Smoky Restaurant Style Dal Makhani Recipe

Smoky Restaurant Style Dal Makhani Recipe

Creamy, slow-simmered Dal Makhani made with whole black lentils, butter, and warm spices, finished with a gentle smoky depth and a touch of cream. (pronounced daal makh-nee)

Course Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine Indian, Punjabi

Keyword Restaurant Style Dal Makhani, Smoky Dal Makhani

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 1 30

Soaking Time 8

Total Time 9 40

Servings

Calories 309kcal

Ingredients

1 cup whole black lentils (200 g), urad dal
⅓ cup dried kidney beans (75 g)rajma
4 cups water (960 ml)
¼ teaspoon salt (1.5 g) for cooking beans
3 tablespoons butter (42 g) or ghee
1 bay leaf
1 inch cinnamon stick (0.1 g) or 1/16 teaspoon ground -
4-5 whole cloves (0.5 g) or ¼ teaspoon ground -
3 green cardamom pods
1 black cardamom pod optional
3 cloves garlic (9 g) minced
2 teaspoons fresh ginger (10 g) grated
1-2 green chiles halved (see pepper selection guide)
1 large sweet onion (200 g) finely chopped
4 tomatoes (1 ½ cups, 350–400 g) coarsely blended
1 ½ teaspoons Kashmiri chili powder (3–4 g) or hot smoked paprika
1 teaspoon salt (6 g) divided
1 teaspoon garam masala (2 g)
¼ cup heavy cream (60 ml)
2 tablespoons butter (28 g)
2 tablespoons dried fenugreek leaves (2 g) kasuri methi, lightly toasted
More cream for finishing

Smoking Dal Makhani

1 piece lump charcoal (more nat

Instructions

Soak the Lentils and Beans: Add the dried black lentils (urad dal) and kidney beans (rajma) to a bowl and cover with water by at least 1 inch (2.5 cm). Soak for 8 hours or overnight.
1 cup whole black lentils, ⅓ cup dried kidney beans
Cook Until Tender: Drain and transfer to a pot with 4 cups water (960 ml) and ¼ teaspoon salt (1.5 g). Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Cover and cook for about 1 hour, until the beans are soft and easily mash between your fingers.
4 cups water, ¼ teaspoon salt
Lightly Mash for Texture: Use a potato masher to gently break up the lentils and beans, keeping some texture for body.
Build the Flavor Base: Heat butter or ghee in a large pot over medium heat. Add bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, and cardamom and cook for 1–2 minutes until fragrant. Stir in garlic, ginger, green chiles, and onion and cook until the onions are soft and translucent.
3 tablespoons butter , 1 bay leaf, 1 inch cinnamon stick, 4-5 whole cloves, 3 cloves garlic, 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, 1-2 green chiles, 1 large sweet onion, 3 green cardamom pods
Cook the Masala: Add the blended tomatoes, Kashmiri chili powder, and part of the salt. Cook for 10–15 minutes until the tomatoes soften, deepen in color, and the mixture looks slightly glossy.
4 tomatoes, 1 ½ teaspoons Kashmiri chili powder , 1 teaspoon salt
Simmer the Dal: Add the cooked lentils and beans along with 1 cup water (240 ml). Bring to a boil, then reduce to a low simmer and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking, until thick and creamy.
Add Smoke (Optional): Heat a piece of lump charcoal until red hot. Place a small heatproof bowl inside the pot, add the hot charcoal, drizzle a little nuetral oil over it, and immediately cover the pot. Let the dal absorb the smoke for 5–10 minutes, then remove the bowl.
Finish and Rest: Stir in the cream, 2 tbs butter, and toasted fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi) crushed between the palms of your hands, and garam masala. Turn off the heat and let the dal rest for 15 minutes before serving. Or rest overnight to build flavor and reheat. Finish with a drizzle of cream and fresh cilantro/corriander
¼ cup heavy cream, 2 tablespoons butter, 2 tablespoons dried fenugreek leaves, 1 teaspoon garam masala

Notes

Bite Me Recipe Note:
If you want to replicate the charm of charcoal without charcoal, you can replace standard salt with smoked salt and replace the Kashmiri chili with smoked paprika for warmth. Lump charcoal is more authentic.

Nutrition