Panchmel Dal
Renowned Rajasthani panchratna dal, concocted from a medley of five lentil varieties, presents a healthful and flavorful protein-rich lentil dish, intentionally excluding the use of onion and garlic.
Ingredients
Total 1 Cup Lentils Consisting Equal Amounts Of
- bengal gram dal (chana dal)
- green gram dal (moong dal)
- pink lentils (masoor dal)
- pigeon peas spilt and skinned (tuvar dal or arhar dal)
- black gram (urad dal)
Other Ingredients
- 3 to 3.5 cups water for pressure cooking the dals
- 2 green cardamom
- 2 cloves
- 1 green chilli, – crushed in a mortar pestle
- 2 to 3 red chillies, broken and seeds removed
- 1 inch ginger – crushed in a mortar pestle
- 1 large tomato, chopped
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder (ground turmeric)
- ¼ to ½ teaspoon Garam Masala
- ¼ teaspoon asafoetida powder (hing)
- 2 to 3 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter) or oil
- salt as required
Instructions
Pressure Cooking Lentils
- Rinse all the lentils for a couple of times in fresh water.
- Then soak them in water for 30 to 45 minutes. After 30 to 45 minutes drain all the water.
- Pressure cook the lentils with water for 4 to 5 whistles on a medium heat or till they are completely cooked and softened.
- Mash the cooked lentils lightly with a spoon.
- If the lentils mixture look thick, then add some hot water and stir to get a medium consistency in it.
Making Panchmel Dal
- In another frying pan, heat oil or ghee. On a low heat add cumin seeds. Let them splutter. Then add the cloves, cardamoms and broken dried red chilies with seeds removed.
- Fry till the red chilies change color. Add the crushed ginger and green chilly. Fry them for a few seconds or till the raw aroma of ginger goes away.
- Add the chopped tomatoes, asafoetida (hing), turmeric powder and garam masala powder.
- Saute the tomatoes well on a low flame till they become soft and mushy. The oil or ghee will also separate.
- Now add this fried tempering mixture to the lentils. Mix well.
- Simmer the dal for 5 to 6 minutes, stirring often so that the flavors of the spices infuse well with the lentils.
- Add salt as per taste and mix well. Garnish it with coriander leaves. Adding coriander leaves is optional.
- You can choose to add a drizzle of about 1 to 2 teaspoons of ghee to the dal panchmel in the serving bowl.
- Serve panchmel dal with roti, rice, jeera rice, paratha or dal bati.
Nutrition
Calories: 233kcalCarbohydrates: 32gProtein: 11gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 17mgSodium: 352mgPotassium: 263mgFiber: 11gSugar: 3gCalcium: 55mgIron: 3mg
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