The Most Popular Yellow Dal Makhani Recipe

Dal makhani is a kind of curry which was invented ages ago in the state of Punjab, India. Owing to its creamy taste and ability to go with all Indian breads and rice, this recipe quickly amassed popularity worldwide. 

This recipe is a standard across myriads of Indian restaurants. That said, each chef has a particular way of cooking. Some prefer slow cooking it while some prefer the instant pot method. 

The same can also be said in regard to the base of the dish, i.e., lentils and kidney beans. In this article, I will share the best yellow dal makhani recipe which is made using green gram (moong dal). 

Along with this, I also have some exclusive tips for you which will help you mimic the restaurant-style taste effortlessly. 

So without any further ado, let’s get started! 

Yellow dal makhani 

The origin of dal makhani is as old as that of butter chicken, another famous Indian dish. This dish was introduced by Kundan Lal Gujral, who used to own a chain of restaurants called ‘Motimahal’. He was the guy who converted the recipe of tandoori chicken to butter chicken by adding heavy amounts of cream and puréed tomatoes. 

Dal makhani can be seen as the vegetarian counterpart of this dish which is made using urad dal and simmered in a pot for long hours. There were some other variants too, such as Dal Bukhara (popularised by ITC group of hotels), which contained red kidney beans and lentils which are cooked overnight in a master pot and then given a fresh tempering. 

Recipe card 

Cooking time 35 minutes 
Main ingredients Whole Moong, tomato Puree, red chili powder, and cream
Taste Creamy and unsweetened 
Pre-requisites Instant cooking pot/pressure cooker, mixing bowl, water strainer, saucepan, and a serving bowl
Nutritional information 50% saturated fat, 16% potassium, 15% cholesterol and 10% carbohydrates, protein 7%
Goes best withNaan bread or tandoori roti 

Ingredients required 

  • 1 cup whole moong
  • 1 cup tomato puree
  • 1 cup onions
  • 1 tablespoon ginger chopped
  • 1 tablespoon garlic chopped
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon cooking oil
  • 1/4 tablespoon garam masala
  • 1 tablespoon red chili powder
  • 1/4 cup cream

Inventory needed

  • Instant cooking pot/pressure cooker 
  • Mixing bowl
  • Water strainer
  • Saucepan
  • Serving bowl

Cooking process 

  • The yellow lentils Indian recipe preparation starts with soaking the moong dal. First, put moong dal in a bowl filled with 3-4 cups of water followed by gently rubbing amidst your palm. This gets rid of all the dirt and grime on top. Soaking also reduces the cooking time and enhances the flavors by eliminating impurities. 

(If you do not want to soak the dal before cooking, you can increase the cooking time by 15 minutes to compensate.) Repeat this process at least 3 times before moving ahead. 

  • Next up, soak the moong dal by keeping it in water for at least 6 hours. Make sure that you do not refrigerate it and keep it at room temperature only, as refrigeration will cause the gram beans to harden. 
  • Once your beans are soaked properly, drain and pressure cook the beans for one whistle. Another alternative is to para-boil your dal in a pan. 
  • Now take a pan and put some oil in it and wait till it warms up. Add some butter along with finely chopped ginger. Sauté till it looks golden brown and then add onions. 
  • Once the onions turn colored, add fresh tomato puree along with garam masala and red chilli powder. Keep stirring and let this cook for at least five minutes. 
  • Finally, put all the boiled moong and mix well. Let your dal simmer for 15 minutes 

That’s it! You are all set. Enjoy this makhani dal with naan or any Indian bread of your liking. 

Yellow Dal Makhani/ Makhani Moong Dal -Instant pot 

This is another alternative way of cooking yellow dal makhani instant pot without soaking. Ideal for those looking for a quick yet flavourful recipe, this delicious lentils dish comes from Sindhi-Indian cuisine. To add to its goodness, this dal is also vegan and gluten-free. Here’s how to cook this dish : 

  • Start by soaking the lentils in lukewarm water to get rid of all the impurities. Also keep in mind to wash your dal before you put it down for preparation. Wait for 20 minutes and then drain all the water. 
  • Next, you should add some water, chili, turmeric powder, water and salt to the drained dal. Then, close the instant pot lid and seal the vents carefully. 
  • Depending on the model of your pot, set it to pressure cook/ manual mode on high flame for about 2 minutes. 
  • After 10 minutes have passed, let the pressure ease gradually. You will now notice that the lentils have become mushy and also appear to have gained some size. 
  • Depending upon how much water you added in the beginning, ensure that the consistency resembles that of a thick tomato soup. 
  • Once you have added ½ -1 cup of water, turn on the ‘sauté’ mode and bring the lentils to a gentle boil. Keep in mind to also turn off the instant pot mode simultaneously. 

Tip: You can also mash the dal with the backside of a spoon so that its texture becomes a bit creamy. 

  • Now dish out all the yellow dal makhani from the pot and sprinkle some coriander powder, dried mango powder and red chilli powder over it. 
  • Now it’s time for the tadka. Take a sauce pan on a stove top and put it on high flame. Once the surface is warm enough, add oil, cumin seeds and asafoetida. 
  • Wait till you hear the crackling sound of cumins and then turn off the heat. 
  • Pour this temperaing over the dal that you prepared and garnish it with freshly squeezed lemon juice or cilantro. You can pair this punjabi dal makhani instant pot with phulkas, naan or fried Indian bread. 

In case you are not happy with the final consistency, you can also add some water from the top and warm it up slightly. This dish stays fresh for as long as 3 days if kept in a refrigerator. 

