dal makhani restaurant style recipe, how to make dal makhani recipe |Cooking With Amanda

restaurant style dal makhani recipe with step by step pics – sharing a restaurant style version of the popular dal makhani recipe.

dal makhani is always always on our menu whenever we dine outside, which happens very rarely. our choice of restaurant is usually a north indian one rather than chinese or one with a world cuisine.

i tried many times to get the restaurant taste in the dal makhani i make at home. but it never came close. i remember once having dal makhani (and it was one of the best dal makhani, we have had) in goa. we have had dal makhani at this place many times, at the quiet and serene benaulim beach in goa. surprise, surprise i once found a black cardamom and a clove in the dal makhani. i thought may be its the black cardamom and clove giving that flavor. when we make dal makhani at home, we never add whole spices or whole garam masala. instead we add garam masala powder. thereafter i made dal makhani many times with the whole spices and it does make a difference. but i still felt something was missing.

so when i cracked the recipe of dal bukhara, i felt it was the cream and butter making this difference, apart from the slow cooking. i would always add less butter or oil (2 tbsp for 1 to 1.25 cups of lentils) and make dal makhani with no cream or very less cream. you could still make dal makhani with less butter and cream. just remember to slow cook it for longer periods of time, to get the real deal. the more slow cooked dal makhani is, the better it tastes. initially i have cooked the lentils in a pressure cooker for about 30 minutes. but later i have slow cooked on a low flame for 25 minutes.

another factor is the smoky charcoal infused aroma in the dal makhani, which we get in restaurants. i tried the dhungar method (charcoal smoking technique) and it worked very well. i myself was surprised when i tasted this dal makhani. exactly like the ones we get in restaurants. the dhungar smoking technique is optional and you can just skip if you cannot get charcoal.

this dal makhani recipe is rich than the home cooked dal makhani version (one which i always make) and the dhaba style dal makhani. so good for festive occasions or celebrations.

i was planning to add some makar sankranti & lohri recipes. but just could not get time to click & post the recipes. but i did make sesame ladoos and cracked the recipe of rasgulla (one of the most requested recipe). so just the sesame ladoos and rasgullas for makar sankranti. here's wishing all who celebrate a happy makar sankranti, pongal, bihu & uttarayan.

p.s. i will be adding some rich recipes in the coming days. i had made these during the last week of dec 14. the week from christmas to new year. its not that i make rich food everyday so please bear.

step by step restaurant style dal makhani recipe:

1. soak both ¾ cup whole urad dal/whole black gram and ¼ cup rajma/kidney beans overnight in enough water for 8 to 9 hours. drain them well. here's a pic of soaked urad dal and rajma.

2. rinse the urad lentils and rajma legumes a couple of times in water.

3. drain well and then add them in a pressure cooker.

4. add 3 cups water and stir well.

5. pressure cook for 18 to 20 whistles on a high flame, till both the urad dal and rajma have cooked thoroughly and softened. if they are not cooked, then add about ½ cup water again and pressure cook for 4 to 5 whistles more. the urad dal should melt in the mouth and should not give any bite or resistance when eaten. you can also just mash the urad dal with a spoon or with your fingers to check the doneness. the same rule applies for rajma too. keep the cooked beans aside. both the urad dal and rajma beans have to be fresh. if they are old or close to their expiry, they take a lot of time to cook.

6. here's both the rajma and urad dal cooked and softened.

7. in a blender or mixer jar, take chopped tomatoes. 2 large tomatoes or 200 grams of tomatoes, chopped. no need to blanch the tomatoes.

8. blend to a smooth puree. keep aside. you can also use store brought 1 cup tomato puree instead of blending the tomatoes.

9. in a pan, now heat 3 tbsp butter. you can use salted butter or unsalted butter.

10. add the whole spices – ½ tsp cumin seeds, 2 to 3 cloves, 2 to 3 green cardamoms, 1 black cardamom, 1 inch cinnamon, 1 small to medium tej patta/indian bay leaf. saute till the spices become aromatic.

11. then add ½ cup finely chopped onions.

12. stir and saute the onions on a low flame often.

13. saute the onions till they become light golden.

14. then add 2 tsp ginger garlic paste. stir again and saute till the raw aroma of ginger-garlic goes away.

15. add 1 tsp chopped green chilies and stir for a minute.

16. then add the tomato puree.

17. stir again.

18. add ½ tsp red chili powder.

19. then add about 2 to 3 pinches of grated nutmeg or nutmeg powder.

20. stir very well and saute this mixture on a low to medium flame, till you see fat releasing from the sides. about 3 to 4 minutes on a low flame.

21. then add the cooked urad dal and rajma beans.

22. add the remaining stock. add 1 cup water of more if required.

23. stir very well and simmer the dal makhani uncovered on a low flame.

24. keep on stirring often, so that the lentils don't get stuck to the bottom of the pan. the lentils become viscous and start to stick at the bottom if not stirred. mash a few lentils too while stirring.

25. once the dal makhani has begun to thicken, add salt as required.

26. stir very well and continue to simmer on a low flame. when simmering you can add more water if the gravy looks thick or dry. the longer you keep dal makhani to simmer, the better it tastes. the lentils become creamy, viscous and the consistency of the dal will keep on thickening as you simmer. i kept for about an overall 25 minutes on a low flame. do keep on stirring at intervals.

27. when the gravy has thickened enough, then add ¼ to ½ cup cream. dal makhani is not too thick or too thin. it has a medium consistency with a viscosity coming from the thoroughly cooked lentils.

28. stir the cream very well. then switch off the flame.

