Chicken Dhansak | Video
Chicken dhansak featuring the delectable combo of lentils and chicken in dhansak masala sauce
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Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons tamarind or tamarind paste
- 1 cup lentils ¼ 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
- ¼ 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.
Video
Notes
- You can replace the lentils with 1 cup masoor dal or red lentils.
- Chicken can be substituted with lamb if you like
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 838kcal | Carbohydrates: 93g | Protein: 69g | Fat: 22g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 14g | Cholesterol: 157mg | Sodium: 553mg | Fiber: 17g | Sugar: 25g