This vegan dal makhani is made with black lentils, kidney beans and spices in a creamy coconut tomato sauce. A delicious and comforting Indian-inspired curry that you'd never guess was dairy-free!
- 1 cup dried whole black lentils (urad dal)
- ½ cup dried kidney beans
- 3 tablespoons vegan butter
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
- 1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds
- 1 cup canned tomato puree
- 1 cup water, plus more as needed
- 1 ½ teaspoons garam masala
- Pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
- 1 teaspoon organic granulated sugar
- ¼ cup coconut cream, plus more for serving
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- Chopped fresh cilantro, for serving
-
Place the lentils and kidney beans into a large pot or bowl and cover them with a few inches of water. Soak them for 4 to 12 hours.
-
When the lentils and beans are done soaking, drain them and place them into a large pot. Cover them with water and place the pot over high heat.
-
Bring the water to a boil, lower the heat, and boil the lentils and beans until they're soft, 60 to 70 minutes.
-
Drain the beans and lentils into a colander when they're done boiling.
-
Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat, then add the onion.
-
Sweat the onion for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it becomes soft and translucent.
-
Stir in the garlic, ginger, and cumin seeds. Sauté everything for about 1 minute, stirring frequently to avoid burning, until the mixture becomes very fragrant.
-
Stir in the cooked lentils and kidney beans, along with the tomato puree, water, garam masala, cayenne pepper, and sugar.
-
Bring the mixture to a simmer and let it cook for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick. Add a bit more water if it becomes too thick while cooking. As the beans and lentils become very soft, mash some of them up with a fork or the back of a spoon.
-
Remove the skillet from heat. Stir in the coconut cream and salt. Taste-test the dal and add more salt to taste.
-
Serve topped with additional coconut cream, if desired, and a sprinkle of fresh cilantro.
- The beans and lentils can be soaked and cooked in advance, then stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- Another time saving option is to use 1 (14 ounce) can of precooked kidney beans and 2 (14 ounce) cans of precooked lentils. You probably won't find the black lentils used in this recipe in cans, but brown canned lentils will still give you a tasty (even if less authentic) dal.