Vegetarian Dhansak Recipe Instant Pot

By Rita Jamshed Kapadia 8 comments

Important for Vegetarians – Omitting the meat from this recipe, will make this Dal a Vegetarian Dhansak Dal.

Click here to see Video for Parsi Dhansak for the good times with full Dhansak recipe.

Also known as parsi masala dal.

Note: You will need a pressure cooker also known as Instant Pot.

Ingredients

1 cup yellow lentils (arhar/tuvar daal)

60 gm pumpkin-peeled and diced (about 1/2 cup)

60 gm egg plant/baingan-diced

1 cup fenugreek leaves (methi)-washed and chopped

1 large (125 gm) potato-peeled and diced

1/2 tsp turmeric

1 Tbsp salt

1/4 cup (60 gm) oil

1 cup grated onions (250 gm)

2 tsp ginger paste (2 tbsp chopped)

1 cup grated tomatoes (250 gm)

3 Tbsp Dhansak masala

1 Tbsp lemon juice

Method

For the dal mixture:

Cook the dal with pumpkin, eggplant, fenugreek leaves, potatoes, turmeric, a pinch of salt and some water.

Final preparation:

Heat oil. Saute onions, garlic and ginger, till they turn light brown.

Add the tomatoes and dhansak masala and saute till fat separates.

Add the dal mixture, bring to a boil, then simmer for about 5 minutes.

Mash up all to a smooth puree.

Shut the flame and add lemon juice.

Serve hot with brown rice.

8 Comments

Celebrating Navroze – 2016 Shahenshahi New Year – Parsi Cuisine

Aug 8, 2016, 2:03 pm

[…] potato preparation), chicken farchas, patra ni machchi (fish steamed in a leaf), mutton pulao and dhansak dal, kid gosh and saas ni machchi (a thick white gravy with pomfret) jostle for space on the table. […]

Priyadarshan Pradhan

Oct 10, 2016, 9:21 pm

methi leaves – small or big?

Rita

Oct 10, 2016, 10:04 pm

Methi leaves can be big or small. Do chop them fine, so they blend into the dal. 🙂

Mutton Pulao – Indian Parsi Cuisine

Dec 12, 2017, 1:05 pm

[…] mutton pulao with vegetarian dhansak masala dar. Spicy lentil Dhansak is a puree made to go with rice pilaf. Sample recipe from my Meats Parsi […]

US Diwali Stamp and Recipes – Parsi Cuisine

Jan 1, 2018, 3:40 pm

[…] VEGETARIAN DHANSAK RECIPE […]

Zoroastrians and their roots – Parsi Cuisine

Oct 10, 2018, 4:08 pm

[…] with crisply fried potato sticks; the plump globes of Parsi paneer soaked in salty whey. But the dhansak that everyone raved about, the patra ni macchi, the gloppy akuri, the eggy lagan-nu-custard… […]

chandran nedungadi

Nov 11, 2020, 1:44 am

For those with allergic reaction to brinjal which vegetable could be a substitute? Are there other combinations of vegetables that can be used in dhansak?

Rita Jamshed Kapadia

Nov 11, 2020, 4:23 pm

Hi Chandran, you can leave the brinjal out of the dhansak dal. Not a big taste difference.

Other vegetables to use are pumpkin (kohru), tomatoes, potatoes, onions, garlic pod and fresh dhania (coriander leaves). Use one of each. I also add fresh sprig of mint if available.
Rita

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