How to make Chicken Dhansak - A popular Parsi dish – chicken cooked with mixed dals, vegetables and dansaak masala.
This is a Sanjeev Kapoor exclusive recipe.
Main Ingredients : Split Bengal gram (chana dal) (चने की दाल), Split pigeon pea (toor dal/arhar dal) (तुवर दाल/अरहर दाल)
Cuisine : Parsi
Course : Main Course Chicken
Chicken Dhansak Recipe Card
Originally, the Parsis were meat eaters, who prepared a lot of rich and heavy dishes. However, over the years they blended their culinary skills with those of the regional people thus giving rise to a blend of Persian and Indian cuisine. Today Parsi food is a delicious blend of western influences, a Gujarat love for sweet and sour mixtures and the Persian genius for combining meat with dried fruits such as apricots. After coming to Gujarat, they adopted a lot of Gujarati food and became pulse and cereal eaters. As they shifted towards Maharashtra, they adapted the Maharashtrian dishes.
Parsis prefer non-vegetarian dishes mainly consisting of fish, meat and chicken though they also have a large repertoire of vegetarian preparations.
For more recipes related to Chicken Dhansak checkout Cholar Daler Murgi. You can also find more Main Course Chicken recipes like Green Masala Chicken Curry, Khau Swe, Kori Kachpu, Thai Style Roast Chicken with Peanut and Honey Noo.
Prep Time : 26-30 minutes
Cook time : 31-40 minutes
Serve : 4
Level Of Cooking : Easy
Taste : Spicy
Ingredients for Chicken Dhansak Recipe
Split Bengal gram (chana dal) soaked, 2 tablespoons
Split pigeon pea (toor dal/arhar dal) soaked 2 tablespoons
Split red lentils (masoor dal) soaked 2 tablespoon
Split green gram skinless (dhuli moong dal) soaked 2 tablespoon
Oil 3 tablespoons
Cumin seeds ½ teaspoon
Red pumpkin (bhopla/kaddu) cut into small cubes 100 grams
Potato cut into small cubes 1 large
Small brinjals 3-4
Fresh fenugreek leaves (methi) roughly chopped ½ bunch
Green chillies broken 2
Ginger chopped 1 inch pieces
Garlic cloves chopped 5-6
Turmeric powder ¼ teaspoon
Red chilli powder ½ teaspoon
dhansaak masala 1½ tablespoons
Salt to taste
Fresh mint leaves chopped ¼ cup
For chicken -
Chicken cut into 1-inch pieces on the bone 500 grams
Oil 2 tablespoons
Onions 2 medium
Tomatoes 2 medium
Salt to taste
Turmeric powder ¼ teaspoon
dhansaak masala 1½ tablespoons
Red chilli powder ½ teaspoon
Fresh mint leaves a few
Method
Step 1
Heat 3 tbsps oil in a pressure cooker, add cumin seeds, pumpkin, potato, chana dal, tuvar dal, masoor dal and moong dal and mix well.
Step 2
Cube brinjals and add. Add fenugreek leaves, green chillies, ginger and garlic and mix well.
Step 3
Add 3 cups of water, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, dhansaak masala and mix. Add salt and mint leaves and mix.
Step 4
Cover the cooker with the lid and cook under pressure till 3 whistles are given out.
Step 5
Meanwhile heat 2 tbsps oil in a non stick pan. Slice onions and add and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add chicken and mix.
Step 6
Cut tomatoes into big cubes.
Step 7
Add salt, turmeric powder, dhansaak masala and red chilli powder to chicken and mix well. Add ¼ cup water, cover and cook.
Step 8
Grind tomatoes to a puree and add to the chicken. Tear a few mint leaves and add. Mix well, cover and cook.
Step 9
Switch off the heat under the pressure cooker and let it remain for 10 minutes. Open the lid and mash the mixture with a hand blender. Adjust salt.
Step 10
Add this mixture to the chicken and mix well. Cover and cook for a few minutes.
Step 11
Serve hot with brown rice and kachumber.
