Dal Makhani

Dal makhani is whole black lentils simmered for hours then finished with butter and cream. It's the rich, slow-cooked centrepiece of a Punjabi table, and the long simmer — traditionally overnight over low coals — is what turns plain lentils into something this velvety.

What it actually is

Whole black lentils (urad dal) and a smaller amount of kidney beans are soaked, then simmered for hours with ginger, garlic, tomato and spices until they break down into a thick, dark, almost creamy mass. Only near the end does butter and cream go in, finishing the dish rather than cooking through it — added too early, they'd separate over such a long simmer.

The name literally means "buttered lentils," and restaurant versions are often judged on how generous — or restrained — they are with both.

How it's served

• In a small karahi or bowl, with a swirl of cream on top.
• With naan or rice, always something to scoop it with; it's rarely eaten with just a spoon.
• The next day, often better — like most long-simmered dals, it thickens and deepens overnight.

Writing it on a menu

• Note the dairy; it's the defining richness of the dish, and it's what a "makhani" name promises.
• Say if a vegan version is available, made with oil instead of butter and cream — it's genuinely different, not just lighter.
• Mention the cooking time if guests ask why it's not a quick order; a properly made dal makhani is a slow dish, not a fast one.
• Distinguish it from a plain dal; the butter and cream are what make this a specific, named dish rather than a generic lentil side.