Sultani Dal Recipe

What Is Sultani Dal?

Sultani dal is a creamy lentil dish from the royal Nawabi kitchens of Lucknow. Cooks made it for the Mughal emperors, and the name itself means “fit for a sultan.” Unlike regular dal, this one uses yogurt, milk, fresh cream, and a final smoke from burning charcoal to build layers of flavor.

The base is toor dal, slow-simmered until soft, then finished with a quick tempering of ghee, cumin, and garlic. The result feels velvety, slightly tangy, and deeply aromatic.

If you love rich North Indian dals, you will also enjoy our classic dal makhani recipe and the always-popular dal tadka with restaurant-style tempering.

How To Make Sultani Dal

Cook The Dal

Rinse 1 cup of toor dal three times until the water runs clear. Soak it in water for 15 minutes. Soaking the dal cuts cooking time and makes the texture silkier.

Drain and add the soaked dal to a pressure cooker with 3 cups of water, ½ teaspoon turmeric, and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook on medium heat for 4 whistles. Remove the cooker from the heat and let the pressure release naturally.

Open the cooker and mash the dal lightly with a whisk or ladle.

Add 1 cup of milk, 2 tablespoons of plain yogurt, and 2 tablespoons of heavy cream, and mix everything well. If the dal looks too thick, add some hot water and mix well. You want a smooth, flowing consistency.

Place the cooker back on a low flame. Stir for 4 to 5 minutes until the dal turns creamy and silky. Keep the flame low. High heat will split the yogurt. Check for salt and add more if needed.

To cook the dal in an Instant Pot, add the soaked dal, turmeric, and salt to the inner pot. Add 2 cups of water. Secure the lid. Press the PRESSURE COOK button and set the timer to 10 minutes. Once the timer goes off, let the pressure release naturally for 10 minutes. Quickly release the remaining pressure. Then open the lid. Press the SAUTE button and follow the rest of the recipe.

Temper The Dal

In a small pan, heat 3 tablespoons of ghee over medium heat.

Once the ghee is hot, add 1 teaspoon cumin seeds and let them crackle.

Add 2-3 dried red chilies, 1 teaspoon finely chopped ginger, 2 teaspoons finely chopped garlic, 2 teaspoons chopped green chilies, and ¼ teaspoon hing. Fry until the garlic turns golden.

Add ½ cup of chopped onions and fry until slightly browned. Keep stirring at regular intervals.

Turn off the heat and add 1 teaspoon of Kashmiri chili powder and 1 tablespoon of crushed kasuri methi. If the heat is not switched off, red chili powder will burn and will give a very bad taste.

Pour this hot tadka immediately over the dal. Stir gently.

Smoke The Dal

Heat a small piece of charcoal directly on the gas flame until it glows red.

Place a small steel bowl in the center of the dal. Drop the hot charcoal into the bowl, add a clove, and pour 1 teaspoon of ghee on top.

Cover the cooker immediately and let the smoke infuse for 2 minutes. Remove the bowl carefully.

This step gives sultani dal its signature smoky aroma. Skip it only if you absolutely cannot get charcoal.

Serving Suggestions

Sultani dal pairs beautifully with jeera rice or plain steamed basmati rice. You can also serve ot with butter naan, tandoori roti, or laccha paratha.

A side of kachumber salad, mango pickle, masala chaas, and roasted papad will elevate the meal.

Storage Suggestions

Leftover sultani dal can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Reheat over a low flame with a splash of milk or water until hot. Stir often when reheating.

I do not recommend freezing it as it is yogurt-based and might lose texture when thawed.