29. now add ¼ tsp kasuri methi, crushed. stir again. cover and keep the dal makhani aside, if you are proceeding to the dhungar method. or else you can serve dal makhani straight away.

30. heat a small piece of charcoal on flame till it becomes red hot. with the help of tongs, keep on turning the charcoal piece so that it evenly burns.

31. keep the red hot charcoal in a small bowl.

32. pour ½ to ⅔ tsp oil on the charcoal. the hot piece of charcoal would begin to smoke as soon as you pour oil on it.

33. immediately keep this bowl on top of the dal makhani.

34. cover for a minute and allow the charcoal to infuse its smoke in the dal makhani. the more you keep the pan covered, the more the dal makhani gets the smoky flavor. i usually keep for one to two minutes.

35. serve dal makhani garnished with chopped coriander leaves and a few teaspoons of cream with naan, tandoori roti, phulkas or steamed rice.

if you are looking for more dal recipes then do try dal tadka, dal fry, chana dal, moong dal tadka, arhar dal fry, masoor dal and palak dal recipe.

restaurant style dal makhani recipe below:

restaurant style dal makhani

AUTHOR: dassana

RECIPE TYPE: main

SERVES: 4

INGREDIENTS (measuring cup used, 1 cup = 250 ml)

main ingredients:

¾ cup whole urad dal, 140 grams
¼ cup rajma, 40 grams
3 cups water for pressure cooking, 750 ml
1 medium onion or 50 grams onion or ½ cup finely chopped onions
1 or 2 green chilies, chopped
2 tsp ginger garlic paste or 6 to 7 garlic + 1 inch ginger, crushed to a paste in mortar-pestle
2 large tomatoes or 200 grams tomatoes, pureed or 1 cup tomato puree
½ tsp cumin seeds
2 to 3 cloves
2 to 3 green cardamoms
1 black cardamom
1 inch cinnamon
1 small to medium tej patta/bay leaf
½ tsp red chili powder
2 to 3 pinches of nutmeg powder or grated nutmeg
1 cup of water or add as required
¼ to ⅓ cup low fat cream, 25% to 30% fat
½ tbsp low fat cream for garnish
¼ tsp kasuri methi/dry fenugreek leaves, crushed
3 tbsp butter, salted or unsalted
salt as required

for dhungar method: (optional)

1 small piece of charcoal
½ to ⅔ tsp oil

INSTRUCTIONS

preparing dal makhani:

soak both ¾ cup whole urad dal and ¼ cup rajma/kidney beans overnight in enough water for 8 to 9 hours or overnight. later drain them well.
rinse both the lentils a couple of times in water.
drain again and then add them in a pressure cooker. add 3 cups water and stir well.
pressure cook for 18 to 20 whistles on a high flame, till both the urad dal and rajma have cooked thoroughly and softened. if they are not cooked, then add about ½ cup water again and pressure cook for 4 to 5 whistles more. the urad dal should melt in the mouth and should not give any bite or resistance when eaten. you can also just mash the urad dal with a spoon or with your fingers to check the doneness. the same rule applies for rajma too. keep the cooked beans aside.
in a blender or mixer jar, take chopped tomatoes. 2 large tomatoes or 200 grams of tomatoes, chopped.
blend to a smooth puree. keep aside. you can also use ready 1 cup tomato puree instead of blending the tomatoes. no need to blanch the tomatoes while pureeing.
in a pan, now heat 3 tbsp butter. you can use salted butter or unsalted butter.
add the whole spices - ½ tsp cumin seeds, 2 to 3 cloves, 2 to 3 green cardamoms, 1 black cardamom, 1 inch cinnamon, 1 small to medium tej patta/bay leaf.
saute till the spices become aromatic.
then add ½ cup finely chopped onions.
stir and saute the onions on a low flame often till they become light golden.
then add 2 tsp ginger garlic paste. stir again and saute till the raw aroma of ginger-garlic goes away.
add 1 tsp chopped green chilies and stir for a minute.
then add the tomato puree and stir again.
add ½ tsp red chili powder and 2 to 3 pinches of grated nutmeg or nutmeg powder.
stir very well and saute this mixture on a low to medium flame, till you see fat releasing from the sides.
then add the cooked urad dal and rajma beans along with the stock. also add 1 cup water or as required.
stir very well and simmer the dal makhani uncovered on a low flame.
keep on stirring often, so that the lentils don't stuck to the bottom of the pan.
once the dal makhani has begun to thicken, add salt as required.
stir very well and continue to simmer on a low flame. when simmering you can add more water if the gravy looks thick or dry. the longer you keep dal makhani to simmer, the better it tastes. i kept for about an overall 25 minutes on a low flame. do keep on stirring at intervals.
when the gravy has thickened enough, then add ¼ to ⅓ cup cream. dal makhani is not too thick or too thin. it has a medium consistency.
stir the cream very well. then switch off the flame.
now add ¼ tsp kasuri methi, crushed. stir again. cover and keep the dal makhani aside, if you are proceeding to the dhungar method. or else you can serve dal makhani straight away.

dhungar method:

heat a small piece of charcoal on flame till it becomes red hot. with the help of tongs, keep on turning the charcoal piece so that it evenly burns.
keep the red hot charcoal in a small bowl.
pour ½ tsp oil on the charcoal.
immediately keep this bowl on top of the dal makhani.
cover for a minute and allow the charcoal to infuse its smoke in the dal makhani. the more you keep the pan covered, the more the dal makhani gets the smoky flavor. i always keep for one to two minutes.
serve dal makhani garnished with chopped coriander leaves and a few teaspoons of cream with naan, tandoori roti, chapatis or steamed rice.

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