Parsi Dhanshak

5 from 3 votes

A delicious blend of vegetables and lentils all cooked with freshly ground masala; Parsi Dhanshak is one of the best Vegetarian recipes from the Parsi cuisine.

Flavorful, delicious and yet pretty easy to put together using the Instant Pot.

Prep Time20

Cook Time40

Total Time1

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Indian, Parsi

Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian

Servings:

Calories: 134kcal

Author: Smruti

Ingredients

For the Dhanshak

¼ cup Tuvar Dal
¼ cup Moong Dal
¼ cup Masoor Dal
1 medium Eggplant
½ medium Bottle Gourd
1½ medium Onion
1 cup Spinach
¼ cup Fenugreek Leaves
1½ Tomato
2 tablespoon Ghee
1½ teaspoon Salt
2 cups Water

For the Masala

1 inch Ginger (chopped)
6-7 cloves Garlic (chopped)
2 Dried Red Chillies
2-3 barks Cinnamon
4-5 Cloves
1 teaspoon Coriander Seeds
½ teaspoon Cumin seeds

To Serve

½ medium Onion (diced fine)
2-3 stalks Cilantro (chopped)
½ medium Lemon

Instructions

Wash the dals well 2-3 times under running water and drain the water. Set aside.
¼ cup Tuvar Dal, ¼ cup Moong Dal, ¼ cup Masoor Dal
Chop all the vegetables roughly. Peel the gourd before chopping.
1 medium Eggplant, ½ medium Bottle Gourd, 1½ medium Onion, 1½ Tomato
In the base of the instant pot add all the vegetables.
1 cup Spinach, ¼ cup Fenugreek Leaves
Then add all the washed dals. Season with salt.
1½ teaspoon Salt
Add water to the mix and mix well.
2 cups Water
Close the lid; set mode to 'pressure cook' at high pressure and time to 12 minutes. Move the vent to sealing position and let everything cook. Once the instant pot beeps, let all the pressure release naturally. Then open the Instant Pot.
Use a masher or immersion blender and blend the mix well. Set aside.
In a blender jar add all the ingredients for the masala. Blend to a smooth paste and set aside.
1 inch Ginger, 6-7 cloves Garlic, 2 Dried Red Chillies, 2-3 barks Cinnamon, 4-5 Cloves, 1 teaspoon Coriander Seeds, ½ teaspoon Cumin seeds
In a pan heat ghee. Add diced onions
2 tablespoon Ghee, ½ medium Onion
Sauté for 3-4 minutes; till they soften.
Then add the prepared spice mix and sauté till fragrant and the ghee is released on the sides.
Transfer this to the blended dhanshak.
Mix well and set the mode to 'sauté' for atleast 8-10 minutes; till it starts to bubble.
Serve dhanshak topped with lemon wedge, cilantro and onions alongside some ghee toasted bread or Parsi Brown Rice.
2-3 stalks Cilantro, ½ medium Lemon

Video

Notes

- The vegetables and dal can be substituted based on availability.

- The same recipe can also be made in the pressure cooker too.

- Scale the recipe up or down based on servings desired. The time on the instant pot does not change as it adjusts based on quantity.

- Add pumpkin if you can find it. It often elevates the taste and flavor of the dhanshak.

- Remove some of the sautéed onions and top them after cooking the dhanshak. It makes a great topping.

- Enjoy dhanshak with ghee toasted bread slices or with Parsi Brown Rice. It makes a great combination.

Note: Nutrition values are my best estimates using an automated calculator. If you rely on them for your diet, use your preferred nutrition calculator.

Nutrition