Chicken Dhansak

Name: Chicken Dhansak
Total time: 1 h 31 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 150 g red lentils; 75 g chana dal; 75 g Toor dal; 900 ml Water; 0.5 tsp Ground turmeric; 200 g Aubergine; 200 g pumpkin; 300 g Plum tomatoes; 300 g Red onion; 6 clove Garlic; 30 g Fresh ginger; 3 piece fresh green chillies; 60 ml Ghee; 1 piece Cinnamon stick; 4 piece Cloves; 3 piece Green cardamom pods; 6 piece Black peppercorns; 2 piece Bay leaf; 2 tsp Ground coriander; 1 tsp Ground cumin; 0.5 tsp Ground turmeric; 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder; 2 tbsp Dhansak masala; 1,000 g Chicken thigh; 300 ml Water; 2 tbsp tamarind paste; 15 g jaggery; 2 tsp Salt; 15 g Fresh fenugreek leaves; 1 tsp Garam masala

1 hr 31 min · 34 min active · makes ~3.8 kg · Medium

Chicken Dhansak combines tender chicken with red lentils and fresh fenugreek leaves in a warming spiced curry balanced with cinnamon and cumin.

See more →

Chicken Dhansak

Chicken Dhansak combines tender chicken with red lentils and fresh fenugreek leaves in a warming spiced curry balanced with cinnamon and cumin.

See more →

TOTAL TIME

1 hr 31 min

ACTIVE TIME

34 min

QUANTITY

~3.8 kg

DIFFICULTY

Medium

CUISINE

—

Who’s eating

Cooking for A typical adult.

This should leave everyone comfortably full.

Portions & fullness

Ingredients0/29

Tools0/14

Ingredients

0/29 gathered · 4 servings

150g

75g

1,200ml

1tsp

200g

300g

6clove

30g

3piece

60ml

1piece

4piece

3piece

6piece

2piece

2tsp

1tsp

2tbsp

1,000g

2tbsp

15g

2tsp

15g

1tsp

20g

#	Quantity	Notes	State
1	150g	—	—
2	75g	—	—
3	75g	—	—
4	1,200ml	—	—
5	1tsp	—	—
6	200g	—	—
7	200g	—	—
8	300g	—	—
9	300g	—	—
10	6clove	—	—
11	30g	—	—
12	3piece	—	—
13	60ml	—	—
14	1piece	—	—
15	4piece	—	—
16	3piece	—	—
17	6piece	—	—
18	2piece	—	—
19	2tsp	—	—
20	1tsp	—	—
21	1tsp	—	—
22	2tbsp	—	—
23	1,000g	—	—
24	2tbsp	—	—
25	15g	—	—
26	2tsp	—	—
27	15g	—	—
28	1tsp	—	—
29	20g	—	—

Tools

16 items

Serveware

1 item

Procedure

57 steps

1 of 57

Tip the red lentils into the colander.

Red lentils · 150 g

⏱ 5s

ResultRed lentils

2 of 57

Add the chana dal to the colander with the red lentils.

Chana dal · 75 g

⏱ 5s

ResultRed lentils and chana dal

3 of 57

Add the toor dal to the colander.

Toor dal · 75 g

⏱ 5s

ResultRed lentils and chana dal and toor dal

4 of 57

Rinse all the lentils and dal together under cold running water, swishing with your hand, until the water runs clear.

⏱ 30s

ResultRinsed lentils

5 of 57

Tip the rinsed lentils and dal into the large heavy-based saucepan.

Rinsed lentils · step 4

⏱ 10s

ResultRinsed lentils

6 of 57

Pour the water over the lentils and dal in the pan.

Water · 900 ml

⏱ 10s

ResultRinsed lentils and water

7 of 57

Add the turmeric to the pan.

Ground turmeric · 0.5 tsp

⏱ 5s

ResultRinsed lentils and water and ground turmeric

8 of 57

Bring the pan to a vigorous boil over high heat, skimming off any grey foam that rises to the surface with a spoon.

⏱ 5 min

ResultSkimmed lentil broth

9 of 57

Peel the aubergine with a peeler.

Aubergine · 200 g

⏱ 30s

ResultPeeled aubergine

10 of 57

Cut the peeled aubergine into roughly 3 cm chunks.

Peeled aubergine · step 9

⏱ 30s

ResultAubergine chunks

11 of 57

Add the aubergine chunks to the saucepan.

