Tomato masala (10 minutes): Add crushed tomatoes and all dried spices. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the masala thickens and oil separates, about 10 minutes.
4. Combine and slow-cook (45–60 minutes): Add the cooked dal with all its liquid into the masala. Stir well. Simmer on the lowest possible heat, partially covered, for 45–60 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes to prevent sticking. The dal should thicken considerably.
5. Finish: Stir in cream. Simmer 5 more minutes. Adjust salt. Finish with a generous knob of butter swirled in off the heat.
6. Serve with naan or jeera rice, garnished with coriander.

Cook's Notes: The longer and lower the simmer, the better. Professional kitchens simmer dal makhani for 6–8 hours. If the dal gets too thick, add hot water. Never add cold water as it dulls the flavour.