Dal Makhani Recipe

Dal Makhani is a vegetarian lentil recipe. I am sharing an Indian restaurant-style makhani dal recipe with a perfectly creamy buttery texture.

• Story Of Dal Makhani
• My Dal Makhani Recipe
• Which dal is used in Dal Makhani?
• Other Ingredients Required
• How To Make
• Serving Suggestion
• Storage Suggestion
• My Tried and True Tips
• More Indian Dal Recipes
• Dal Makhani Recipe

Story Of Dal Makhani

Over the years, Dal Makhani has become an inseparable part of modern Indian Cuisine. Outside India, it is considered the flag bearer of rich and indulgent vegetarian Indian food.

While researching for my debut cookbook, The 100 Best Curries , I learnt that the dal makhani recipe existed during the British Raj era.

The renowned chef of the Moti Mahal restaurant in Delhi wanted to create a vegetarian counterpart to the already famous butter chicken or murgh makhani. Hence, he developed a creamy, rich, indulgent makhani dal for vegetarians.

My Dal Makhani Recipe

Honestly, there are no remarkable imprints of Dal Makhani in my food memoirs of childhood. In our Kumaoni household, it was considered a fancy, restaurant-style Punjabi dish that nobody in my family knew how to make.

Then marriage to the Sikh family presented a new perspective on Punjabi dishes like chana masala , makhani dal, missa paratha , chitt , and rajma chawal.

This is NOT a family heirloom recipe. I have worked over the years to get the dal makhani’s perfect taste and texture. Hence, I can confidently say that this is a tried and tested restaurant-style dal makhani recipe.

Let me clarify, makhani dal is not a 30-minute meal. Traditionally, it is slow-cooked for a few hours or overnight. Therefore, I make it only over the weekends. It is a kind of leisure meal in our house. That requires time both to cook and relish.

Which dal is used in Dal Makhani?

The black lentil (sabut urad or the kaali urad) is used in dal makhani. It is combined with rajma (red kidney beans) and chana dal (Bengal gram or dried split chickpeas).

I would not recommend using only black urad. Each lentil adds to the makhani dal’s taste, texture, and consistency.

Usually, the ideal proportion of these three lentils in a perfect makhani dal is 1:¼:1/4, i.e. 1 Cup of black urad dal and ¼ Cup of each rajma and chana dal.

Other Ingredients Required

• Cooking Oil: I use ghee to cook makhani dal and add butter while serving. You can use butter or flavourless refined vegetable oil for cooking the dal.
• Onion is the holy grail of this dal recipe.
• Tomato: Use either freshly chopped ripe tomato or canned crushed tomato.
• Tomato Paste: It gives a sweet taste to the dal. Substitute tomato paste with sweet tomato ketchup in equal quantities.
• Whole Spices: Bay Leaf (tej patta), Cloves (laung), Black Cardamom (elaichi), Cumin (jeera), Dried Fenugreek Leaves
• Spice Powder: Turmeric Powder, Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder, Coriander Powder, Garam Masala Powder , Asafoetida (hing)
• Cream: Use light cooking cream with around 25% fat, not heavy or whipping cream. You can substitute cream with full-fat milk, also.
• Herbs & Seasoning: Green Chilli, Ginger, Fresh Coriander, Ginger & Garlic Paste , Salt
• Garnish: Fresh Coriander, Cream or Butter , Ginger Juliennes

How To Make

Step 1) Combine all three lentils in a bowl. Rinse them with water 2 – 3 times or until water runs clear. Soak them in clean water for 5 – 6 hours or overnight.

Step 2) After soaking, pressure cook the lentils. Transfer soaked lentils to a pressure cooker. Add salt, cardamom, bay leaf, cloves, asafoetida, and water. Stir to combine. Pressure Cook lentils over low for 5 – 6 whistles. We want them to break down completely.

Step 3) Now, let’s make tadka for dal. Heat ghee in a kadhai or heavy-duty casserole. Add cumin, and saute for 10 – 20 seconds. Add finely chopped onion and fry till onion turn light golden.

Step 4) Once the onion is nicely fried, add ginger and garlic paste, chopped tomato, salt, turmeric, chilli powder, and coriander powder. Fry for 5 – 6 minutes over low heat. The oil should start separating from the masala, and the tomatoes break down completely.