Aubergine chunks · step 10

⏱ 10s

ResultAubergine chunks and skimmed lentil broth

12 of 57

Peel the pumpkin firmly with a peeler, removing all the skin.

Pumpkin · 200 g

⏱ 40s

ResultPeeled pumpkin

13 of 57

Cut the peeled pumpkin into roughly 3 cm chunks.

Peeled pumpkin · step 12

⏱ 30s

ResultPumpkin chunks

14 of 57

Add the pumpkin chunks to the saucepan.

Pumpkin chunks · step 13

⏱ 10s

ResultAubergine chunks and skimmed lentil broth and pumpkin chunks

15 of 57

Roughly chop the tomatoes into large pieces.

Plum tomatoes · 300 g

⏱ 40s

ResultRoughly chopped plum tomatoes

16 of 57

Add the chopped tomatoes to the saucepan.

Roughly chopped plum tomatoes · step 15

⏱ 10s

ResultAubergine chunk and skimmed lentil broth mixture

17 of 57

Reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid, and simmer gently for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until all the lentils and dal are completely soft and the vegetables have broken down.

⏱ 40 min

ResultCooked lentil and vegetable mixture

18 of 57

Take the pan off the heat and blend the contents to a smooth, thick purée directly in the pan with an immersion blender.

⏱ 1 min

ResultSmooth lentil and vegetable puréeused in step 48

19 of 57

Peel the red onions, halving them through the root.

Red onion · 300 g

⏱ 30s

ResultPeeled red onion

20 of 57

Finely chop the peeled onion halves.

Peeled red onion · step 19

⏱ 1 min

ResultFinely chopped red onion

21 of 57

Transfer the chopped onion to the large frying pan, ready to fry.

Finely chopped red onion · step 20

⏱ 10s

ResultFinely chopped red onion

22 of 57

Crush each garlic clove firmly with the flat of the knife blade to loosen the skin, then peel it away.

Garlic · 6 clove

⏱ 30s

ResultPeeled garlic cloves

23 of 57

Mince the peeled garlic cloves into a fine paste by rocking the knife back and forth.

Peeled garlic cloves · step 22

⏱ 40s

ResultFinely minced garlic

24 of 57

Scrape the minced garlic into the small bowl.

Finely minced garlic · step 23

⏱ 5s

ResultFinely minced garlic

25 of 57

Peel the ginger with a peeler.

Fresh ginger · 30 g

⏱ 20s

ResultPeeled fresh ginger

26 of 57

Mince the peeled ginger as finely as you can.

Peeled fresh ginger · step 25

⏱ 40s

ResultMinced ginger

27 of 57

Add the minced ginger to the bowl with the garlic.

Minced ginger · step 26

⏱ 5s

ResultFinely minced garlic and minced ginger

28 of 57

Finely chop the green chillies, discarding the stalks.

Fresh green chillies · 3 piece

⏱ 30s

ResultFinely chopped green chillies

29 of 57

Add the chopped chillies to the bowl with the garlic and ginger.

Finely chopped green chillies · step 28

⏱ 5s

ResultFinely minced garlic and minced ginger and finely chopped green chilliesused in step 38

30 of 57

Add the ghee to the frying pan containing the onion.

Ghee · 60 ml

⏱ 5s

ResultFinely chopped red onion and ghee

31 of 57

Fry the onion in the ghee over medium-high heat, stirring regularly, until it is deeply golden-brown and beginning to crisp at the edges.

⏱ 12 min

ResultDeeply golden onion

32 of 57

Add the cinnamon stick to the pan.

Cinnamon stick · 1 piece

⏱ 5s

ResultDeeply golden onion and cinnamon stick

33 of 57

Add the cloves to the pan.

Cloves · 4 piece

⏱ 5s

ResultDeeply golden onion and cinnamon stick and cloves

34 of 57

Add the cardamom pods to the pan.

Green cardamom pods · 3 piece

⏱ 5s

ResultDeeply golden onion and cinnamon stick mixture

35 of 57

Add the black peppercorns to the pan.

Black peppercorns · 6 piece

⏱ 5s

ResultDeeply golden onion and cinnamon stick mixture

36 of 57

Add the bay leaves to the pan.

Bay leaf · 2 piece

⏱ 5s

ResultDeeply golden onion and cinnamon stick mixture

37 of 57

Stir the whole spices into the onion and fry for about 1 minute until they are very fragrant and the cardamom pods begin to puff.

