Dhansak ni dar or Parsi potage of lentils and vegetables

The Parsis are a small community that migrated to India from Persia (Iran today) in the 8th century. This community has had a tremendous impact on Indian history and culture. Here is a more detailed write-up on this community.

When we talk about Parsi cuisine, dhansak is the most quintessential dish. It is a perfect blend of ancient Persian cooking techniques and Indian spices. This dish is a meal filled with lentils, tons of vegetables, and meat, making it both nutritious and delicious. It is always served with caramelized rice pilaf and onion kachumber; both recipes are included here.

I was eating dhansak after probably 30 years, the first time at a dear friend's home. I may have ordered it at a restaurant in between, but I do not remember enjoying it as much. This dish always reminds me of him and our fun times as college students and young adults in Mumbai.

The dhansak's complex flavor profile results from the multitude of ingredients, and the kachumbari adds a touch of acid to the otherwise dense dish. This dish is quite a bit of work to make, mainly in the prep stage, but the recipe turned out well and made the effort worthwhile.

This is a wonderful cookbook that highlights Parsi cuisine. It is packed with traditional recipes from the community, with short narratives about the history, dish, or culture. It tends to favour the famous Bombay (Mumbai) style dishes, as well as some home recipes from the author's family kitchen. It is a wonderful specialized cookbook.

For more recipes from this cookbook, click here.

Ingredients:

For the dhansak:

1/2 cup pigeon peas, toor dal

1/2 cup red lentils, masoor dal

1/2 cup split chickpeas, chana dal

1/2 cup split green mung beans

1 cup potato, peeled and diced

1 cup sweet potato, peeled and diced

1 cup pumpkin, peeled and diced

1 cup eggplant, diced

6-8 green chillies, sliced

8-10 cloves garlic, sliced

1 cup scallions, sliced

2 cups spinach, washed well and tough stems removed

1 cup fenugreek leaves, or any bitter leaf, well washed

1 cup gongura or any sour leaf

2 tomatoes, diced

1 cup cilantro, leaves and tender stems, minced

1/2 cup mint

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

Salt, to taste

Water, to cover the ingredients

2-3 tablespoons oil or ghee

1 onion, finely minced

1 1/2 tablespoons garlic paste

1 1/2 tablespoons ginger paste

2 teaspoons ground cumin

2 teaspoons ground coriander seeds

3 teaspoons sambar powder

2 teaspoons chilli powder, or to taste

1 lb chicken breast or boneless thigh

1 small bay leaf

6 black peppercorns

2 whole cloves

2 green cardamom pods

1/2 teaspoon sambar masala

2 cloves garlic, sliced

1/2 teaspoon ginger paste

4 cups water

Salt to taste

For the onion kachumbar:

2 large onions, thinly sliced and the petals separated

1 tomato, finely diced

1 small cucumber, peeled and finely diced

2-4 green chillies, finely minced

1/3 cup cilantro, minced

Lime juice, to taste

Salt, to taste

For the caramelized rice pilaf:

2 tablespoons ghee or oil

1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds

4 whole cloves

1 2-inch piece cinnamon stick

6 cardamom pods

12 black peppercorns

1 small onion or 4 shallots, minced

3 tablespoons sugar

Salt, to taste

3 cups basmati rice

To make the dhansak:

Add all the ingredients from the toor dal to the water in a large pot, slow cooker, or pressure cooker. Cook on the stove for 90 minutes, in the pressure cooker on the dal setting, or slow cook for 5 hours. I prefer to slow cook this potage so the flavours can come together.

Puree the mix smoothly using a hand blender or a regular blender. Set aside.

Heat the oil on a medium flame in a small saucepan. Add the onions and sauté until lightly golden. Add the garlic and ginger pastes and continue to fry until cooked about 1 minute. Add the dry powders and sauté for 30 seconds. Pour over the pureéed mix and stir in. Simmer for 10-12 minutes.

The vegetarian version of the dish is ready. Proceed for the chicken version below.

To cook the chicken, add all the ingredients in that section to a small saucepan and simmer for 40-45 minutes. Make sure the water does not evaporate completely. However, you want as little water as possible. Cool and shred the chicken between your fingers.

Add the chicken and remaining liquids to the dhansak, mix in and simmer for 15 minutes.

To make the onion kachumbar:

Mix all the ingredients together, tossing them well. Allow it to sit for at least 2 hours, or if you sit it overnight, the onions will pickle a bit. Some folks like the onions fresh and strongly flavored, and some folks prefer it milder, it is your choice.

To make the caramelized rice pilaf:

Heat the ghee or oil in a saucepan. Add the whole spices and sauté for 30 seconds until they release their aroma.

Add the onions and sauté till the onions are deeply coloured. Add the sugar and continue to sauté till the sugar is caramelized about 45 seconds. Add the rice and sauté to coat the rice with the oil. Add the salt and water and cook. If cooking on the stovetop, add water to the first joint of your finger, salt it, and mix well. Simmer till cooked. I generally transfer this to the rice cooker and have the device finish the rice for me. Fluff the rice gently after it has finished cooking to prevent it from caking.

Serve the dhansak with the rice and kachumbar.