Vegetable Dhansak Recipe

By Vijayalakshmi

Thursday, February 21, 2013, 18:12 [IST]

Parsis are known for their love for food and spend hours cooking up for feasts. Be it a vegetarian cuisine or a non-vegetarian cuisine, the dish is prepared with lots of rich spices. Parsi cuisine has influences from Iran, Gujarat and Maharashtra. The Iranian influence is seen in the meat and chicken dishes cooked with vegetables. Vegetable Dhansak, is one of the famous Parsi dal (side dish) that is known all over India.

Vegetable Dhansak is usually eaten with rice, preferably brown rice. It is an authentic and healthy Parsi food as many vegetables and spices goes in for the making of this dish. Though many ingredients is used in preparing this dish, it is a very easy recipe. Vegetable Dhansak recipe can also be prepared using mutton. So, this comes as a delight for non-vegetarian lovers too!

Vegetable Dhansak

Servings: 4
Preparation Time: 10-12 minutes
Cooking Time: 10-15 minutes

Ingredients
Split pigeon peas -1/4 cup (soaked)
Split red lentil -2tbsp (soaked)
Split green gram skinless -2tbsp (soaked)
Split Bengal gram -2tbsp (soaked)
Red pumpkin -100 grams (cut into cubes)
Medium brinjals -2 (cut into cubes)
Large potato -1 ( peeled and cut into cubes)
Fenugreek leaves -5 (chopped)
Fresh mint leaves -10-15 (chopped)
Turmeric powder -1/2tbsp
Salt- to taste
Ginger -1 inch piece (chopped)
Garlic cloves -5-6 (chopped)
Green chillies -4-5 (sliced)
Cumin seeds -1tbsp
Pure ghee -2tbsp
Oil -2tbsp
Medium onions -2 medium (chopped)
Tomatoes -2 medium (chopped)
Dhansak masala -2tbsp
Red chilli powde -1tbsp
Lemon juice -2tbsp
Fresh coriander -2tbsp (chopped)

Procedure
1. Mix split pigeon peas, red lentils, green gram and bengal gram in a
pressure cooker.
2. Add four cups of water into the cooker and then add red pumpkin,
brinjals, potato, fenugreek leaves, mint leaves, turmeric power and salt
and cook for a duration of 4 whistles.
4. Remove the lid of the cooker when the pressure is released completely. Whisk the boiled dal smooth like a paste.
5. Grind ginger, garlic, green chillies, cumin seeds and a little salt to make a fine paste.
6. Heat the oil along with ghee in a deep non-stick pan. Add the onions
and saute till they turn golden (for around 2 minutes on a high flame). Now add tomatoes and saute till they turn soft.
8. Add the paste prepared earlier and continue to saute. Add the
dhansak masala powder and chilli powder and mix well.
9. Add the dals and vegetables in a pan and mix. Sprinkle salt and cook
on a low heat for 5 minutes.
10. Add the lemon juice and chopped coriander leaves and mix.