Introduction
Parsi Dhansak is a perfect example of the confluence of Persian and Gujarati cuisine. Here, Parsi represent the Parsees, the ethnoreligious group of India descended from Persians adhering to Zoroastrianism. ‘Dhan’ word is derived from a Persian dictionary that indicates grain. Lentil is used as grain over here. The ‘sak’ word is derived from the Gujarati dictionary which means vegetables or cooked veggies. It is like a tradition in Parsee families to prepare Dhansak every Sunday. Because of its popularity, it is also said that when you say Parsi, you remember Dhansak. The Parsis are found mostly inhabited in the western Indian states of Gujarat and Maharashtra. If you don’t know, these states in India are famous for the spices and flavours in their cultural dishes. The Parsi Dhansak prepared along with the goat meat i.e. mutton is called Parsi mutton dhansak. It not only includes the herbs and spices of India but also signifies the historical Persian culture. The Parsis and Gujarati people prefer this dhansak weekly because of their authentic taste and preservation of their culture and tradition. So, basically, Parsi mutton dhansak is an Indian cuisine prepared by cooking mutton in lentils and vegetables.
Ingredients Required
Here we are preparing Parsi mutton dhansak for about 4-5 servings. The size of the cup is about 100gm/ 100 ml. You can change the amount of the ingredients according to the number of people you are cooking for. You can cook the Parsi mutton dhansak in three main steps:
- Preparation of Dhansak Masala (Optional)
- Preparation of lentils-vegetables mix
- Preparation of tender mutton
- Mixing the lentils-vegetable mix with the mutton
The ingredients required for each step are given separately for your convenience.
Ingredients for Lentils and Vegetable mix
| 1. Dehusked brown lentils i.e. masoor daal (half cup) |
| 2. Split green lentils i.e. moong daal (¼ cup) |
| 3. Bengal gram i.e. chana daal (¼ cup) |
| 4. Pigeon pea (half cup) |
| 5. Chopped pumpkins (150 gm) |
| 6. Chopped eggplant or brinjal (2 medium sizes) |
| 7. Chopped Potato (1 large size) |
| 8. Chopped Onion (1 large size) |
| 9. Chopped Tomatoes (1-2 large sizes) |
| 10. Chopped Fenugreek leaves (approx.150 gm |
| 11. Salt (as per the preference) |
Ingredients to prepare Dhansak masala
| 1. Coriander seeds (2.5 TSP) |
| 2. Red chilli whole part (4-5 pieces) |
| 3. Peppercorns (5-6 pieces) |
| 4. Cloves (8-10 pieces) |
| 5. Black cardamom (2 pieces) |
| 6. Green Cardamom (5-7 pieces) |
| 7. Tejpatta leaves (2 pieces) |
| 8. Star anise (one petal) |
| 9. Mustard seeds (½ TSP) |
| 10. Poppy seeds (1 TSP) |
| 11. Cinnamon sticks (3 pieces about 2 inches long) |
Ingredients for cooking mutton
| 1. Vegetable oil (half cup) |
| 2. Tejpatta leaf or Bay leaf (2 pieces) |
| 3. Chopped onions (2 large pieces) |
| 4. Ginger Garlic paste (2-3 TSP) |
| 5. Dry fenugreek leaves (1 TSP) |
| 6. Turmeric powder (2 TSP) |
| 7. Nutmeg (¼ part |
| 8. Mutton (½ kg) |
Parsi Mutton Dhansak Recipe
Cooking Parsi mutton dhansak is fun and not so complex. Follow the given steps to prepare and enjoy your Parsi mutton dhansak.
Step 1: Measure the required amount of lentils required and soak the dehusked masoor daal, moong daal and chana daal overnight. Chop all the veggies like potato, tomato, pumpkin, brinjal, fenugreek leaves to be used.
Step 2: Put the soaked lentils and chopped vegetables in a pressure cooker. Add ½ ltr water and half a tablespoon salt. Mix them properly and pressure cook the whole mixture one whistle at high flame and 4-5 whistles at low flame.
Step 3: Mash the cooked lentils and vegetables 2-3 times to blend them properly. They should look like a slurry mass with all the slices of vegetables mashed completely.
Step 4: Prepare the dhansak masala by grinding the whole ingredients mentioned above in an air-tight grinder. You can skip this step if you already have garam masala or mixed spices powder with you.
Step 5: Heat up about half a cup of vegetable oil in a kadai, fry about 2 tejpatta leaves, add onion slices and fry it at medium heat until it turns golden.
Step 6: Add the ginger-garlic paste and fry it till its smell goes off. Add fenugreek leaves, turmeric powder and the prepared dhansak masala or garam masala to it.
Step 7: Grate ¼ of the nutmeg into the frying mix. Mix well and cook for 2 minutes at medium flame. Keep moving the ladle and don’t let the spices get concentrated at the bottom of the pan.
Step 8: Add the mutton and mix it well with the spices for 2 minutes. Add the salt according to your preference enough for the mutton. Cover the lid and cook it for 5 minutes at low flame. Remember not to burn the spices at the bottom. Open the lid immediately and pour water if you sense it like burning.
Step 9: Add 2 cups of water and cook with the lid covered for about 30 minutes or more till the mutton gets cooked and becomes tender. You can also pressure cook the mutton for about 4-5 whistles at medium flame to save time and make the mutton softer and fully cooked.
Step 10: When the mutton is fully cooked and become tender, add the lentils-vegetables mixture to it. Mix the whole mixture and cook it for 5-10 minutes so that the flavours get blended properly.
Step 11: Your Parsi mutton dhansak is now ready, you can serve it at the dining table, topping it with coriander leaves.
Also Read: Typical Hyderabadi Dum Mutton Biryani Recipe (Step by Step)
How to Eat Parsi Mutton Dhansak?
Generally, the Parsi mutton dhansak is served with brown rice or white sticky rice accompanied by a traditional side salad called Kachumbari. Kachumbari is a Persian salad with chopped cucumber, tomato salad and red onions dressed with mint leaves. Some people prefer the dhansak with the roti or chapati as well.
Final Verdict
The Parsi mutton dhansak is not a complex recipe to try at home. It is a perfect blend of Persian and Gujarati flavours. You can easily cook this dish all by yourself gathering the ingredients required and reading the steps mentioned in this article. The number of ingredients may look overwhelming at first, but they are just the major spices easily available in the market. Give it a try and I am sure you will get addicted to its authentic taste. Let us know, how helpful this recipe/ blog was and comment down which recipe you wanna master next.