Dal Bukhara is a rich and creamy, slow-cooked Whole Urad Dal with tomato purée, cream and minimal spices.
This recipe is made famous by the ITC Maurya Hotel in Delhi. Bukhara is a legendary restaurant famous for its Urad Dal which is cooked overnight. The name of this dal is Dal Bukhara, named after the restaurant.
I’ve tried to make a little quicker version by using a pressure cooker and cooking the dal for a total of almost 2 hours on low flame. Nevertheless, this simple Dal Bukhara is a spoonful of heaven in your mouth.
Enjoy with tandoori rotis, naans and kulchas. I have served it with Lachha Pyaaz and whole-wheat kulchas.
Ingredients
- 1 cup sabut black urad dal, soaked overnight
- 1 tsp ginger, chopped
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp Shilpa’s Masala Mill Kashmiri Chilli Powder
- 1–2 tsp oil
- ½ cup ghee or butter
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1–2 green chillies, chopped
- 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
- ½ tsp red chilli powder
- Kasuri methi
- ½ tsp Shilpa’s Masala Mill Garam Masala
- ½–1 cup tomato purée
- ½ cup fresh cream
- White butter or butter
- Salt to taste
Instructions
Pressure cook the dal with ginger, salt and chilli powder (one whistle on high flame and then cook for 20–30 minutes on low flame).
Cool and allow the pressure to release naturally. Heat ghee/butter in a pan. Add cumin seeds, ginger and onion and fry for a few minutes.
Add green chilli and ginger-garlic paste and fry for a few more minutes.
Add tomato purée and sauté until oil is visible on the surface and it’s cooked.
Add red chilli powder, garam masala and Kasuri Methi.
Fry well. Now add the cooked dal and fry for a few minutes, mashing the dal with your spoon.
Add hot water and slow cook on the lowest flame for at least 30–45 minutes. I’ve put a tawa under the pot to cook the dal.
Stir the dal occasionally as it tends to stick at the bottom. Add some cream 15–20 minutes prior to completion of the cooking process.
Check seasoning and consistency.
Add cream again and simmer for another 3–5 minutes. Add a dollop of white butter and cream and that’s it, your creamy delicious Dal Bukhara is ready.
Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with homemade whole-wheat kulchas and Lachha Pyaaz.
Note: To give this dal a smoky flavour, hot charcoal and ghee can be used. This dal tastes best when slow-cooked for as long as you can.
SPICE LEVEL: 🌶