Another trick that some chefs use is adding veggies like carrots, corn, and green beans since they do not take a lot of time to cook and also do not alter the taste too much. 

What makes this dish work?

  • Yellow dal makhani recipe is quick and easy to make, that too without any flashy ingredients. Loved not only by adults but also little ones! 
  • It just uses basic pantry ingredients and is overall quite pocket-friendly. 
  • Split petite yellow lentils can easily be found in most grocery stores and even online
  • You can achieve a creamy taste without adding any cream or dairy, making this a weight-loss friendly dish. 
  • Easy to digest and light 
  • Vegan and gluten free
  • Filled with authentic Indian flavors which stem from asafoetida and cumin seeds. 
  • Moong dal is also rich in calcium which helps enhance bone density and aids good dental health

Tips for making the restaurant style dal makhani 

Even though the steps required to make dal makhani are quite simple, there are certain tricks and tips which will help you take the taste of your dish from a home-cooked basic experiment to  5-star style delicacy.

Here’s what chef Sadaf Hussain, a contestant of Masterchef 2016 had to say about the dish: ‘The slower you cook it, the better it will turn out. You also need to be generous while adding butter and cream as these are the ingredients which add the creaminess to the taste’. 

Follow the following steps to prepare dal makhani Dhungar style, which is known for its smoky flavors: 

  • Dal makhani tastes best when the urad and rajma are pre-soaked overnight in 3-4 cups of water. Most chefs recommend pre-soaking the daal overnight in 3-4 cups of water for the best results. 
  • Next day, drain all the water and add spices like salt, red chili powder, ginger paste etc to your dal followed by adding water and keeping it in a boiling vessel. 
  • Then tenderise the dal by simmering it in water until the beans and lentils become soft. 
  • Then take a separate pan and add some oil. Once the oil heats up, throw in some cumin seeds and freshly prepared tomato puree. Stir the mixture constantly so that it doesn’t get overcooked. 
  • Once your mixture begins to boil, add sugar, red chilli powder and some salt to balance the splines of the dish. Add dal to this mixture as well and add some more water (1-2 cups). 
  • Using the back side of the ladle, mash the lentils and cover the dal with a led. Let it boil for 20-30 minutes. Lastly, add some garam masala and cream from top and mix it thoroughly. This will help you achieve that rich spicy taste of Indian cuisine. 
  • Once your dal becomes medium-to-dark brown in colour, lower the heat and simmer for few minutes. Then place your dal along the edges of a vessel where hot coal is placed in the centre topped with ghee, star anise, cardamom and cinnamon sticks.
  • The smoke that you will notice will be imparted into the curry of your dal makhani, enhancing the flavour significantly.  

Dal makhani masala: The feisty Indian secret

Regardless of the method of preparation you choose, if there’s one thing that is common, it is the masala, which is probably the most crucial determinant of how your recipe will taste. Now we all know how good those shelve-racked are. Therefore, here is an easy-to-make dal makhani masala powder recipe. 

What you’ll need

  • 4 tablespoon cumin seeds 
  • 6–8 cloves 
  • 1 tablespoon black pepper (whole)
  • 2-3 tablespoon mace 
  • 4-5 Kashmiri Lal mirch 
  • 1 tablespoon turmeric powder 
  • 2 tablespoon dried fenugreek leaves
  • 4-5 bay leaves 
  • Garlic powder 
  • 1 tablespoon asafoetida 
  • 3 tablespoon whole coriander 
  • 2-3 cinnamon sticks 

Preparation 

  • The first step is to sauté all the dry seeds. Take a frying pan and heat it over medium flame for about 45 seconds. Then add some whole coriander and cumin seeds. Once they start to pop, lower the flame.
  •  Next step is to add whole spices such as cinnamon sticks and mace. You can also throw in some Kashmiri lal mirch from top if you want to make it spicy. 
  • Make sure to stir constantly so that you do not overcook the spices (making them taste bitter). Once 1 minute has passed, take this assortment of spices off the frying pan and set it aside for 2 minutes. 
  • In the same pan, heat some bay leaves and cloves for about a minute and then turn off the heat. 
  • Next up, take a blender and add some turmeric powder, garlic powder, asafoetida and dried fenugreek leaves. Pour in all the spices and bay leaves that you had kept aside. 
  • Blend for two minutes and viola! Your dal makhani masala powder is ready to be used. As a general rule of thumb, you can use around 1 tablespoon of this masala per 250 gram of dal that you prepare. 

Given the long life of this masala, you can even store it for future use. The only thing you need to ensure is that it is kept in an air-tight container, away from moisture. Pair it with dishes like dal makhani, dal fry, or any lentil-based Indian curry to level up the taste. 

The difference between dal dry and yellow dal makhani

The conventional dal fry is simply fried in ghee/butter followed by boiling with turmeric and salt. Yellow dal makhani, however, is prepared using black urad dal, which is soaked overnight and then boiled along with spices and lots of butter & butter. 

In the case of yellow dal makhani, we use yellow moong dal/ masoor dal instead of black gram. This recipe also contains a spicy touch of green chilies and red chili powder. 

The best part is that the recipes shared above do not take a lot of time to prepare, unlike dal makhani, which requires hours of toil. 

Another dish that is quite close to dal makhani is paneer makhani. Here is a brief comparison between paneer makhani vs dal makhani.

What goes best with dal makhani? 

You can serve this dish with chapatis, naan bread, tandoori roti, Indian basmati rice, or fried rice. In India, this dish is also served with vegetable pulao and paneer makhani. Owing to the fresh tomato purée and butter, this dish tastes amazing regardless of what you savor it with. 

I hope you enjoyed this yellow dal makhani recipe! 

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