Masoor Dal Makhani
This by far is 1 of the MOST Popular & Requested recipes at any of our house parties and is a healthy, lighter, and ‘easier to make’ version of the ever-popular ‘Indian Dal Makhani’. The Original Dal Makhani is the most popular Indian dal internationally as well as in India. It’s made using ‘sabut urad dal’ or ‘whole black gram’ which I find slightly heavier to digest and takes a lot longer to cook. Hence, at my house, we make this ‘Masoor Dal Makhani’ which is a lot easier version, lighter on the tummy, and tastes equally divine! A lot of my friends even call it ‘Restaurant Style Masoor Dal Makhani’ or Indian Style Brown Lentils because of its taste and rich colors 🙂 My recipe is also the healthier version of the dal as it uses mostly yogurt for the creamy consistency and if you like, you can add 1-2 tbsp of cream or cashew cream when cooking.
Masoor Dal Makhani (Pressure Cooker) Ingredients:
Let’s go ahead and gather the ingredients for the recipe and start with the cooking –
Sabut Massor Dal – Brown Lentil Dal Onions Tomatoes Garlic – Ginger Yogurt Fresh Cilantro Mustard Oil – you can use any light oil or even butter Ghee – you can use butter or oil too for tempering/tadka
Whole Spices:
Bay Leaf (tej patta) Cinnamon Stick (dalchini) Cumin Seeds (jeera) Cloves (laung) Black Pepper Corn (kali mirch) Red Chilies Green Cardamom (choti elaichi) Black Cardamom (badi elaichi) Fenugreek Leaves (kasoori Methi)
Powdered Spices:
Turmeric Powder Red Chili Powder Coriander Powder Cumin Powder Garam Masala
I forgot to click the picture of the raw sabut masoor, but here’s a picture of the ‘cooked sabut masoor’ which we boiled in pressure cooker.
How to Make Masoor Dal Makhani (Indian Style Brown Lentils):
Here’s an easy step-by-step pictorial display of the recipe. We start by soaking the sabut masoor dal or brown lentil in water for 2 hours (for it to soften a little. Then we add it in the pressure cooker along with ‘Whole spices’ and boil it till 2-3 whistles for it to cook/soften slightly. Transfer it to a large bowl.
Then we make the masala in the same pressure cooker (detailed steps in recipe card below). Then once the masalas are cooked, we add the boiled dal and cook it again in the pressure cooker. After 2 steams, turn off the heat and let the cooker cool.
Remove the Dal Makhani from the pressure cooker and transfer to a serving bowl.
Prepare the Tadka (Tempering):
Heat a small pan or tadka pan. Add ghee or oil whatever you are using. Add jeera, hing (asafetida), whole red chili, and kasoori methi (dry fenugreek leaves). Stir and turn off the heat and pour the tadka/tempering over the cooked dal along with freshly chopped cilantro. Serve Hot.
Serving Suggestions:
Now, this is where all the fun starts as there are tons and tons of things that you can pair along with it. Of course, you can serve it with the ‘Tandoori Rotis, Butter Naans, Paranthas’ or steamed rice, jeera rice or peas pulao’ You can add raita, Indian salad, achaar, and chutney too. But can be served with dinner rolls, garlic bread (a personal favorite), wraps, cooked tortilla, Mexican rice or plain bread too. It even goes amazingly with Hawaiian rolls or sweet rolls. Serve it along with simple salads or plain spaghetti noodles
Storage – Freeze & Use Instructions :
The dal/lentil can be stored in any food-safe container in the fridge for up to 2 days or you can freeze it up to 2 weeks. To use it again, simply thaw it overnight in the fridge and then either heat in a pan or use the microwave to heat it. Now the dal does get thicker when stored in the fridge/frozen, so simply add some boiled water (depending on the consistency you like) and transfer to a platter. Add the fresh tadka on top and enjoy.
The combination of aromatic spices, creamy texture, and the nuttiness of masoor dal creates a symphony of tastes that lingers on your taste buds. Each spoonful is a journey through layers of earthy, spicy, and savory notes, making this dish a favorite among those who appreciate the complexity of Indian cuisine Whatever be your choice of side, go ahead and enjoy this yummilicious goodness with your family and friends for brunches, lunches or a meal for two. —————- Tried Our Recipe – AWESOME!!! Now Quickly SNAP A PICTURE & TAG : #easycookingwithmolly + @easycookingwithmolly on Instagram –> Connect with Me Here too : Facebook / Pinterest
Instant Pot Dal – Instant Pot Dal Tadka Recipe (15 Minutes)
Restaurant Style Mixed Dal Tadka -Indian Style Mixed Lentils
Storage: The dal/lentil can be stored in any food safe container in the fridge for upto 2 days or you can freeze it upto 2 weeks. To use it again, simply thaw overnight in fridge and then either heat in pan or use microwave to heat. Now the dal does get thicker when stored in fridge/frozen, so simply add some boiled water (depending on the consistency you like) and transfer to platter. Add the fresh tadka ontop and enjoy.
