Sultani Dal. Think of it as a dal that is dressed for a wedding. Toor dal is simmered with cream and yogurt and finished with saffron. It is smooth, mellow, and gently aromatic.
Sultani Dal is a creamy lentil dish that brings the elegance of Mughal kitchens to your table. Though often described as a Nawabi or Mughlai classic, this luxurious dal is more a modern interpretation you'd find in restaurants rather than the history books.
Therefore, the recipe is pretty open to interpretation, there's no one way to make it.
What makes my version different?
It's the balance between being rich and overly indulgent. Sultani Dal should taste luxurious, not heavy. Instead of relying solely on cream or butter, I use a delicate blend of yogurt, milk, cream and saffron to keep it light.
We love Gujarati toor dal day-to-day in our house but this is our go-to recipe for special occasions. We love eating it around festivities such as Diwali or celebratory dinner parties.
As it's delicate, it is easier to pair with rich curries like vegetable paneer makkhanwala.
If you are looking for something stronger and robust but with a royal touch, try my dal maharani.
Ingredients notes
Be sure to check out the full recipe and exact ingredient list below in the recipe card.
Toor Dal (Split Pigeon Peas) - this creamy dal is the base. Once boiled it becomes soft and silky.
Ghee - a signature of royal kitchens. Ghee adds depth and aroma, especially when used in the final tempering. It carries the flavour of spices beautifully and makes the dal feel indulgent. I use homemade ghee made from unsalted butter.
Whole spices - green cardamom, cloves, bay leaf, cinnamon bark which are boiled with the dal to infuse the flavour
Cumin seeds - a key whole spice in the tempering. Cumin’s earthy warmth offsets the sweetness of the dairy and adds a welcome pop of aroma.
Spice powders - red chilli powder, turmeric powder and hing
Ginger garlic paste - adds warmth. It's directly boiled with the dal so that the flavours mellow.
Green chillies - balances the richness with gentle heat. I use them sliced rather than chopped for a more elegant presentation.
Milk, yogurt & cream - This trio builds the sultani richness. I use whole milk to lighten and add smoothness. Full fat plain yogurt adds tang and fresh cream adds silkiness.
Saffron - the royal touch. Steeped in warm milk before being stirred in, saffron lends not just golden colour but subtle floral warmth that takes this dal from comforting to celebratory.
And to serve with - fresh coriander leaves and lemon wedges.
Other Dal Recipes
Garlicky Moong Dal with Carrot Greens
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Sultani Dal
Ingredients
- 150 gram toor daal
- 1 teaspoon ginger and garlic puree
- 4 green Cardamom pods
- 3 cloves
- 1 bay Leaves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon red Chilli Powder
- salt to taste
- ¼ cup whole milk
- ¼ cup single cream
- 3 tablespoon yogurt
- 10-12 strands saffron
- 2 tablespoon ghee
- 1 tablespoon cumin Seeds
- pinch asafoetida hing
- 2 green chillies
- 2 tablespoon coriander
Instructions
- Wash the dal under running clean water.
- To your pressure cooker or instant pot, add the washed toor dal, cardamom, clove, bay leaf, cinnamon, ginger-garlic paste, red chilli powder and turmeric powder.
- Add around 500 - 600 mls of water.
- Close the lid and HIGH pressure cook for 7 minutes or 3-4 whistles in a stove top pressure cooker. After 10 minutes NPR, release the pressure manually.
- Remove the whole spices and add more water if needed.
- Blend the dal with a hand blender until smooth.
- Whisk together yogurt, milk and cream in a small bowl and add into the daal. Also tip back in the whole spices which were removed before.
- Add saffron threads.
- Select SAUTE mode and cook the dal for 5-7 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare a vaghar. In a small pan, heat ghee, add the cumin and hing. Once the seeds splutter, add slit green chillies.
- Pour the vaghar over the cooked dal.
- Garnish the dal with finely chopped coriander.
Video
Notes
- In a saucepan, add the the toor dal along with 2 cups of clean water and cardamom, cloves, cinnamon/cassia bark, bay leaves, chilli powder, turmeric powder, and the ginger and garlic puree.
- Simmer the dal until soft and mushy (it will take between 35-40 minutes). Check the water level throughout and if needed add half a cup water while cooking.
- Continue with the recipe highlighted above.
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
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