Dal Makhani | Instant Pot Slow Cook Dal Makhani

This Dhaba Style Dal Makhani is made in the Instant Pot slow cook mode. The best Dal Makhani requires hours of simmering on the stove to get that special slow-cooked flavour and now the same can be achieved with the Instant Pot. The result is a restaurant-style dal makhani that you will make again and again.

 

DAL MAKHANI INSTANT POT SLOW COOKER | DAL MAKHANI STOVETOP

There is no better meal than creamy dal, ghee rice, Homemade Restuarant Style Garlic and Coriander Naans and Indian Kachumber Salad

Dal Makhani is a classic recipe from the Punjab regions of India and Pakistan. Dal means lentils and makhani means butter. It is quintessentially a Punjabi dish - rich with a thick base of warming onion and garlic. This is a whole urad dal recipe which also has red kidney beans.

The traditional recipe has cooked whole urad and a handful of cooked red kidney beans added to a gravy of onion and garlic, tomatoes and Indian spices. The dal is then simmered for hours and topped with either cream and/or butter.

However, if you do not have much time, you can make it and serve straight away as well. Just give the lentils a little longer in the pressure cooker.

Serve it in everyday Indian meal thali with Indian Onion salad, Round and Soft Rotli, and Brussels Sprouts And Potato Sabji

Dal Makhani is:

Creamy and silky

Warming

Gluten-free

Easily made vegan

High in protein

Tastes so good the next day as well - if not better! Seriously, make extra!!

Daal is comfort food in any South Asian household. I wasn't a big fan of dal when I was little - it was a chore and I had to eat it because my Mum said it was good for me. The one dal though that would light up my eyes EVERY TIME was Dal Makhani! I just loved it so much and still do to this day - I always eat one more roti than usual whenever it is made!

In our house, this rich and buttery version is only made for special occasions. Usually, we eat the vegan version - without cream, ghee, and butter.

Similiar dal recipes we love:

Mash Daal - a close cousin of Dal Makhani but low in calories

Dhaba-Style Dal Fry

Garlicky Moong Dal with Carrot Greens

Instant Pot Dal Makhani Slow Cooked

You can make the dal in the Instant Pot alone using the pressure cooker, but you won't achieve the same flavour that is required for a good dal makhani. You save time but compromise on flavour. However, the slow cook mode allows the dal to sloooowly and mimics the stovetop method without having to pressure cook the lentils first.

Just cook the dal using soaked lentils on saute mode and then turn on Slow Cook. Do this in the morning, and have perfect Dal Makhani cooking away ready for dinner. Go about your daily life without worrying about the dal sticking to the bottom of the pan, overflowing or have the smell linger in the house!

This is a great way of getting more use out of your precious Instant Pot! My dad is pro at making this No Onion-garlic Aloo Gobi in the Instant Pot.

Can I use raw beans for Instant Pot Slow Cooking?

Yes, you can. Clean and wash beans under running water and add in the pot. You have to increase the slow cook time up to 12-13 hours to cook though.

🌿Vegan Dal Makhani

You can easily make Dal Makhani vegan and still have the perfect butteriness. In fact, when we make it at home, this is our usual way. It is plant-based and much healthier.

→Take the ghee and butter out of the recipe.

→Use oil only at the beginning of the recipe.

→To get the creaminess without the ghee and butter, make sure that the urad dal has been very well pressure-cooked. These lentils are creamy in their own right when cooked for a long time.

→Or a great trick that I learnt from my Aunt (Mum's sister) is to blend some of the cooked dal using a hand blender and add it back into the pan - it will seriously thicken up and make the dal extra creamy - be careful to check that you don't accidentally grind up some of the whole spices!!!

→I would not recommend adding coconut cream as it will change the flavour and not give you authentic dal makhani.

Can I use canned/tinned beans?

I am not sure if black beans aka matpe beans or whole urad are available in cans yet? If yes, use it or you can use black beluga lentils and red kidney beans for both Instant pot and stovetop version.