⏱ 1 min

ResultFragrant whole-spice onion base

38 of 57

Add the garlic, ginger and chilli mixture to the pan.

Finely minced garlic and minced ginger and finely chopped green chillies · step 29

⏱ 5s

ResultFragrant whole-spice onion base and finely minced garlic mixture

39 of 57

Fry, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes until the raw smell of the garlic and ginger disappears and everything smells richly aromatic.

⏱ 2 min

ResultCooked ginger garlic onion base

40 of 57

Add the ground coriander to the pan.

Ground coriander · 2 tsp

⏱ 5s

ResultCooked ginger garlic onion base and ground coriander

41 of 57

Add the ground cumin to the pan.

Ground cumin · 1 tsp

⏱ 5s

ResultCooked ginger garlic onion base and ground coriander and ground cumin

42 of 57

Add the remaining turmeric to the pan.

Ground turmeric · 0.5 tsp

⏱ 5s

ResultCooked ginger garlic onion base and ground coriander mixture

43 of 57

Add the Kashmiri red chilli powder to the pan.

Kashmiri chilli powder · 1 tsp

⏱ 5s

ResultCooked ginger garlic onion base and ground coriander mixture

44 of 57

Add the dhansak masala to the pan.

Dhansak masala · 2 tbsp

⏱ 5s

ResultCooked ginger garlic onion base and ground coriander mixture

45 of 57

Stir the ground spices into the onion mixture and cook for about 90 seconds, stirring constantly, until the spices are toasted and deeply aromatic and the mixture has darkened slightly.

⏱ 1 min 30s

ResultSpiced onion masala

46 of 57

Add the chicken thighs to the pan, turning each piece to coat it thoroughly in the spiced masala.

Chicken thigh · 1,000 g

⏱ 15s

ResultSpiced onion masala and chicken thigh

47 of 57

Sear the chicken over high heat for about 5 minutes, turning with tongs, until the pieces are lightly browned all over.

⏱ 5 min

ResultSeared spiced chicken

48 of 57

Pour the smooth dal and vegetable purée from the saucepan over the chicken and masala in the frying pan.

Smooth lentil and vegetable purée · step 18

⏱ 15s

ResultSeared spiced chicken and smooth lentil and vegetable purée

49 of 57

Add the water to the pan to loosen the curry to a thick, soupy consistency.

Water · 300 ml

⏱ 10s

ResultSeared spiced chicken and smooth lentil mixture

50 of 57

Add the tamarind paste to the pan.

Tamarind paste · 2 tbsp

⏱ 5s

ResultSeared spiced chicken and smooth lentil mixture

51 of 57

Crumble the jaggery into the pan.

Jaggery · 15 g

⏱ 5s

ResultSeared spiced chicken and smooth lentil mixture

52 of 57

Add the salt to the pan and stir everything together.

Salt · 2 tsp

⏱ 5s

ResultSeared spiced chicken and smooth lentil mixture

53 of 57

Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover partially with a lid and cook over low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is thick and coating.

⏱ 30 min

ResultThickened chicken dhansak

54 of 57

Add the fresh fenugreek leaves to the pan, stirring them through the curry.

Fresh fenugreek leaves · 15 g

⏱ 5s

ResultThickened chicken dhansak and fresh fenugreek leaves

55 of 57

Add the garam masala to the pan.

Garam masala · 1 tsp

⏱ 5s

ResultThickened chicken dhansak and fresh fenugreek leaves and garam masala

56 of 57

Stir the fenugreek and garam masala through and simmer uncovered for a further 5 minutes to let the flavours meld and the sauce tighten. Check the thickest piece reads 74 °C on a thermometer.

⏱ 5 min

ResultTender chicken dhansakused in step 58

57 of 57

Roughly chop the fresh coriander leaves and tender stalks.

