Name: Dal Makhani
Cook time: P0Y0M0DT0H35M0.000S
Total time: P0Y0M0DT12H0M0.000S
Yield: 4 to 5 servings (5 to 6 cups of dal)
Cuisine: indian
Ingredients: 1 cup whole black urad dal (see Cook's Note), rinsed and soaked overnight; 3 tablespoons Kashmiri rajma (or red kidney beans or pinto beans; see Cook’s Note), rinsed and soaked overnight; Kosher salt; 5 cloves garlic, finely grated (1 tablespoon); One 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated (2 teaspoons); 2 teaspoons Kashmiri chili powder (see Cook’s Note); 1/2 teaspoon garam masala; 1 cup strained tomato puree; 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, plus more for topping, optional; 1/2 cup heavy cream

Directions

Special equipment:

a 6-quart Instant Pot® multi-cooker or 4-quart stovetop pressure cooker

Drain the soaked black urad dal and Kashmiri rajma beans and transfer to a 6-quart Instant Pot®. Add 4 cups water and 2 teaspoons salt. Follow the manufacturer's guide for locking the lid and preparing to cook. Set to pressure cook on low for 1 hour (see Cook’s Note). (Alternatively, use a stovetop pressure cooker over medium-high heat set for 15 minutes.)
After the pressure-cook cycle is complete, follow the manufacturer's guide for natural release. Once the pressure is released, unlock the lid and add the garlic, ginger, Kashmiri chili powder, garam masala and 1 teaspoon salt. Set the pot to medium sauté and simmer, stirring often so the mixture doesn’t scorch on the bottom, until the raw smell is gone, about 5 minutes. (If using a stovetop pressure cooker, saute over medium-high heat.)
Lightly mash the urad dal mixture with a potato masher, leaving some intact. Add the tomato puree and butter and mix well. Cover with the lid (but do not seal), set the pot to slow-normal (slow cooker) and cook, checking and stirring occasionally to make sure it’s not sticking to the bottom and adding a little water if it gets too thick, about 2 hours. It should be the consistency of a pourable lentil soup. (If using a stovetop pressure cooker, stir in 1/2 to 1 cup water along with the tomato puree and simmer over low following the instructions above.)
Add 6 tablespoons of the heavy cream, set the pot to low sauté and simmer, stirring as needed to keep it from sticking to the bottom, until cooked down slightly and combined, another 10 minutes. Taste and adjust with more salt if needed. (If using a stovetop pressure cooker, simmer over medium heat.)
Make a cappuccino swirl with the remaining 2 tablespoons cream just before serving. Optionally, you can add another pat of butter on the dal just before serving for some extra love!

Cook’s Note

Whole black urad dal, or sabut urad dal in Hindi, is considered to be the queen of dal in North India. While there are many types of urad dal, such as split or white, for this recipe it is imperative that you get the whole black version. Kashmiri rajma is a type of kidney bean that is dark red and looks rather similar to a pinto bean. They are a little sweeter than regular kidney beans and retain their dark red color even after cooking. You can easily substitute with red kidney beans or pinto beans if you don’t have them on hand. The star in this recipe is the black urad dal. Kashmiri chili powder is a bright red chili powder that has a lovely flavor and color. It has a little heat but is not super spicy. If you don’t have any, you can combine cayenne pepper and paprika in equal portions. Settings may vary on your Instant Pot® depending on the model. Please refer to manufacturer’s guide.