Dal Makhani Recipe (Authentic Punjabi Style)

Name: Dal Makhani Recipe (Authentic Punjabi Style)
Prep time: 8 h
Cook time: 1 h
Total time: 9 h
Cuisine: Asian, Indian
Ingredients: ¾ cup or 140 grams whole urad dal ((whole black gram) ); ¼ cup or 40 grams rajma ((kidney beans)); 3 cups water (- for pressure cooking); 3 tablespoons butter (- salted or unsalted); ½ teaspoon cumin seeds; 2 to 3 cloves; 2 to 3 green cardamoms; 1 black cardamom; 1 inch cinnamon; 1 tej patta (- small to medium-sized, (Indian bay leaf)); ½ cup or 50 grams onions (- finely chopped); 1 teaspoon or 1 to 2 green chilies (- chopped, or use serrano peppers); 2 teaspoons ginger garlic paste; 200 grams or 2 large tomatoes (- roughly chopped and pureed or 1 cup tomato puree); ½ teaspoon red chili powder (or cayenne pepper or smoked paprika); 2 to 3 pinches nutmeg (- grated or ground nutmeg powder); 1 cup water ( or add as required); ¼ to ⅓ cup light cream ((25% to 30% fat) or half & half or 2 tablespoons whipping or heavy cream); ¼ teaspoon dry fenugreek leaves (- crushed, (kasuri methi), optional); salt (as required); 1 small piece charcoal; ½ to ⅔ teaspoon oil (- any neutral tasting oil); 1 to 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves ((cilantro)); 1 tablespoon light cream ((25% to 30% fat) or few teaspoons of whipping cream - optional); 1 inch ginger (julienne - optional)

Instructions

Prep:8hCook:1h

This Dal Makhani recipe is a restaurant style version with subtle smoky flavors and creaminess of the lentils. Dal Makhani is one of the most popular lentil recipes from the North Indian Punjabi cuisine made with whole urad dal (black gram), kidney beans (rajma) and simmered with butter, cream, fragrant spices, creating a luscious, smoky-flavored delicacy best enjoyed with roti, paratha or rice.

Updated at: Tue, 30 Dec 2025 00:32:01 GMT