Dal Makhani, a buttery lentil curry laced with ginger, garlic, and lots of butter is a classic and comforting North Indian Punjabi dish. This dal is usually made with black lentils in a gravy of tomatoes and whole Indian spices topped with butter or cream.
In olden days, Dal Makhani was slow cooked for hours over low heat on hot coals to get that perfect rich, creamy texture. But nowadays we don’t have that kind of time, so I decided to prepare an Instant Pot version of this delicious dish to achieve those same flavors in a lesser amount of time. The result is a super velvety, flavorful Dal Makhani that will certainly make your weekend or festive meals special and unique.
Serve this mouthwatering meal with tandoori roti, naan or rice and I’m sure every bite of this dal makhani will be bursting with flavor!
WATCH HOW TO MAKE DAL MAKHANI:
Dal Makhani - a buttery, velvety North-Indian style lentils with garlic and ginger, made quick with this Instant Pot version! You’ll find that same rich, deep flavor that everyone loves!
- 1 cup whole kaali urad daal (black gram lentils)
- 2 tbsp chana dal (yellow split chickpeas lentils)
- 3 1/2 cup water
- 1 tsp garlic , minced
- 1 tsp ginger , minced
- salt , to taste
- 3 tbsp ghee
- 1 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 2 dried red chilies
- 2 tbsp ginger garlic green chili paste
- 1 cinnamon sticks
- 2 cloves
- 1 cup fresh tomato puree , I used a3 medium tomatoes
- 1/4 cup tomato puree , canned
- 1 tsp deggi mirch masala , or use kashmiri or normal chili powder
- 1 tsp red chili powder
- 2 1/2 tsp kasoori methi
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 4 tbsp butter , preferably Amul butter
- 3 tbsp cream , optional
- 1 tsp sugar , if needed to balance the taste
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Wash your lentils and soak them in room temperature water for at least 8 hours or overnight.
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In your Instant Pot, add your lentils, 3 1/2 cups water, ginger, garlic, and salt.
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Put the lid on and pressure cook for 30 minutes on high in manual mode. Make sure your vent is on the sealing position.
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When the cooking is complete, let the pressure release naturally.
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Open the Instant Pot and slightly mash some of the lentils using a potato masher or the back of a spoon. Transfer this into a separate bowl.
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Now, clean the Instant Pot bowl and then turn on the sauté mode (low).Then add in your ghee, cumin seeds, dried chilies, cloves, cinnamon, and ginger-garlic-green chili paste. Sauté this for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
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Add in both of your tomato purées, deggi mirch, red chili powder, turmeric powder, kasoori methi, and 1/2 tsp garam masala. Sauté for 5-6 minutes until the tomato purée thickens and you see the ghee around the edges.
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Add back your lentils, butter, and the remaining 1/2 tsp of garam masala. Adjust the salt and add 1 tsp sugar if needed. If you’re using cream, add it in here. Gently mix until combined.
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Let this simmer for 3-5 minutes until it comes up to a boil. Then, switch the Instant Pot to Slow Cook mode and cover with a lid. Cook for 30 minutes to an hour, stirring in between and adjusting the water quantity as needed. I typically like to simmer it for 1-2 hours to develop maximum flavor!
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Serve with naan or rice and enjoy!
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Wash your lentils and soak them in room temperature water for at least 8 hours or overnight.
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In your pressure cooker, add your lentils, 3 1/2 cups water, ginger, garlic, and salt. Cook for 1 whistle on high flame and 6-8 whistles on medium heat.
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Let the pressure release naturally and then slightly mash some of the lentils using a potato masher or the back of a spoon. Transfer this into a separate bowl.
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Heat a heavy-bottomed saucepan on medium heat and add in your ghee, cumin seeds, dried chilies, cloves, cinnamon, and ginger-garlic-chili paste. Sauté this for 1-2 minutes until fragrant.
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Add in both of your tomato purées, deggi mirch, red chili powder, turmeric powder, kasoori methi, and 1/2 tsp garam masala. Sauté for 5-6 minutes until the tomato purée thickens and you see the ghee around the edges.
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Add back your lentils, butter, and the remaining 1/2 tsp of garam masala. Adjust the salt and add 1 tsp sugar if needed. If you’re using cream, add it in here. Gently mix until combined.
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Let this simmer for 3-5 minutes until it comes up to a boil. Then, cover with a lid and cook for 30 minutes to an hour, stirring in between and adjusting the water quantity as needed. I typically like to simmer it for 1-2 hours to develop maximum flavor!
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Serve with naan or rice and enjoy!
Recipe Video
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Can you use whole moong dal instead of whole urad daal?
Yes, you can use whole green moong dal. The cooking time will change as the moong dal cooks very fast. It will only take 8 mins in Instant Pot and 2 whistles in a pressure cooker.
Thank you.
Also is it better to soak it overnight or can cook it otherwise too?
It’s best to soak it for at least 2 to 3 hours.