An Indian Recipe From Babur: Dal Makhani

Since 1985, Babur has been providing exceptional Indian cuisine to the residents of Forest Hill.

Makhani is a Punjabi term signifying "buttery" or "with butter". This dal makhani recipe is slow-cooked with fragrant spices and plenty butter and cream until it attains a silken consistency. Initially, the inclusion of dal makhani on our menu met with scepticism, although it rapidly evolved into one of our most cherished offerings. One regular even takes 50 portions back to Wales every year.

Serves 4

Ingredients:

• 200g whole urad dal or black lentils 

• 50g kidney beans (rajma) 

• 1-1.2L water 

• 90g butter 

• 20g ginger-garlic paste

• 250g tomato purée 

• ½ tsp red chilli powder 

• A pinch of ground nutmeg 

• ½ tsp garam masala 

• ½ tsp crushed kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) 

• 10g fresh ginger, thinly sliced (keeping 2–3g for garnish) 

• Salt to taste 

• 30ml fresh cream (optional)

Method:

1. Soak the dal and kidney beans in plenty of water overnight. Drain and rinse before cooking. 

2. Add the soaked dal and beans to a pressure cooker with about 900ml of the water and a pinch of salt. Cook for 6–8 whistles or until soft.

3. In a deep pan, melt 70g of the butter. Add the ginger-garlic paste and sauté until golden, then add the tomato purée and red chilli powder. Cook for 8–10 minutes, until the butter separates. 

4. Add the cooked dal mixture to the pan. Stir well. Simmer on low heat for 30–45 minutes, adding more water (up to 400ml) as needed to reach a creamy consistency.

5. Stir in the nutmeg, garam masala, kasuri methi, and fresh ginger. Season to taste with salt. 

6. Stir in the remaining 20g butter for richness. Add the fresh cream and simmer for a final 5 minutes.

7. Garnish with the remaining ginger and a swirl of cream.