Degchi
Dal Makhani
Serves 4 · Total 65 min · Prep 15 min · Cook 50 min
A rich Punjabi lentil dish: whole black lentils and kidney beans simmered for hours with butter, cream and tomato until velvety. Famous from Delhi's dhabas to festive dinners, it tastes even better the next day.
Quick answer: 65 min in total · serves 4 · main ingredients: Split black lentils, Butter, Onion, Ginger · amounts in metric and US
Ingredients
- 200 g 7 oz Split black lentils, soaked overnight
- 3 tbsp 3 tbsp Butter
- 1 pc 1 pc Onion, finely chopped
- 1 tbsp 1 tbsp Ginger, paste
- 1 tbsp 1 tbsp Garlic, paste
- 3 pc 3 pc Tomato, pureed
- 1 tsp 1 tsp Red chilli powder
- 1.5 tsp 1.5 tsp Salt, to taste
- 100 ml 0.4 cup Cream
- 50 g 1.8 oz Kidney beans, soaked overnight (Optional)
- 0.5 tsp 0.5 tsp Garam masala (Optional)
Steps
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- Rinse the black lentils and kidney beans, then soak them together in plenty of water for 8–10 hours or overnight; drain before cooking.⏱ Soaking lentils and beans · 480 min
- Pressure-cook them in fresh water with a little salt for about 40 minutes (6–7 whistles) until they mash easily between your fingers. Keep the cooking liquid.⏱ Cooking lentils · 40 min
- Melt the butter in a heavy pan over medium heat and fry the chopped onion for 5 minutes until golden.⏱ Frying onion · 5 min
- Add the ginger-garlic paste and fry for 2 minutes until the raw smell goes.⏱ Frying ginger-garlic · 2 min
- Add the tomato puree, red chilli powder and salt and cook for 8 minutes until the oil separates and the masala turns thick and deep red.⏱ Cooking masala · 8 min
- Add the cooked lentils with their liquid and mash a few against the side of the pan to thicken the gravy.
- Simmer on very low heat for 20 minutes, stirring often so it does not stick, adding hot water if it gets too thick. A longer simmer of an hour or more gives the creamiest, darkest result.⏱ Simmering · 20 min
- Stir in the cream and garam masala, simmer for 5 more minutes and serve hot with naan or rice.⏱ Finishing with cream · 5 min
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Frequently asked questions
How long does Dal Makhani take?
65 minutes in total: about 15 minutes of prep and 50 minutes of cooking.
Is Dal Makhani hard to make?
Degchi rates it medium. The method has 8 steps, and 7 of them have a timer you can start on this page.
How many people does Dal Makhani serve?
This recipe serves 4. Use the toggle above the ingredient list to see the amounts in metric or US measures. For more or fewer portions, scale every amount in the same proportion, or use the servings control in the Degchi app.
Is Dal Makhani halal, vegetarian or eggless?
It is marked halal in our recipe data. It is vegetarian. It has no egg. It has no beef. Check the labels on any packaged ingredients for your own needs.
What will I probably need to buy for Dal Makhani?
Everyday staples that Degchi counts as pantry basics: red chilli powder, salt. Fresh items you will probably need to buy: butter, onion, ginger, garlic, tomato, cream. Lentils, grains and other dry goods: split black lentils.
Any tips for making Dal Makhani?
The longer and slower it simmers, the creamier and darker it gets — don't rush it. If the lentils still feel grainy, pressure-cook them 10 minutes longer before moving to the pan; under-cooked lentils never turn creamy, however long they simmer.
Notes and questions
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