AI-generated image
Kumaoni ras
Mixed dal broth
कुमाऊँनी रस: slow-simmered broth of mixed whole dals, thickened with rice paste and tempered with jakhya
In the hill villages of Kumaon in Uttarakhand, ras is cooked through the cold months in a heavy iron kadhai that sits on the fire for hours; the iron turns the broth dark and earthy, and families drink it with rice or mandua (finger millet) roti. Several whole dals, here horse gram (gahat), black soybeans (bhatt), black urad and green moong, are simmered until their liquid becomes a rich, brown, silky broth, lightly thickened with ground rice and finished with a crackling mustard-oil tempering of jakhya seeds. The cooked dal solids are eaten too, as a dry side. The usual mistake is hurrying: the broth needs long, slow simmering to turn silky and full-flavoured. Chef's tip: jakhya (wild mustard seed) is sold in Uttarakhand shops; cumin is a fair stand-in.
- Total time
- 105 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ oz horse gram (gahat)
- 1 ¾ oz black soybeans (bhatt)
- 1 ¾ oz whole black urad
- 1 ¾ oz whole green moong
- 6 ¼ cups water
- 1 ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 2 tbsp raw ricesoaked for 1 hour
For the tempering
- 2 tbsp mustard oil
- ¼ tsp gluten-free asafoetida
- 4 cloves garliccrushed
- ¾ in gingergrated
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 2 tbsp fresh corianderchopped
Shop this recipe on Amazon
What you'll need
Spices & pantry
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Rinse the 1 ¾ oz horse gram (gahat), 1 ¾ oz black soybeans (bhatt), 1 ¾ oz whole black urad and 1 ¾ oz whole green moong together and soak them in plenty of water overnight. Drain.
5 minStep 2: Put the dals in an iron kadhai or heavy pot with the 6 ¼ cups water, 1 ¼ tsp salt and ½ tsp ground turmeric. Bring to the boil, skim, then simmer gently, partly covered, for 60–75 minutes until all the dals are very soft. Pressure cooker: 8–10 whistles.
70 minStep 3: Pour the pot through a sieve into a bowl, keeping the broth (the ras). The dals should be soft and crushable; set them aside to eat as a side.
3 minStep 4: Grind the 2 tbsp raw rice with 4 tbsp water to a smooth paste. Return the broth to the pot, whisk in the rice paste and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring, until silky and slightly thickened, like thin cream. Stir in 3–4 tbsp of the mashed dal for body.
10 minStep 5: For the tempering, heat the 2 tbsp mustard oil in a small pan until it just smokes, then lower the heat. Add the 1 tsp jakhya seeds or cumin seeds and 2 dried red chillies; when they crackle, add the ¼ tsp gluten-free asafoetida, 4 cloves garlic and ¾ in ginger and fry until the garlic is golden. Stir in the 1 tsp ground coriander.
3 minStep 6: Pour the sizzling tempering over the ras, stir, scatter with 2 tbsp fresh coriander and serve hot with rice or mandua roti, with the cooked dals on the side.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 260 kcal
- Protein
- 14 g
- Carbs
- 32 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fibre
- 9 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kumaoni ras take?
- About 105 minutes in total: 15 minutes to prepare and 90 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- 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 ground turmeric?
- Leave it out (it mostly adds colour).
- What can I use instead of raw rice?
- Any long-grain rice, same amount.
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
Sabudana khichdiSago with peanuts and potato
Sabudana khichdi is the dish that sees Maharashtra through every vrat (fast), from Navratri to Ekadashi, but it's so good that people eat it any day of the week. Soaked sago pearls are tossed in a pan with crushed roasted peanuts, cubes of potato, cumin and green chilli until each pearl turns glassy and separate, then finished with lemon and coriander. It's soft, chewy, nutty and gently hot. Fasting rules vary from family to family, so check yours; this version uses rock salt and no asafoetida, onion or garlic. Traditionally it's cooked in ghee; use ghee instead of oil if you aren't keeping it vegan. Chef's tip: soak the sago in just enough water to cover by the height of the pearls themselves, no more; too much water is the reason khichdi turns into one sticky lump.
Bagara bainganBaby aubergines in peanut sesame sauce
Bagara baingan is a Hyderabadi wedding dish of small aubergines cooked whole in a dark, tangy gravy of roasted peanuts, sesame, dried coconut and tamarind. Unlike a Gujarati stuffed brinjal, the aubergines here are only quartered at the base and fried until silky, then left to soak up a thin-but-rich sauce that is finished with a tempering, the 'baghar' that gives the dish its name. It's sour, nutty and gently spiced, and is served with biryani, bagara rice or plain rice. Chef's tip: choose small, glossy purple aubergines that feel heavy for their size; soft, light ones are full of seeds and turn mushy before the gravy has a chance to cling.