Dal makhani

History

Dal makhani is a staple in the Indian subcontinent. It was popularized in India following partition, when many people from Punjab migrated to the northern regions of India. As the Punjabi diaspora migrated across India and internationally, the dish was introduced to new locales by entrepreneurial Punjabi migrants Kundan Lal Gujral, Thakur Dass and Kundan Lal Jaggi at their restaurant called Moti Mahal in the locality of Daryaganj, Delhi, India.

Kundan Lal Jaggi is the inventor of dal makhani. This dish was first created by Punjabis and is now recognized as a quintessential Indian dish, and variations of the dish are served in many different restaurants internationally. Dal makhani's popularity is due in part to its versatility in a meal: the rich vegetarian dish can be served as a main meal, included as part of a buffet (thali), or used as an accompaniment to a meal. In India, soups and curries with a red or yellow lentil base are an important staple.

Preparation time

The traditional preparation of dal makhani involves a series of time-consuming procedures, which can take up to 24 hours to complete. With the availability of modern cooking equipment, namely pressure cookers, the preparation time of the dish has reduced significantly to 2–3 hours. The lentils, however, need to be soaked overnight or a minimum of 5-6 hours for the best flavor.