Step 5) Add tomato paste or ketchup and pressure-cooked dal. Stir to combine. At this stage, if you feel the dal is way too thick, get desired consistency by adding water, as after simmering, it tends to become thicker.

Step 6) Add cream, Garam Masala powder, kasuri methi, sliced green chillies, julienned ginger, and fresh coriander. Mix nicely. Taste, and if required, add more salt and seasoning.

Step 7) Now allow the dal to simmer over low heat, stirring at regular intervals for 10 – 15 minutes. This step gives a deep, slow-cooked-like flavour to the dal.

Garnish dal with cream, chopped coriander leaves, and ginger julienned. Dal Makhani is ready to serve.

Serving Suggestion

Dal Makhani is an Indian main course dish. Serve it with Indian side dishes like naan , paratha, tandoori roti, and chapati. Dal Makhani tastes delicious with rice dishes like jeera rice or matar pulao . You can serve it with plain basmati rice also.

I like to serve makhani dal in my Indian thali with chilled boondi raita , kachumber salad , tandoori roti, and extra homemade white butter on the side.

Storage Suggestion

Dal Makhani is a meal prep-friendly main course dish. After cooking, let it cool down completely and then transfer to airtight containers. Store for 6 to 7 days in the refrigerator.

It is best to reheat makhani dal in a pan. It becomes thick after a few hours or days of cooking. Hence, adding water, milk, or cream while reheating the dal is best for the desired consistency.

My Tried and True Tips

• You cannot make a good makhani dal without soaking the lentils. Soaking them in water increases their size, they break down easily while cooking, and absorb the flavour of the masala nicely.
• The flavour of dal makhani is the perfect balance of spicy, sweet, warm, and earthy. Hence, do not add too much chilli powder, green chillies, or Garam Masala.
• It is a BIG MYTH that too much butter, cream, and ghee will give you the best makhani dal. The slow simmering process gives the creamy, luscious texture and not the overload of dairy.
• If you are after that restaurant-style taste , do not skip adding TOMATO PASTE and Kasuri Methi. These two are game-changing ingredients.
• If you like smokey/tandoori-style flavour, keep a small stainless steel bowl in the centre of the dal. Add hot live pieces of coal to the small bowl. Immediately drizzle hot ghee over the coal pieces to create smoke. Cover the dal bowl with a lid. Let the smoke engulf the entire bowl for 5 – 6 minutes. Open the lid, remove the bowl with the coal, stir the dal and serve.

More Indian Dal Recipes

• Arhar Dal Fry
• Panchmel Dal
• Shahi Urad Dal
• Palak Chana Dal
• Pahadi Gahat Ki Dal
• Everyday Masoor Dal
• Moradabadi Moong Dal
• Punjabi Sookhi Urad Dal

If you try this recipe and love it, please leave a comment and a rating. This helps us grow and reach other food lovers like you.

Ingredients

Ingredients For Pressure Cooking

• ▢ 1 Cup (200 gram) whole black urad dal (sabut urad)
• ▢ ¼ Cup (50 gram) red kidney beans (rajma)
• ▢ ¼ Cup (50 gram) Bengal gram (chana dal)
• ▢ 2 teaspoon salt or to taste
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon hing (asafoetida)
• ▢ 1 bay leaf (tej patta)
• ▢ 1 black cardamom (badi elaichi)
• ▢ 4 cloves (laung)
• ▢ 6 Cup (1.4 litre) water

Ingredients For Tadka

• ▢ 4 tablespoon ghee or cooking oil
• ▢ 1 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
• ▢ 1 Cup finely chopped onion
• ▢ 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste ( see recipe )
• ▢ 1 Cup finely chopped tomato
• ▢ 1 tablespoon tomato paste or tomato ketchup
• ▢ 2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Garam Masala powder ( see recipe )
• ▢ 4 tablespoon light cooking cream
• ▢ 1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)
• ▢ 2 green chillies, sliced

Ingredients For Garnish

• ▢ 1 tablespoon light cream
• ▢ 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• ▢ 1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander

Instructions

• Combine all three lentils in a bowl. Rinse them with water 2 – 3 times or until water runs clear. Soak them in clean water for 5 – 6 hours or overnight.

