Dal Makhani (Creamy Lentils)
Dal makhani or maa ki daal (Mother's dal, the epitome of comfort food) traditionally requires hours upon hours of slow cooking to bring the lentils to the perfectly soft and creamy stage.
Ingredients
| 0.5 cup | 120 ml | whole black urad dal |
| 2 | bay leaves | |
| 1 tablespoon | 15 ml | chopped garlic |
| 2 teaspoons | 10 ml | minced ginger |
| 1.5 cups | 360 ml | water |
| 0.25 cup | 60 ml | Greek yogurt |
| 0.5 cup | 120 ml | half-and-half or cream (or a nondairy milk of your choice) |
| 1 teaspoon | 5 ml | salt |
| 0.5 teaspoon | 2.5 ml | ground turmeric |
| 0.25 teaspoon | 1.3 ml | ground cayenne pepper |
| 0.25 teaspoon | 1.3 ml | ground cumin |
| 0.5 teaspoon | 2.5 ml | ground coriander |
| 0.5 teaspoon | 2.5 ml | Garam Masala |
| 2 teaspoons | 10 ml | Ghee |
| 1 teaspoon | 5 ml | cumin seeds |
| 1 tablespoon | 15 ml | tomato paste |
| — | chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish (optional) |
Instructions
Dal makhani or maa ki daal (Mother's dal, the epitome of comfort food) traditionally requires hours upon hours of slow cooking to bring the lentils to the perfectly soft and creamy stage. Enter Instant Pot, and 30 minutes later you can imagine your mother serving you a bowl of this incredibly pleasing dish. Unlike using onion masala or some other thickener to the dal, the lentils themselves break down in absolute creamy goodness.
Serves 4 · Vegetarian Prep time: 15 minutes · Manual: 30 minutes high pressure · Cook time: 2 minutes · Release: Natural · Total time: 1 hour 10 minutes
To make the dal:
- Rinse the dal well and transfer it to the inner cooking pot of the Instant Pot. Add the bay leaves, garlic, ginger, and water.
- Lock the lid into place. Select Manual and adjust the pressure to High. Cook for 30 minutes. When the cooking is complete, let the pressure release naturally.
- Meanwhile, in a small bowl, stir together the yogurt, half-and-half, salt, turmeric, cayenne, cumin, coriander, and garam masala. Mix thoroughly and set aside.
- When the dal is ready, unlock and remove the lid. Using the back of a spoon, gently mash some of the dal to make a thicker mixture, leaving most of it intact.
- Select the Warm setting.
To finish the dal:
- In a small saucepan, heat the ghee over medium heat until it shimmers, and add the cumin seeds, which will start to sputter. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until it absorbs all the ghee, about 2 minutes. Pour this paste into the dal and mix well.
- Add the yogurt mixture and mix well. Serve garnished with the chopped cilantro (if using).
Tip: Serve with naan, chapatis, or rice, or eat the dal plain by the spoonful, which is what I do.