Dhansak recipe + a couple of sides

[the-evaluator]

My other half and I love a good curry but are cutting down on the number of takeaways so we went looking for a recipe for my favourite sort of curry - dhansak.

If anyone else is interested I thought I'd post the recipe here. I make no claims about the authenticity of the recipe but in my opinion it tastes fantastic.

Firstly you need to make the spice mix - dhansak masala.

Ingredients:
20 tsp ground cumin
12 tsp ground coriander
8 tsp ground turmeric
8 tsp garam masala
4 tsp ground chili powder
4 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground cardamom

Shove everything into a jar, mix well and keep. It makes quite a lot.

Now for the curry.

Ingredients:
4 tsp dhansak masala
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp chilli powder
125ml uncooked red lentils
3 tbsp oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
600g chicken (cooked sous vide @ 60c for 45 minutes) or stewing steak
65ml tomato puree or 125ml crushed fresh tomatoes
2 tbsp crushed dried fenugreek (methi) leaves
250ml chicken or meat stock. Use 175ml if using fresh tomatoes
125ml natural unset yoghurt
2 tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp sugar
Salt to taste

Method:
1 - Mix the dhansak masala, garlic powder, ground ginger and chili powder together with a small amount of water to make a thin paste.

2 - Put the lentils into a small thick bottomed pan and rinse well until the water runs clear. Cover the lentils with water to twice their depth and cook on a very low heat until the water has been absorbed and the lentils can be crushed into a paste.

3 - After starting off the lentils place the oil in a large heavy saucepan and fry the onion on a medium-high heat stirring frequently until glassy. Add the spice mix made in step 1 and continue to fry until the oil starts to come out of the spices. Add a splash of water if the mixture starts to stick.

4 - Add the meat and stir to coat in the spices and onions. Add the tomato paste or fresh tomatoes, stock and stir. Put on a lid and bring to be boil. Turn the heat down and simmer for 15 minutes if using chicken or 3 hours or using stewing steak.

5 - Add the mashed lentils and yoghurt then simmer with the lid on for 10 minutes.

6 - Add the lemon juice, sugar and crushed fenugreek leaves. Mix well and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let sit for 10 minutes before serving.

7 - Enjoy!

If you're using stewing steak then hold off cooking the lentils until the beef is done or they'll turn to concrete in the saucepan.

 

[the-evaluator]

To go with the curry we often have a side dish of carrot curry.

Ingredients:
5 medium to large carrots peeled and chopped
2 large potatoes, peeled and chopped larger than the carrots
5 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 generous teaspoons cumin seeds
2 large onions roughly chopped
2 fresh or ½ tin tomatoes. Chop into 8 if using fresh
2 generous teaspoons Turmeric
1 or 2 chillis, chopped
1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and chopped
Oil or ghee
½ teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon garam masala
Knob of butter

Method:
Put a few spoons of oil or a good size piece of ghee into a pain and heat
When hot add the cumin seeds and fry for 30 seconds
Add the garlic, fry until light brown
Add the ginger, fry for 10 to 20 seconds
Add the onions, fry until golden
Add the turmeric, mix well and fry for 1 minute
Add the tomatoes then cook until soft and then add the carrots and potatoes
Cover and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally
Add coriander and garam masala, stir well.
Add a large knob of butter
Allow to sit for 24 hours then reheat and enjoy

 

[the-evaluator]

Often we don't have rice but when we do this is the recipe I use:

Ingredients:
130g Brown basmati rice
260g Water or stock
4 Cardamom pods
4 Cloves
Pinch of Mustard seeds
Pinch of Cumin seeds

Method:
Wash the rice thoroughly until the water runs clear then soak the rice in cold water for 30 minutes.
Crush spices in a pestle and mortar then put crushed space into a muslin bag.
Add the rice and muslin bag into the pan with the stock or water and bring to the boil.
Cover with a tight fitting lid (use aluminium foil to give a tighter seal if necessary) and turn the heat down very low.
Cook for 25 minutes without lifting the lid. Turn off the heat and leave to sit for 3 minutes.
Take off the lid, remove the muslin bag and fork the rice.
Season to taste.

Serve!

 

[the-evaluator]

Bombay potatoes are always nice too.

Ingredients:
Salt, to taste
3 large potatoes (around 900g, halved)
15g root ginger, peeled weight
3 garlic cloves, peeled
2 large-ish tomatoes, one quartered, the other cut into slim wedges
4 tbsp vegetable oil
¾ tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 large onion, roughly chopped
½ tsp turmeric
2 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp garam masala
½-¾ tsp chilli powder
Large handful of chopped coriander leaves

Method:
Bring a large pot of water to the boil and salt it well. Place in the potatoes and boil until just tender (up to 30 minutes). When cool enough to handle, peel and chop into 2.5cm cubes.

Blend together the ginger, garlic, and quartered tomato until smooth.

Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan. Add the cumin and mustard seeds and, once the cumin starts to darken, add the onion. Cook for a minute before adding the ginger and garlic mixture, the ground spices and salt. Sauté gently for one to two minutes or until the garlic smells cooked. If you are not sure, taste; it should seem harmonious.

Add the tomato wedges, stir well and cook for three to four minutes. Tip in the potatoes and cook for three to five minutes to absorb the flavours. Check the seasoning, stir in the chopped coriander and serve.

 

[the-evaluator]

But is it not supposed to have some sort of vinegar in? I'm no expert but I thought it was along the same lines as a vindaloo no?

I make no claims about the authenticity of the recipe but in my opinion it tastes fantastic.

The recipe I posted makes something very similar to what I've had in curry houses. I guess the acidity could come from lemon juice or vinegar but personally I think lemon juice would work better.

 

[the-evaluator]

Sounds tasty! When can you deliver by?

About 7ish? There's some chicken in the sous vide wotsit now so it'll all be ready for dinner this evening.

 

[the-evaluator]

Pics?

D'oh, I forgot. I was too busy filling my face

 

[the-evaluator]

Thank you for this; shamelessly copied it into Word documents for keeps . Might try this with lamb but I also prefer shin beef to stewing steak so might give that a go too.

When I said stewing steak I meant shin, that's what we always use. The recipe works brilliantly with beef but as I mentioned don't cook the lentils at the start of the receipe of they'll be like cement by the time you need to add them.

 

[the-evaluator]

Medium spice I would say. There's definitely some spice coming through but no way would I describe it as hot.