DAL MAKHNI - Food Canvas

Dal Makhni

Dal makhani or dal makhni (pronounced daal makh-nee, "buttery lentils") is a dish originating from the Indian subcontinent, notably in the Punjab region. The primary ingredients are whole black lentil (urad), red kidney beans (rajma), butter and cream. The dish gets its richness from the use of cream, but it can also be prepared.

History And Origin

Dal makhani is a staple in the Indian subcontinent. It was popularized in India following partition, when many people from the Punjab migrated to the northern regions of India. As the Punjabi diaspora migrated across India and internationally, the dish was introduced to new locales by entrepreneurial Punjabi migrants Kundan Lal Jaggi, Kundan Lal Gujral and Thakur Dass, who opened the Moti Mahal restaurant in Daryaganj, Delhi, India.

Dal makhani was first created by Punjabis and is now recognized as a quintessential Indian dish, and variations of the dish are served in many different restaurants internationally. Dal makhani's popularity is due in part to its versatility in a meal: the rich vegetarian dish can be served as a main meal, included as part of a buffet (thali), or used as an accompaniment to a meal. In India, soups and curries with a red or yellow lentil base are an important staple, however, due to dal makhani's rich texture and lengthy preparation process, many Indians only consume the dish on days of significance, such as birthdays, national holidays, weddings and religious observances. with yogurt, milk or no dairy.

Preparation time

The traditional preparation of dal makhani involves a series of time-consuming procedures, which can take up to 24 hours to complete. With the availability of modern cooking equipment, namely pressure cookers, the preparation time of the dish has reduced significantly to 2–3 hours.

Ingredients of Dal Makhani

• 2 tablespoon soaked overnight red kidney beans
• 1 teaspoon Red chilli powder
• 4 tablespoon butter
• 1 large chopped onion
• 1/2 cup tomato puree
• 1/2 cup fresh cream
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger paste
• 1 pinch salt
• 2 inch chopped ginger
• 1 tablespoon sunflower oil
• 2 medium sliced & slit green chilli
• 1 teaspoon garam masala powder
• 1/2 cup soaked overnight urad dal
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic paste

How to make Dal Makhani

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  Step 1
  Soak sabut urad and rajma overnight in three cups of water. Drain it and pressure cook in 4 cups of water with a pinch of salt. This makes the rajma and dal soft.
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  Step 2
  Take a kadhai on medium flame, then heat the oil and add some cumin seeds.Once the cumin seeds crackle you can add half ginger-garlic paste and stir for sometime. Then you can add some onions, chopped green chillies and tomato puree, fry until the mix turns golden. You can accentuate the taste of this recipe by adding one tablespoon almond paste, which you can prepare with soaked almond. This will make the recipe more creamy. If you are someone who loves the authentic style of Dal Makhani, then we suggest you to use ghee instead of using sunflower oil.
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  Step 3
  Once the bhuna masala is ready you can add the pressure cooked Rajma and dal, and bring to boil. If you want your Dal Makhani to be smooth, you can grind the masala first and then add the dal and Rajma.
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  Step 4
  Then add some garam masala and salt as per your taste. Stir well and bring to boil, if you think that the paste is too thick you can add some water. Then add some fresh cream to this recipe and stir well. This will make your Dal Makhani creamy and delicious. Garnish this recipe with fresh cream and freshly chopped coriander leaves. You can serve this indulgent recipe with naan, jeera rice and tandoori butter roti. Do not forget to add a dollop of butter in the bowl. This desi recipe will surely win you accolades for culinary skills.