Name: Chicken Dhansak | Video
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons tamarind or tamarind paste; 1 cup lentils (1/4 cup tuvar dal or yellow split pigeon peas, 2 tablespoons masoor dal or red lentils, 2 tablespoons urad dal or split black gram, 2 tablespoons moong dal or split green gram); 1 tablespoon oil; 1 tablespoon minced garlic (garlic paste); 1 tablespoon minced ginger (ginger paste); 1 teaspoon ground turmeric (turmeric powder); 2 tablespoons dhansak masala (homemade or store bought); 1/4 cup canned diced tomatoes or 1 large tomato chopped; 1 cup chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves; 2 tablespoons chopped mint leaves; 700 g boneless chicken (thigh or breast fillets), diced; 1 cup vegetables (optional) (pumpkin, potatoes, brinjal, bell peppers); 1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi); 1 teaspoon lemon juice; Water, to cook lentils; Salt to taste; Sliced cucumbers, onions, tomatoes, to serve; Steamed rice, to serve; Naan or parathas, to serve; Mango chutney, to serve (optional); Lemon wedges, to serve

Chicken dhansak. Unique yet delicious chicken curry loaded with the goodness of nutritious lentils. Laced with the incredible flavors of authentic dhansak masala, this restaurant favorite is a must try. Brimming with lip-smacking deliciousness!

In fact, food gives you delicious experiences of history, culture and stories of places. No matter where you live, cooking and enjoying good food becomes a huge part of our lives. And in course of time, many recipes travel from one side of the world to another inspiring the creation of several new dishes.

This chicken dhansak curry is one such recipe. Laced with aromatic flavors, the core element, dhansak masala, makes it a unique dish. With its roots in Persian cuisine, the surprisingly delicious combo of lentils and chicken in delectable sauce makes this curry a restaurant favorite.

Chicken Dhansak Recipe

One of the core elements of this recipe is lentils. For the authentic version, you will need four different kinds of lentils – tuvar dal (yellow split pigeon peas), masoor dal (red lentils), urad dal (split black gram) and moong dal (yellow lentils). You can also use one type of lentils to simplify the whole process of cooking lentils. Canned lentils are also a great option when you are time poor.

Rinse and soak all the lentils prior to cooking. Cook them in plenty of water until you get a creamy consistency. Some lentils like masoor dal cooks really quick compared to tuvar dal that requires a longer cooking time.

Next, make the delicious dhansak sauce. Start with sautéing garlic and ginger. The spices like ground turmeric and dhansak masala gives it the much needed flavors. With dhansak masala, you have two options – homemade or store bought. Just like garam masala, you can grind your own dhansak masala at home and store it for months.

Once the spices are sautéed in oil, add some chopped tomatoes or canned tomatoes. Wait them to turn mushy before you add in coriander (cilantro ) and mint leaves. I really love to add plenty of fresh herbs to regular curries I make at home, so coriander and mint obviously accentuate the flavor profile.

Add cooked lentils and chicken to the curry. You can also add some veggies like eggplants and pumpkins. The tangy flavor from tamarind helps this chicken dhansak stand out from regular curries. And it certainly a must addition. Tamarind can be added in the form of soaked block tamarind or tamarind paste.

Finally, sprinkle with dried fenugreek leaves and lemon juice. Absolutely delicious with rice, naan or parathas.

More Authentic Indian Chicken Recipes:

Yield: 4

Chicken Dhansak | Video

Chicken dhansak featuring the delectable combo of lentils and chicken in dhansak masala sauce

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Ingredients

2 tablespoons tamarind or tamarind paste
1 cup lentils (1/4 cup tuvar dal or yellow split pigeon peas, 2 tablespoons masoor dal or red lentils, 2 tablespoons urad dal or split black gram, 2 tablespoons moong dal or split green gram)
1 tablespoon oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic (garlic paste)
1 tablespoon minced ginger (ginger paste)
1 teaspoon ground turmeric (turmeric powder)
2 tablespoons dhansak masala (homemade or store bought)
1/4 cup canned diced tomatoes or 1 large tomato chopped
1 cup chopped coriander (cilantro) leaves
2 tablespoons chopped mint leaves
700 g boneless chicken (thigh or breast fillets), diced
1 cup vegetables (optional) (pumpkin, potatoes, brinjal, bell peppers)
1 teaspoon dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Water, to cook lentils
Salt to taste
Sliced cucumbers, onions, tomatoes, to serve
Steamed rice, to serve
Naan or parathas, to serve
Mango chutney, to serve (optional)
Lemon wedges, to serve

Instructions

Soak tamarind in water for 10 minutes. Squeeze out tamarind pulp. Discard solids. Set aside. Alternatively, you can also use tamarind paste.
To cook lentils, rinse and soak lentils for 8 hours or overnight. Drain. Place lentils in a pan. Cover with water. Cook, for 15- 20 minutes or until mushy. Set aside.
Heat oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.
Add garlic and ginger. Sauté, stirring, for 1 minute or until fragrant.
Add ground turmeric and dhansak masala. Sauté, stirring, for 1 minute or until fragrant.
Add tomatoes. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes or until mushy.
Add coriander leaves, mint leaves and cooked lentils. Season with salt. Stir to combine. Sauté, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes.
Add chicken, vegetables (if using) and tamarind paste. Stir to combine. Season with salt.
Add 1 cup water. Cook, covered, for 10-15 minutes or until tender.
Add dried fenugreek leaves and lemon juice. Stir. Simmer for 2 minutes.

Make this in slow cooker:

Turn the slow cooker on. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a frying pan over high heat. Add diced chicken. Stir fry for 5 minutes or until browned. Remove from pan. To the same pan, add more oil if needed. Sauté garlic and ginger for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add ground turmeric and dhansak masala. Stir fry for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Place chicken, lentils, vegetables (if using), tomatoes, coriander (cilantro) leaves, mint leaves, fenugreek leaves, tamarind paste and lemon juice in the slow cooker. Top with 1 cup water and fried spice mixture. Stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper. Cover with lid and cook on high for 4 hours or cook on low for 8 hours.

Make this in instant pot:

Turn on instant pot. On sauté mode, fry garlic and ginger. Add spices and stir fry for few seconds. Add remaining ingredients. Stir. Cover with 1 cup water. Season with salt and pepper. Cover with lid. Set on high pressure and cook for 15 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally. When pressure is released, open the instant pot and serve with rice or naan.

Notes

You can replace the lentils with 1 cup masoor dal or red lentils.
Chicken can be substituted with lamb if you like

Nutrition Information

Yield

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 838Total Fat 22gSaturated Fat 6gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 14gCholesterol 157mgSodium 553mgCarbohydrates 93gFiber 17gSugar 25gProtein 69g

The nutritional data is for information purposes only

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