Dhansak

[Guest guest]

i got this e-mail, and thought i would share...damn...now i'm all hungry

like...i need breakfast!

*scampers away to find stray crust of bread or a beer*

 

 

 

I bring to you a very special dish. The " Parsis " who make this dish

have a fascinating history.

 

A group of Zoroastrians from Khurasan (Iran/Afghanistan) sailed from

Iran in 9th century and came to India. They have been away from their

ancestral home for a long time. but they have preserved their

individual identities. This tiny group in India has emerged as

India's most respected people. They pioneered many of India's

industries: movies, steel, software, hotels etc. They have produced

scientists, judges, professors etc.

 

Dhansak is the best known of their dishes. It is described as:

 

" Exquisitely combined sweet, sour and lightly spicy pureed lentil

sauce. The tanginess counters the sweetness. "

 

If you live in UK, many Indian restaurants serve what they call

Dhansak. However it is usually not authentic. I quote from

http://www.curryhouse.co.uk/curryon/curryon.htm:

 

" The well known Indian chef, Cyrus Todiwala, remarks in his excellent

book Café Spice Namaste that the traditional Parsee dhansak has

been " grossly abused by restaurants in the UK " .

 

But, in the end, does it spoil your enjoyment if the dhansak in your

local curry house is not made in the traditional Parsee style? The

dhansak I was served last week in my local Tandoori was astonishingly

good but probably not authentic. A traditional dhansak from the Café

Spice Namaste would, I am sure, be a delight and a whole new

experience. So why worry about authenticity? Enjoy both! "

 

I have studied several recipes for vegetarian dhansak. Let me bring

you a couple of them, and comment on their authenticity.

 

Arya Buddha Association MA

 

 

 

 

Note: This assumes you have a pressure cooker. You can use any other

method for cooking dal. Slow cookers also work well for cooking dals.

 

 

Ingredients :

 

Dals (lentils or legumes) Required:

 

1/4 cup. val dal (Broad field beans)

1/4 cup masoor dal (yellow lentils)

1/4 cup moong dal

2 cups tuvar dal (Split red gram)

(Wash and soak the above dals for at least one hour)

 

Vegetables:

 

50 gm orange pumpkin

1 brinjal (eggplant)

1 carrot

1 potato peeled

Methi (fenugreek) 1/4 bunch or 6 small bunch of dhansaak methi (if

available)

(Chop the above vegetables and methi leaves and quartered the

potatoes)

 

Masala (Spice-mix)

 

4 cloves

1 small onion, finely chopped

4 tsp oil

1 inch cinnamon

2 inch piece ginger

3 tbsp tamarind water

6 cloves garlic

3 green chillies

2 tsp dhansaak masala or sambhaar masala (from Indian grocers)

2 tsp dhania-jeera (ground cumin & coriander) masala

salt and black pepper powder to taste

(Ground the above masalas)

 

2 large onion, chopped

2 tomatoes, chopped

2 Bay leaves

1 tsp turmeric

1/2 cup fresh coriander leaves chopped (optional)

 

Method:

 

Pressure cook the dals, vegetables for 15 minutes (put enough water

and little to more so that all the ingredients in the cooker are

covered)

When cooled open the cooker and remove potatoes pieces from the dals

and vegetables

Blend the dals and vegetables

Heat oil and fry the chopped onions till brown

Add the ground masalas and bay leaves fry till aroma comes out

Add chopped tomatoes and coriander leaves

Add salt and turmeric powder and fry for 2 minutes

Add the blended dal to the masalas and allow it to boil

Then add potatoes pieces

Allow it to cook (add more water if necessary)

Finally the dal should be little thick

 

Serve hot with brown rice (I will post the recipe soon)