Why this takes hours
Dal Makhani is the test of a kitchen. It's a simple-looking dish but it cannot be rushed. Whole black urad needs hours to break down into the velvety body that makes the dal famous. We start it the day before. We don't shortcut it with dal flour or cornflour. The richness comes from actual slow-cook reduction, finished with a measured fold of cream — not a slick of butter on top.
Onion, tomato, ginger, garlic, kasuri methi, ground spices. That's the supporting cast — the dal does the heavy lifting. No cashew paste, no almond cream, no nut thickener — Dal Makhani doesn't need them. The kitchen is fully nut-free; this dish is part of why we built it that way.
If you've ever had Dal Makhani at a Punjabi wedding and wondered why every UK takeaway version is thin and disappointing, this is the one to compare it to.
What's in it
- Whole black urad — slow-cooked for hours
- Red kidney beans — for body
- Onion-tomato base — slow-built, never shortcut
- Ginger, garlic, kasuri methi, ground spices
- Single cream and a finishing knob of butter — folded late, never a pool
Vegetarian. Gluten-free. Nut-free. No beef, no pork, no alcohol.
Who it's for
Dal Makhani is the dish you order when you want to feel cared-for. It's also the test for whether a kitchen actually slow-cooks. Vegetarian, nut-free, gluten-free, kosher-friendly, halal-kitchen. The most universally welcomed vegetarian dish on the menu.
Order direct
Same kitchen. Same chefs. Same recipes. Direct = no commission tax.
Allergens & dietary
- Vegetarian — no meat, no animal stock.
- Gluten-free — as cooked. Skip naan if you are avoiding gluten.
- Nut-free — no cashew, almond, pistachio, peanut, pine nut or chopped-nut garnish. Our entire cooked menu is nut-free; only off-site desserts (Ras Malai, Gulab Jamun) contain nuts. See nut-free policy.
- No beef. No pork. Anywhere on the Yum! Curries menu.
Where to find us
Our Brighton store is at 1 Paston Place, Kemptown. Delivery across BN2, BN1 and BN3 in 25 minutes.
Try with
Frequently asked
- Is Dal Makhani vegetarian?
- Yes. Vegetarian, contains dairy (single cream and butter at finish). For vegan, see Amritsari Chole.
- Is Dal Makhani gluten-free?
- Yes — gluten-free as cooked. Pair with jeera basmati to keep the meal fully gluten-free; avoid naan if you're avoiding gluten.
- Is Dal Makhani nut-free?
- Yes. No cashew paste, no almond, no nut thickener. The richness comes from slow-cook reduction and a fold of cream — never nuts. See nut-free policy.
- What's Dal Makhani made with?
- Whole black urad and red kidney beans, slow-cooked for hours in an onion-tomato base with ginger, garlic, kasuri methi and ground spices. Finished with a fold of single cream and a knob of butter.