Image Credit: Aneesh Bhasin, Indian WineList
Dhansak is a newly wed bawi’s kryptonite and has been mine for a very long time as well.
It doesn’t help that all the recipes online /in cook-books have enough steps to scare the living daylights out of me. And, since the mom-in-law has so far been chief Dhansak maker, it means that I have to live up to my mom, in-laws and the Mr. standards.
However, there is no greater joy than facing your fears which is what I exactly did last week and it turned out amazing! So amazing in fact that at a pop-up event I participated in and sold the Dhansak at later, award-winning photographer Aneesh Bhasin asked if we could do a wine-pairing session together. To read more on what wine he recommends with Dhansak, click here.
Trust me, don’t let Dhansak be your kryptonite – it’s much simpler than you think it is and if you’re still in doubt, below is my eight – step recipe for Dhansak:
1 & 2. First, soak the dals and marinate the your meat in salt/ginger-garlic paste either overnight or 4 -5 hours prior to you cooking. This step is crucial to ensure that the dal comes out smooth and the meat becomes tender so don’t cut corners here.
Marinating chicken in salt and ginger-garlic paste
Three Dals for Dhansak
Soaking the dals until they expand
3. Prepare a step further and before you even switch on the gas, finely chop the pumpkin, onion and capsicum. If you want to use fresh methi (a small handful or your dal will get bitter) rather than methi seeds chop that now too.
Vegetables chopped and prepped
4. Now you are ready to begin. In a big pressure cooker, saute the onion with oil and a tsp of ginger garlic paste until the onion becomes golden brown. Add in the masalas and the salt. When you start to cough it means the masalas have cooked and you can add in all the veges to stir fry.
Stir frying vegetables with the masalas
5. Once all the vegetables are coated in the masala and have become semi-soft add in all the dal with about 3-4 cups of water.
Vegetables, Dals and Water – ready to be cooked
6. Close the cooker and let the whole thing cook for about 3 whistles + 10 mins on slow flame. If you would like to eat your Dhansak vegetarian, simply skip the chicken cooking below and proceed to the final step.
7. However, if you are a meat lover, now, in a separate crockpot, heat up a little oil and add in the chicken. If needed add a little water, close the lid and let it steam cook for about 15 – 20 minutes while the dal is cooking in the other pot. I recommend cooking the meat separately so that it doesn’t overcook and become tough.
Raw chicken with some water
Chicken cooked in about 20 minutes
8. Once the dal is off the stove, empty it out of the cooker and into a big crockpot. Give it a quick blend using a hand mixer to make the dal smooth. The dal will be quite thick so you can get it to the right consistency using the chicken stock to add that meaty flavour. Add in the chicken, squeeze in juice of one lemon and let the Dhansak simmer on the stove for another 10 minutes while you scrape away at the dal stuck to the bottom of the cooker.
When everyone in your home comes sniffing into the kitchen and the dar starts bubbling your Dhansak is ready. Dhansak is served best with some brown rice and bawa kachubar. Make sure you have enough for leftovers because rumour has it that Dhansak tastes even better the day after it is cooked!
To make enough for 6 very hungry people and some leftovers you will need:
2 cup toor dal
1 cup moong dal
1 cup orange masoor dal
2 small onions
Ginger-garlic paste to marinate the meat
2 teaspoons each of turmeric, red chilli, garam masala, and dry dhansak masala powders
2 tsp of methi seeds
1 small slice pumpkin
1 small capsicum
2 small brinjals (about 1 cup chopped)
1 kg mutton/chicken pieces washed and cleaned
Salt to taste
Juice of 1 lemon
Outstanding!! Bawi Bride, you have earned your chops and my respect.
Do you have a favourite brand of masala?
The dhansak looks mouth-watering, needless to say.
Thanks Ayesha! Do try it out and let me know. I don’t have a favourite brand as such – just the standard dry Dhansak masala.
Hi Perzen,
I really cant thank you enough for this lovely blog, may Ahura Mazda always keep you happy and smiling, my every day agaony of how to cook a particular dish and what to cook finally seems to end, just yesterday I stumbled upon your blog when my friend Shernaz sent me the link.
Thank You sooooo much for the blog.
It will finally put an end to my cooking woes.
Hi Shireen,
Thank you so much for stopping by and for your lovely message. It is feedback such as yours that keeps pushing me to try more and more recipes. Happy cooking!
I usually order Mangal brand Dhanshak Masala from India. Tried one other brand but Mangal was way better (more authentic tasting final product.
Perzen…love the simplified process. Truly enjoyed your Mawa cake recipe too…got as close as it gets to the Merwan taste.
This one got complicated and confused me, as I tried to cook it for 12 people for the first time ever! The end result was good ‘tho, and the guinea pigs were very happy!!! 🙂 🙂 🙂
That’s what counts!
Your food looks amazing, you must be a real expert for sure. How about laganoo custard?
Any recipe coming from you has to be the best.
Hi Francis,
I have already published a recipe for the Lagan nu Custard. The link for it is here:www.bawibride.com/lagan-nu-custard
Thanks,
Perzen
Hi Perzin. Thanks for the recipe. My wife and I will try this recipe.
Hi! Perzen,
It’s very tasty & yummy…
Regards
I do hate to hurt anybody’s feelings but the colour of the dal looks a bright yellow but dhansak is normally brown in colour.
Roda – thank you for stopping by and for your feedback. I agree that the dal is meant to be brown in colour and it is brown. Unfortunately, the picture I took while making it makes the dal look yellow due to the lighting. I will try to take a better picture the next time around – I can assure you it does taste like the original thing though 🙂
Hi Perzen, thanks for sharing the recipe.Tho’ I am not a new bride but want to try this recipe. Please if you can help me with how to make Dhansak Masala. I am from Delhi an not sure if we get it here somewhere.
