There are some dishes that instantly remind us of home—and Dal Makhani is one of them. No matter how tempting restaurant food may be, the comfort of a bowl of hot dal poured over steaming rice is unmatched. Especially in winter, the joy of eating warm dal makhani with rice or naan is pure bliss.
Today, I am sharing a classic Lunger-style Dal Makhani recipe—rich, creamy, lightly smoky, and packed with deep flavours. This version uses simple spices, slow cooking, and a special charcoal-smoking technique to give the dal its signature taste.
This recipe may look long, but every step is simple, and the result is a silky, velvety dal that tastes better than restaurant-style. Let’s get started!
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Ingredients
For Cooking the Dal
- Whole black urad dal – 1 cup
- Red kidney beans (rajma) – ¼ cup
- Split chickpeas (chana dal) – 2 tbsp
- Bay leaf – 1
- Dry red chilli – 1
- Cinnamon stick – 1
- Black cardamom – 1
- Green cardamom – 2
- Cloves – 2
- Black peppercorns – 5
- Red chilli powder – ½ tsp
- Cumin powder – ½ tsp
- Turmeric powder – ⅛ tsp
- Coriander powder – ¼ tsp
- Grated ginger – ½ tsp
- Green chilli – 1
- Mustard oil – 1 tbsp
- Water – 4–5 cups
- Salt – to taste
For Tempering (Tadka)
- Ghee – 4 tbsp
- Red chilli powder – ½ tsp
- Cumin powder – ¼ tsp
- Grated ginger – ¼ tsp
- Tomato purée – 1 cup
- Garam masala – ¼ tsp
- Butter – 50 g
- Roasted kasoori methi – 1 tsp
- Fresh cream – ½ cup
- Salt – to taste
- Fresh coriander – finely chopped
For Smoky Flavour
- A small piece of charcoal
- A few drops of ghee or butter
Method
Step 1 – Soak the Dal
- Rinse and soak separately take 1 cup whole urad dal, ¼ cup rajma, 2 tbsp chana dal
- Soak them overnight for best texture.
Step 2 – Pressure-Cook the Dal
- Drain the soaking water and rinse the dals 2–3 times.
- Add them to a pressure cooker.
- Add 4–5 cups water, 1 Bay leaf, 1 dry red chilli, cinnamon, 1 black cardamom, 2 green cardamom, 2 cloves, 5 peppercorns, 1/2 tsp Red chilli powder, 1/2 tsp cumin powder, 1/8 tsp turmeric, 1/4 tsp coriander powder, 1/2 tsp Ginger, 1 green chilli, 1 tbsp mustard oil
- DO NOT add salt yet.
- Close the cooker and cook for 10 whistles or until the dal becomes completely soft.
- If water reduces, add more and pressure cook again.
Step 3 – Mash the Dal
- Remove all whole spices (bay leaf, cardamoms, cloves, cinnamon, red chilli).
- Mash the dal using a masher or hand blender until creamy. Set aside
Step 4 – Prepare the Tempering (Tadka)
- Heat 4 tbsp ghee in a large pan.
- Add ½ tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder, ¼ tsp cumin powder, ¼ tsp grated ginger
- Add 1 cup tomato purée (from about 5 blanched tomatoes).
- Cook until the tomato paste thickens, water evaporates and ghee separates from the sides..
- Next add Salt as per taste, ¼ tsp garam masala. Fry for another 1–2 minutes
Step 5 – Combine Dal & Tempering
- Add the cooked dal to the masala.
- Add 50 g butter.
- Add 1 tsp roasted kasoori methi (crushed between palms).
- Stir well and let it simmer on low flame for 15–20 minutes with the lid on. Slow cooking gives dal its creamy, velvety texture.
Step 6 – Add Cream
- After simmering, add ½ cup fresh cream.
- Mix gently and cook for just 3–4 minutes on low flame.
- Add fresh coriander and turm off the heat. Our dal makhani is already delicious—but two final steps will take it from great to extraordinary..
Step 7 – Prepare Final Tadka
- Heat a small tadka pan.
- Add 1 tsp ghee, 1 tsp butter
- Add 1 slit green chilli and sauté lightly.
- Turn off the flame immediately.
- Add a pinch of Kashmiri red chilli powder, A pinch of kasoori methi and little fresh coriander..
- Pour this tempering over the dal.
Step 8 – Give the Dal a Smoky Flavour (Dhungar)
This step gives that true lunger-style aroma!
- Place a steel bowl or katori in the center of the dal.
- Heat a small piece of charcoal directly on the flame until red hot.
- Carefully place the charcoal in the bowl.
- Pour ½ tsp ghee or butter over the charcoal to create smoke.
- Immediately cover the dal with a tight lid.
- Let it smoke for 1 minute only. our heavenly, smoky, creamy Dal Makhani is READY!
Serve hot with steamed rice, jeera rice, naan, tandoori roti, or lachha paratha. Add an extra drizzle of cream on top for a restaurant-style finish.
Our homemade Lunger-Style Dal Makhani is now ready—creamy, smoky, comforting, and full of flavour. Whether paired with rice or naan, it’s a dish that makes every meal special.
If you enjoyed this recipe, don’t forget to try it at home and share it with your loved ones.
Happy cooking, and take care!
Tips & Tricks for Perfect Dal Makhani
✔ Slow-cooking is key
The longer the dal simmers, the creamier it becomes.
✔ Always soak overnight
Soaking helps dal cook faster and become buttery soft.
✔ Mash well
Mashing gives dal its iconic velvety lunger-style texture.
✔ Don’t skip butter, ghee & cream
These ingredients give richness and authentic flavour.
✔ One-minute smoke only
More smoke can make the dal bitter. 1 minute is perfect.
✔ Add salt only after dal is soft
Salt can toughen dals and prevent proper cooking.
