Parsi dhansak

Ingredients

• 500 g mutton
• 1 cup mixed dal (mostly toor, with some masoor and moong)
• 1 small brinjal, ½ cup red pumpkin and 1 small potato, cubed
• 1 tomato, chopped
• A handful each of fresh methi and coriander
• 2 onions, sliced
• 1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
• 2 tbsp dhansak masala
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• ½ tsp turmeric
• 1 tbsp tamarind pulp and 1 tbsp jaggery
• 3 tbsp oil or ghee
• Salt to taste
• For brown rice: 2 cups rice, 2 tsp sugar caramelised in oil with whole spices and onion

Method

1. Pressure-cook the dal, vegetables, tomato and greens with turmeric and 4 cups water until soft. Blend or mash smooth.
2. Separately pressure-cook the mutton with salt and ginger-garlic paste until tender.
3. Heat oil, fry the onions until golden, add dhansak masala and chilli powder and fry briefly.
4. Add the mashed dal, mutton with its stock, tamarind, jaggery and salt. Simmer for 20 minutes.
5. For brown rice, caramelise sugar in oil, add whole spices and sliced onion, then the rice and water, and cook until done.
6. Serve the dhansak with the brown rice, kebabs and a kachumber salad.