Daal Makhani Recipe

Wash the urad and kidney beans together, rubbing them between your hands, until the water is less murky. Soak overnight in plenty of water.

⏱ 480 min

Drain, then boil hard with 6 cups of fresh water, the salt and the crushed ginger for 10 minutes, skimming the froth. The fast boil is important for the kidney beans.

⏱ 10 min

Lower the heat, cover and simmer until both the urad and the beans crush easily between your fingers. Top up with hot water whenever it looks dry. (In a pressure cooker: about 25 minutes after the first whistle on low heat.)

⏱ 75 min

Meanwhile melt the butter with the oil in a pan on medium heat, add the cumin, then the onion, and fry until golden. Add the ginger-garlic paste and fry for a minute.

⏱ 8 min

Add the tomato purée, both chilli powders and green chillies. Bhuno on medium heat until the masala is thick, darkened and the butter separates at the edges.

⏱ 10 min

Pour the masala into the cooked daal and mash about a quarter of the lentils with the back of a ladle. Simmer on the lowest heat, stirring every few minutes and scraping the bottom, until thick and creamy. Add hot water if it catches.

⏱ 30 min

Stir in the butter, cream, garam masala and kasuri methi and simmer for 5 more minutes.

⏱ 5 min

For the smoky finish, heat a small piece of charcoal on the flame until red hot. Set it in a small foil cup or onion skin on top of the daal, pour a few drops of oil or ghee on it and cover tightly for a few minutes, then remove the coal and serve.

⏱ 3 min