Parsi Tuvar Dal Dhanshak

Ingredients

• 2 cups Tuvar dal (pigeon peas) (Originally '2 Tipri'. Soaked if desired.)
• 1 1/2 pounds Onions (Approx. 4-5 large onions. Divided use (2/3 for boiling, 1/3 for frying).)
• 1/2 pound Red pumpkin (Peeled and cubed.)
• 1/2 pound Potatoes (Peeled and cubed.)
• 1/4 pound Sweet potato (Peeled and cubed.)
• 1 small Eggplant (Brinjal) (Seedless variety preferred, cubed.)
• 1 cup Fresh fenugreek leaves (Methi) (Originally '3 bunches'. Chopped.)
• 1/2 cup Ghee (Originally '0.25 seer'.)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Salt (Adjust to taste. Originally '2 tola'.)
• 1 teaspoon Turmeric powder (Originally '0.5 tola'.)
• 1 inch Ginger (Peeled and crushed/pounded.)
• 6 cloves Garlic (Divided use (some for paste, some sliced for frying).)
• 1 piece Cinnamon stick (Approx 1-2 inches.)
• 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds (Originally '0.5 tola'.)
• 4 pods Green cardamom (Originally '5 val'.)
• 5 whole Cloves (Originally '5 val'.)
• 1 whole Star anise (Originally '5 val'.)
• 2 teaspoons Coriander-Cumin powder (Dhana-Jiru) (Heaping.)
• 1 cup Fresh coriander leaves (Originally '4 bunches'. Chopped.)
• 3 whole Green chilies (Large size, adjust to taste.)
• 10 leaves Mint leaves (Fresh.)
• 2 tablespoons Celery or Parsley (Chopped.)
• 1/4 cup Tamarind pulp (Soaked in water and strained. Alternatively use raw mango slices.)
• 1 1/2 pounds Chicken or Mutton (Optional) (Cut into chunks. If using, cook separately before adding to dal.)

Instructions

1. 1Peel and chop about two-thirds of the onions into chunks. Peel and crush the ginger. Peel and cut the eggplant, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and pumpkin into chunks. Clean and chop the fenugreek leaves (methi). Wash the tuvar dal thoroughly in cold water.
2. 2Place the washed dal in a large pot (traditionally a tinned vessel). Add the chopped vegetables (onions, pumpkin, potatoes, sweet potato, eggplant, methi), salt, turmeric, and crushed ginger. Add approximately 3-4 cups of cold water (enough to cover well). Cover the pot and cook on low heat until the dal and vegetables are completely soft and tender.
3. 3While the dal is cooking, wash and grind the coriander leaves, green chilies, celery/parsley, and mint leaves. Also finely grind the dry spices: cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, star anise, and cumin. Combine these into a wet masala paste.
4. 4Slice the remaining onions finely (like sev). Heat the ghee in a separate pan or kadhai. Fry the sliced onions until golden brown and crisp, then remove them with a slotted spoon and set aside. In the same hot ghee, fry the sliced garlic until golden. Leave the garlic in the ghee.
5. 5Once the dal and vegetables are fully cooked and the water has mostly evaporated, remove from heat. Mash the mixture thoroughly with a heavy spoon or whisk until smooth and uniform (ghutvi). For an authentic smoky flavor, you can let the bottom layer char slightly before mashing. Add the fried garlic with its ghee, the prepared spice paste, the fried onions, and the coriander-cumin powder to the mashed dal.
6. 6Add the tamarind pulp (or raw mango slices if using). If serving with roti, add about 1-2 cups of water to achieve a thick consistency. If serving with rice, add more water (about 2-3 cups) for a pourable consistency. Return to the stove and simmer covered for 10-15 minutes to blend flavors. If using meat (chicken or mutton), cook it separately until tender and add it to the dal at this stage.