Fresh coriander · 20 g

⏱ 20s

ResultRoughly chopped corianderused in step 59

Total Time1 hr 31 min

#	Product	Action
1	150 g	Tip the red lentils into the colander.⏱ 5sResultRed lentils
2	75 g	Add the chana dal to the colander with the red lentils.⏱ 5sResultRed lentils and chana dal
3	75 g	Add the toor dal to the colander.⏱ 5sResultRed lentils and chana dal and toor dal
4	—	Rinse all the lentils and dal together under cold running water, swishing with your hand, until the water runs clear.⏱ 30sResultRinsed lentils
5	Rinsed lentilsstep 4	Tip the rinsed lentils and dal into the large heavy-based saucepan.⏱ 10sResultRinsed lentils
6	900 ml	Pour the water over the lentils and dal in the pan.⏱ 10sResultRinsed lentils and water
7	0.5 tsp	Add the turmeric to the pan.⏱ 5sResultRinsed lentils and water and ground turmeric
8	—	Bring the pan to a vigorous boil over high heat, skimming off any grey foam that rises to the surface with a spoon.⏱ 5 minResultSkimmed lentil broth
9	200 g	Peel the aubergine with a peeler.⏱ 30sResultPeeled aubergine
10	Peeled auberginestep 9	Cut the peeled aubergine into roughly 3 cm chunks.⏱ 30sResultAubergine chunks
11	Aubergine chunksstep 10	Add the aubergine chunks to the saucepan.⏱ 10sResultAubergine chunks and skimmed lentil broth
12	200 g	Peel the pumpkin firmly with a peeler, removing all the skin.⏱ 40sResultPeeled pumpkin
13	Peeled pumpkinstep 12	Cut the peeled pumpkin into roughly 3 cm chunks.⏱ 30sResultPumpkin chunks
14	Pumpkin chunksstep 13	Add the pumpkin chunks to the saucepan.⏱ 10sResultAubergine chunks and skimmed lentil broth and pumpkin chunks
15	300 g	Roughly chop the tomatoes into large pieces.⏱ 40sResultRoughly chopped plum tomatoes
16	Roughly chopped plum tomatoesstep 15	Add the chopped tomatoes to the saucepan.⏱ 10sResultAubergine chunk and skimmed lentil broth mixture
17	—	Reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid, and simmer gently for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until all the lentils and dal are completely soft and the vegetables have broken down.⏱ 40 minResultCooked lentil and vegetable mixture
18	—	Take the pan off the heat and blend the contents to a smooth, thick purée directly in the pan with an immersion blender.⏱ 1 minResultSmooth lentil and vegetable puréeused in step 48
19	300 g	Peel the red onions, halving them through the root.⏱ 30sResultPeeled red onion
20	Peeled red onionstep 19	Finely chop the peeled onion halves.⏱ 1 minResultFinely chopped red onion
21	Finely chopped red onionstep 20	Transfer the chopped onion to the large frying pan, ready to fry.⏱ 10sResultFinely chopped red onion
22	6 clove	Crush each garlic clove firmly with the flat of the knife blade to loosen the skin, then peel it away.⏱ 30sResultPeeled garlic cloves
23	Peeled garlic clovesstep 22	Mince the peeled garlic cloves into a fine paste by rocking the knife back and forth.⏱ 40sResultFinely minced garlic
24	Finely minced garlicstep 23	Scrape the minced garlic into the small bowl.⏱ 5sResultFinely minced garlic
25	30 g	Peel the ginger with a peeler.⏱ 20sResultPeeled fresh ginger
26	Peeled fresh gingerstep 25	Mince the peeled ginger as finely as you can.⏱ 40sResultMinced ginger
27	Minced gingerstep 26	Add the minced ginger to the bowl with the garlic.⏱ 5sResultFinely minced garlic and minced ginger
28	3 piece	Finely chop the green chillies, discarding the stalks.⏱ 30sResultFinely chopped green chillies
29	Finely chopped green chilliesstep 28	Add the chopped chillies to the bowl with the garlic and ginger.⏱ 5sResultFinely minced garlic and minced ginger and finely chopped green chilliesused in step 38
30	60 ml	Add the ghee to the frying pan containing the onion.⏱ 5sResultFinely chopped red onion and ghee
31	—	Fry the onion in the ghee over medium-high heat, stirring regularly, until it is deeply golden-brown and beginning to crisp at the edges.⏱ 12 minResultDeeply golden onion
