How to make Panchratan Dal
Panchratan Dal is a famous dish of dal. It is also called “Panchmel Dal”. It is a Delicacy of Rajasthan cuisine. Just as the name says it is prepared using five different dals i.e. Chana, Arhar or Toovar, moong, Masoor and urad. All these five dals are cooked in a specific proportion along with spices & masala to make Panchratan Dal. This Dal is rich in taste, very different & deliciously tempting, as all the dals are blended together to a unique new taste. We can use the dals in the proportion of our choice, as I have used in my recipe.
Dal or pulses is one of the main food in India. Whether it is lunch or dinner the meal is complete by eating “Dal chawal or Dal roti”. It is the main source of protein for the vegetarian people.
Dal is of various varieties like Arhar or Toovar dal the most widely used. Other are Moong, Urad, Masoor, Chana and more. Every dal is unique in taste.
You can also try my other Cooking/Side dish recipes Moong Dal ki Sabzi, Matar Paneer/Cottage cheese and green peas Curry, Beetroot sabzi, Quick Paneer ki sabzi/ Cottage cheese side dish, Bhindi/Lady’s Finger/ Okra sabzi, Suva/Shepu ki sabzi/Dill Side dish, Gaur sabzi/ Clutter beans side dish, Capsicum/Shimla Mirch Besan wale/ Capsicum side dish, Bharva Baigan/Eggplant Curry, Tori/ Turai ka Bharta, Methi Matar Malai/Fenugreek & Green peas curry, Bharva Parval.
They are available in market in the form of whole or splited dals. Again both the forms of dals are available with or without skin.
Dals are not only used to make the dish Dals, they are also used in other recipes like urad dal without skin is used for making “Idli”. Chana dal is the main ingredient for preparing the “Veg Dal kebab” and so on.
Ingredients:
- Chana dal – ½ cup
- Arhar or Toovar dal – ½ cup
- Spilt Moong dal(with or without skin) – ¼ cup
- Masoor dal – ¼ cup
- Spilt urad dal(with or without skin) – ¼ cup
- Chopped onion – 1 large
- Chopped tomato – 1 large
- Ginger garlic paste – 2 tsp
- Cumin/jeera – 1 tsp
- Shahi jeera – 1 tsp
- Mustard seeds – 1 tsp
- Splited Green chilli – 2
- Red chilli powder – 2 tsp
- Turmeric powder – 1 tsp
- Garam masala powder – 2 tsp
- Chopped coriander – ¼ cup
- Oil or ghee – 2 tbsp
- Hing/ asafoetida – ½ tsp
Follow me on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest.
Method:
- Mix all the dals and wash thoroughly.
- Cook the dal without adding salt in a pressure cooker till 3 whistles or till soft. As all the dals take different time to cook , dals like moong and Masoor will cook early and becomes too soft to be visible while other dals like chana and to some extend urad will cook but will be in visible form. So mainly the chana dal should be cooked properly. Keep it aside.
- In a kadhai heat ghee or oil.
- Add cumin/jeera, mustard seeds and Hing.
- Cook jeera for few seconds and then add chopped green chilli and ginger garlic paste. Cook for a while.
- Keep the green chilli as green as possible and then add chopped onion and cook till golden color.
- When the onion is translucent its time to add the dry spices like turmeric powder, red chilli powder and garam masala powder.
- Cook the spices for a while on medium flame. Add chopped tomato and let it cook till it softens.
- Season with some salt and mix.
- to add some more flavour add some chopped fresh coriander also. Fresh coriander not only gives a nice flavor to the dal but also gives a appealing color.
- Finely add the cooked dal and mix properly.
- Season with salt to taste.
- Add water if the dal is too thick.
- Cook for 5 to 10 minutes with stirring on low flame.
- Garnish with chopped coriander and serve hot with roti or rice.
