IndianDar ni pori
Sweet lentil pie with nuts
Parsi sweet lentil pie with cardamom, nuts and rose water
Parsi families in Mumbai and the small towns of south Gujarat order dar ni pori for Navroz, birthdays and the first day of a new job, when a sweet that keeps well is needed for visitors. A thin, flaky shortcrust holds a fudgy filling of toor dal cooked down with sugar and ghee, scented with cardamom, nutmeg and rose water and studded with almonds and pistachios. It tastes a little like a nutty halwa wrapped in pastry and is cut into small wedges, usually with a cup of milky tea. The usual mistake is stopping the filling too early: if it is still soft and wet it soaks the pastry and leaks through the seams. Chef's tip: the dal is ready when it pulls away from the pan as one mass and a spoonful holds a clean shape on a plate.
- Prep
- 60 min
- Cook
- 90 min
- Difficulty
- Hard
- Serves
- 12
- Per serving
- 330 kcal
Ingredients
For the pastry
- 10 ½ oz plain flour
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- 5 ½ oz cold butterdiced
- ½ cup iced waterabout
For the filling
- 7 oz toor dalrinsed and soaked for 1 hour
- 3 cups water
- 6 ½ oz caster sugar
- 1 ¾ oz ghee
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 ⅜ oz almondsslivered
- 1 oz pistachioschopped
- 1 tbsp charoli nuts (optional)
- 1 tbsp rose water
To finish
- 2 tbsp milkfor brushing
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Drain 7 oz toor dal and simmer it in 3 cups water over medium heat, skimming the foam, for 30–35 minutes, until the lentils are completely soft and crush under a spoon. Drain off any water left and mash or blend to a smooth paste.
35 minStep 2: Put the paste back in a heavy, non-stick pan with 6 ½ oz caster sugar and 1 ¾ oz ghee. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring and scraping constantly, for 20–25 minutes, until it thickens, turns glossy and leaves the sides of the pan as one mass.
25 minStep 3: Stir in 1 tsp ground cardamom, ¼ tsp ground nutmeg, 1 ⅜ oz almonds, 1 oz pistachios, 1 tbsp charoli nuts if using, and 1 tbsp rose water. Spread on a plate and leave to cool completely.
Step 4: For the pastry, rub 5 ½ oz cold butter into 10 ½ oz plain flour, 1 tbsp caster sugar and ¼ tsp salt until it looks like coarse crumbs with a few pea-sized flecks of butter. Add ½ cup iced water a spoonful at a time and press into a dough; stop as soon as it holds. Wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
30 minStep 5: Heat the oven to 375°F (350°F fan). Roll two-thirds of the pastry to 3 mm and line a 23 cm pie tin, leaving a little overhang.
Step 6: Spread the cold filling evenly in the case. Roll the remaining pastry into a lid, lay it on top, trim, and crimp the edges firmly to seal. Cut two small steam slits and brush the top with 2 tbsp milk.
Step 7: Bake for 40–45 minutes, until the pastry is deep golden all over and the base sounds crisp when you lift the tin and tap underneath.
45 minStep 8: Cool in the tin for 30 minutes, then lift out and cool completely before slicing into thin wedges. It keeps for 5 days in an airtight tin and tastes even better on day two.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 7 g
- Carbs
- 43 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does dar ni pori take?
- About 150 minutes in total: 60 minutes to prepare and 90 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of plain flour?
- Self-raising flour, same amount (then leave out the baking powder).
- What can I use instead of caster sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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