Dhansak – The Traditional Parsi Delicacy
2015-01-06- Cuisine: Indian
- Course: Main Course
- Skill Level: Advanced
- Yield : 1.5 kgs
- Servings : 4-5
- Prep Time : 30m
- Cook Time : 50m
- Ready In : 1:20 h
A perfect weekend lunch
I became a fan of Dhansak the first time I tasted it at a friend’s place and I was searching for an authentic recipe to make it ever since. Recently I managed to procure a traditional recipe and tried making it on my own. A few tries later, with an all-clear and good to go sign from a Parsi friend, I decided to publish this Parsi recipe.
Tips
Dhansak is all about personal tastes, so adjust the masala quantity to your liking. If you like spice, increase the red chilies, if you don’t, seed them and use 2-4 only.
Trivia about Dhansak
Dhansak is a popular Indian dish, especially popular among the Parsi Zoroastrian community. It combines elements of Persian and Gujarati cuisine. Dhansak is made by cooking mutton with a mixture of lentils and vegetables. This is served with caramelised brown rice, which is rice cooked in caramel water to give it a typical taste and colour. The dal cooked with mutton and vegetables served with brown rice, altogether is called Dhansak.
Source: Wikipedia
Ingredients for Daal
Masala
Mutton being browned with the wet masala
Dhansak – the traditional parsi delicacy
Ingredients
- Dal
- Toor Dal 100 gms
- Chana Dal 40 gms
- Moong Dal 40 gms
- Masoor Dal 100 gms
- Eggplant chopped 1
- pumpkin Diced 100 gms
- Fenugreek (Methi) leaves 1 cup
- Spinach (Palak) leaves 2 cups
- Coriander leaves with stalks 1/4th cup
- Chopped fresh mint a handful
- Wet Masala:
- Cinnamon stick 2 inch
- Cardamom pods 6
- Clove 5
- Cumin seeds 2 Tbsp
- Black peppercorns 10
- Coriander seeds 1 Tbsp
- Tamarind concentrate 2 Tbsp
- Dried red chile 2-4
- Ginger 1 Tbsp (grated)
- Garlic cloves 8- 10 (finely chopped)
- Fresh coriander 1 cup (Chopped)
- Dry Masala:
- Cardamom pods 3
- Clove 3
- Star anise 2
- Cumin seed 1 Tbsp
- Black peppercorns 8
- Red chili 2
- Methi2 Tbsp
- Meat:
- Oil 4-5 tablespoon
- Mutton 1 kg
- Lemon juice 3 -4 Tbsp
- Rice:
- Rice (preferably basmati) 500 gms
- Sugar 3 Tbsp
- Onions 1 finely chopped
- Cumin seed 1 Tsp
- Clove 2-3
- Black peppercorns 5-6
- Cardmom pods 2-3
- Cinnamon stick 1
- Black cardmom (Badi ilaichi) 1
- Ghee or oil 3 Tbsp
[Method]
Method
Step 1
Wash all the dals and put them in a pressure cooker with spinach, pumpkin, eggplant and greens. (All the ingredients listed under Daal) Pressure cook till the dal is cooked and puree it with a hand blender.
Step 2
For wet masala, dry roast the Cinnamon stick, Cardamom pods, Cloves, Cumin seeds, Black peppercorns, Coriander seeds and dry chillies. Remember to roast the spices lightly, stop when they get aromatic. Add chopped ginger, garlic, coriander leaves and tamarind pulp to the roasted spices and grind it to a fine paste.
Step 3
Roast the dry masala spices separately and grind to a fine powder in a coffee grinder.
Step 4
Heat oil and cook the mutton. Saute on high heat for around 10-12 minutes. After the mutton is browned, add all the wet masala and cook till the water evaporates and the masala cooks. Add a cup water and cook the mutton on medium heat for 30-40 mins. I use a pressure cooker and cook the mutton for about 30 minutes after the first whistle. After 30 minutes, switch off the stove and let the pressure drop on it's own.
Step 5
After the mutton is cooked, light the stove again, add the dal mixture to the mutton and sprinkle the dry masala. Let the mixture cook for about 10 minutes. To finish it off, add 2-3 Tbsp of fresh lime juice and garnish fresh coriander and mint leaves.
Step 6
To cook rice, heat the pan, add sugar to it and let the sugar caramelize. Add the Ghee and add all the dry masalas (listed under Rice). Tip in onions and fry for a few minutes and lastly add rice. Pour water in the pan and cook rice till done.
Step 1
Wash all the dals and put them in a pressure cooker with spinach, pumpkin, eggplant and greens. (All the ingredients listed under Daal) Pressure cook till the dal is cooked and puree it with a hand blender.
Step 2
For wet masala, dry roast the Cinnamon stick, Cardamom pods, Cloves, Cumin seeds, Black peppercorns, Coriander seeds and dry chillies. Remember to roast the spices lightly, stop when they get aromatic. Add chopped ginger, garlic, coriander leaves and tamarind pulp to the roasted spices and grind it to a fine paste.
Step 3
Roast the dry masala spices separately and grind to a fine powder in a coffee grinder.
Step 4
Heat oil and cook the mutton. Saute on high heat for around 10-12 minutes. After the mutton is browned, add all the wet masala and cook till the water evaporates and the masala cooks. Add a cup water and cook the mutton on medium heat for 30-40 mins. I use a pressure cooker and cook the mutton for about 30 minutes after the first whistle. After 30 minutes, switch off the stove and let the pressure drop on it's own.
Step 5
After the mutton is cooked, light the stove again, add the dal mixture to the mutton and sprinkle the dry masala. Let the mixture cook for about 10 minutes. To finish it off, add 2-3 Tbsp of fresh lime juice and garnish fresh coriander and mint leaves.
Step 6
To cook rice, heat the pan, add sugar to it and let the sugar caramelize. Add the Ghee and add all the dry masalas (listed under Rice). Tip in onions and fry for a few minutes and lastly add rice. Pour water in the pan and cook rice till done.
Serving Suggestions
To serve Dhansak, arrange rice in the plate and serve with the cooked dal with mutton along with the Tomato, cucumber onion Salad and a slice of lemon.
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posted by ND on July 3, 2017
Nice recipe. Only missing fried onions to be cooked with the mutton, and some to sprinkle on top later.
posted by Swati Sani on July 3, 2017
Thats a great idea. Thank you.
posted by Swati Sani on July 9, 2017
This is a fantastic idea. Thanks
posted by kaushik on January 8, 2016
One of the best Parsi delicacy…thanks for sharing.
posted by Samrita on May 31, 2015
This dish looks delicious and full of flavors.
posted by pankaj dandekar on March 4, 2015
Seems very yummy . I will try to cook this Sunday. Thanks swati
posted by vinita mathur on January 6, 2015
Nice recipe!