AI-generated image
Dalcha
Mutton and lentil stew
دالچہ: Hyderabadi mutton and chana dal stew soured with tamarind and softened with bottle gourd, for bagara khana (plus 1 hour soaking)
No Hyderabadi Eid table or Sunday lunch feels complete without a pot of dalcha beside the bagara khana (spiced rice). This one is made with mutton, which in India means goat; bone-in pieces from the shoulder or neck give the best body, and lamb is a fine swap. The meat is cooked tender in a ginger-garlic and chilli masala, then married with soft chana dal, chunks of lauki (bottle gourd) and a good sharp hit of tamarind, and finished with a sizzling baghaar of garlic, dried red chillies and curry leaves. The result is thick but pourable, tangy, gently hot and deeply savoury. During Muharram many homes make it with mutton bones only, and a vegetarian version simply leaves out the meat and doubles the bottle gourd. Serve with bagara khana, a raw onion salad and lime. Chef's tip: make it a few hours ahead; dalcha thickens and tastes even better once the tamarind has settled in, so loosen it with hot water before serving.
- Total time
- 95 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 5
Ingredients
For the mutton
- 1 ⅛ lb mutton (goat) on the boneshoulder or neck, cut into 4 cm pieces; or lamb
- 3 tbsp sunflower oil
- 2 onionsthinly sliced
- 1 ½ tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 2 tsp red chilli powder
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- 1 ½ tsp saltdivided
- 2 cups water
For the dal
- 5 ½ oz chana dal (split Bengal gram)soaked for 1 hour
- 2 ½ cups water
- 10 ½ oz lauki (bottle gourd)peeled and cut into 3 cm chunks
- ⅞ oz tamarindsoaked in 200 ml hot water
- 3 green chilliesslit
- 1 tsp garam masala
- ⅓ oz mint leaves
- ½ oz fresh corianderchopped
For the baghaar (tempering)
- 2 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 4 garlic clovesthinly sliced
- 12 curry leaves
Shop this recipe on Amazon
What you'll need
Spices & pantry
Fresh ingredients (6)
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/10 doneStep 1: Heat 3 tbsp sunflower oil in a pressure cooker over a medium heat. Fry 2 onions for 8–10 minutes, stirring, until evenly golden brown.
10 minStep 2: Add 1 ⅛ lb mutton (goat) on the bone and 1 ½ tbsp ginger-garlic paste and fry over a high heat for 5 minutes until the meat has lost its raw colour and the raw garlic smell has gone.
5 minStep 3: Stir in ½ tsp ground turmeric, 2 tsp red chilli powder, 1 tbsp ground coriander and half the ¾ tsp salt with a splash of water and cook for 3 minutes until the oil starts to separate.
3 minStep 4: Pour in 2 cups water, close the cooker and cook on a medium heat for 6–7 whistles, about 25 minutes. Let the pressure drop by itself. The mutton should be tender enough to pull from the bone with a spoon; if not, cook for 2 more whistles. In a pan, simmer covered for 1¼–1½ hours.
30 minStep 5: Meanwhile, drain 5 ½ oz chana dal (split Bengal gram) and simmer it in 2 ½ cups water in a saucepan, partly covered, for 30–35 minutes until it is completely soft and squashes between your fingers. Skim off any foam.
35 minStep 6: Squeeze the soaked ⅞ oz tamarind well and strain the pulp, discarding the seeds and fibre.
Step 7: Tip the cooked dal and its water into the mutton. Add 10 ½ oz lauki (bottle gourd), 3 green chillies and the rest of the ¾ tsp salt and simmer for 10–12 minutes until the bottle gourd is tender and turning translucent.
12 minStep 8: Now pour in the tamarind water and add 1 tsp garam masala and ⅓ oz mint leaves. Simmer for 8–10 minutes until thick and the raw tamarind edge has mellowed. Common mistake: adding tamarind before the dal is soft; acid stops chana dal from softening, so it stays hard however long you cook it.
10 minStep 9: For the baghaar, heat 2 tbsp sunflower oil in a small pan over a medium heat. Add 1 tsp cumin seeds, 4 dried red chillies and 4 garlic cloves and fry until the garlic is golden, then add 12 curry leaves for a few seconds.
2 minStep 10: Pour the baghaar over the dalcha, cover the pot for 2 minutes to trap the aroma, then scatter over ½ oz fresh coriander and serve hot.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 390 kcal
- Protein
- 28 g
- Carbs
- 30 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Fibre
- 8 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does dalcha take?
- About 95 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 75 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 5 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of onions?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of ground turmeric?
- Leave it out (it mostly adds colour).
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Sayur lodehVegetables in coconut milk
Sayur lodeh is everyday cooking in Central Java, made in big pots in Solo and Semarang kitchens and ladled over rice, with lontong rice cakes at Lebaran, or alongside opor and sambal goreng on festive tables. It's soupy rather than thick: a fragrant broth of coconut milk, galangal, lemongrass and lime leaf that carries chunks of aubergine, long beans, chayote and sweetcorn, plus tempeh and tofu to make it a meal. The flavour is mellow and slightly sweet, so the heat comes from sambal on the side. Chef's tip: keep the pot at a gentle simmer once the coconut milk goes in and stir now and then — a rolling boil splits the coconut milk into oily curds.
Indonesian
SakarpadaSweet fried dough diamonds
Sakarpada (shakarpara) are little sweet diamonds of a rich dough made with ghee, milk and sugar, fried until golden and crunchy. They are a Diwali favourite with tea, and the cubes go into bhusu too. They keep for weeks in an air-tight tin.
Paneer biryaniRice and moong dal in coconut milk
A mild, creamy biryani: rice and husked green gram roasted in ghee, then cooked in coconut milk with peas, carrots, potatoes, peanuts and cashews, and finished with soft fried paneer and a fresh coriander yogurt. Serve hot, garnished with more fried cashews and paneer.