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Dhansak

Dhansak

Downloadable Recipe

Dhansak is popular amongst the Parsi community of Mumbai - it’s a characteristically sweet, sour and hot curry in which lentils form the base of the sauce.

Cooking the onion until brown and sticky is important as it helps to create the lovely sweet caramelised flavour of the dish.

To make this recipe, you'll need:

HALDI BLEND: 1 tsp

METHI BLEND: 4 tsp

MIRCHI BLEND: 2 tsp

Need the blends?

A Complete Set of Curry Legend Blend Refills

A Complete Set of Curry Legend Blend Refills

£13.96

Description
More Info

Book: How to Be a Curry Legend

Page number: 52

Effort: Medium effort

Serves: 4

Prep: 25 mins

Cook: 1 hour 20 mins

Origin: India

Shopping List

  • 500g diced lamb
  • 1 large onion - thinly sliced
  • 2 cloves of garlic - finely chopped
  • Fresh ginger - finely chopped to make 1 tbsp
  • 3 tomatoes - roughly chopped
  • 10g bunch of coriander - finely chopped
  • ½ lemon
  • 100g red lentils
  • 4 tsp sugar (dark brown is best) 
  • 1 tbsp vinegar (white wine or cider vinegar is best)

Blends Needed

HALDI BLEND: 1 tsp

METHI BLEND: 4 tsp

MIRCHI BLEND: 2 tsp

Goes Great With

Jeera rice (p152) and chilli garlic chutney (p198)

Also Works a Treat With

Diced chicken or butternut squash (added with the lentils)

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  • 5 stars: 16 (80%)
  • 4 stars: 4 (20%)
  • 3 stars: 0 (0%)
  • 2 stars: 0 (0%)
  • 1 star: 0 (0%)
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Robin Anderson
I enjoyed the sweetness

I used king prawns for this Dhansak, and it was beautiful. I enjoyed the sweetness, the sharpness of the lemon juice, and the kick from the Mirchi blend. The prawns were succulent and paired wonderfully with the curry.

J
Joe Large

Stunning hot Dhansak with lots of lentils!

M
Martin Garabette

Got the book How to be a Curry Legend as a thank you gift and made the prawn Dhansak with Jeera rice and chilli garlic chutney straight away - the smells emanating even just from opening the spice tins was amazing and the food was absolutely delicious! Can’t wait to try them all!

S
Sandra Murray

Just another Friday tea time for 2! With my favourite sweet potato dhansak (well it would be butternut but they’re not in season just now). A great standby/ quick and easy meal, so full of flavour. A tasty kachumber to keep it company.

K
Katy Moore

This week’s Friday lockdown curry - chicken dhansak with samosas, saag bahji (delicious!) and kulchas

B
Billy Ryder

Chicken Dhansak.. absolutely amazing, I used chicken thighs so the chicken was so juicy and the texture was spot on. Flavour is delicious, love the curry legend spices. Also.. mint sauce is a must have

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Robin Anderson

Loved this recipe. Beautiful flavour and the lentils add to the texture. A "slow burner", heat starts slowly. I'm definitely going to do this one again.

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Helen Steel

I got my book yesterday...as we are on lockdown I left it to the family to decide tonight’s dinner..Dhansak won as it’s not too hot for the children! We swapped the prawns for chicken & I was a little worried at first as it didn’t ‘pulp down’ too well but after an extra 15 minutes...... WOWZERS!!! This was delicious! I actually couldn’t stop eating it! This is amazing and a complete winner in our house! Restaurant quality! I can’t wait to try another one! 5*

H
Helen Thoburn

Perfectly spiced made with king prawn favourite so far

T
Toyah Flynn

Chicken Dhansak served with Jeera rice and naan So full of flavour!!!

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Neil Harrison

Saturday night lockdown night in. Chicken Dhansak, Gobi Aloo, Tarka Dhal, Matar Paneer, Naan, Pilau Rice and some extra Paneer.

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Robin Anderson

I received a gift of beautiful king prawns and had to make the Dhansak again. I never grow tired of it. This is such a good recipe. The flavour and different textures make this a winner. The lentils make it very satisfying too.

G
Gordon Allan

My new favourite curry! Chicken Dhansak with Jeera Rice, Thoran, Chilli Garlic Chutney and Tomato Chutney. The lentils give great depth of flavour and there is added zing from the lemon. Jeera rice is always a winner and Thoran is a great way of adding tasty veggies with curry.

G
Gregory Connell

A very Good Friday meal. Prawn Dhansak, and cod dhansak, pilau rice and then we did Cauliflower 65 but with broccoli, mushrooms, and asparagus instead. Cucumber raita on the side. All of it was fabulous.

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Sarah Feltham

Best Dhansak recipe we've found. Authentic flavours and tastes just like a Dhansak compared to other recipes used. Had to leave for a bit longer to simmer down excess water, excellent recipe and tastes delicious.

M
Mette Marie Lungholt

Very good, with Jeera rice and a coriander raita.

A
Andrew Leggott

Very enjoyable to cook and even more enjoyable to eat! Clean plates all around

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Catherine Morrison

Made Lamb Dhansak from original Curry Legend book, delicious!

C
Clare Turnball

King Prawn Dhansak, Bombay Potatoes, Pilau Rice and Chilli and Garlic Chutney

K
Kate Wood

We made Dhansak, Jeera rice, chilli garlic chutney. All great! We used pre-cooked prawns for the Dhansak though. next time we might go for raw.