← Nouns Cooking · Indian

Ingredients

• 150 g red lentils (or a mix of toor and masoor dal), rinsed
• 300 g pumpkin or butternut squash, peeled and cubed
• 1 small aubergine, cubed (optional)
• 700 ml Water
• 3 tbsp oil or ghee
• 1 Cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds
• 2 Onion, finely chopped
• 4 cloves Garlic, finely chopped
• 3 cm piece Ginger, grated
• 600 g boneless chicken thighs, cut into chunks
• 1 tsp Ground turmeric
• 2 tsp Ground coriander
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
• 1 tsp Garam masala
• 1 tbsp Tomato purée (paste)
• 1 can tin of chopped tomatoes (400 g)
• 1½ tsp Salt
• 1½ tbsp tamarind paste, to taste
• 1 tsp Dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi), crushed
• 1 tsp jaggery or brown sugar
• 1 handful Coriander (cilantro), chopped
• 1 Lemon, cut into wedges

Method

1. Simmer the lentils, pumpkin and aubergine in the water for 20–25 min, until everything is very soft. Mash or blend to a smooth, thick purée.
2. Meanwhile heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the cinnamon and cumin seeds for 30 seconds, then the onions, and cook for 10 min until golden.
3. Stir in the garlic and ginger for 1 minute, then the chicken and ground spices. Cook for 5 min, turning, until the chicken is coated and sealed.
4. Add the tomato paste, tinned tomatoes and salt and cook for 5 min until thickened.
5. Pour in the lentil purée, adding a splash of water if it is very thick. Simmer, partly covered, for 15 min until the chicken reaches 75°C (165°F).
6. Stir in the tamarind, kasuri methi and jaggery, taste and balance the sweet and sour to your liking. Scatter with coriander and serve with brown onion rice and lemon wedges.

Tips

• Traditional dhansak uses mutton, three or four dals and greens like methi and dill; this is a quicker weeknight version.
• Parsis serve it with caramelised-onion pulao and kachumber.
• Use oil rather than ghee to keep it dairy-free.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

BBC Good Food Padhuskitchen