32	1 piece	Add the cinnamon stick to the pan.⏱ 5sResultDeeply golden onion and cinnamon stick
33	4 piece	Add the cloves to the pan.⏱ 5sResultDeeply golden onion and cinnamon stick and cloves
34	3 piece	Add the cardamom pods to the pan.⏱ 5sResultDeeply golden onion and cinnamon stick mixture
35	6 piece	Add the black peppercorns to the pan.⏱ 5sResultDeeply golden onion and cinnamon stick mixture
36	2 piece	Add the bay leaves to the pan.⏱ 5sResultDeeply golden onion and cinnamon stick mixture
37	—	Stir the whole spices into the onion and fry for about 1 minute until they are very fragrant and the cardamom pods begin to puff.⏱ 1 minResultFragrant whole-spice onion base
38	Finely minced garlic and minced ginger and finely chopped green chilliesstep 29	Add the garlic, ginger and chilli mixture to the pan.⏱ 5sResultFragrant whole-spice onion base and finely minced garlic mixture
39	—	Fry, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes until the raw smell of the garlic and ginger disappears and everything smells richly aromatic.⏱ 2 minResultCooked ginger garlic onion base
40	2 tsp	Add the ground coriander to the pan.⏱ 5sResultCooked ginger garlic onion base and ground coriander
41	1 tsp	Add the ground cumin to the pan.⏱ 5sResultCooked ginger garlic onion base and ground coriander and ground cumin
42	0.5 tsp	Add the remaining turmeric to the pan.⏱ 5sResultCooked ginger garlic onion base and ground coriander mixture
43	1 tsp	Add the Kashmiri red chilli powder to the pan.⏱ 5sResultCooked ginger garlic onion base and ground coriander mixture
44	2 tbsp	Add the dhansak masala to the pan.⏱ 5sResultCooked ginger garlic onion base and ground coriander mixture
45	—	Stir the ground spices into the onion mixture and cook for about 90 seconds, stirring constantly, until the spices are toasted and deeply aromatic and the mixture has darkened slightly.⏱ 1 min 30sResultSpiced onion masala
46	1,000 g	Add the chicken thighs to the pan, turning each piece to coat it thoroughly in the spiced masala.⏱ 15sResultSpiced onion masala and chicken thigh
47	—	Sear the chicken over high heat for about 5 minutes, turning with tongs, until the pieces are lightly browned all over.⏱ 5 minResultSeared spiced chicken
48	Smooth lentil and vegetable puréestep 18	Pour the smooth dal and vegetable purée from the saucepan over the chicken and masala in the frying pan.⏱ 15sResultSeared spiced chicken and smooth lentil and vegetable purée
49	300 ml	Add the water to the pan to loosen the curry to a thick, soupy consistency.⏱ 10sResultSeared spiced chicken and smooth lentil mixture
50	2 tbsp	Add the tamarind paste to the pan.⏱ 5sResultSeared spiced chicken and smooth lentil mixture
51	15 g	Crumble the jaggery into the pan.⏱ 5sResultSeared spiced chicken and smooth lentil mixture
52	2 tsp	Add the salt to the pan and stir everything together.⏱ 5sResultSeared spiced chicken and smooth lentil mixture
53	—	Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover partially with a lid and cook over low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is thick and coating.⏱ 30 minResultThickened chicken dhansak
54	15 g	Add the fresh fenugreek leaves to the pan, stirring them through the curry.⏱ 5sResultThickened chicken dhansak and fresh fenugreek leaves
55	1 tsp	Add the garam masala to the pan.⏱ 5sResultThickened chicken dhansak and fresh fenugreek leaves and garam masala
56	—	Stir the fenugreek and garam masala through and simmer uncovered for a further 5 minutes to let the flavours meld and the sauce tighten. Check the thickest piece reads 74 °C on a thermometer.⏱ 5 minResultTender chicken dhansakused in step 58
57	20 g	Roughly chop the fresh coriander leaves and tender stalks.⏱ 20sResultRoughly chopped corianderused in step 59
Total Time		1 hr 31 min

