Dal Makhani The Ultimate Recipe For Stovetop And Pressure Cooker

on Feb 18, 2021, Updated May 23, 2023 Traditionally, dal makhani is a labour of love, slow cooked for hours on hot coals, usually overnight till the dal breaks down on its own to a buttery, creamy consistency. But we don’t have that kind of time do we? We have to get to work, send kids to school and get some Netflix time in between. So I decided to test out versions of this recipe which will give you the same flavors and the same consistency but with less than half the time. It’s still a slightly long process and it takes about two hours for the dal to cook and flavors to mingle. But don’t let that deter you as most of the process is pretty hands off. I recommend saving this recipe for the weekend, and taking it on as a project so that you have time to really savour the deliciousness.

Pick the right dals (lentils) for Dal Makhani

Dal Makhani is traditionally made with whole black urad dal (black lentils) and rajma (kidney beans). There are many recipes which will tell you otherwise, and ask you to use any lentils available to you. But if you are taking the effort to make something like this, its worth an extra trip to the store to buy the right ingredients for this recipe. If you stay in the U.S. or outside India, all Indian grocery stores carry these lentils.

How to give your dal makhani that restaurant style smoky flavor

I’m sure you’ve noticed that restaurant style dal makhani usually has a distinct smokiness to it, which you can easily recreate at home. All you need is a small piece of charcoal (or lump charcoal as its called in the U.S.) and either oil or ghee. Right in the end, when the dal is ready, heat up the piece of charcoal on an open flame or grill and place it in a small heat proof bowl. Pour a tablespoon of ghee or oil in the bowl, and you’ll immediately hear a sizzle and smoke coming out. Place the bowl in the middle of the pot and cover it. The smoke from the bowl will smoke the dal makhani and give it the distinct smoky aroma that we all love so much!

Top Tips To Make The Best Dal Makhani

Make sure to soak the dry pulses sufficiently for a minimum of 8 to 10 hours or overnight. This will not just allow them to cook faster, but also digest better thereby reducing the chances of bloating and indigestion. You can store this dal makhani in the fridge in an air tight container for up to 2 days. Simply reheat it on the stove or microwave for a few minutes before serving. If the texture feels too thick, then simply add in a little cream to adjust the consistency and it should taste just perfect. Using different kinds of fats like butter, cream, ghee may seem a bit excessive but I wouldn’t recommend skimping on it. It’s an important element to making a delicious dal makhani and give it that restaurant-style flavor and texture.

I also have a slow cooker dal makhani recipe on the site that you can check out, but cooking this recipe in a pressure cooker really cuts down the time and effort! I love serving this one with some butter garlic naan or jeera rice, along with a side of salad. But this dal makhani tastes incredible with roti, paratha, or steamed rice as well. Make extras and share it with your neighbours and loved ones, cos this one’s sure to win you lots of brownie points!