Dansak
also called dhansak · dhansakh · lamb dhansak · chicken dansak · dhaansak
- Curry House
- serves 6
- recipe says 2 hr 30 min
- Stews & Braises
Three ways to read this recipe
The table
| 2 lb(900 g; cut in 1 1/2-in cubes)lamb shoulder | sear 8 min in batches | fry in 4 min | braise 1 hr, covered | beat 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 dal | simmer 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 and not a thickener. Sweet sour and hot arrive at once: jaggery and tamarind | ||||
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
Tap a step when it is done; the next one lights up.
The clock
- Start to finish
- 1 hr 22 min
- Needs you
- 12 minthe rest you can walk away from
simmer 40 min, then beat to a purée
40 minwalk awayfrom the start
sear 8 min in batches
8 minneeds youfrom the start
fry in 4 min
4 minneeds you8 min in
braise 1 hr, covered
1 hrwalk away12 min in
beat the dal in, simmer 10 min
10 minwalk away1 hr 12 min in
- needs you
- you can walk away
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
>> capacity: 3 — the heavy pot, sear
>> step: simmer 40 min, then beat to a purée
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.
>> step: sear 8 min in batches
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.
>> step: fry in 4 min
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}.
>> step: braise 1 hr, covered
Braise @&(~1)lamb{} with @water{1%cup}(240 mL) and @kosher salt{2%tsp} covered ~simmer{60%min}.
>> step: beat the dal in, simmer 10 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 and not a thickener. Sweet sour and hot arrive at once: jaggery and tamarind together.