Serving

Ladle the chicken dhansak into the serving bowl.
Scatter the chopped fresh coriander over the top to finish. The cinnamon stick, cloves, green cardamom pods, black peppercorns and bay leaf are there for flavour; don't eat them.

Nutrition

per serving

Estimated · pre-cooking · 94% ingredients covered

Nutrient	Per serving
	852kcal
	71g
	28g
	12g
	79g
	17g
	15g
	1,453mg

Ingredients0/29

Tools0/14

Recipe

Chicken Dhansak

Chicken Dhansak combines tender chicken with red lentils and fresh fenugreek leaves in a warming spiced curry balanced with cinnamon and cumin.

What you’ll doYou will rinse and simmer lentils and dal with aubergine, pumpkin and tomatoes until soft, then blend to a purée. In parallel, fry onions until golden, toast whole spices, then add garlic, ginger and chilli before cooking ground spices. Sear the chicken in this masala, combine with the dal purée, and simmer gently for 30 minutes until cooked through. Finish with fenugreek leaves, garam masala and fresh coriander.

Serves4

Total1 hr 31 min

LevelMedium

Ingredients

Red lentils150 g
Chana dal75 g
Toor dal75 g
Water1,200 ml
Ground turmeric1 tsp
Aubergine200 g
Pumpkin200 g
Plum tomatoes300 g
Red onion300 g
Garlic6 clove
Fresh ginger30 g
Fresh green chillies3 piece
Ghee60 ml
Cinnamon stick1 piece
Cloves4 piece
Green cardamom pods3 piece
Black peppercorns6 piece
Bay leaf2 piece
Ground coriander2 tsp
Ground cumin1 tsp
Kashmiri chilli powder1 tsp
Dhansak masala2 tbsp
Chicken thigh1,000 g
Tamarind paste2 tbsp
Jaggery15 g
Salt2 tsp
Fresh fenugreek leaves15 g
Garam masala1 tsp
Fresh coriander20 g

Tools

SpoonTongsWork surfaceSmall bowlLarge frying panLarge heavy based saucepanChef's knifeImmersion blenderWooden spoonColanderPeelerLadleServing bowlChopping boardPan lidThermometer

Method

Tip the red lentils into the colander.

5sColanderRed lentils · 150 g

Add the chana dal to the colander with the red lentils.

5sColanderChana dal · 75 g

Add the toor dal to the colander.

5sColanderToor dal · 75 g

Rinse all the lentils and dal together under cold running water, swishing with your hand, until the water runs clear.

30sColander

Tip the rinsed lentils and dal into the large heavy-based saucepan.

10sLarge heavy based saucepanRinsed lentils · step 4

Pour the water over the lentils and dal in the pan.

10sLarge heavy based saucepanWater · 900 ml

Add the turmeric to the pan.

5sLarge heavy based saucepanGround turmeric · 0.5 tsp

Bring the pan to a vigorous boil over high heat, skimming off any grey foam that rises to the surface with a spoon.

5 minLarge heavy based saucepan, Spoon

Peel the aubergine with a peeler.

30sChopping board, PeelerAubergine · 200 g

Cut the peeled aubergine into roughly 3 cm chunks.

30sChopping board, Chefs knifePeeled aubergine · step 9

Add the aubergine chunks to the saucepan.

10sLarge heavy based saucepanAubergine chunks · step 10

Peel the pumpkin firmly with a peeler, removing all the skin.

40sChopping board, PeelerPumpkin · 200 g

Cut the peeled pumpkin into roughly 3 cm chunks.

30sChopping board, Chefs knifePeeled pumpkin · step 12

Add the pumpkin chunks to the saucepan.

10sLarge heavy based saucepanPumpkin chunks · step 13

Roughly chop the tomatoes into large pieces.

40sChopping board, Work surface, Chefs knifePlum tomatoes · 300 g

Add the chopped tomatoes to the saucepan.

10sLarge heavy based saucepanRoughly chopped plum tomatoes · step 15

Reduce the heat to low, cover with a lid, and simmer gently for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until all the lentils and dal are completely soft and the vegetables have broken down.

40 minLarge heavy based saucepan, Pan lid

Take the pan off the heat and blend the contents to a smooth, thick purée directly in the pan with an immersion blender.

Result · Smooth lentil and vegetable purée · used in step 48

1 minLarge heavy based saucepan, Immersion blender

Peel the red onions, halving them through the root.

30sChopping board, Chefs knifeRed onion · 300 g

Finely chop the peeled onion halves.

1 minChopping board, Chefs knifePeeled red onion · step 19

Transfer the chopped onion to the large frying pan, ready to fry.

10sLarge frying panFinely chopped red onion · step 20

Crush each garlic clove firmly with the flat of the knife blade to loosen the skin, then peel it away.

30sChopping board, Chefs knifeGarlic · 6 clove

Mince the peeled garlic cloves into a fine paste by rocking the knife back and forth.

40sChopping board, Chefs knifePeeled garlic cloves · step 22

Scrape the minced garlic into the small bowl.

5sSmall bowlFinely minced garlic · step 23

Peel the ginger with a peeler.

20sChopping board, PeelerFresh ginger · 30 g

Mince the peeled ginger as finely as you can.

