If you enjoy Indian cuisine, you’ll love Dal Makhni! Most Indian restaurants in the US serve this delicious dish. Traditionally, it is made with whole black lentils (urad), with a generous dollop of cream and butter. Sometimes a smattering of kidney beans (rajma) get added. The literal translation of Dal Makhni (pronounced daal makh-nee) is “buttery lentils”. Lentils are called dal and butter is called makkhan in Hindi.
Urad Dal (Blank Gram Lentils)
Unquestionably, the key to this popular and amazing dal makhni is the lentil itself, the humble urad (black gram). Of the 60 dals that are in common use in India (moong, chana, rajma and so on), urad is among the most ubiquitous and is found in many parts of the country including the south. But there are many kinds of urad. Urad is like a mung bean in size and shape, but tastes nothing like mung. It has an earthy flavor and an unusual mucous like texture when cooked.
From Left: Split Urad (without skin), Split Urad (with skin), Whole Urad
Dal Makhni
Generally, most Indian recipes have variations especially with respect to spices. For instance, cumin powder may be used instead of coriander powder. Some recipes use both cumin and coriander powder. Some folks may blend onions and tomatoes instead of cutting them fine. In my opinion, these variations do not cause much of an impact on the overall taste of the dish. I believe you can make it the way you want it, if you stick to the overall concept. I also believe in the quality and quantity of the ingredients in order to make sure it maintains a high level of nutrition.
Pairing
Because of the texture of pressure cooked urad dal and butter, this dish is very creamy. This is one reason why this dish is so popular! It is delicious, creamy and goes great with roti or rice (or quinoa for that matter!). I personally enjoy it with Brown Jeera Rice or Jeera Quinoa and a fresh salad on the side.
Dal Makhni Paired with Brown Jeera (Cumin) Rice & Salad
Whole urad (black lentils) is a high source of nutrients including manganese, potassium, magnesium, folate, copper, zinc and various B vitamins. They are also a very filling food, high in protein, resistant starch and dietary fiber.
Check out our delicious North Indian recipes here:
- Vegan Palak Tofu Recipe
- Methi (Fenugreek Leaves) Dal
- Aloo Palak
- Kala Chana-Spinach Curry
- Delicious Dal Tadka!
- Aloo Gobi
- Instant Pot Rajma Masala
- Aloo Beans Recipe
- Easy Mung Sprouts Masala
- Cabbage & Carrot Masala
- Bhindi (Okra) Masala
- Baingan Bharta – Roasted Eggplant Curry
- Chana Masala- Spiced Chickpeas Curry
- Bhindi (Okra) Ki Bhujia
- Sarson Ka Saag
- Cabbage-Methi Sabzi
- Brown Jeera (Cumin) Rice
Do you love our posts and recipes? We’d LOVE to see your creations so click a photo and tag us on Instagram with the hashtag #healthyindian3 and please give a star (★) rating below. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Instagram, YouTube & Tumblr for healthy, easy and delicious recipes and lifestyle tips.
*There could be affiliate links in this blog. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
Dal Makhni
Ingredients
- 1 Cup Black Gram Lentils - Whole Urad
- 1/2 Cup Onion - Fine cut
- 1/2 Cup Tomato - Fine cut
- 1 Teaspoon Ginger & Garlic Paste - Made by crushing 1" Ginger and 4 Cloves Garlic
- 1/4 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
- 1/4 Teaspoon Red Chili Powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon Garam Masala
- 1/2 Teaspoon Coriander Powder
- 1/4 Teaspoon Sea Salt - (or to taste)
- 1 Tablespoon Coconut Oil - (or Olive Oil)
- 1 Tablespoon Butter - Skip if Vegan
Instructions
- Wash and soak lentils in a bowl of water for 2 hours. You can soak them longer upto 8-10 hours. All grains, legumes, nuts and seeds contain anti-nutrients that require neutralization- soaking helps negate this affect and makes it easier to digest.
- Pressure cook soaked lentils under high pressure for about 30 minutes (if you do not own an Instant Pot, any pressure cooker will do).
- Make sure that the steel container of the Instant Pot is dry and set it on 'sauté' mode. Add oil and wait for the 'hot' sign to show up. (again, if you do not own an Instant Pot, not a problem, you can use any pan to sauté).
- Add onions and ginger/garlic paste. Sauté till onions turn slightly brown. Add turmeric, red chili powder (or cayenne pepper), tomatoes and salt. Mix well and cook the contents for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Now add garam masala, coriander powder and mix again. Continue cooking the contents for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the pressure-cooked lentils. Add more water if you prefer the dal less thick. Add butter, mix well and cook till the contents come to a simmer.
- Transfer to a bowl and serve with Brown Jeera Rice and salad on the side.
Hi
Loved your recipe.
I just had a question, since I’m new to instapot ….why do we not saute onions, etc and then add the lentils & pressure cook …. instead of the other way round.
Hi Sonali, thanks for your question. It is a personal choice. I feel the aroma of sautéed onions is enhanced/retained when the onions are not pressure cooked along with lentils. But if you are in a time crunch, you can opt to do so. Hope that helps.