Vegetarian dal stew (Dalcha)

Vegetarian dal stew (Dalcha)

The word dalcha comes from the Hyderabadi stew also known as Kaddu ka Dalcha. It is made from mutton, chick pea and tamarind. What I am going to make is very different from that preparation. This is a vegetarian stew popular in South East Asia and referred to by that name. This stew is nutritious, tasty and goes well with any kind of bread, particularly roti para ta. It can also be served with rice.

                                     Recipe summary
                                                 For
                               Vegetarian dal stew (Dalcha)

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes

Serves:4


This is a very nutritious dish containing protein and vegetables.

Preparation
1. Cut all the vegetables into bite size pieces.

Vegetables

4 Dhals

2. Soak  ¼ cup split chick pea and ¼ cup pigeon pea (Thoor dal) overnight as they take time to cook. Boil them separately with pinch of turmeric for 10 minutes or until it is cooked.
Boil  2 tbsp red lentils (masoor dal) and  2 tbsp mung bean separately 7 minutes each or boil each pulse until soft with pinch of turmeric. 
Mash  the cooked dhals and keep aside.




Method

1. In a large pan add 2 tbsp  oil and heat it.

2. Add 1 coarsely chopped onion and fry for about 5 minutes or until the onion is translucent. 

Dry chili,curry leaves, 
garlic and ginger paste

3. Add 4 cloves of chopped garlic, 1 green chili chopped fine, 10 grams ginger paste or juice and 10 curry leaves chopped fine. Fry for another two minutes.

4. Add 2 dry chili cut into pieces, 3 cinnamon sticks, 2 star anise, 7 cloves.

Spices used in the curry

5. Add ½  tsp fennel seeds and ½ tsp cumin seeds.
 Fry for 2 minutes. 

6. Now add 1 litre water and 1 tsp garam masala, 1 tsp chili powder    (optional) 

7. Add 80 grams cut potatoes and 80 grams cut carrot pieces and simmer for 5 minutes covered.

8. Now add soft vegetables; 400 grams  winter melon, 80 grams egg plant and 80 grams tomatoes and continue to simmer, covered, for 7 minutes.

Vegetarian dal stew (Dalcha)

9. Add the cooked  mashed dhal mixture  of 

¼ cup split chick pea
¼ cup pigeon pea (Toor dal)
2 tbsp red lentils (masoor dal)
2 tbsp mung bean and  cook a few minutes 

10.  Add the tamarind juice from 30 grams tamarind and salt and simmer for 3 minutes, uncovered.

11 Finally add ½ tsp  cumin,½ tsp pepper crushed together as it will make the curry spicy and helps 
indigestion, Add  salt to taste. Stir and cover for 2 minutes.                   
   The vegetarian dal stew is ready.

                   Recipe follows in detail with pictures.


Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves:4



Ingredients
Main
¼ cup split chick pea
¼ cup pigeon pea (Toor dal)
2 tbsp red lentils (masoor dal)
2 tbsp mung bean

4 Dhals

Vegetables
400 gram winter melon, cut into bite size pieces
80 grams egg plant, cut into bite size pieces
80 grams carrot, cut into bite size pieces
80 grams tomato, cut into bite size pieces
80 grams potato, cut into bite size pieces
150 grams onion, chopped coarsely
1 green chili
4 cloves garlic chopped
10 grams ginger
10 curry leaves
1 dry chili
30 grams tamarind.
1 litre water

Egg plant,,potato,tomato,carrot and winter  melon

Spices
3 cinnamon sticks, 2” pieces
2 star anise
7 cloves
½ tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp garam masala
1 tsp chili powder (optional)
½ tsp roasted cumin powder
½ tsp pepper powder
½  teaspoon turmeric

Spices used in the curry

Others
7 cloves garlic, sliced
2 dry red chillies cut into small pieces
1 green chili, sliced into small pieces
10 grams ginger, liquidized or ground into paste
10 curry leaves, chopped
50 grams tamarind (with seeds), juice extracted
4 cups water
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp vegetable oil of your choice

Garlic, curry leaves green chili,ginger and tamarind

Dry chili,curry leaves, garlic and ginger paste

                                                   Onion

Preparation
Soak chick pea and toor dal (pigeon pea) overnight, drain and keep aside. Boil each pulse separately until soft with turmeric. Boil chick pea and pigeon pea for about 10 minutes each or until cooked. 

Boil red lentils and mung bean without soaking separately for about 7 minutes each or until cooked. 

Boiling dhals

Softness means when you press the pulse between your thumb and forefinger it should crumble. Mash and keep aside.

                                                             Boiled Dhals mixed
Cut all the vegetables into small pieces

Method
In a large pan add the oil and heat it. Reduce the heat to medium and add onion and fry for about 5 minutes  or until the onion is translucent.

Add garlic, green chili, ginger paste or juice and curry leaves. Fry for another two minutes.

Add garlic, green chili, ginger paste or juice and curry leaves

 Add dry chili pieces and the spices - cinnamon star anise, cloves.

Add dry chili pieces and the spices - cinnamon star anise, cloves.

Add fennel seeds and cumin seeds. Fry for 2 minutes.

Add fennel seeds and cumin seeds.

Add garam masala

Add garam masala

Now add water and the cut potatoes and carrot. 

Add water and the cut potatoes and carrot. 

On high heat bring to the boil and reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for 5 minutes, covered. 

Now add the winter melon, egg plant and tomatoes and continue to simmer, covered, for 7 minutes.

Add the winter melon, egg plant and tomatoes 

Add the cooked and mashed  dhal.

Add the cooked and mashed  dal.

Add the tamarind juice and salt and simmer for 3 minutes, uncovered.

 Add Ground cumin and pepper. This will make the  curry spicy and help indigestion. Taste the salt, cover and boil for two minutes.

 Add Ground cumin and pepper.

The vegetarian stew (Dalcha ) is ready

That is it. The stew is ready. Serve hot.