Dal Makhani (Indian Lentils)
"Ever go to an Indian restaurant and wonder how they make those lentils? I hated lentils before I discovered Indian food. Then I scoured the internet to figure out how they achieved them, and through mixing and matching recipes and methods on videos, I've arrived at this recipe, which I think is pretty close. This version is very rich, but you can leave out the cream to make it lighter. Kasuri methi (fenugreek leaves) is almost impossible to find in the U.S., even in NYC, but it gives this dish something very special."
Estimated Nutrition (whole recipe, rough)
Counts 16 of 20 ingredients — the other 4 aren't in our nutrition table and contribute nothing above, so the real totals are higher.
What these numbers assume — 16 portions →
| Ingredient | Portion assumed | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Olive Oil | 1 tbsp (14g) | 119 |
| Lentil | 1/2 cup cooked (99g) | 115 |
| Kidney Bean | 1/2 cup canned (128g) drained | 112 |
| Butter | 1 tbsp (14g) | 102 |
| Cream | 1 tbsp (15ml) heavy | 51 |
| Tomato | 1 medium (123g) | 22 |
| Turmeric | 1 tsp ground (3g) | 9 |
| Cumin | 1 tsp ground (2.1g) | 8 |
| Chili | 1 tsp (2.7g) | 8 |
| Clove | 1 tsp ground (2g) | 7 |
| Cardamom | 1 tsp ground (2g) | 6 |
| Cinnamon | 1 tsp ground (2.6g) | 6 |
| Garlic | 1 clove (3g) | 4 |
| Bay Leaf | 1 leaf (0.6g) | 2 |
| Ginger | 1 tsp grated fresh (2g) | 2 |
| Salt | 1 tsp (6g) | 0 |
| Water | not in our table | 0 |
| Seed | not in our table | 0 |
| Coriander | not in our table | 0 |
| Fenugreek | not in our table | 0 |
Totals for the whole recipe, adding one typical portion per ingredient — listed above. Quantities in the recipe are not counted, so this is a rough guide only — not suitable for medical or dietary planning.
Ingredients
- 1 cup lentils
- 1/4 cup dry kidney beans (optional)
- water to cover
- 5 cups water
- 2 tablespoons salt
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon cumin seeds
- 4 cardamom pods
- 1 cinnamon stick, broken
- 4 bay leaves
- 6 whole cloves
- 1 1/2 tablespoons ginger paste
- 1 1/2 tablespoons garlic paste
- 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
- 1 pinch cayenne pepper, or more to taste
- 1 cup canned tomato puree, or more to taste
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 2 tablespoons ground coriander
- 1/4 cup butter
- 2 tablespoons dried fenugreek leaves (optional)
- 1/2 cup cream (optional)