Dal Makhani (Black Lentil Curry)
Servings: 4 people
- 2 tablespoons (2 tablespoons) olive oil sub butter or ghee
- 1 (1) onion chopped
- 1 inch (2 cm) ginger grated
- 2 cloves (2 cloves) garlic grated
- ¼ teaspoon (¼ teaspoon) red pepper flakes or more to taste
- 2 cups (500 ml) tomato puree
- 3 cups (200 grams) black lentils cooked or 1 cup dried lentils or 2 cans black/brown lentils
- ½ cup (80 grams) kidney beans cooked or canned - optional
- 2 cups (500 ml) vegetable broth
- ½ cup (120 grams) heavy cream sub half-and-half
- 2 tablespoons (30 grams) butter add more or less to taste
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) garam masala sub 1 tsp coriander + 1 tsp cumin
- ½ teaspoon (½ teaspoon) cinnamon
- 1 teaspoons (1 teaspoon) salt or more to taste
- ¼ teaspoons (¼ teaspoon) black pepper
- Make the flavor base – Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add 1 onion (chopped) and sauté for about 3 minutes, until softened. Stir in 1 inch ginger and 2 cloves garlic (both grated), and ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, and cook for another minute, just until everything becomes fragrant.
- Simmer the legumes – Pour in 2 cups tomato puree and 2 cups vegetable broth, then add 3 cups black lentils and ½ cup kidney beans (cooked/canned). Season with ½ teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoons salt, and ¼ teaspoons black pepper. Simmer for about 20 minutes, or until the legumes become tender and buttery, and the flavors have melded beautifully.
- Add cream and butter – Stir in ½ cup heavy cream (or half-and-half), 2 tablespoons butter, and 1 teaspoon garam masala. Blend about one-third of the dal using an immersion blender directly in the pot, or transfer to a standing blender and return it to the pan. Give everything a final stir, taste, and adjust salt as needed. At this point, you can serve it as is – or go for the optional smoky twist.
- Optional: Smoke the dish – Place a small metal cup or bowl in the center of the pot. Carefully drop in a piece of hot charcoal, then top it with a bit of butter. Immediately cover the pot with a lid to trap the smoke and let it sit for 1–2 minutes. For a deeper smoky flavor, repeat this step 2–3 times. No charcoal? No problem–light 2 or 3 bay leaves instead, place them in the metal container, and cover the pot to infuse the dal with their aroma.
- Serving suggestions – Louise and I love scooping up dal makhani with Indian flatbreads like paratha or naan. It’s also perfect spooned over fluffy basmati rice or fragrant saffron rice.Top each serving with a squeeze of lemon juice, a knob of butter, a sprinkle of fresh cilantro, and a generous dollop of raita.
SUBSTITUTIONS
- Indian Black lentils (urad dal) – Traditional choice; sub with canned, brown, green, or regular black lentils; boil 30 mins if cooking from scratch.
- Olive oil – sub butter or ghee.
- Kidney beans (rajma) – Optional, but adds heartiness and texture.
- Cinnamon & garam masala – Warm spices that give dal makhani its signature depth. Substitute 1 tsp cumin and 1 tsp coriander.
- Heavy cream – sub with half-and-half or dairy-free cream like cashew.
- Butter – Classic for that “makhani” taste; use plant-based butter if needed.
- Vegetable broth – Adds savory depth; water works as a simple substitute.
- Tomato purée – Use high-quality passata for best flavor; crushed tomatoes also work.
- Don’t skimp on the fat – A combination of heavy cream (or half-and-half) and butter makes the lentils rich, silky, and deeply satisfying. For a vegan version, non-dairy cream and plant-based butter work beautifully too.
- Choose a good-quality tomato purée – We highly recommend Italian passata for Indian recipes – it’s naturally sweet, rich, and doesn’t need long cooking to develop flavor. Perfect for a quicker dal makhani.
- Blend part of the dal for creaminess – Since we’re not slow-simmering this for hours, blending about 1/3 of the mixture is the fastest way to achieve that velvety, restaurant-style texture.
