Creamy Sultani Daal is a regal daal recipe originating from Mughlai cuisine. It is also known as Awadhi Daal, Nawabi Daal, or Lucknowi Daal. Toor daal is simmered with cream and yogurt to create an authentic, warming, and luscious daal which is finished with saffron.
CREAMY SULTANI DAAL
In Arabic, the word “Sultan” means King or ruler.
This daal has flavours from the royal kitchen and uses expensive spices and ingredients.
We love Gujarati Toor Daal day-to-day but this is our go-to daal recipe for special occasions. We love eating it around festivities such as Diwali or birthdays.
Sultani daal is gluten-free and despite the long list of ingredients is very easy to prepare. The use of the Instant Pot or Indian pressure cooker speeds up the process further.
Serve alongside Restaurant Style Garlic and Coriander Naan, Badami Methi Mango Paneer or Veg Paneer Makkhanwala without Onion and Garlic
No meal is complete without round and soft Gujarati Rotlis.
Fluffy Coconut and Almond Rice is a must with this daal.
Ingredients:
Toor Daal – ahar daal
Cream – use double or single cream
Milk – we have used whole milk for a richer taste however, you could use semi-skimmed or skimmed milk
Yogurt – use a plain yogurt preferably higher fat as the low-fat yogurts may impart a sour taste on the daal
Saffron
Ginger-Garlic – use crushed or pureed ginger and garlic
Green Chilli – slit green chillies
Cumin Seeds
Green Cardamom
Cloves
Bay Leaf
Cinnamon Bark
Red Chilli Powder
Turmeric Powder
Asafoetida
Ghee – we used homemade desi ghee
Coriander Leaves – to serve
Lemon wedges – to serve
Stovetop Method
This dal is easily made using the stovetop Indian pressure cooker. Please check the recipe card
below.
Vegan Sultani Daal
Vegans too can enjoy this daal by replacing dairy products with vegan products.
How to make Sultani Daal in Instant Pot
Storage:
You can make this Daal in advance and store for later.
It keeps in the fridge for 2/3 days
You can also freeze the daal
Best reheated on the stove rather than the microwave.
Other Dal Recipes:
Garlicky Moong Dal with Carrot Greens
SULTANI DAAL
Ingredients
- 150 g pigeon peas - toor daal
- 1 tsp. ginger and garlic puree
- 4-5 Green Cardamom pods
- 3-4 Cloves
- 1-2 Bay Leaves
- 1 " cinnamon stick - Cassia Bark
- ½ tsp. Turmeric
- ½ tsp. Red Chilli Powder
- Salt to taste
- ¼ cup whole milk
- ¼ cup single cream
- 3 tbsp. yogurt
- Saffron big pinch
- 2 tbsp. ghee
- 1 tbsp. Cumin Seeds
- A pinch of asafoetida also known as hing
- 2 green chillies
- 2 tbsp. coriander.
Instructions
- First wash the daal under running clean water, no need to soak.
- Arrange the inner stainless steel pot in the Instant Pot.
- Add daal, whole spices, ginger-garlic, red chilli powder and turmeric powder.
- Add 500-600 ml water.
- Close the lid and select HIGH-pressure cook for 7 minutes.
- After 10 minutes NPR, release the pressure manually.
- Remove the whole spices, add more water if needed.
- Blend the daal with a hand blender until smooth.
- Whisk yogurt, milk and cream then add into the daal, also add whole spices which removed before.
- Add saffron.
- Select SAUTE mode and cook daal 7 minutes.
- In a small pan, heat ghee on the stove top, add cumin and hing. Once seeds splutter add slit green chillies.
- Pour the vaghar into the cooked daal.
- Garnish the daal with the finely chopped coriander.
- 1. First, rinse your toor daal/pigeon peas and then soak them for 20 minutes.
- 2. In a pressure cooker add the daal/peas along with 2 cups of clean water. Add the cardamom, cloves, cinnamon/cassia bark, bay leaves, chilli powder, turmeric powder, and the ginger and garlic puree.
- 3. Cook the daal till 3-4 whistle, let the cooker cool down naturally.
- 4. Once the daal is cooked, with the spoon remove the whole spices and blend the mix using a hand blender.
- 5. Meanwhile in a bowl, mix the milk, cream and yoghurt.
- 6. Add the milk mixture into the daal. Add the saffron and simmer the daal for 4-5 minutes on medium heat.
- 7. Now for the tempering! Heat the ghee in a small pan and add the cumin seeds, hing and green chillies. Once the cumin seeds crackle, pour the tempering over the top of the daal.
- 8. Garnish the daal with freshly chopped coriander and serve with the lemon wedges!
Notes
- In a saucepan, add the daal/peas along with 2 cups of clean water.
- Add the cardamom, cloves, cinnamon/cassia bark, bay leaves, chilli powder, turmeric powder, and the ginger and garlic puree.
- Simmer the daal until well cooked (it will take between 35-40 minutes). Check the water level throughout and if needed add half a cup water while cooking.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is an approximation calculated by an online calculator/plugin. Please consult a professional dietitian for nutritional advice.
