Classic Punjabi Dal Makhni
Add 1 Punjabi Dal Makhni potli at the beginning of pressure cooking with the soaked urad and rajma. It infuses while the pulses soften. Remove it after pressure cooking and before mashing or beginning the final slow simmer. Do not cut open the potli.
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- Whole black urad (sabut urad) — 1 cup / 200 g
- Rajma — 2 tbsp / 30 g
- Water — 4 cups for pressure cooking, plus more as required
- Salt — 1¼ tsp, or to taste
Zaika Potli
- Punjabi Dal Makhni — 1 potli
For the Masala
- Butter — 2 tbsp
- Ghee — 1 tbsp
- Ginger — 1 tbsp, finely grated
- Garlic — 1 tbsp, finely grated
- Tomato purée — 1 cup / about 240 g
- Kashmiri chilli powder — ½ tsp
- Coriander powder — 1 tsp
For Finishing
- Butter — 1 tbsp
- Cream — 3 tbsp
- Kasuri methi — ½ tsp, crushed
- Fresh coriander — 1 tbsp, finely chopped
Cooking Instructions
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1Wash the urad and rajma thoroughly and soak together in plenty of water for 8–10 hours. Drain and rinse.
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2Transfer to a pressure cooker with 4 cups fresh water and the Punjabi Dal Makhni potli. Make sure the potli is submerged but not trapped directly against the bottom of the cooker.
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3Pressure-cook until the beans are extremely soft. Depending on the cooker and beans, this will generally take about 25–35 minutes under pressure. Allow the pressure to release naturally.
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4Open the cooker. The urad should crush easily between your fingers. Remove the potli and discard it.
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5Using the back of a ladle, lightly mash some of the dal against the side of the cooker. Do not purée it—the finished dal should retain some texture.
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6Heat 2 tbsp butter and 1 tbsp ghee in a heavy kadai. Add ginger and garlic and cook over medium-low heat for 1–2 minutes without allowing them to burn.
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7Add the tomato purée, Kashmiri chilli powder and coriander powder. Cook over medium heat until the tomatoes lose their raw aroma, become noticeably darker and the fat begins appearing around the edges, about 10–12 minutes.
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8Add the cooked dal and approximately 1 cup of its cooking liquid. Season with salt.
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9Bring to a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered or partially covered over very low heat for 30–40 minutes, stirring frequently and adding hot water in small quantities whenever it becomes too thick.
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10As it cooks, occasionally press some of the urad against the side of the pan. The dal should gradually become glossy and creamy without requiring large quantities of cream.
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11Stir in the remaining butter, cream and crushed kasuri methi. Simmer for another 5 minutes. Taste and adjust salt.
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12Finish with coriander and, if desired, a small swirl of cream.
The most important ingredient here is time. If the dal becomes too thick during its final simmer, add hot water rather than extra cream and continue cooking. Slow simmering releases starch from the urad and creates the characteristic creamy texture.
🍽️ Perfect Serving Pairings
My Take On Classic Punjabi Dal Makhni
Dal makhni gets its characteristic body from patiently cooked whole black urad, while butter, tomato and a restrained cream finish create its familiar richness. The Punjabi Dal Makhni infusion supplies the wholespice foundation—black and green cardamom, cinnamon, bay leaf, cloves, pepper, cumin, chilli and mace— while the remaining ingredients build the actual dal.
The Secret: The most important ingredient here is time. If the dal becomes too thick during its final simmer, add hot water rather than extra cream and continue cooking. Slow simmering releases starch from the urad and creates the characteristic creamy texture.