Marinated with perfectly blended herbs, Dal Makhani, the creamy black lentils is a Punjabi stew, a vegetarian curry dish from the Indian subcontinent, often prepared as a part of Punjabi menu, served and garnished with exciting touches of cream and finely chopped coriander leaves.
It is an absolute taste sensation and can easily be cooked to perfection at home with a combination of fragrant spices and a touch of homemade Dal masala. It can brighten up dinner with the vibrant India-inspired herbs bursting with hearty lentils and rich flavour.
Basic information
Dal makhani is lovingly prepared at Maas best kitchen with uniquely picked herbs and fresh authentic lentils as basic ingredients, to get palatable and delicious taste. It is completely gluten-free dish and can be made into a low-fat version with almond milk instead of cream.
Details
About Dal makhani
Punjabi lentils-based meals
The common types of lentils used in Indian cooking are chana dal, toor dal and moong dal. Dal makhani is made from black dal. There are over 50 different varieties of the classic dal makhani made from black lentils and a combination of other dals. This is a vegetarian dish prepared at special occasions, often served as a part of thali or the main lunch or dinner meal.
Classic Dal makhani
Traditionally, the black lentils were simmered on low heat in Bukhara for many hours. The traditional recipe involves slow-cooked black dal without adding additional lentils.
Such a method of preparation can be found in places like dal bukhara where a master pot is cooked overnight on charcoal, coal or tandoor but at home pressure cooker can be used.
Restaurant based Dal makhani
Restaurants use a combination of boiled lentils like rajma and black gram and sauté it in chilly, tomatoes and ginger paste. Some prepare it with a lot of butter to get a strong creamy texture. Punjabi restaurants serve it with tandoori roti and salad.
Home cooked Dal makhani
Home cooked makhani curry contains freshly prepared dal masala, which gives it is a distinctive delicate rich flavour, natural texture, moisture and exceptional visual appeal. Herbs, tomatoes, butter, cumin seeds and a mixture of spices are used to stir the cooked lentils and then garnished with cilantro leaves.
How to serve?
Dal makhani is served hot at most lunch and dinner buffets/meals with roti. It is ruddy creamy lentil soup that can be served with rice. Vegetables like aloo gobhi, bhindi or paneer and curd can be used to complement the meal. One can have mixed beverages with Dal makhani and roti.