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Dhan-Saak Rice

Print Recipe
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings: 8
Ingredients Method

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup toovar dal/split pigeon pea
  • 4 tablespoons mix dals I used moong dal, green moong dal, urad dal, masoor dal
  • 1 potato
  • 1 small brinjal
  • 2 tomatoes
  • 1 small bunch methi leaves/fenugreek greens
  • 3 spring onions with leaves
  • 1 cup pumpkin chopped
  • 1 cup doodhi/bottle gourd chopped
  • 6 teaspoons tamarind water
  • 4 tablespoons ghee/oil
  • 1 onion chopped
  • salt to taste
  • To be ground to paste for dhan-saak
  • 3 green chillies more or less to suit your palate
  • 8 red chillies more or less to suit your tolerance
  • 10 cloves garlic
  • 1 inch piece of ginger
  • 3 sticks cinnamon
  • 3 cloves
  • 3 peppercorns
  • 3 cardamoms
  • 4 teaspoons coriander seeds
  • 2 teaspoons cumin seeds
  • 1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander
  • To be made into powdered masala for dhan-saak
  • 3 cardomoms
  • 2 cloves
  • 3 sticks cinnamon
  • For the brown rice
  • 3 teacups uncooked rice
  • 2 onions finely chopped
  • 2 sticks cinnamon
  • 2 cloves
  • 3 cloves garlic minced or chopped(optional), I have added
  • 3 teaspoons sugar
  • 2 tablespoons ghee
  • salt to taste

Method
 

  1. Mix the dals and wash them well.
  2. Cut the vegetables (except onion) in big chunks.
  3. Mix the dals and vegetables, add 7 cups of water and cook in a pressure cooker.
  4. Once cooked, blend it using immersion blender to a fine, homogenous mixture.
  5. If it is very thick, add a little water.
  6. Place a large saucepan on medium flame. Add ghee and fry the chopped onions until golden, add the paste and fry for 3-4 minutes.
  7. Add the dal mixture and salt and boil for 10-15 minutes, add tamarind water and boil for 10 minutes.
  8. Add the powdered masala and cook for a few minutes.
  9. Serve hot with dhan-saak rice.
  10. For the rice
  11. Take a large kadai or a heavy bottom pan, heat the ghee and fry the onion till they turn pink. Add cinnamon, cloves, garlic and fry again.
  12. Add the rice, salt and enough water to cook the rice (almost 4.5 cups).
  13. When the rice is cooking, take a small skillet or tempering pan, add sugar and 1 teaspoon water and cook on a slow flame. When the sugar turns dark brown but not burnt add it to the rice that is still cooking. The caramelized sugar will mix well in the cooking rice.
  14. Turn off the flame once the rice is cooked.
  15. Serve Dhan-Saak, Rice, Papad, Kachumber, Potato chips nu shaak, yogurt as a complete platter.