Mixed Dal (Panchratna Dal)

Mixed Dal

Dal is staple food in Indian diet. Dal is source of protein specially for vegetarians. It is said that we should include one bowl of dal in our daily diet for sufficient protein. There are varieties of dal found in India. Pigeon peas (tur dal), red lentils (masoor dal), bengal gram (chana dal), green gram (moong/mung dal), black gram (urad dal), etc.
Method of cooking dal in different homes across India varies from region to region.
Whether be form of tadka or addition of ingredients to tadka or dal.
No matter how much we eat outside but dal rice gives us satisfaction. I am sharing below one of my dal recipe of 5 mixed lentils (dals) also called as panchratna dal or panchmel dal.

How To Make Panchratna (Panchmel) Dal:

• Wash 250-300 gms mixed dal (tur dal, chana dal, masoor dal, moong dal, black urad dal).
• Pressure cook dal along with 2 1/2 glass of water, 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder and salt to taste for 2 whistle. If you want you can boil mixed dal in vessel also but it will take more time compared to pressure cooker.
• Dal should be in mashable format.
  Meanwhile dal is getting cooked, chop 1 large onion and 1 large tomato.
• Crush 5-6 garlic cloves and piece of ginger.
• Cut 2-3 green chillies into small pieces.
• Dry roast 1/2 tablespoon cumin seeds, 1/2 tablespoon coriander seeds and 1/2 tablespoon cloves together. Grind it to fine powder.
  Now heat 2 tablespoon oil or ghee in kadhai.
• Put pinch of cumin seeds.
• Once cumin seeds start cracking, put 1/4 or 1/2 teaspoon asofodita.
• Then add chopped onion and fry till translucent.
• Once onion turns soft add crushed garlic and ginger.
• Put green chilly pieces and stir.
• Keep stiring till onion turns slight brown and rawness of ginger-garlic goes away.
• Now add chopped tomato, pinch of salt and cook till tomatoes turn soft.
• As soon as tomatoes become mashable put cooked dal and stir.
• Put little water if required. Now add grinded garam masala powder and mix again.
• Allow dal to boil for 2-3 minutes more. Switch off the flame. Mix dal is ready to be served.

Panchratna Dal