Best Way to Prepare Yummy Creamy Dhaba Style Dal Makhani at Home

Hot roti with yummy tasty dal makhani, isn’t it a delicious combination to beat the winter chill? Dal makhani is one of the most popular meals in Indian cuisine and it is loaded with protein and flavors all together. This amazing recipe is mainly created with urad dal also known as black gram and kidney beans. Unlike other home-cooked Indian meals, this particular recipe is packed with Indian flavours and deliberately served in various popular restaurants as a veg option. 

This Punjabi dhaba style dal makhani recipe is very creamy and packed with high protein and fibre, with a rich texture. This amazing dish can be served with plain rice, jeera rice, hot roti, and different types of naan. This creamy dal recipe is highly popular all over India and across the globe. 

Traditionally the dal makhani recipe is prepared with overnight soaked Urad dal and rajma beans in a slow cooking process to achieve the texture. In the current situation, people across the globe are recreating this recipe on social media by following the traditional Indian process. This is a great vegan option for vegan people as it meets their protein intake portion. However, if you wish to create the dhaba-style recipe at home, you can try this recipe and serve it with roti and rice. 

The proper recipe for dhaba style dal makhani 

Although this is a very simple recipe, still you need to follow some simple steps to achieve the perfect texture, colour, and taste.  

Soaked the dal properly 

The quality of dal and rajmas matters very much. At first, soak the dals and rajmas overnight. Then rinse them under clean water while rubbing them gently. The soaking process is very important as it helps the cooking process properly. 

The boiling process 

Then comes the boiling process. You need to cook the lentils and beans properly with almost 5 to 6 whistles. After that continue the cooking process on a low flame until the gravy thickens and the seeds start to separate the skin perfectly. The slow cooking process will help to get the creamy and rich consistency perfectly. 

The topping and masalas you need to add 

Indian dal makhani is a rich recipe that holds different ingredients. To achieve the ultimate taste, at first, you need to add ghee aka clarified butter, then add the whole spices, such as – two pods of cardamom, throw cloves, one small stick of cinnamon, and bay leaves. It makes the gravy aromatic and flavourful. After sauteing the spices for a few seconds, add ginger garlic paste, one large tomato finely chopped along with one large onion finely chopped. Next, add one tsp cumin powder, one tsp coriander powder, half tsp turmeric powder, one tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder, and salt as per taste. You can also add garam masala if you genuinely want to add more heat to this recipe. Saute them properly so that they release their flavors and then add the cooked lentils and rajmas. Cook it at a simmering temperature until the consistency comes to a thick like gravy. 

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Last and final steps 

In the final steps, heat ghee in a separate pan, add kasuri methi, a little bit of hing aka asafoetida, and a little bit of Kashmiri red chilli powder to bring rich colour. This step is very important to bring the Indian flavour to this recipe. Lastly don’t forget to add fresh cream to this dish. Adding a generous amount of fresh cream will give the dal makhani recipe a creamy and rich taste you genuinely want. 

This is one of the easy food recipes highly popular in India. The entire cooking process takes almost two hours excluding the overnight soaking process. To reduce the cooking time you can use a pressure cooker. This delicious dish is generally served with all types of roti and rice items and becomes a desi version of good protein and carb intake in a tasty way. 

What makes this dish so popular?

This dish is very famous all over the globe and there are a few reasons for that –  

• It has a rich and creamy texture compared to other Indian dal curries because of its unique cooking method. People who genuinely enjoy thick gravy, highly appreciate this curry-to-textured consistency. 
• This is one of the famous comfort home-cooked meals that gives immense pleasure and mental satisfaction on wintery nights. 
• Another reason for its popularity is it’s healthy. The main ingredients here are urad dal and kidney beans are packed with proteins and minerals. It can be served in a balanced diet meal as it is packed with protein and carbs and perfect for everyday meals as well. 
• This recipe is very good to recreate. Although this recipe holds mainly two types of seeds, you can also use other lentils as well. You can definitely add dals available in your pantry. Also, you can add vegetables like potato, carrots, and other mushy vegetables as well. 

The dhaba-style dal makhani recipe is very famous for its taste, color, and texture. This recipe is diverted from the other Indian curries because of its ultimate protein and carb source. So if you are planning to charm your guests this winter season, then you can try this one.