What’s better than a simple dal tadka or dal makhani? Dal Pancharatni! Panchratan means five jewels and in this particular recipe we use a mix of five different types of dal or lentils. A dal cannot get more interesting than that!
I got a bag of mixed dal from a supermarket in Delhi when I was there last. This makes the job of making panchratan dal so much easier because otherwise you’d have to buy the dal separately. I haven’t seen this in Singapore though.
Dal Panchratan / Pancharatani Recipe
Serves 2-4
Ingredients:
4 tbsp chana dal (split Bengal gram)
1/4 cup tuvar (arhar) dal
1/4 cup moong dal (split green gram)
3 tbsp urad dal (whole black lentils)
1/4 cup masoor dal (split red lentil)
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 large tomato, pureed
1 large onion, ground to a paste
1″ piece of ginger, grated
3 cloves of garlic
1 tsp red chilli powder
Salt to taste
For tempering:
2 tsp ghee (or oil)
1/2 tsp jeera / cumin seeds
1/4 tsp mustard seeds (optional)
A few curry leaves
How I Made It:
1. Pressure cook the mixed dal (lentils) with 5 cups water and the turmeric powder for 4-5 whistles or until the dal is cooked mushy. Alternately, bring the dal and water mixture to a boil and simmer on low heat until cooked. This will take between 45 mins to an hour.
2. Heat oil for tempering in a kadai (that’s big enough to hold everything) and add the ingredients in the given order. Let the cumin seeds splutter and turn brown and the mustard seeds (if using) pop. Next, add the ginger and garlic and fry for a minute.
3. The onion paste and red chilli powder go in next. Cook until the paste is fried to a ligher colour (about 3-4 mins). Next, add the pureed tomato and salt. Mix well and let it simmer for another 3-4 mins.
4. Finally, add the cooked dal, mix well and simmer for 5 mins until all the flavours have blended. Check salt.
Rekha shoban
healthy dal….excellent click nags!
cory meli
is it delicious
jeyashrisuresh
simple and delicious dal paired with roti or rice is my all time fav,clicks of the dal are so nice
Divya Vikram
Looks amazing Nags. Havent tried adding ground onion paste in dals. Will make it next time I make dal for rotis.
Nandini Vishwanath
I love the second pic with the background.
Priti
I love this one …goes well with baati …and I mix it myself 🙂
simply.food
Dhal looks healthy and delicious too.
DEESHA
Nothing to beat the comfort of some home cooked dal. I'm a huge fan of anything that has mixed lentils. I sometimes make mixed dal khichdi too.
Paaka Shaale
I just love Lentils in any form Nags. And this panchratan Dal of yours looks very comforting and tempting. Beautifully photographed as well 🙂
Sharmilee! :)
I luv lentils in any form and this dal looks so colorful and sure flavourful too…Luv the pics esp the dhal in the glasses, very colorful they look…….