Dhansak (Parsi recipe)

Dhansak is a very healthy Parsi recipe. It is essentially a non-vegetarian dish, but why should the veggies be denied their slice of heaven?
If you are traveling to Pune/Mumbai, you can get the masala from one of the Parsi shops, but if you are nowhere close, you can make the masala yourself. You cna store the masala for quite some time, and use it for other dishes too, if you like it.

Dhansak masala

Ingredients

You can leave the peppercorns and red chillies out if you prefer adding them directly to the veggies. If you have nutmeg/mace, you can add them too. Dry roast the ingredients below together, and powder them.

• 8 dry red chillies or to taste
• 2 flat tsp. cumin seeds
• 5 tsp. coriander seeds
• 2 tsp. black mustard seeds
• 2 medium bay leaves
• 6 tsp. fennel seeds
• 10 cm. or 4 inch cinnamon stick
• 24 black peppercorns
• 1/2 tsp. methi (fenugreek) seeds
• 3 green cardamom
• 8 cloves

Other Ingredients

Lentils

It doesn't matter if you do not have all the dals. Adjust the ratio accordingly

• 1/4th cup Toor dal
• 1/4th cup Moong dal
• 1/8th cup Urad dal
• 1/4th cup Masoor dal
• 1/4th cup Chana dal

Greens

• 1 medium sized bunch of spinach (palak)
• 1 small bunch of fenugreek leaves

Veggies

• 1 small brinjal/ aubergine: chopped and diced.
• Two inch square of red pumpkin
• 1 cup tomatoes with the seeds removed
• 1 large onion
• 3 inch square piece of fresh coconut ground finely.(If not available use one tablespoon of desiccated coconut or a small pack of coconut milk)
• 1small potato diced
• 1 carrot diced
• 1 tsp ginger garlic paste (optional)
• 1 tbsp tamarind paste / 1 tbsp vinegar

Procedure

• Soak the dals overnight. Pressure cook and mash to a fine paste
• Pressure cook the veggies and grind to a paste
• In a thick bottomed vessel, add 1 tbsp of oil, and heat the vessel
• When the oil is hot, add the dal
• Add ginger garlic paste and tamarind. Cook for 5 min
• Add greens and vegetables and continue cooking
• Add dhansak masala, 1 cup water, and salt to taste
• Simmer (cook in low flame) for at least 30 min. Stir occassionally, and add water to prevent the dish from getting burnt.

This dish is eaten with brown rice.

• Add 1 tbsp of ghee to the pressure cooker
• Add 1 tbsp of sugar and stir till golden brown
• Add 1 cup rice and 2 1/4 cups of water
• Cook for three whistles
• In a wok, heat ghee, and add 4-5 peppercorns, 1 stick dalchini (cinnamon), 3 cloves (laung), and 2 tez patta (bay leaves)
• Add the seasoning to the rice.