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Dal Bukhara

Serves 4
600 mins
339 Kcal
The Dal Bukhara is a rich, creamy dish from the world-famous ITC Maurya kitchens in Delhi. This one comes as a luxurious take on black lentils. Its slow-cooked process marks any dal bukhara recipe, allowing the lentils to absorb the deep, smoky flavours released by the spices and creamy elements of a decadent dish. Start with a recipe for dal bukhara, which is soaking 1 cup of whole black gram overnight. The following day, pressure-cook the dal by adding water and a pinch of salt till it becomes soft and tender. Then, heat in another pan 2 tablespoons of ghee along with finely chopped onion saut ed till golden. Add the ginger-garlic paste and cook till fragrant. Add 2 diced tomatoes. Saute them. Add red chilli powder, cumin powder, and a pinch of garam masala. Add the cooked black lentils to the pan, mixing well with the masala. Now stir in 1/2 cup of fresh cream and let the dal cook on low flame for at least half an hour, stirring occasionally so that it does not catch to the bottom of the pan. Slow cooking is a very crucial step in any authentic recipe of dal Bukhara as it infuses the dish with deeper flavours and richness. Serve dal Bukhara hot, garnished with a dollop of butter, with naan or steamed rice to relish like royalty: from comfort food, flipped to celebrate luxury in simple ingredients that become extraordinary.

Ingredients required for Dal Bukhara

  1. 1.5 cups whole black gram
  2. 250 gms tomatoes
  3. 2 tsp ginger garlic paste
  4. 1 tsp kashmiri red chilli powder
  5. 1/2 tsp garam masala
  6. 100 gms butter
  7. 8 tbsp heavy cream
  8. 1 inch ginger
  9. As per taste salt

Cooking steps for Dal Bukhara

  1. 1
    Dal Bukhara is this ul­tima­te-rich indul­gent lentil dish from North India, with its cream­i­est of tex­tures and deep­est fla­vors.
  2. 2
    To make this one, start by get­ting the prin­ci­pal ingre­dients: 1.5 cups whole black gram or urad dal, also oc­ca­sion­ally just called black matpe or urad bean.
  3. 3
    Rinse the lentils well and remove any impurity that may come along with them, then soak them in water for at least 6 hours or overnight.
  4. 4
    Soaking helps to soften the lentils, thus cooking them evenly and relatively quickly.
  5. 5
    Add the soaked lentils to a pressure cooker.
  6. 6
    Add about 4.5 to 5 cups of water and a little salt for added flavour to the dal.
  7. 7
    Close the lid, and pressure cook the lentils over low to medium heat for about 20-25 minutes or until they are soft and mushy.
  8. 8
    Once cooked, lentils should be soft and mushy, tender enough to be mashed between your fingers.
  9. 9
    While the lentils cook, prepare the rich aromatic base for the dal.
  10. 10
    You will need 250 gms of tomatoes, about three medium to large tomatoes.
  11. 11
    Chop these finely.
  12. 12
    In a heavy-bottomed pan, melt about 90 to 100 gms of white butter or around 6 to 7 tablespoons over medium heat.
  13. 13
    Add the ginger-garlic paste, two teaspoons if you have it, or you can crush a mixture of 1 inch of ginger and 4 to 5 garlic cloves.
  14. 14
    Saut the ginger-garlic mixture till the raw smell leaves.
  15. 15
    This would take almost 2 minutes.
  16. 16
    Add the chopped tomatoes to the pan.
  17. 17
    The tomatoes will be cooked till they are soft and mushy, and this should take about 5-7 minutes.
  18. 18
    Add one teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder or deghi mirch, if you prefer the spice not to be very strong, along with 1/2 teaspoon of garam masala.
  19. 19
    The colour, as well as the almost invisible warmth from the Kashmiri red chilli powder, makes it very appealing.
  20. 20
    Stir well and let the spices bloom by releasing their fragrance into the mixture.
  21. 21
    Now add the cooled cooked dal with the spices.
  22. 22
    Gradually pour the pressure-cooked dal with the remaining water in the pressure cooker into the tomato mixture.
  23. 23
    Mix well until everything is well combined.
  24. 24
    You may add 1 to 1.5 cups of water if this consistency feels too thick. The dal should be quite creamy but not watery at all.
  25. 25
    Let the dal simmer on low for around 10-15 minutes, as this allows flavours to mix in deliciously well.
  26. 26
    Finally, add 7-8 tablespoons of light cream or 3-4 tablespoons of heavy whipping cream, making it rich with a characteristic velvety texture that Dal Bukhara is famous for.
  27. 27
    Finish with a perfect pop of colour by garnishing the dish with slices of julienned ginger and a dollop of butter or cream on top, well just before plating.
  28. 28
    It will surely delight your taste buds, making it suitable for that special dinner affair.
  29. 29
    The Dal Bukhara must be served sizzling hot with naan or steamed rice.
  30. 30
    This is truly a rich and hearty dish with charm within the precincts of Indian cuisine. It was bound to please your family and friends - full of warmth and comfort. Enjoy the delightful flavours and texture, perfect for that classic dish!

Shop Ingredients

Tomatoes (250 gms)
15
1
16
1
10
1
Kashmiri Red Chilli Powder (1 Tsp)
540
1
70
1
Garam Masala (1/2 Tsp)
100
1
97
1
75
1
54
1
52
1
80
1
109
1
100
1
80
1
70
1
Salt (as per taste)
27
1
24
1
113
1
22
1
50
1
105
1
107
1
47
1
53
1
125
1
Whole Black Gram (1.5 cups)
170
1
87
1
96
1
217
1
93
1
88
1
139
1
109
1
97
1
170
1
Ginger (1 inch)
18
1
29
1
20
1
Butter (100 gms)
60
1
295
1
122
1
70
1
65
1
241
1
584
1
70
1
106
1
60
1
Heavy Cream (8 Tbsp)
68
1
54
1
220
1
180
1
110
1
75
1
Ginger Garlic Paste (2 Tsp)
45
1
46
1
38
1
59
1
50
1
42
1
99
1
70
1

FAQs

What is the preparation time for Dal Bukhara?

Preparing Dal Bukhara takes a lot of time because it requires soaking and slow cooking. Usually, lentils have to be soaked overnight for a proper outcome. For soaked lentils, 1.5 to 2 hours would suffice to cook them with spices and let them simmer. But the longer you let it simmer, the more flavours it will acquire. For a full, authentic taste of the dish, slow cooking is ideal for letting the ingredients meld together well.

Can Dal Bukhara be made healthy?

You can considerably reduce the butter and cream in a Dal Bukhara recipe and use yoghurt as an alternative to heavy cream to get a creamy texture. More vegetables like spinach or kale can only add nutrition without affecting the rich flavour of the dish. It could be improved through the use of whole grain naan and brown rice, too.

Is Dal Bukhara vegan?

Dal bukhara can be made vegan by replacing butter and cream with plant-based alternatives. You can add coconut cream or cashew cream to give it a similar rich taste, and you could also use oil instead of butter to saut spices. This way, you can enjoy a delicious vegan version of this iconic dish without missing a single flavour.
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