Chicken dhansak recipe

Chicken Dhansak recipe

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About this recipe

In this blog post I will guide you thru the steps and ingredients needed to craft this recipe. Grab your favorite apron and let's start.
Chicken dhansak is a flavorful and aromatic Indian dish that combines tender chicken with lentils and a blend of spices. This recipe is a perfect balance of sweet, sour, and spicy flavors, creating a delicious and satisfying meal. With its origins in the Parsi community of India, dhansak is traditionally served with rice or naan bread. It is a popular choice for those looking to explore the rich and diverse cuisine of India.

Keywords: chicken dhansak, Indian dish, lentils, spices, Parsi community.

Chicken dhansak recipe details

Chicken dhansak recipe, recipe Rating: 4.5
Number of votes:101 

Ingredients

4 tbsp	sunflower oil or ghee
200 g	lentils
400 g	squash of any sort
500 g	chicken breast, cut into strips
500 ml	chicken stock
1 piece(s)	cinnamon stick
10	black peppercorns
4	bay leaves
1	star anise
½ tbsp	cumin seeds
½ tbsp	coriander seeds
½ tsp	sesame seeds
1 pinch(es)	grated nutmeg
2 tsp	turmeric
2	dried red chillies
½ tsp	fenugreek
1 bunch(es)	mint, small
1 bunch(es)	coriander, large
1 piece(s)	ginger about 6 cm, peeled and ground to a paste (or use 1 tbsp from a jar)
1 tbsp	Tamarind paste
4 clove(s)	garlic, crushed to a paste
	salt

Instructions

Wash the lentils and put them in a pan of cold water with the squash cut into pieces. Boil them with salt and 1 teaspoon of turmeric for 10 minutes. While the lentils are cooking, remove any scum that forms. Add chicken stock, salt to taste and boil till the lentils are soft approximately for further 20 minutes. Whisk the lentils to get a smooth soup-like consistency. If the pan runs dry, add a little water and set it aside.

As the lentils are being cooked, dry roast all the spices (except turmeric and nutmeg) till they begin to release their aroma. Grind to a fine powder and mix in the second teaspoon of turmeric and the nutmeg. Blend it well and keep aside.

Fry the chicken pieces in sunflower oil over moderate heat in a large heavy frying pan, until they are sealed and have turned white. Set aside after removing from pan.

Stir-fry the fresh coriander, fenugreek and mint leaves in a pan on a medium flame in a little oil until they become soft, then remove from the heat. Allow to cool and grind into a smooth paste.

Heat a deep, heavy-bottomed pan. Add the whole chilies and fry until they start to swell. Add the dry spice powder, coriander-mint-fenugreek paste you made earlier and garlic-ginger-tamarind paste. Add a cup of water, the lentils, the chicken pieces and salt if needed. Simmer the curry until the chicken is done. It takes approximately 25- 30 minutes.

Serve Chicken Dhansak hot with rice and cucumber raita.

Preparation time:
ca. 1 hr
Grade of difficulty:
medium
Calories per portion:
n/a