🥘 Easy & Customisable Dhansak Recipe – A Hearty One-Pot Dish
A rich, spiced dish made with lentils (dhal), chicken or meat (lamb/mutton), and vegetables. Packed with flavour and perfect for a comforting meal!
📌 Preparation Time: 1 hour
🕒 Grinding Dhansak Spice Mix: 15 minutes
🔪 Chopping onions, tomatoes, and vegetables: 15 minutes
💧 Soaking lentils and rice: 30 minutes (while preparing other ingredients)
🔥 Cooking Time: 1 hour 30 minutes – 2 hours
🥄 Sautéing onions, ginger-garlic paste, and browning chicken: 15 minutes
🍛 Cooking the dhansak curry: 45 minutes – 1 hour (depending on meat and lentil tenderness)
🍚 Cooking the rice: 15–20 minutes
💡 Tip: A pressure cooker or Instant Pot can shorten the cooking time.
🛒 Ingredients
🌿 For the Dhansak Spice Mix:
- 🌱 2 tbsp coriander seeds
- 🌱 1 tbsp cumin seeds
- 🌱 1 tbsp mustard seeds
- 🌱 1 tbsp fenugreek seeds
- ⚫ 1 tbsp black peppercorns
- 🍃 4–5 green cardamom pods
- 🌿 2–3 cloves
- 🌳 1 cinnamon stick
- 🌶️ 1 dried red chilli
🍛 For the Dhansak Curry:
- 🌾 1 cup red lentils, washed and soaked for 30 minutes
- 🍗 500g chicken (or lamb/vegetables), cut into pieces
- 🥕 1 cup mixed vegetables (carrots, potatoes, aubergine, etc.)
- 🧅 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 🍅 2 tomatoes, chopped
- 🧄 3 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
- 🌶️ 2 tbsp dhansak spice mix (adjust to taste)
- ✨ 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 🔥 1 tsp red chilli powder
- 🧂 Salt to taste
- 🛢️ Oil for cooking
- 🌿 Fresh coriander leaves for garnish
🍚 For the Dhansak Rice:
- 🌾 1 cup basmati rice, washed and soaked for 30 minutes
- 💧 2 cups water
- 🧂 Salt to taste
👨🍳 Instructions
1️⃣ Prepare Dhansak Spice Mix
- 🔥 Dry roast all whole spices for the spice mix in a pan until fragrant.
- 🥄 Grind them into a fine powder using a spice grinder or mortar and pestle.
2️⃣ Cook Dhansak Curry
- 🛢️ Heat oil in a large pot and sauté the chopped onions until golden brown.
- 🧄 Add the ginger-garlic paste and cook for 2 minutes until the raw smell disappears.
- 🍗 Add the chicken/lamb/vegetables and brown them on all sides.
- 🌶️ Stir in the dhansak spice mix, turmeric, and red chilli powder. Cook for a few minutes.
- 🍅 Add the chopped tomatoes and cook until soft, with oil separating from the masala.
- 🥕 Add the soaked lentils and mixed vegetables. Stir well.
- 💧 Pour enough water to cover the ingredients, add salt, and bring to a boil.
- 🔥 Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until lentils and meat are tender.
3️⃣ Prepare Dhansak Rice
- 💧 In a separate pot, bring water to a boil and add salt.
- 🌾 Drain the soaked rice and add it to the boiling water.
- 🍚 Cook until 70–80% done, then drain excess water.
4️⃣ Finish Dhansak
- 🍛 Once the lentils, meat, and vegetables are cooked, adjust seasoning if needed.
- 🍚 Serve the dhansak curry over the partially cooked rice.
- 🔥 Finish cooking the rice and dhansak together until rice is fully cooked.
5️⃣ Garnish and Serve
- 🌿 Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and sliced chillies.
- 🍽️ Serve hot with naan or rice.
💡 Serving Suggestion: Pair with raita, salad, or pickle for an authentic experience!
😋 Enjoy this delicious, comforting Dhansak – a perfect balance of lentils, spices, and meat or vegetables!
