Dishoom Black Daal Recipe – The Easy Way
This Dishoom black daal recipe is the famous London restaurant’s take on the Indian classic Daal Makhani. Dal Makhani is definitely up there in my top 3 Indian dishes. It originates from the heart of Punjab region, in Northern India. Like most classic dishes it is traditionally a peasant dish, born out of simplicity, made with humble ingredients like whole black lentils (urad dal) and sometimes kidney beans (rajma). It is slow-cooked for hours over a low flame. However over time, Dal Makhani evolved into a dish rich in flavor and culture, becoming synonymous with Indian celebrations and parties. At the same time it is one of India’s most popular comfort foods.
The word “Makhani” translates to “buttery,” which hints at the creamy richness that defines this dish. Butter (or Ghee) and cream are what makes this dish so delicious. However these two ingrediants can be dialled back to make the dish healthier without much impact to the flavour.
The key to not lose the creamy texture is to cook the daal slowly. After much experimentation I have found the best and easiest method is to use my humble slow cooker. The slow cooking is what brings the flavours together in this dish.
Given Urid daal takes a long time to cook I jump start the process by soaking the daal overnight in water then initially cooking it in a microwave. My aim was to come up with a recipe that can be made in one day. In this recipe I start cooking in the morning and the daal is ready for dinner that night.
Ingredients
Method
- Put the daal in a bowl. Cover the daal in fresh water and leave it to soak overnight (at least 12 hours).
- Rinse the daal with clean water. Place in a pyrex dish and cover with 1 inch of boiling water. Microwave on high for 25 minutes.
- Drain the daal and place in the slow coker with 1000ml of clean boiling water. Cook on high for 5 hours.
- Drain the daal using a seive
- Add the daal back to the slow cooker, along with 450ml of fresh boiling water
- Add the remaining ingredients (except for the cream) and stir.
- Cook on low for 4 hours, stirring occaisionally
If you love Indian cuisine, I would highly recommend the Dishoom: From Bombay with Love recipe book. This is where I saw the original recipe which I have adapted here.
Related: If you like this try our Dhaba Style Mung Dal Recipe
FAQ
Yes. Still kick start the daal by microwaving it for 20-25 minutes post soaking. Then simmer the daal [ideally] in a heavy-based pot on the hob over a very low heat. Stir it every 20–30 minutes so it doesn’t catch on the bottom. It’ll take roughly the same length of time as the slow cooker method — the low, slow cooking is what breaks down the lentils and beans and lets the flavours develop, so just keep the heat gentle and be patient.
You can, and it’ll cut the cooking time right down. Pressure cook on a medium heat for about 10 whistles. Then stir through the butter and cream at the end as in the recipe. The texture won’t be quite as deeply developed as the slow cooker version, but it’s a good option if you’re short on time.
As above the recipe is not vegan given it uses cream and butter. However you can leave these out and still have a great tasting dish. You could also add in a small amount of coconut cream. While thia would not be authentic it can add an amount of creaminess.
Store it in an airtight container and it will keep for 3–4 days in the fridge. That said it never lasts that long in our house! Reheat it gently on the hob or in the microwave until piping hot throughout. You may want to add a splash of water to loosen the daal up a little if required.
Most Asian shops/supermarkets will stock urid dal. If you cakn’t find anywhere locally you can always order it online.
Absolutely. When I make this dish I opten make a double batch and freeze half in a tupperware container. To defrost it just remove fromt he freezer and leave on the woprk top for 2-3 hours then reheat on a medium heat in a pan.
