My Dal bukhara recipe is made without onion and is minimally spiced. I have had the oppurtunity to sample this dal both at the Bukhara restaurant as well as the ITC lounge at Delhi airport and whenever I make this dal, I miss Delhi so much. Serve with rotis or naan and sliced onions for a traditional meal.
What is Dal Bukhara?
Dal Bukhara is classic punjabi style dal made with whole black gram lentils (urad dal) slow cooked with tomatoes, ginger & garlic, garam masala and finished with lots of butter & heavy cream. One of the distinguishing flavors in dal bukhara is its pronounced smokiness which sets the taste of this dal apart from other traditional black urad lentil preparations like dal makhani or dal maharani. Traditional Dal Bukhara in restaurant is slow cooked in large charcoal ovens to develop deep smoky flavors. The simplicity of this dal in terms of ingredients coupled with patient cooking brings about those signature flavors making it so legendary.
About my recipe
In my home version, to closely replicate the restaurant flavors:-
I stick to using few ingredients. Smoke the dal using dhungar method (using charcoal). Use pressure cooker (to avoid long cooking times). Slow cook the dal for 1 to 1.5 hours to develop deep flavors and bring about a smooth creamy texture.
What is the difference between Dal Bukhara & Dal Makhani?
Though both Dal Bukhara & Dal Makhani are cooked using the same kind of lentil aka whole black urad and look and taste fairly similar to each other, there are a few differences
The major difference is that unlike dal makhani, Dal Bukhara has no red kidney beans (rajma) added to it while cooking. Though both dal makhani and dal bukhara are traditional north indian dishes, but dal bukhara originated in and truly gained popularity daily as a signature dish of the ITC Maurya Hotel putting it on the map of Delhi cuisine. Dal Makhani may or may not be smoky depending on the cook, but authentic dal bukhara is smoky. While making it at home, I highly suggest that you smoke the dal for an amazing taste. I am explaining two dhungar methods later in this post. Similar to how typical restaurant dishes are, dal bukhara is super rich (due to generous addition of butter and heavy cream) as compared to dal makhani.
Dal Bukhara Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you will need for making dal bukhara:-
Whole Black Gram Lentils aka Sabut Kali Urad Dal. Skin on whole lentils stand up to long hours of slow cooking without getting slimy in addition to giving the final dish an amazing consistency. Tomatoes - I like using both fresh tomatoes and little bit (2-3 tablespoons) of store bought tomato sauce. I blanch and blend the fresh tomatoes before adding. Use roma or campari tomatoes if you are in USA, they truly go well with indian spices. Store bought tomato sauce is quite conecentrated and truly enhances sweet acidic flavor of this dal. In India, use tomato puree instead. Spices :- Dal bukhara is not supposed to be spicy or hot. I just use one bay leaf and kashmiri chilli powder (for color) and garam masala (to finish). Butter & Heavy Cream - For that much needed richness that is associated with Dal Bukhara. I dont recommend skimping or skipping. Other ingredients - Salt, Ginger & Garlic
See recipe card for quantities.
How to Make Dal Bukhara
There are 4 main steps to make Dal Bukhara at home
Soak the Lentils
Pick and make sure that the lentils are clean. Wash the lentils 3-4 times under running water. Measure and soak the lentils in water overnight. Soaking the lentils not only softens the skin and helps in even cooking.
Pressure Cook the Lentils (You can do this step in Instant Pot as well)
Add soaked lentils to a pressure cooker with water and bayleaf. Cook for 5-6 whistles till the lentils are soft but hold shape (this is very important). Keep in mind that we are going to slow cook the dal for about 1-1.5 hours so we dont to overcook during pressure cooking else it will get slimy. Pro Tip 1:- Dont add salt while boiling the dal. It makes them cook faster and keeps them soft. Pro Tip 2:- To check the softness of dal, squeeze an intact lentil grain between your thumb and index finger, you should be able to mush it easily.
Slow Cook the Lentils
Add ginger garlic, tomatoes, salt, butter and chilli powder to the dal. Cover and let simmer for about 1 to 1.5 hours. Keep checking and stirring as needed.
Smoke the lentils
Once the dal has finished slow cooking, it will be thick enough for you to place a bowl on top of it. Add a burning piece of hot charcoal in the bowl and pour some ghee on hot charcoal. Immediately capture the smoke by closing the lid of the pot. Smoke for 30-40 seconds.
Finish The Lentils
Discard the bay leaf. Add julienne ginger and extra butter or cream if you wish.
Dhungar (Smoking Dishes at Home)
Dhungar is a south asian method of introducing a smoky aroma to dishes like tikka(chicken or meat),lentils or curries. It mimics the smoky flavor that you would get from cooking food in a tandoor or a wood fired smoker without actually using one. Ghee is drizzled over a burning piece of charcoal and the smoke is trapped inside a lidded pot for a few seconds. How do I give Dhungar using charcoal ?
Choose a 2 to 3 inch piece of charcoal. Not coal. We want that woody smokiness and charcoal works the best. Place the charcoal on direct flame and let it burn till it turns reddish with some white ash. Situate a steel bowl (or you can use onion cup, see my malai chicken tikka post) in the centre of the food dish. Place the hot charcoal inside the bowl and add 3-4 drop-off ghee. Close the lid and let smoke for a few seconds. Dont overdo else the dish wit get a bitter aroma and flavor.
Dhungar method without charcoal I actually saw Jamie Oliver doing this while cooking one of the curries and I truly loved his technique. He took a long stick of cinnamon and burnt it exactly the same way as we would burn charcoal. Once the cinnamon stick caught fire and a smoke was visible, he placed it in a bowl over the curry and closed the lid of the pot. No ghee drizzle. I tried his method with one of the curries and loved it. Keep in mind that the dish will get a aroma of cinnamon as well along with smokiness when you do this - not bad at all, right?
Serving Suggestions & Storage
Dal Bukhara is best served with naan, kulcha or tandoori roti or any flatbread you like. Add a side of pickled onions. It goes well with cumin rice or steamed rice as well. The flavors of this dal as well its smokiness intensifies as it sits. It tastes amazing next day. You can freeze this dal for 1-2 months. Portion the dal in freezable takeaway boxes or ziplock bags. Reheat and add a knob of butter before serving.
Few Tips & Variations
Make sure that you dont use old lentils. Old lentils have toughened skins that take longer to cook. Be careful of not smoking the dal for more than 30-40 seconds else the smoky flavor gets overpowering. This dal will thicken as it sits, dont make it too thick to begin with. It is easy to make vegan Dal Bukhara by using any neutral oil (avocado or grape seed) or vegan butter. Please don’t use coconut oil. Punjabi lentil dishes have a unique taste which does not come through with coconut, instead of heavy cream, I suggest mixing in cashew yogurt at the end for creaminess. If you want to make Dal Bukhara without onion & garlic, skip the garlic in this recipe. Dont skimp on butter and cream in this recipe, it is not your everyday dal, this is a rich and comforting dal best enjoyed a few times in a year.
