1 1/4 cup (205g) whole urad dal (aka black gram)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 tsp. kosher salt

  • rinse dal with water and scrub by hand, drain the water, and repeat a few times
  • cover with cold water, add baking soda, and soak overnight. for a quicker soak (4 hours), use boiling water
  • drain and rinse several times, until water runs clear
  • transfer to a saucepan and cover with 1 inch of water and add salt
  • bring to a boil, skimming off any foam.
  • reduce heat and simmer for 60 minutes, until the dal is very soft (add water to keep it from drying out if too much evaporates)
  • drain dal, reserving cooking liquid, and set both aside

1 1/2 tbsp. neutral oil
2” to 3” cinnamon stick
4 green cardamom pods, seeds only (¼ heaping tsp of seeds) (or 1/2 tsp. ground cardamom added with dry spices below)
3 whole cloves
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon cumin seeds

  • heat oil in a dutch oven, add spices, and stir fry for 1 minute

1 onion, finely diced
1 tbsp. water
4 garlic cloves, minced
1-inch piece fresh ginger, minced (or 1 tsp. of ground ginger added with dry spices below)

  • add onion and saute for 5-7 minutes, until starting to brown
  • add water and stir to deglaze pan
  • add garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute

2 tbsp. tomato paste or ketchup
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. coriander
1/2 tsp. chile powder
2 tsp. kosher salt
pepper

  • add to the pot, and stir frequently for 1 minute

15 oz. can tomatoes
2 1/2 cups cooking liquid (add water to make up the difference as needed)
black dal from above

  • add to pot, stir well, and bring to a boil
  • reduce heat and simmer for 60 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes

15 oz. can coconut milk (or 1/2 cup cream)
1 cup cilantro leaves and tender stems, chopped (or 1 tsp. dry)
1 tbsp. lemon juice

  • stir in and simmer for 10 minutes

source: https://rainbowplantlife.com/vegan-dal-makhani/

04/23/23: i misread the original recipe and so did not add extra water when adding the soaked urad dal, so it burned in the instant pot. i removed it to the stovetopand simmered for about 3 hours, adding about 4 cups of water over time, before it was moderately tender.

01/13/25: switching to a rainbowplantlife recipe, since i’ve liked all of her recipes that we’ve tried.