A nutritious entrée made from Lentils and Vegetables 

DHANSAK  is a very nutritious and wholesome parsi dish. It is the signature entree of the parsi cuisine.It is eaten with Dhansak rice and a salad made with chopped tomatoes,cukes,onions, cilantro,salt,pepper and lemon juice. You can also serve some hot bread and potato pattice on the side.

Your family and friends will be delighted with this delectable dish.

DHANSAK

INGREDIENTS

• Tuvar dal(pigeon peas dal)                                                    ¾ cup
• Chana dal(red gram dal)                                                        ½ cup
• Mung dal(green gram dal)                                                      ½ cup
• Eggplant                                                                                      3 small (Indian style) 100gms
• Spring onions                                                                             1 bunch (about 100gms)
• Methi leaves                                                                               1 cup chopped
• Pumpkin                                                                                      1 ½ cups chopped
• Serrano chilies                                                                           3 sliced
• Lemon juice                                                                                2-3 tbsp
• Garam Masala                                                                            3-5 tsps– Recipe follows
• Red Chili powder                                                                       1-2 tsp  or to taste
• Dhaniajeera powder(coriandercumin powder)               1-2tbsp
• Haldi powder(turmeric powder)                                          1 -2tsp
• Salt                                                                                                2tbsp or to taste
• Garam Masala
• Cinnamon sticks                                          2 no
• Peppercorns                                                1 tbsp
• Cloves                                                            ½ tbsp.

For Tempering

• Oil                                                                   1 tbsp
• Onion                                                             1 cup finely chopped
• Garlic                                                              2 tbsp-chopped

METHOD

1. Wash the tuvar dal . Cook it with 1 tsp haldi powder and 1 and 1/2 cup water in a pressure cooker.
2. Cook with one big whistle and then low for a total of about 10 mins.Cool the pressure cooker.
3. Clean and cut the eggplant and pumpkin in small pieces.
4. Clean and cut the spring onions.
5. Roast all the ingredients for the garam masala till slightly browned.
6. When cool, grind it in a fine powder.
7. Wash both chana  dal and mung dal.
8. Once the pressure cooker has cooled, put the cooked dal in a big pot.
9. Add both the washed dals,all the cut vegetables and 8 cups of water to the pot.
10. Add 2 tbsp salt and 1 more tsp haldi powder.
11. Start to cook on high and then low for about 40 mins.
12. Chop the onions and garlic.
13. When the dals are cooked, hand blend to mash all dals and vegetables.
14. Do not blend it like a soup in a blender.
15. In a small frying pan, heat 1 tbsp oil, and fry the finely chopped onions till light pink.
16. Add the dhaniajeera powder, and chili powder and roast for a few seconds.
17. Add it to the dhansak mix.
18. Add  3-4 tsp of fresh garam masal to the dal mix.
19. Heat 2 tsp oil and fry the chopped garlic till light pink. Add it to the dal.
20. At this point, you may need to add 2-3 cups of more water.
21. Simmer for a total of about 1 hour.
22. Garnish with cilantro.
23. Serve hot with Dhansak rice and cucumber-tomato-onion salad.

NOTE-

You can prepare the whole thing in a slow cooker, or the whole thing in a pressure cooker.

Just mix all the dals and vegetables and cook them together in a slow or pressure cooker. Proceed as above.

I have taken a middle approach.

You can make a dhansak masala paste . In my experience, this recipe tastes as good or better. I have tried to keep it simple.

Dhansak Rice

Caramelized onions with Fried Rice complements the Dhansak perfectly

DHANSAK  RICE

 INGREDIENTS

• Basmati Rice                                 1 cup
• onion                                              1 large(sliced)
• Sugar                                               2 tsp
• Ghee or oil                                      2 tsp
• Salt                                                   ½ tsp(optional)

METHOD

1. Wash and soak the rice for 30 minutes.
2. In a flat non-stick pan, heat 1 tsp ghee. Roast the sliced onions till dark brown.
3. Remove and keep on the side for garnishing.
4. In a tsp of ghee, sprinkle the sugar and let it caramelize for a few seconds.
5. Add the rice, stir for a few seconds.
6. Add 1 ½ cups of hot water. When it boils, turn it to low and cook for 10 minutes-covered.
7. Then let it sit for 5 minutes. Fluff it with a fork.
8. Serve garnished with cilantro and brown onions.

NOTE-

Wash the rice till the water is not cloudy.