Pressure Cook Dal (lentils):

• Transfer soaked lentils to a pressure cooker. Add salt, cardamom, bay leaf, cloves, asafoetida, and 4 cups of water. Stir to combine. Pressure Cook lentils over low for 5 – 6 whistles. We want them to break down completely. Allow the steam to release naturally.
• Open the lid and gently mash the dal using the back of the spoon or a vegetable masher.

Prepare Tadka For Dal:

• Heat ghee in a kadhai or heavy-duty casserole. Add cumin, and saute for 10 – 20 seconds. Add finely chopped onion and fry till onion turn light golden.
• Once the onion is nicely fried, add ginger and garlic paste, chopped tomato, salt, turmeric, chilli powder, and coriander powder. Fry for 5 – 6 minutes over low heat. The oil should start separating from the masala, and the tomatoes break down completely.
• Add tomato paste or ketchup and pressure-cooked dal. Stir to combine. At this stage, if you feel the dal is way too thick, get desired consistency by adding the remaining 2 cups of water, as after simmering, it tends to become thicker.
• Add cream, Garam Masala powder, kasuri methi, sliced green chillies, julienned ginger, and fresh coriander. Mix nicely. Taste, and if required, add more salt and seasoning.
• Now allow the dal to simmer over low heat, stirring at regular intervals for 10 – 15 minutes. This step gives a deep, slow-cooked-like flavour to the dal.
• Transfer the Dal Makhani to a serving bowl. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and cream (optional). You can use ginger and green chilli slices as well for garnishing. Add a dollop of butter on top before serving.
• Serve Dal Makhani warm with Naan .

Recipe Notes:

• Dal Makhani can also be prepared in a slow – cooker or instant pot . You can find detailed instant pot dal makhani recipe in my debut cookbook .
• Get the desired consistency of dal makhani by adjusting the amount of water.
• While soaking the lentils, use a bigger bowl and add enough water because lentils absorb all the water and expand in size during the process.

Nutrition

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Dal Makhani Recipe

Equipment

• Pressure Cooker
• Heavy Bottom Kadhai

Ingredients

Ingredients For Pressure Cooking

• 1 Cup (200 gram) whole black urad dal (sabut urad)
• ¼ Cup (50 gram) red kidney beans (rajma)
• ¼ Cup (50 gram) Bengal gram (chana dal)
• 2 teaspoon salt or to taste
• ¼ teaspoon hing (asafoetida)
• 1 bay leaf (tej patta)
• 1 black cardamom (badi elaichi)
• 4 cloves (laung)
• 6 Cup (1.4 litre) water

Ingredients For Tadka

• 4 tablespoon ghee or cooking oil
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera)
• 1 Cup finely chopped onion
• 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste ( see recipe )
• 1 Cup finely chopped tomato
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste or tomato ketchup
• 2 teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon Garam Masala powder ( see recipe )
• 4 tablespoon light cooking cream
• 1 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)
• 2 green chillies, sliced

Ingredients For Garnish

• 1 tablespoon light cream
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander

Instructions

• Combine all three lentils in a bowl. Rinse them with water 2 – 3 times or until water runs clear. Soak them in clean water for 5 – 6 hours or overnight.

Pressure Cook Dal (lentils):

• Transfer soaked lentils to a pressure cooker. Add salt, cardamom, bay leaf, cloves, asafoetida, and 4 cups of water. Stir to combine. Pressure Cook lentils over low for 5 – 6 whistles. We want them to break down completely. Allow the steam to release naturally.
• Open the lid and gently mash the dal using the back of the spoon or a vegetable masher.

Prepare Tadka For Dal:

• Heat ghee in a kadhai or heavy-duty casserole. Add cumin, and saute for 10 – 20 seconds. Add finely chopped onion and fry till onion turn light golden.
• Once the onion is nicely fried, add ginger and garlic paste, chopped tomato, salt, turmeric, chilli powder, and coriander powder. Fry for 5 – 6 minutes over low heat. The oil should start separating from the masala, and the tomatoes break down completely.
• Add tomato paste or ketchup and pressure-cooked dal. Stir to combine. At this stage, if you feel the dal is way too thick, get desired consistency by adding the remaining 2 cups of water, as after simmering, it tends to become thicker.
• Add cream, Garam Masala powder, kasuri methi, sliced green chillies, julienned ginger, and fresh coriander. Mix nicely. Taste, and if required, add more salt and seasoning.
• Now allow the dal to simmer over low heat, stirring at regular intervals for 10 – 15 minutes. This step gives a deep, slow-cooked-like flavour to the dal.
• Transfer the Dal Makhani to a serving bowl. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and cream (optional). You can use ginger and green chilli slices as well for garnishing. Add a dollop of butter on top before serving.
• Serve Dal Makhani warm with Naan .

