Indian & South Asian · Lunch · Dinner
Dal Makhani
दाल मखनी
Whole black lentils and kidney beans simmered slowly until creamy, then finished in a gently spiced tomato, ginger and garlic sauce. This lighter version keeps the rich, velvety feel with just a spoon of butter and a splash of cream.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 135 min
- Total
- 150 min
- Serves
- 4
Calories come from: Carbs 57% · Fat 22% · Protein 21%
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Ingredients
For 4 servings- 1 cup200 gWhole black urad dal (black lentils)
- 1.75 litres1,750 gWater
- 1 tsp6 gSalt
- 1 can (about 1 1/2 cups drained)240 gCanned red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 tbsp15 gUnsalted butter
- 1 tsp5 gVegetable oil
- 1 tspCumin seeds
- 1 medium150 gOnion, finely chopped
- 4 cloves12 gGarlic, minced
- 1 tbsp15 gFresh ginger, grated
- 1 small5 gGreen chilli, slit
- 1 tspKashmiri chilli powder
- 1 tspGround coriander
- 1 cup250 gCrushed tomatoes (canned)
- 1 tspGaram masala
- 1 tbspDried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)
- 1/4 cup60 gLight cream
- 2 tbsp5 gFresh coriander leaves, chopped (optional)
Steps
- 1
Pick over the urad dal and rinse it in several changes of water until the water runs mostly clear.
- 2
Put the dal in a large heavy pot with 1.5 litres of the water and half the salt.
- 3
Bring to a boil, skim off any foam, then cover partly and simmer gently for about 90 minutes, stirring now and then, until the lentils are completely soft and break when pressed.
- 4
Add the drained kidney beans and simmer 10 minutes more, mashing some of the lentils against the side of the pot to thicken.
- 5
Meanwhile, heat the oil and half the butter in a frying pan over medium heat.
- 6
Add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle for 30 seconds.
- 7
Add the onion and cook for 8–10 minutes until soft and golden.
- 8
Stir in the garlic, ginger and green chilli and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- 9
Add the chilli powder and ground coriander and stir for 20 seconds.
- 10
Pour in the crushed tomatoes and cook for 8–10 minutes until thick and the oil starts to separate.
- 11
Scrape the tomato masala into the dal pot, add the remaining 250 ml water and the rest of the salt, and stir well.
- 12
Simmer on low for 20–25 minutes, stirring often so it does not catch, until thick and creamy.
- 13
Stir in the garam masala and crush the fenugreek leaves between your palms into the pot.
- 14
Turn off the heat and stir in the cream and remaining butter.
- 15
Taste for salt and serve sprinkled with fresh coriander, if using.
Swaps, storage and make-ahead
Swaps
- For a vegan version, replace the butter with extra vegetable oil and the light cream with full-fat coconut milk or blended cashew cream.
- For a lighter finish, skip the cream and stir in a few spoons of plain yogurt off the heat so it does not split.
- To save time, cook the soaked urad dal in a pressure cooker for about 25 to 30 minutes instead of simmering it for 90 minutes.
- If you can't find kasuri methi, leave it out and add a little extra garam masala and fresh coriander instead.
Storage
Cool and refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in a covered container and eat within 3 to 4 days, reheating with a splash of water until steaming hot. It freezes well for up to 3 months, but it's best to add the cream after thawing and reheating.
Make ahead
Cook the urad dal and kidney beans up to 2 days ahead and keep them in the fridge, or make the whole dish a day early, since the flavour deepens overnight. Stir in the cream and fresh coriander just before serving.
Nutrition values are for the recipe as written.
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Allergens and nutrition
Contains: Milk
Check the labels of packaged ingredients for allergens and suitability for your diet.
Full nutrition
| Per serving (680 g) | Per 100 g | |
|---|---|---|
| Calories | 363 kcal | 53 kcal |
| Protein | 19.9 g | 2.9 g |
| Carbohydrates | 54 g | 7.9 g |
| of which sugars | 7.4 g | 1.1 g |
| Fiber | 15 g | 2.2 g |
| Fat | 9.2 g | 1.4 g |
| of which saturated | 3.9 g | 0.6 g |
| Sodium | 889 mg | 131 mg |
Nutrition is calculated from USDA FoodData Central data and may differ from what you cook.
