How to Make Dal Makhani: Cooking Tips and Creamy Dal Makhani Recipe

Dal (“lentil”) makhani (“with butter”) is a Punjabi or North Indian dish from the same region as another beloved classic, Indian butter chicken. Roughly translated as “buttery lentils,” dal makhani is a creamy, tomato-based vegetarian stew that is served as both a hearty main and a side dish. Dal makhani has become a standard dish in Indian restaurants, thanks to the culinary stylings of a chef named Kundan Lal Jaggi at the Moti Mahal restaurant in 1950s post-partition Delhi.

Traditional dal makhani is made with whole black lentils (urad dal, also known as black gram lentils), red kidney beans (rajma), butter, and cream.

The beans and lentils are cooked in a tomato-based sauce, bolstered by the Indian trinity of garlic, ginger, and onion and aromatics like garam masala and bay leaf. It’s finished with a swirl of heavy cream, which is stirred in to give the dal its coppery gloss.

Dal makhani is often served with basmati rice, naan bread, or rotis, or as a complement to other Indian main dishes like palak paneer and aloo gobi.

Dal makhani is vegetarian, but not traditionally vegan, as it gets its rich, velvety texture from butter and cream. That being said, dal recipes can be made vegan by substituting coconut oil or vegan butter and coconut cream for the dairy products. Dal makhani is also gluten free, and high in fiber and protein.

While dal makhani isn’t a complicated dish, it does require some know-how to make. Here are some tips for achieving a delicious restaurant-style dal makhani.

1. 1. Use whole, fresh spices if possible. While ground cumin could step in for the whole seeds in a pinch, the flavors you get from toasting whole spices right before cooking gives the finished dal makhani far more nuance and depth of flavor.
2. 2. Cook low and slow. This allows the flavors to meld and build on one another. There’s no need to rush the individual stages of your dal makhani once you’ve assembled your sauce: give the beans and lentils plenty of time to soak up the spice notes and soften to a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
3. 3. Use black gram lentils (urad dal). Though you could technically get away with substituting any conventional lentil, including green lentils the flavor and texture of urad dal will give you the most authentic dal makhani. Black gram lentils can be found in any Indian grocery store or online.
4. 4. Soak your lentils. Soaking lentils overnight will not only speed up your cooking time, but also make them both easier to digest and more nutritious.

Most Indian recipes call for cooking dal makhani on the stovetop, but pressure cooker or Instant Pot dal makhani can save you time and turns out delicious.

To make dal makhani in a pressure cooker, heat the butter or ghee in the pot and fry the cumin seeds and bay leaf until fragrant. Add garlic, ginger, chillies, and onion, then sauté until soft and golden brown. Add soaked lentils with 4 cups water and season with salt. Pressure cook for 45 minutes, or 8-10 whistles. Relieve the pressure and open the lid, then add kidney beans and stir to combine. Continue to simmer for another 20 minutes, then add heavy cream, and simmer for another 10. Season to taste and serve with basmati rice.