Notes

• Dal Makhani can also be prepared in a slow - cooker or instant pot . You can find detailed instant pot dal makhani recipe in my debut cookbook .
• Get the desired consistency of dal makhani by adjusting the amount of water.
• While soaking the lentils, use a bigger bowl and add enough water because lentils absorb all the water and expand in size during the process.

Nutrition

Bright and colourful, these homemade salad dressing recipes will help you create delicious salads. Make them over the weekend and store them in the fridge. Enjoy a variety of salads throughout the week.

Eating healthy salads every day is a big challenge. And a larger challenge is how to make a variety of tasty salad dressings at home from scratch.

We have got for you the best tried and tested salad dressing recipes that you can use in a million creative ways including these 20+ Best Salad Recipes .

Here are the REASONS TO LOVE Homemade Dressing:

• easy to make in small batches
• made with quality ingredients
• gluten and preservative-free
• no artificial flavour or colour
• highly customizable
• meal-prep friendly

I think homemade salad dressings are better any day than store-bought ones.

The Essentials For Salad Dressing

• Clean and dry jars with a tight-fitting lid. I try to use glass jars that are easy to carry and can be stored in the fridge.
• A good quality extra virgin olive oil . Do not compromise on the olive oil’s quality while dressing at home.
• Loads of fresh herbs. If you are looking for a flavoursome salad dressing, keep fresh herbs handy while making them.
• Freshly crushed pepper . The powdered black pepper is a big NO for salad dressings. Try to use crushed pepper for a better taste and texture.
• Measuring cups and spoons . You need to be accurate with the quantity of the ingredients. It is best to measure each ingredient precisely for the best salad dressing.

My Best Salad Dressing Recipes

1. Classic Vinaigrette – It is one of the basic salad dressing recipes. So simple to prepare, perfect for light and hearty salads. Good quality olive oil and vinegar are the key ingredients for a perfect vinaigrette.

Add the precise olive oil and vinegar for the right texture and balanced flavour.

The classic vinaigrette is naturally gluten-free and vegan-friendly.

Use Classic Vinaigrette:

• Fruit Salad
• Lentil Salad
• Chickpea Salad
• Fattoush Salad
• Mixed Beans Salad
• Herbed Potato Salad
• Tropical Pineapple Salad

Ingredients

• ▢ ¾ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• ▢ ¼ Cup White Wine Vinegar
• ▢ Salt and black pepper to taste
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Italian herb mix, optional
• ▢ 1 clove garlic crushed/grated
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard

Instructions

• In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, mustard, and garlic cloves.
• Season with salt, pepper and Italian herbs mix.
• Add olive oil in a slow, steady stream and whisk the dressing until emulsified nicely.
• Taste and adjust the seasoning accordingly.
• Shake well before using the dressing.

Recipe Notes:

• If Dijon mustard is not available you can use either yellow mustard or the honey mustard paste for the recipe.

Nutrition

2. Italian Dressing: We all need a good Italian dressing recipe. Because it makes any salad so delicious, the creamy texture of the dressing comes from the parmesan cheese.

This is quite a versatile dressing that can be used for pasta salads, Caesar salads, or a simple BLT kind of salad.

I must tell you, this one is not an authentic Italian dressing but a tweaked version of the classic dressing.

You can customize its taste as per your preference by adding fresh herbs, minced shallots, or dried seasoning.

Italian Salad Dressing

Use Italian Dressing:

• Caesar Salad
• Macaroni Salad
• Summer Pasta Salad

Ingredients

• ▢ ¼ Cup Mayonnaise
• ▢ 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• ▢ 4 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• ▢ 2 tablespoon grated parmesan cheese
• ▢ 2 cloves garlic crushed/grated
• ▢ Salt and black pepper to taste
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Italian herb mix

Instructions

• Whisk mayo, cheese, garlic, and vinegar in a bowl.
• Season with salt, pepper and Italian herbs mix.
• Add the olive oil and whisk the dressing once again to mix nicely.
• Taste and adjust the seasoning accordingly.

