Dal Makhani Punjabi

Ingredients

• •300 g Black lentils
• •1 teaspoon Salt
• •100 g Kidney beans
• •0.5 teaspoon Black pepper
• •200 ml Cream
• •100 g Butter
• •2 tablespoons Vegetable oil
• •4 cloves Garlic
• •200 g Tomato puree
• •1 medium Onion
• •1 inch Ginger
• •1 teaspoon Garam masala
• •1 teaspoon Kashmiri chili

Instructions

1. 1

   Soak 250g whole black lentils (urad dal) and 50g kidney beans in water for 6 hours or overnight. Drain. Pressure cook on high for 25 minutes until very soft. Mash lightly.

   💡 Proper soaking reduces cooking time by half and ensures even texture.

2. 2

   Heat 4 tbsp ghee in a large pot over medium heat. Add 1 tbsp minced garlic, 1 inch grated ginger. Saute 2 minutes until fragrant. Do not let garlic brown.

   💡 Garlic in ghee creates the signature aromatic base - watch carefully to prevent burning.

3. 3

   Add 2 pureed tomatoes, 1 tsp red chili powder, 1 tsp coriander, 1/2 tsp turmeric. Cook 8 minutes until oil separates and tomatoes are jammy.

   💡 Cook the tomato paste until the oil separates - this eliminates raw taste.

4. 4

   Add cooked lentils and their liquid. Add 500ml water, 1 tsp salt. Bring to boil, then simmer on low for 30 minutes. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking.

   💡 Low and slow is the key - this develops the deep, complex flavors.

5. 5

   Add 1 tbsp kasuri methi, crushed between your palms. The aroma should be intense. Stir well to combine.

   💡 Kasuri methi added at the end provides that signature restaurant flavor.

6. 6

   Finish with 4 tbsp heavy cream and 3 tbsp cold butter. Stir until melted and incorporated. The dal should be creamy and rich.

   💡 Finish with cream off heat - boiling cream will curdle and ruin the texture.

7. 7

   Serve hot with butter naan or jeera rice. Garnish with a drizzle of cream and fresh coriander.

   💡 Traditional dal makhani is cooked overnight on low heat - the slow cook creates depth.