black lentil dahl | Vegan dal makhani recipe
Silky smooth vegan Dal makhani is as simple and delicious a lentil can get. Eat it with some tandoori roti or jeera rice to your heart's content.
Servings: 4
Equipment
- pot with lid
- Blender or can opener if using ready made tomato paste
- Mixing bowl
Ingredients
For boiling dal
- 1 cup black gram lentils kali Whole urad dal- ( soaked for min 4 hours)
- ¼ cup red kidney beans Rajma( soaked for min 4 hours)
- 2-3 tablespoon oil
- 2 teaspoon salt or as per taste
- 6 cups Water use 25% less water if using intant pot or pressure cooker
- 2 medium onions
- 1 tablespoon Ginger
- 3-4 medium tomatoes pureed
- ½ cup coconut milk optional
Spices
- 1 teaspoon curry powder
- 1 tsp. garam masala or as per taste
- 1 tsp. paprika / Red chilli powder adjust as per taste
- 1 teaspoon sugar optional
- 2 tablespoon Kasoori methi or Dried fenugreek leaves
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- Salt as per taste
Instructions
- Rinse and wash lentils and beans with cold water for 1-2 times in a bowl.
- Soak them in enough water for at least 4 hours. If not in a rush, you can also leave them overnight. Once soaked, they double in size. Discard water before usage.
- In a pot, add oil, once heated add onions,ginger and chillies with little salt.Once cooked for 8-10 minutes,
- Add tomato puree/chopped tomatoes. Add the spices once tomatoes are cooked
- Add the lentils and beans along with 6 cups water and salt.
- Allow it to boil. Once it has come to boil cover it with a lid. Let it boil on a low flame for 60 minutes. If it is not soft, then add little more water and cook for few more.
- Add fresh coconut milk,sugar and cook for 10 mins.
- Add kasuri methi (dried fenugreek) and turn off the heat.
- Drizzle some lemon juice at the end of the cook.Adjust salt as per your taste.
- Optionally, if you like lentils extra hot, you may heat oil in a pan and temper red chillies. Add this to dal to make it spicy. Garnish with coriander.
- Serve hot with rice or flatbread.
instant pot black dal recipe
- In an instant pot, heat oil and add cumin seeds on sauté mode. Let it splutter. Add chopped chili, ginger and onions. Let it cook until onions are brown and add chopped tomatoes to it.
- Add curry powder or turmeric powder, salt and red chili powder.
- Add a cup of black lentils followed by 4 cups of water. If you want to add coconut milk, add them now.Also add kasuri methi and any other spices.
- Pressure cook on high for 15 mins. Release pressure after 10 mins.
- You may garnish optionally with chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot with brown rice / basmati rice or vegan naan.
Video
Notes
Note:
If you cannot add all the required water at start, then add half of the quantity and add the remaining half (boiled water) during the cook.
This dish is not heavy on spices, hence the amount of curry powder is very less.The garam masala is used to balance the sweetness from the milk and sugar.
You can also pressure cook black gram and beans if you are in a hurry. Just wait for natural pressure release and add the remaining ingredients as per the cooking instructions.
Bring the coconut cream/ milk to room temperature before using. Chilled or cold cream can split when put in hot dal. Adjust the quantity of water while cooking the dal. Please note that once the dal cools, it will become more thick. Add a teaspoon garam masala or increase the quantity of red chilli powder if you like it spicier.
Bring the coconut cream/ milk to room temperature before using. Chilled or cold cream can split when put in hot dal. Adjust the quantity of water while cooking the dal. Please note that once the dal cools, it will become more thick. Add a teaspoon garam masala or increase the quantity of red chilli powder if you like it spicier.