Dishoom-Style Dal Makhani

This rendition captures the signature creamy richness of the original dish using grass-fed dairy and organic legumes for a minimally processed approach.

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Ingredients

  • 1 cup organic whole black lentils (urad dal), soaked overnight and drained
  • 0.5 cup organic kidney beans (soaked overnight and drained)
  • 6 cups organic vegetable broth
  • 2 tbsp grass-fed butter
  • 1 tbsp avocado oil
  • 1 large organic yellow onion, finely minced
  • 4 cloves garlic, smashed and minced
  • 1 inch fresh ginger, grated
  • 1 cup organic tomato puree (ensure no added sugars)
  • 1 tsp cumin seeds
  • 0.5 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp cardamom pods
  • 1 tsp garam masala
  • Sea salt to taste

Clean swaps

How we upgrade the restaurant version with better ingredients.

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Reorder the shelf-stable staples for this recipe.

What you'll need

Instructions

  1. Drain and rinse the soaked kidney beans and black lentils thoroughly.
  2. In a heavy-bottomed pot, heat the avocado oil and 1 tbsp of butter over medium heat.
  3. Add the minced onion and sauté until translucent (about 8 minutes). Add garlic and ginger and cook for another 2 minutes.
  4. Stir in cumin seeds, cinnamon, and cardamom; toast for 60 seconds until fragrant.
  5. Pour in the tomato puree, lentils, beans, and vegetable broth. Season with sea salt.
  6. Bring to a full rolling boil and boil for 10 minutes — this step is essential to neutralize the natural toxin in kidney beans.
  7. Lower heat and simmer gently for 90 to 120 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding a splash of water if it gets too thick, until the lentils are tender and the texture is creamy.
  8. Stir in a final tablespoon of grass-fed butter and the garam masala.
  9. Serve warm, garnished with a sprig of cilantro.

FAQ

Can I use dried lentils instead of pre-cooked?

Yes, the recipe already uses dried lentils (urad dal) and kidney beans, which are soaked and cooked from scratch.

Is this recipe suitable for a vegan diet?

Replace grass-fed butter with coconut oil or vegan butter to make it vegan.

Can I substitute the garam masala?

Yes, use a homemade blend of cumin, coriander, cinnamon, and cloves for a cleaner alternative.

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