Kasuri Methi

Kasuri Methi is made from dried fenugreek (methi) leaves and the best is cultivated from the Kastur region of Pakistan. It is used to enhance the flavour of South Asian dishes by crumbling and adding to the food. The secret "restaurant-style" flavour to many dishes comes from adding the Kasuri Methi.

Sometimes it is mistaken that Kasuri Methi is a substitute for fresh methi leaves. The taste profiles are very different so you cannot do a direct substitution in recipes. The species of methi that is used to make Kasuri methi is not the same as the fresh methi leaves.

Storage:

Fridge - the dal keeps well in the fridge for about ⅘ days. Store away from dairy or sweet food as it has a strong aroma. It may need some water when reheating. Best reheated on the stove with a little sprinkle of garam masala to revive it

Freezer - dals freeze really well. Make a big batch and freeze in portions in freezer-friendly containers.

Ingredients for Dal Makhani

Lentils:

Whole urad dal - found in Indian grocery stores, online and in major British supermarkets.

Red Kidney Beans

Base:

Onion and Garlic Paste - get a smooth paste by using a high-speed blender or spice grinder. You won't get the correct consistency if you chop the onion

Green chilli and ginger - crushed. To save time, you can also crush the onion, garlic, chilli and ginger all together in one

Tomato - pureed tomatoes or use passata - again we want this is smooth as possible - no lumpy bits!

Spices:

Red Chilli Powder

Ground Cumin and Coriander

Whole spices - dry or fresh bay leaves and cloves

Cumin seeds

Garam Masala - added after dal is cooked. If you're forgetful, add it when adding the other masalas - it won't make much of a difference

Dried Fenugreek - Kasuri methi - added at the end or add when adding the other masalas

Extras

Oil - use only oil if making vegan.

Ghee - optional

Butter - optional

Cream when serving - optional!

📝Instant Pot Slow Cook Method Step by Step + Video

Note- Follow these step-by-step pictures and watch a video. For exact measurements and full method see printed recipe card below. First - Select SAUTE mode for 10 minutes and add oil (pic 1). Second - Add ghee and let it heat (pic 2) Third - Add bay leaf and cloves. (pic 3) Fourth - Cumin seeds and let it splutter (pic 4) Fifth - Add onion-garlic-ginger and chilli puree and saute until oil leaves the sides of the pan (pic 5) Sixth - Tip in the tomato puree and cook until oil is visible at the surface (pic 6)  Seventh - Add red chilli powder and ground cumin-coriander powder (pic 7) Eighth - Add soaked beans (pic 8)

Ninth - Add water and salt (pic 9).

Tenth - Butter (pic 10)

Eleventh - Close the lid (pic 11)

Twelevth - Choose SLOW COOK mode and select +8 hours (pic 12)

Thirteenth - Daal is done (pic 13)

Fourteenth - Add garam masala and dry fenugreek leaves (pic 14). Add cream when serving.

Stovetop Method Step by Step + Video

Cook soaked beans in pan or stovetop pressure cooker with water and leave it aside. One - Heat oil and ghee in a heavy-based pan or kadai. (pic 1)

Two - Add whole spices. (pic 2)

Third - Jeera and onion puree. (pic 3)

Four - Saute till oil is visible again. (pic 4)

Five - Ginger-chilli (pic 5)

Six - Tomato puree and cook further 4-5 minutes.

Seven - Red chilli powder and ground cumin and coriander. (pic 7)

Eight - Boiled beans and water (pic 8)

 

Nine - Butter and salt (pic 9)

Ten - Cover and cook another 40-45 minutes on very low heat (pic 10)

Eleven - Creamy and thick dal makhani ready (pic 11)

Twelve - kasoori methi and garam masala. Mix well, add cream when serving.

Other Beans Recipes

Red Kidney Bean & Sweetcorn Curry

Rajma Masala

Best Butternut squash and Cannellini Beans Soup

Vegan White Bean Bruschetta 

Gujarati Black Chickpea Curry

Low fat Black Bean and Sweet Potato Quesadilla