Dansak

also called dhansak · dhansakh · lamb dhansak · chicken dansak · dhaansak

The table

2 lb(900 g; cut in 1 1/2-in cubes)lamb shouldersear 8 min in batchesfry in 4 minbraise 1 hr, coveredbeat the dal in, simmer 10 min
3 Tbs(42 g)ghee
1 1/2 cups(360 g; the base recipe)onion-tomato masala
2 tspground cumin
1 Tbsground coriander
2 tspKashmiri chile powder
1 tspgaram masala
1 cup(240 mL)water
2 tspkosher salt
1 cup(200 g; rinsed)toor dalsimmer 40 min, then beat to a purée
8 oz(225 g; peeled, in chunks)pumpkin
1/2 tspground turmeric
4 cups(950 mL)water
1 Tbs(20 g)tamarind concentrate
2 tsp(10 g)jaggery
1 tsp(crumbled)kasuri methi
1/4 cup(chopped)cilantro
The lentils are the dish not a thickener — dhansak is Parsi dhan is the grain and saak the vegetable a version without the dal beaten right through it is just a lamb curry that arrived sweet. Sweet sour and hot at once is the Parsi signature: jaggery and tamarind go in together and neither wins. It is traditionally eaten on a Sunday with caramelised brown rice never at a wake
Tap anything to cross it off.

What to lay out

Everything the recipe asks for, sitting under the step that eats it. Tick each one as you measure it.19 things to get out.

Pans and tools

1sear 8 min in batches

2simmer 40 min, then beat to a purée

3fry in 4 min

goes in with what step 1 made

4braise 1 hr, covered

goes in with what step 3 made

5beat the dal in, simmer 10 min

goes in with what steps 2 and 4 made

Cooking it

Start to finish is the longest chain through the table, so branches that overlap are counted once. That is why the waits add up to more than the clock — and it only holds if you get them going together.

Tap a step when it is done; the next one lights up.

The clock

Start to finish
1 hr 22 mintwo waits that overlap count once
Needs you
12 minthe rest you can walk away from

The recipe itself says 2 hr 30 min.

  1. simmer 40 min, then beat to a purée

    40 minwalk awayfrom the start

  2. sear 8 min in batches

    8 minneeds youfrom the start

  3. fry in 4 min

    4 minneeds you8 min in

  4. braise 1 hr, covered

    1 hrwalk away12 min in

  5. beat the dal in, simmer 10 min

    10 minwalk away1 hr 12 min in

Drawn to scale, so a long wait really does take up the room it takes. The shortest stretches keep a sliver so they stay visible; their times are printed beside them. Bars that line up are happening at the same time.

You'll need heavy pot · pot

Goes with

See how it is written
>> title: Dansak
>> category: Stews & Braises
>> tags: lamb, parsi, lentils, pumpkin, curry
>> counters: Curry House
>> aka: dhansak, dhansakh, lamb dhansak, chicken dansak, dhaansak
>> pairs-with: onion-tomato-masala, pilau-rice, kachumber
>> servings: 6
>> time: 2 hr 30 min
>> step.1: simmer 40 min, then beat to a purée
>> step.2: sear 8 min in batches
>> step.3: fry in 4 min
>> step.4: braise 1 hr, covered
>> step.5: beat the dal in, simmer 10 min

Simmer @toor dal{1%cup}(200 g; rinsed), @pumpkin{8%oz}(225 g; peeled, in chunks), @ground turmeric{1/2%tsp} and @water{4%cup}(950 mL) in a #pot{} ~simmer{40%min}, then beat the lot to a rough purée with a whisk.

Sear @lamb shoulder{2%lb}(900 g; cut in 1 1/2-in cubes) in @ghee{3%Tbs}(42 g) in a #heavy pot{} ~sear{8%min}, in two batches.

Fry @onion-tomato masala{1 1/2%cup}(360 g; the base recipe), @ground cumin{2%tsp}, @ground coriander{1%Tbs}, @Kashmiri chile powder{2%tsp} and @garam masala{1%tsp} into @&(~1)seared lamb{} ~fry{4%min}.

Braise @&(~1)lamb{} with @water{1%cup}(240 mL) and @kosher salt{2%tsp} covered ~simmer{60%min}.

Beat @&(~4)dal purée{} into @&(~1)braised lamb{} with @tamarind concentrate{1%Tbs}(20 g), @jaggery{2%tsp}(10 g), @kasuri methi{1%tsp}(crumbled) and @cilantro{1/4%cup}(chopped), and ~simmer{10%min}, adding water if it stops moving in the pot.

The lentils are the dish, not a thickener — dhansak is Parsi, dhan is the grain and saak the vegetable, and a version without the dal beaten right through it is just a lamb curry that arrived sweet. Sweet, sour and hot at once is the Parsi signature: jaggery and tamarind go in together and neither wins. It is traditionally eaten on a Sunday with caramelised brown rice, and never at a wake.