Recipe Notes:

• The recipe yields approximately 1 Cup of Italian dressing.

Nutrition

3. Asian Dressing: Craving sweet, savoury, and spicy salad. This Asian dressing will satisfy all your umami cravings.

What is so unique about my signature Asian salad dressing? I have added peanut butter to it. And trust me; it takes the flavour of the sauce to another level.

The only tipping point while making this dressing is the amount of salt added. The peanut butter and soy sauce have some tone of saltiness. So add the salt cautiously.

Use Asian Peanut Butter Dressing:

• Crispy Noodle Salad
• Noodle Salad
• Mango Salad
• Thai Salad

Ingredients

• ▢ ¼ Cup Soy Sauce
• ▢ 2 tablespoon peanut butter
• ▢ 2 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• ▢ 2 tablespoon sesame oil
• ▢ 1 tablespoon honey
• ▢ Salt to taste
• ▢ 1 clove of garlic crushed/grated

Instructions

• Combine all ingredients except garlic in a food processor or blender and pulse until well combined and smooth.
• Taste and adjust the seasoning accordingly.
• Shake the dressing well before pouring over the salad.

Recipe Notes:

• You can add finely chopped red chillies as well in this dressing. This recipe yields approximately 1 Cup of salad dressing.

Nutrition

4. Honey Mustard Dressing: Over the years I have been obsessed with honey mustard dressing.

I love to add it to my salads, sandwich filling, and technically anything, that requires the punch of mustard with a dash of sweetness. On many occasions, I serve it with deep-fried snacks as a dipping sauce.

Finally, I am so glad that I have a foolproof honey mustard salad dressing recipe.

Try to use a good quality mustard paste and honey to make this dressing. The quality of ingredients really matters for the taste and texture of the dressing.

Use Honey Mustard Dressing: Dipping Sauce , Meat Marination, Sandwich Dressing

Ingredients

• ▢ ¼ Cup Dijon Mustard
• ▢ ¼ Cup Honey
• ▢ ¼ Cup Apple Cider Vinegar
• ▢ ¼ Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• ▢ a pinch of salt

Instructions

• Combine all the ingredients in a blender.
• Pulse until smooth and nicely mixed.
• Transfer to a clean and dry jar.
• Shake well before using.

Recipe Notes:

Nutrition

5. Balsamic Vinaigrette – Ditch the store-bought over-sweetened balsamic vinaigrette and try this super awesome dressing recipe.

It is bold, distinct, and just perfect for robust salads. The better the quality of the balsamic vinegar more flavorsome is the dressing.

All I would suggest, the balsamic vinaigrette flavor gets better with time. Prepare the vinaigrette for at least a few hours before using it. I usually prepare it over the weekend and use it over the next few days.

Use It: Fresh Strawberry Salad, Fruit Salad, Meat Marination, BBQ Marination

Ingredients

• ▢ ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• ▢ ½ cup balsamic vinegar
• ▢ 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
• ▢ 1 clove garlic crushed or grated
• ▢ 1 tablespoon honey
• ▢ Salt and black pepper to taste

Instructions

• Combine all ingredients in a jar with a tight-fitting lid, shake until well combined.
• Keep in the fridge and let flavors mature for atleast 30 minutes.
• Shake well once again before using the dressing.

Recipe Notes:

Nutrition

6. Green Goddess Dressing: It is one of the coolest, refreshing, and creamiest salad dressing recipes.

My green dressing recipe is loaded with plenty of fresh herbs. Any kind of green herb – mint, kale, parsley, basil, or tarragon can be used to make this vibrant dressing.

My version of green goddess dressing is without any anchovy paste. That makes it a pure vegetarian salad dressing.

Use Green Godess Dressing:

• Dipping Sauce
• Healthy Chana Salad
• Chicken Pasta Salad

Ingredients

• ▢ 2 Cup fresh coriander leaves
• ▢ ¼ Cup mint leaves
• ▢ 1 garlic clove minced
• ▢ ¾ cup eggless mayonnaise
• ▢ Juice of one lemon
• ▢ Salt and black pepper to taste
• ▢ 2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

Instructions

• Put all of the ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend or pulse until you get an evenly smooth dressing, about 30-45 seconds.
• Serve as a dip, or toss with salad greens for a dressing.
• The dressing should last about a week in the fridge.

Recipe Notes:

Nutrition

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