By Shireen Jamooji
October 3, 2023
Indulge in the rich flavours of Panchmel Dal, a hearty Indian lentil dish from North India that harmoniously blends five different lentils and aromatic spices.
1 cup Panchmel dal (a mix of chilka urad dal, toor dal, yellow moong da, green moong, and masoor dal) 4 cups water 1 cup roughly chopped tomato 1-2 green chillies, chopped 1 tbsp grated ginger 1 tsp turmeric powder 1 tsp dry mango powder 1 tsp coriander powder Salt to taste 1 tsp red chilli powder
Ingredients for Tempering: 4 tbsp ghee 1 tsp cumin seeds 2 dry red chillies ¼ tsp asafoetida 1 tsp Garam Masala
Begin by mixing all five types of lentils in a bowl. Wash and rinse them with water, then soak them in water for 1-2 hours.
After one hour, drain the water from the soaked dal. Place the soaked dal in a pressure cooker along with the chopped tomato, ginger, green chilli, turmeric, salt, and 4 cups of water.
Pressure cook the dal over medium heat for 2-3 whistles or 10-15 minutes. Allow the steam to release naturally from the pressure cooker.
Pressure cook the dal over medium heat for 2-3 whistles or 10-15 minutes. Allow the steam to release naturally from the pressure cooker.
Open the lid of the pressure cooker and gently mash the dal using the back of a ladle. Add 1 cup more water if the dal seems too thick.
To prepare the tempering, heat ghee in a kadhai. Add cumin seeds, red chilli, asafoetida, and fry for 10-20 seconds to release the aroma of the spices.
Add the boiled dal to the tempering. Add red chilli powder, mango powder, coriander powder, and a tsp of Garam Masala. Stir to combine.
Taste and adjust the seasoning according to your preference. Simmer the dal for 5-6 minutes over low heat, then turn off the heat. Garnish the Panchmel dal with chopped coriander.