40sChopping board, Chefs knifePeeled fresh ginger · step 25

Add the minced ginger to the bowl with the garlic.

5sSmall bowlMinced ginger · step 26

Finely chop the green chillies, discarding the stalks.

30sChopping board, Chefs knifeFresh green chillies · 3 piece

Add the chopped chillies to the bowl with the garlic and ginger.

Result · Finely minced garlic and minced ginger and finely chopped green chillies · used in step 38

5sSmall bowlFinely chopped green chillies · step 28

Add the ghee to the frying pan containing the onion.

5sLarge frying panGhee · 60 ml

Fry the onion in the ghee over medium-high heat, stirring regularly, until it is deeply golden-brown and beginning to crisp at the edges.

12 minLarge frying pan, Wooden spoon

Add the cinnamon stick to the pan.

5sLarge frying panCinnamon stick · 1 piece

Add the cloves to the pan.

5sLarge frying panCloves · 4 piece

Add the cardamom pods to the pan.

5sLarge frying panGreen cardamom pods · 3 piece

Add the black peppercorns to the pan.

5sLarge frying panBlack peppercorns · 6 piece

Add the bay leaves to the pan.

5sLarge frying panBay leaf · 2 piece

Stir the whole spices into the onion and fry for about 1 minute until they are very fragrant and the cardamom pods begin to puff.

1 minLarge frying pan, Wooden spoon

Add the garlic, ginger and chilli mixture to the pan.

5sLarge frying panFinely minced garlic and minced ginger and finely chopped green chillies · step 29

Fry, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes until the raw smell of the garlic and ginger disappears and everything smells richly aromatic.

2 minLarge frying pan, Wooden spoon

Add the ground coriander to the pan.

5sLarge frying panGround coriander · 2 tsp

Add the ground cumin to the pan.

5sLarge frying panGround cumin · 1 tsp

Add the remaining turmeric to the pan.

5sLarge frying panGround turmeric · 0.5 tsp

Add the Kashmiri red chilli powder to the pan.

5sLarge frying panKashmiri chilli powder · 1 tsp

Add the dhansak masala to the pan.

5sLarge frying panDhansak masala · 2 tbsp

Stir the ground spices into the onion mixture and cook for about 90 seconds, stirring constantly, until the spices are toasted and deeply aromatic and the mixture has darkened slightly.

1 min 30sLarge frying pan, Wooden spoon

Add the chicken thighs to the pan, turning each piece to coat it thoroughly in the spiced masala.

15sLarge frying panChicken thigh · 1,000 g

Sear the chicken over high heat for about 5 minutes, turning with tongs, until the pieces are lightly browned all over.

5 minLarge frying pan, Tongs

Pour the smooth dal and vegetable purée from the saucepan over the chicken and masala in the frying pan.

15sLarge frying panSmooth lentil and vegetable purée · step 18

Add the water to the pan to loosen the curry to a thick, soupy consistency.

10sLarge frying panWater · 300 ml

Add the tamarind paste to the pan.

5sLarge frying panTamarind paste · 2 tbsp

Crumble the jaggery into the pan.

5sLarge frying panJaggery · 15 g

Add the salt to the pan and stir everything together.

5sLarge frying panSalt · 2 tsp

Bring to a gentle simmer, then cover partially with a lid and cook over low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through and the sauce is thick and coating.

30 minLarge frying pan, Pan lid

Add the fresh fenugreek leaves to the pan, stirring them through the curry.

5sLarge frying panFresh fenugreek leaves · 15 g

Add the garam masala to the pan.

5sLarge frying panGaram masala · 1 tsp

Stir the fenugreek and garam masala through and simmer uncovered for a further 5 minutes to let the flavours meld and the sauce tighten. Check the thickest piece reads 74 °C on a thermometer.

Result · Tender chicken dhansak · used in step 58

5 minLarge frying pan, Thermometer

Roughly chop the fresh coriander leaves and tender stalks.

Result · Roughly chopped coriander · used in step 59

20sChopping board, Chefs knifeFresh coriander · 20 g

Ladle the chicken dhansak into the serving bowl.

20sServing bowl, LadleTender chicken dhansak · step 56

Scatter the chopped fresh coriander over the top to finish. The cinnamon stick, cloves, green cardamom pods, black peppercorns and bay leaf are there for flavour; don't eat them.

Result · Chicken Dhansak

10sServing bowlRoughly chopped coriander · step 57

Printed 7 October 2026