Authentic Parsi Dhansak with Brown Rice

Name: Authentic Parsi Dhansak with Brown Rice
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 90 min
Total time: 120 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Parsi
Ingredients: 500g mutton on the bone, cut into pieces; 1/2 cup tuvar dal (split yellow pigeon peas); 1/4 cup masoor dal (red lentils); 1/4 cup chana dal (split Bengal gram); 1 medium pumpkin, peeled and cubed; 2 medium eggplants, chopped; 2 large onions, finely sliced; 2 ripe tomatoes, chopped; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 1-inch ginger, grated; 2 tablespoons Parsi dhansak masala; 1 teaspoon turmeric powder; 1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder; 1 tablespoon tamarind pulp; 1 bunch fresh coriander leaves, chopped; 3 tablespoons ghee or cooking oil; Salt to taste; For the brown rice: 1.5 cups basmati rice, soaked; 1 tablespoon brown sugar; 1 cinnamon stick, 2 cloves, 2 green cardamom pods

A deeply comforting Parsi classic featuring tender mutton slow-cooked with a rich blend of lentils, vegetables, and aromatic spices. Served alongside caramelized brown rice, this soulful dish offers a perfect balance of sweet, sour, and savory notes.

Photo by Роман Нагаевский on Pexels

120min Total Time

4 Servings

Parsi Cuisine

Recipe

Wash and soak all three dals together for about 30 minutes, then pressure cook them with turmeric, salt, pumpkin, and eggplant until completely soft and mashed.

In a heavy-bottomed pot, heat ghee and sauté half of the sliced onions until deeply golden brown and caramelized; remove and set aside.

In the same pot, add the remaining onions, ginger, and garlic, sautéing until fragrant before adding the mutton pieces to sear.

Stir in the dhansak masala, red chilli powder, and chopped tomatoes, cooking until the oil separates from the masala.

Add a splash of water, cover, and cook the mutton until tender, or pressure cook for about 20 minutes.

Combine the cooked mutton with the mashed dal and vegetable mixture, simmering everything together for 15 minutes to let the flavors meld.

Add tamarind pulp, adjust salt, and finish with fresh coriander leaves.

To prepare the brown rice, caramelize the brown sugar in a pot with whole spices, add the soaked and drained rice along with water, and cook until fluffy.

Serve the hot dhansak alongside the fragrant caramelized brown rice.

Ingredients

500g mutton on the bone, cut into pieces

1/2 cup tuvar dal (split yellow pigeon peas)

1/4 cup masoor dal (red lentils)

1/4 cup chana dal (split Bengal gram)

1 medium pumpkin, peeled and cubed

2 medium eggplants, chopped

2 large onions, finely sliced

2 ripe tomatoes, chopped

4 cloves garlic, minced

1-inch ginger, grated

2 tablespoons Parsi dhansak masala

1 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon Kashmiri red chilli powder

1 tablespoon tamarind pulp

1 bunch fresh coriander leaves, chopped

3 tablespoons ghee or cooking oil

Salt to taste

For the brown rice: 1.5 cups basmati rice, soaked

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 cinnamon stick, 2 cloves, 2 green cardamom pods

*This AI-generated recipe may contain inaccuracies.