Dal makhani — makhani means 'buttery' — is the richest, most complex dal in Indian cooking. It requires black lentils (urad dal), a tomato-spice base cooked in ghee, and a finish of cream and grass-fed butter that gives the dish its characteristic richness. Restaurants make it by simmering it overnight. The home version achieves the same depth in about 90 minutes.
The dal is fundamentally a ghee dish. Every step of the cooking uses ghee or butter. Indian cuisine cooked in ghee for thousands of years before vegetable oil arrived. Dal makhani made with canola oil is a different dish — flatter, less complex, missing the specific flavour compounds that ghee's caramelised milk solids contribute to the base.
Soaking the Lentils
Black lentils require soaking overnight. This is not optional — unsoaked urad dal takes 2-3 hours to become fully soft, and the texture of the final dal depends on the lentils breaking down partially while retaining some structure. Soak in cold water for a minimum of 8 hours. Drain and rinse before cooking.
Ghee Dal Makhani Recipe
Ingredients
- 400g (2 cups) black lentils (urad dal), soaked overnight in cold water
- 3 tbsp ghee
- 1 large onion, finely diced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp fresh ginger, grated
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp garam masala
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp Kashmiri chilli (optional)
- 400g (14oz) crushed tomatoes
- 100ml (⅓ cup) single cream or coconut cream
- 2 tbsp grass-fed butter
- Sea salt to taste
- To serve: steamed basmati rice or warm naan, dollop of cream
Method
- Drain and rinse the soaked lentils. Cook until completely soft: 20 minutes on High pressure in an Instant Pot, or 45 minutes at a steady simmer on the stovetop with enough water to cover by 5cm. The lentils should be very soft and about 30% of them broken down into a thick paste. Set aside with their cooking liquid.
- Heat the ghee in a heavy-based saucepan over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until deep golden. Do not rush this.
- Add the garlic and ginger. Cook 2 minutes, stirring.
- Add all of the ground spices. Stir for 90 seconds over the heat until intensely fragrant.
- Add the crushed tomatoes. Simmer for 10 minutes until the sauce has thickened and you can see pools of ghee separating on the surface.
- Add the cooked lentils along with their liquid. Stir well to combine. Simmer for 20 minutes over low heat, stirring frequently — the lentils break down gradually and thicken the sauce. If it thickens too much, add a small amount of water.
- Remove from heat. Stir in the cream and butter. Return to the lowest heat and simmer 5 minutes. Do not boil after adding cream.
- Season generously with salt. The dal should be thick, creamy, deeply savoury, and slightly tangy from the tomatoes. Serve over rice or with naan.
Why It Takes Time
The 20-minute final simmer after the lentils are added is when the dish develops its character. The lentils continue to break down slowly, thickening the sauce from the inside. The spice base and the tomato integrate with the lentil starch to produce a sauce that is more complex than any of its parts individually. Patience at this stage produces a dal that tastes like it was made by a restaurant. Rushing it produces a dal that tastes like soup with lentils in it.
Is dal makhani seed oil free?
This recipe uses only ghee and grass-fed butter. Most restaurant versions use canola or vegetable oil. Homemade is the reliable way to keep it seed oil free.
Can I use red lentils?
No — red lentils have a completely different texture and flavour. Dal makhani specifically requires black lentils (urad dal). Red lentils make dal tadka, which is a different (also excellent) dish.
How long does it keep?
Dal makhani keeps refrigerated for 5 days and freezes well for 3 months. It actually tastes better on day 2 as the spices develop. Add a small amount of water and a knob of butter when reheating.
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