When I think of dal, I think of comfort - simple and homely. Dal Maharani, though, is something else! Rich, elegant, and made to impress. It's royally prepared with a mix of three different lentils and rich spices and finished with ghee and cream.
When I want to prepare a meal for a celebration, I make Dal Maharani. It feels like such a statement dish. Rich, bold, queenly (as the name suggests), and deserving of a good peshwari naan or tandoori roti!
It's made with a base of urad dal, red kidney beans and chana dal that are first cooked until buttery with robust whole spices. I then complete the dal with two temperings - firstly with onions, tomatoes and spices and the second with ghee and garlic.
This layer of cooking technique gives the dal its unique texture and flavour. I've also noticed that giving this dal plenty of love by cooking it low & slow helps develop richness and flavour.
It's not to be mistaken with dal makhani which is silky, buttery, and cooked with just urad dal and rajma. Dal maharani is intensely spiced, and includes chana dal for added texture and depth.
For a milder spiced dal that still has that creamy richness, my sultani dal is a great alternative that's laced with saffron.
Ingredients notes
Be sure to check out the full recipe and exact ingredient list below in the recipe card.
The lentils:
Whole urad dal becomes so creamy when slow-cooked, almost buttery. Chana dal for a bit of texture and nuttiness, and red kidney beans for melt-in-your-mouth richness. This is the signature combination for this recipe making it thicker than a typical dal.
Aromatics:
To build on the flavours, the aromatics and spices are key. I start with a base of finely chopped onions, along with garlic ginger paste, and green chillies. The chillies I usually cut into thin rounds, though slitting them works just as well.
For ease and a smoothness, I use tomato passata instead of fresh tomatoes. For the second tempering in ghee, I love adding sliced garlic to infuse it with that rich, nutty aroma.
Whole spices:
Whole spices create the foundation of warmth and depth. I use bay leaves, cinnamon, cloves, cumin seeds, and both green and black cardamom.
Spice powders:
To layer the flavour further, I add ground Kashmiri red chilli powder for its vibrant colour and gentle heat, along with turmeric, and ground cumin and coriander.
My secret touch? A pinch of mace powder — it adds an almost floral warmth that takes the dal to another level. You won't find this is other recipes! If you can't find it, use garam masala or skip totally.
No Dal Maharani is complete without kasoori methi (dried fenugreek), crushed and stirred in toward the end.
Fats:
To bring it all together, I finish with a generous tadka in ghee and a swirl of fresh cream because richness is the whole point.
How I Serve It
Dal maharani has such a rich, assertive flavour, I like to let it shine as the hero of the meal.
I usually pair it with milder sides that balance the depth of the dal. A simple bowl of jeera rice, Indian vegetable curry, a crisp Indian kachumber salad with onion and tomato, or even just plain parathas are perfect.
It's elegant enough to be part of a Diwali dinner party menu too — especially when you want something that feels festive and royal.
As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
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📖 Recipe
Dal Maharani
Equipment
- Pressure cooker or Instant Pot
- pan
Ingredients
Dal
- ⅔ cup whole urad dal
- ⅓ cup chana dal
- ⅓ cup red kidney beans
- 1 tablespoon whole spices bay leaf, cloves, cinnamon, green cardamom and black cardamom
- 2 tablespoon oil
First Tempering (Tadka)
- 3 tablespoon oil
- 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon hing asafoetida
- 1 large onion finely chopped
- 2 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste combined
- 1 lerge green chilli chopped
- ¾ cup tomatoes chopped or pureed
- 1 tablespoon chilli powder kashmiri
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 2 tablespoon ground cumin and coriander
- 1 tablespoon kasoori methi dried fenugreek leaves
- 3 tablespoon butter salted or unsalted
- ½ teaspoon mace powder
- 4 tablespoon fresh cream
- 2 tablespoon salt
Second tempering (Tadka)
- 2 tablespoon ghee
- 2 tablespoon garlic sliced
- 1 tablespoon red chilli powder
Instructions
Dal
- Mix all the lentils and beans under clean running water then soak in warm water in a bowl for at least 8 hours or over night.
- Discard the water and rinse the soaked lentils in clean water again
- Add lentils in the pressure cooker or instant pot along with the whole spices and oil. Pour 3 cups clean water and cook. In the pressure cooker cook for 5-6 whistles. In the instant pot, cook on HIGH pressure for 25 minutes.
First Tempering
- Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds. Once they crackle, tip in the chopped onion. Sauté until translucent and add the ginger-garlic paste and green chillies.
- Cook for a further minute or until oil separates and add the tomatoes.
- Add the spice powders and salt and mix well.
- Tip in the cooked dal and add some water. Bring the dal to a boil then reduce to a simmer to cook.
- Sprinkle over kasoori methi, add butter and mace powder. Pour over the cream. Continue to simmer until thick and creamy.
Second Tempering
- In a small pan, heat ghee and add the sliced garlic.
- Once the garlic has slightly brown, remove from the heat and tip in the kashmiri chilli powder.
- Pour this over the cooked dal and swirl through. The dal is now ready to serve.
Video
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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Hayley Dhanecha says
This is one of those recipes I keep coming back to for its slow cooked depth and velvety texture that feels so satisfying with rice or naan.