This special dal makhani recipe finds its place in most special occasion dinners, including wedding feasts, in northern parts of India. It is cooked in homes, roadside dhabas, and even five-star hotels, thanks to its popularity. Everyone loves this delicious restaurant-style creamy dal. This Instant Pot Dal Makhani pairs perfectly with Garlic Naan and a side of Punjabi Aloo Gobi. Our site contains some affiliate links. That means when you purchase anything by clicking those links, I get a commission with no extra cost to you. This helps up the blog running. To know more about this, check out the Disclaimer. Thank You! Being a Punjabi hailing from Delhi, it is my favorite dal too. This is Indian comfort food that is loved by many. Dal Makhani is made by simmering black lentils (black urad dal) & kidney beans with butter and cream at low heat. This gives the dal a smooth and delicious texture and taste. This dal has such a unique flavor that you cannot resist. It is also a rich source of protein. My mother makes delicious dal makhani. But when I started cooking it, I had to pass through many trials and errors to get that perfect taste. Finally, after many experiments, failures, and successes, I can now say I have perfected my version of Dal Makhani. My Instant Pot has helped a lot in this journey. I use it for cooking lentils at high pressure and then cook in a slow cooker setting for 4-8 hours. And it always turns out so good. The post contains Helpful Tips & Tricks to make Instant Pot Dal Makhani. But if you’re in a hurry, you can also click “Jump to Recipe’ under the Heading to go directly to the Recipe Card.
💭DIFFERENCE BETWEEN PUNJABI DAL MAKHANI & MADRAS LENTILS?
So recently, I stumbled upon a bag of Madras Lentils during my visit to Costco. It is selling under the name of the “Tasty Bites” brand. I was fascinated by the name, so I thought of trying it. When I opened the bag, made it, and it tasted a lot like my Dal Makhani (though a little bland in flavor). I read the ingredients, and it had Adzuki Lentils instead of Whole black Lentils and other ingredients (including water, kidney beans, tomato, onion, cream, butter, salt, oil, chili, and cumin). Madras lentils have packet ingredients and not fresh ingredients, so that’s one of the main reasons the flavor was so bland. Also, it has Adzuki Lentils and not Black Lentils, and I don’t know how Adzuki lentils taste, but I like black lentils flavor more.
🥘INGREDIENTS & SUBSTITUTIONS
Here are some of the dal makhani ingredients that you will need to make the creamiest lentils: See the recipe card for quantities.
CAN I MAKE DAL MAKHANI WITHOUT SOAKING?
Yes, you can make this easy dal makhani recipe without soaking. You can use canned kidney beans. Or you can pressure cook the lentils without even soaking them. Wash the black lentils couple of times & just pressure cook for 60 minutes at a High-pressure level.
STEP 1 - SOAK LENTILS: Soak a Whole Black Lentils and Kidney Beans overnight or for at least 6-8 hours. This will make them a little soft. They will cook easily and also will be light on the stomach.
STEP 2- MAKE TADKA: Make tadka by first frying chopped onions in the Instant Pot. Then add chopped & diced tomatoes. (Note: adding diced tomatoes makes a big difference in the overall flavor of dal makhani, so don’t forget to add that). Then add ginger-garlic paste and spices (garam masala powder and red chili powder), and let it cook for 2-3 minutes until oil starts to separate.
WHOLE SPICES: I also add whole spices to provide aromatic flavor to my dal makhani. I add black & green cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon in a muslin cloth. Wrap this muslin cloth and tie a knot. Place this in the instant pot.
STEP 3 - ADD SOAKED LENTILS: Add lentils to the prepared tadka in the instant pot and pressure cook. I usually pressure cook for 30 minutes, but you can increase or decrease the time depending on how long you want to cook in a slow cook setting. When the timer beeps, do natural pressure release (NPR) and do not do a quick release.
STEP 4 - SLOW COOK: Once the pressure is released, open the lid and add 1 cup of water. Using the Slow Cook setting of Instant Pot, slow cook for 1-3 hours. This will make the dal makhani creamy & buttery. Also, sprinkle Kasuri methi (or dried fenugreek leaves). Or you can also cook dal makhani in a Saute setting at a low level (keep stirring in between).
STEP 5 - ADJUST & SERVE: Lastly, add cream to the makhani dal and adjust the spices. (It doesn’t need many spices, but you can still adjust according to your taste). Finally, add a big piece of butter to it and serve with Rice or Indian Flatbread.
STEP 6 - DHUNGAR METHOD: Place a small charcoal piece in a bowl and place that bowl in the instant pot over a trivet. Then add hot ghee/ oil over the charcoal piece and cover the pot with the lid. Let it sit for 5 minutes, and then remove the bowl. This will provide the deep Dhaba-style flavor to the makhani dal.
💭TOP TIP
1. Soak black lentils & kidney beans overnight, or for 6-8 hours at least. This helps in getting the creamy & buttery texture. If dal is not soaked, it won’t get an even smooth & creamy texture that the Dal Makhani is known for. 2. The more you cook on low heat, the creamier your dal will be. Also, the slow cooking enhances the flavors, and hence you’ll get amazing Dal Makhani. The key to getting the creamiest & yummiest Dal Makhani is to cook at low temperatures or slow cook it. 2. Simmer on low heat for a long time- As I cook in an Instant Pot, I use the Slow Cooker mode for 4-8 hours. But if you don’t have that much time, just boil it for 30 mins and cook at a slow cooker setting for 1-2 hours. This dal makhani recipe tastes better if cooked for a longer time in a slow cook setting. 3. Be generous with butter & cream- this is one recipe that gives you an excuse to add lots of butter & cream. So don’t cut down on butter & cream. If you do, Dal Makhani won’t get its special creamy flavor. 4. This dal makhani recipe doesn’t require a lot of spices. I just add a teaspoon of red chili powder and garam masala. 5. Add store-bought tomato puree to get even texture- Along with the regular pureed tomatoes, I always add store-bought tomato puree. This gives a smoother texture to the dal. Adding tomato puree also provides deep red color to the curry. 6. A bit of sugar helps in balancing the flavor- it may sound funny, but adding a pinch of sugar to Dal Makhani helps balance out all the flavors, resulting in better taste. I add about half a teaspoon of sugar to balance the flavor. 7. Add cream at the end to smoothen the texture and make the dal even creamier.
🍲STORAGE
You can store it in the refrigerator or freezer; the taste will remain the same. Store the leftover Dal Makhani in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. You can also freeze it in an air-tight container for 1-2 months. Before using the freezer-stored Dal Makhani, just thaw and heat it in the microwave or in a pan on the stove-top until boiled.Leftover Dal Makhani tastes much better and goes great with some Garlic Naan. Or you can also add leftover Daal Makhani in the wheat flour and make Missi Roti from the dough.
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📖 RECIPE CARD
