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Dhansak
Mutton and lentil curry
ધાનશાક (dhansak): Parsi mutton cooked into a puree of lentils, pumpkin and aubergine, with caramelised brown rice
Dhansak is the Parsi Sunday lunch in Mumbai and the old Gujarat towns of Navsari and Surat, traditionally the first meat dish cooked when the meatless days after a death are over, and a weekend favourite the rest of the time, always with brown rice (rice browned in caramelised sugar and onion) and kachumber. Mutton is cooked together with toor, masoor, moong and chana dal, pumpkin, aubergine, tomato and fenugreek leaves, then the dal and vegetables are pureed into a thick, gently spiced sauce with dhansak masala. Veg version: leave out the mutton and cook the same dal and vegetables with vegetable stock. The usual mistake is not pureeing the dal finely; it should be smooth and velvety around the meat. Slow-cooker option: everything except the tempering on low for 8 hours, then blend. Chef's tip: fry the dhansak masala in ghee at the end and pour it over; it gives the dish its aroma.
- Total time
- 130 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the dal and meat
- 1 ⅔ lb mutton or lamb on the bonein pieces
- 3 ½ oz toor dal
- 1 ¾ oz red lentils (masoor dal)
- 1 ¾ oz yellow moong dal
- 1 ¾ oz chana dalsoaked 1 hour
- 9 oz red pumpkincubed
- 1 auberginecubed
- 2 tomatoeschopped
- 1 onionchopped
- 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 2 tsp salt
- 6 ¼ cups water
For the masala
- 3 tbsp ghee
- 1 onionthinly sliced
- 2 tbsp dhansak masala
- 1 tbsp tamarind paste
- 1 tsp jaggeryoptional
- 4 tbsp fresh coriander and mintchopped
For the brown rice
- 10 ½ oz basmati ricerinsed and soaked 20 minutes
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 onionthinly sliced
- 2 tbsp oil
- 2 ¼ cups water
- 1 tsp salt
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Put the 1 ⅔ lb mutton or lamb on the bone, 3 ½ oz toor dal, 1 ¾ oz red lentils (masoor dal), 1 ¾ oz yellow moong dal, drained 1 ¾ oz chana dal, 9 oz red pumpkin, 1 aubergine, 2 tomatoes, 1 ¾ oz fresh fenugreek leaves (or 1 tbsp dried), 1 onion, 2 tbsp ginger-garlic paste, 1 tsp ground turmeric, 2 tsp salt and 6 ¼ cups water in a large pot (or pressure cooker).
5 minStep 2: Simmer, covered, for 1 hour 15 minutes, stirring now and then, until the meat is tender and the dals are completely soft. (Pressure cooker: 25 minutes after the first whistle.)
75 minStep 3: Lift out the mutton pieces. Blend the dal and vegetables in the pot with a stick blender until smooth, then return the meat. Add water if it is thicker than double cream.
5 minStep 4: For the masala, heat the 3 tbsp ghee in a small pan, fry the 1 onion for 8 minutes until golden, then add 2 tbsp dhansak masala and 1 tbsp Parsi sambhar masala or Kashmiri chilli powder and stir for 30 seconds. Tip it into the dal with 1 tbsp tamarind paste and 1 tsp jaggery and simmer 10 minutes.
20 minStep 5: For the brown rice, heat 2 tbsp oil in another pan, add 1 tbsp sugar and cook until it turns deep amber, then add 1 onion and 1 tbsp whole spices (cinnamon, cloves, cardamom) and fry 5 minutes until browned.
8 minStep 6: Add the drained 10 ½ oz basmati rice, 2 ¼ cups water and 1 tsp salt, bring to the boil, cover and cook on the lowest heat for 12 minutes, then rest 5 minutes off the heat.
17 minStep 7: Stir the 4 tbsp fresh coriander and mint into the dhansak, taste for salt and serve with the brown rice and kachumber.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 690 kcal
- Protein
- 42 g
- Carbs
- 82 g
- Fat
- 22 g
- Fibre
- 10 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does dhansak take?
- About 130 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 100 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- 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 toor dal?
- Red lentils (masoor dal) (cook 10 minutes less).
- What can I use instead of red lentils (masoor dal)?
- Yellow split peas (soak 2 hours and cook longer).
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