Shanta, thanks for stopping by. I still have to learn how to make it myself. Please do check out Motilal Masalawala-s website though as I believe they can ship to Delhi. Otherwise look for the Mangal brand of Dhansak masala. Stay tuned on the blog – I am planning on experimenting with the masala soon and will post it then.
Hi Perzen,
Thanks for the recipe. I tried it for Independence day and it was really simple and yes very tasty. Myy first experience of having Chicken Dhansak. I used Mangal Dhansak Masala.
Any idea how I can prepare my own Dhansak Masala.
Thanls again and Congrats on your great blog.
Jacinto F.
Hi Jacinto – glad to know that the Dhansak came out great and that you enjoyed eating it. The Mangal Dhansak Masala is a good brand to use for that authentic flavour. I am still in the process of testing a recipe for the home-made masala. Will definitely share it once I’ve tried it out a couple of times. Thanks also for all your wishes 🙂
Hi, really want to make this and i have never tasted before so i dont know how does it tastes but in some other sites bloggers have used jaggery, tamarind , why havent you used tamarind and jaggery or sugar? Please reply.
Thanks.
Hi Meenakshi,
Generally the jaggery and sugar will have been mentioned for the caramelised brown rice that is served with Dhansak. I have done the post about the brown rice separately and hence not mentioned these ingredients. Hope this answers your questions.
Hi , i read jaggery and tamarind in Hildas Touch Of Spice and My Diverse Kitchen, i watched a video vahrevah ,even that chef has used both the ingredients. Please do check these sites .
Hi Meenakshi,
Most people have their own versions of cooking Dhansak – there are probably as many versions as there are Parsis. My recipe is a tried and tested one that my family has used but that’s not to say that the others are wrong. Best is you try both and go with what suits your palate 🙂
Hi Perzen.. Made chicken dhansaak by following your recipe and it was a hit. The easiest recipe I have ever come across of dhansaak and the most delicious one too.. Thanks a lot.
At last a proper dhansak! Show it to Mary Berry. I hate seeing dishes labelled as something they are not. However jaggeryand tamarind as well as spinach or bindi should be added to dhansak. I use concentrated tamarind and it is added near the end. It should not be added to the rice. I am not a new bride celebrated 55 th anniversary this year 🙂
Your 8 step recipe for Dhansak was really easy specially for a beginner and the dhansak turned out to be awesome delicious.
Excellent!
I’ve always wanted to try Dhansak style chicken.. Finally made it at home & it was just like the one I had at a Parsi joint 🙂
I made this Dhansak with your Grandpa’s Kheema Kababs for a full Parsi dinner for my friends and it was soooo good. One of the best I’ve had if I say so myself. My friends were major impressed. Dying to try out the Dhandar Patio now 😀
HI Perzen,
Will try your recipe tmrw. I saw another recipe for dhansak which used regular masoor instead of the orange one. Confused here. Will let you know how it .turned out.
Sunita Pradhan
Hi Perzan, Thank you for sharing this lovely recipe. I made dhansak n brown rice as per your recipe and it turned out so yummy.. My son is a fussy eater but this time he also enjoyed it..
Hi Perzen!
I’m gonna try this out for Saturday lunch. Since,I don’t have a crocpot,what can I use to cook my chicken?
Also,my Parsi friend used to make dhansak using mutton only. So I’m wondering how will it taste with chicken.
P.S. Your green chutney recipe was such a hit, my very,very fussy eater(6year old gal) loved it!
Hi!
You have mentioned methi seeds in the recipe and the ingredients list but it’s not in a he step by step recipe. When do you add methi seeds?
I’m guessing post onions and ginger garlic paste.
Let me know if anyone else knows.
Thanks a lot in advance!
Nice and tasty. Thank you.
For someone that does not have a pressure cooker, do you know of an alternative method? Will a slow cooker work for cooking the dal part? Thanks. My son wants to learn.
yes you can cook dal both in a slow cooker or on open flame. In both these instances Id recommend that you first soak the dal for a long while at least 4-5 hours or preferably overnight. In the slow cooker, I don’t know the timings but on the high speed I think it takes about 6-7 hours WITH the meat. On open flame you’re looking at about 1 – 2 hours.
Your Dhansak receipe seems yummy. Going to try it tomorrow. I will be using Mangal dhansak masala. Please also share receipe for Bawa Kachubar.
Mangal Dhansak masala is the best. The Kachubar recipe is already up – you can find it here: https://bawibride.com/kachubar/
Hi perzen, I am very fond of atheli margi by our super duper chef tanaz godiwala …..i know we at home cant cook the same with same taste as she cooks on wood…..but can i get the recipe from you for atheli marghi as i am really fond of it…..
Oh Armaity I love that one too! Still haven’t managed to replicate it.
Hi perzen, have seen some of ur tasty recipes n really liked ur blog..however i m wondering why have u not yet done a YouTube channel for ur recipes…that will be a real good mode of communication for all ur best recipes to get a larger audience as well it would be definitely more efficient for people like me who regularly use YouTube fr cooking. Thanks
Short answer: I think I look horrible on camera 🙂
Long answer: I would want to do one of those hands type videos but that takes a lot of editing etc plus I love writing 🙂
Wow bauch fine 👌 care to share how to make dhansak nu masalo gher man?
Hi there. I’d like to try this recipe. Just checking that the cup measure and spoon measure are the standard measuring cup and spoons or are they different? When I lived in Mumbai our teaspoon measure was not the standard teaspoon but the small spoon we used to put sugar in our tea 😊
Hi Kevin, this is a standard teaspoon measure and not the tiny spoons of India 🙂