panchmel dal or panchratna dal

Hi friends! Panch / 5 lentils/dals are used in the original panchmel dal recipe it is also known as panchratna dal. The word panch means five. It is a highly nutritious, delicious dal recipe. The five lentils / dals are:

• Bengal gram dal/chana dal
• black gram husked/ urad dal
• green gram husked / moong dal
• pigeon peas spilt, husked / arhar/ tur dal
• Pink lentil / Masoor dal

Recipe type: main

Cuisine: North Indian

Serves: 3-4

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup bengal gramdal / chana dal
• 1/4 cup green gram husked / moong dal
• 1/4 cup pink lentil / masoor dal
• 1/4 Pigeon peas spilt, husked / arhar dal / tur dal
• 1/4 cup Black gram dal husked /urad dal
• 4 cups water for pressure cooking the dals
• 2 cloves /laung
• 2 green Cardamoms
• 1 tsp ginger , finely grated
• ½ tsp turmeric powder/haldi
• ½ tsp cumin seeds / jeera
• ½ tsp garam masala powder
• ¼ tsp asafetida powder/hing
• 15 cloves of garlic
• 2 tbsp oil or ghee
• 1 tsp salt or / salt as per taste

Method:

Step 1.

Wash well and soak all the dals  in water for thirty minutes. In a pressure cooker take a table spoon of oil, heat it and add cumin seed. When the seeds start cracking add asafetida fry it for few seconds till asafetida turns light pink in colour.

Step 2.

Add the dals, turmeric powder, chili powder, salt and ginger in the pressure cooker on high flame. The moment pressure is formed switch off the stove. Let it cool to room temperature.

Step 3.

Open the lid of the pressure cooker, if the dal mixture looks a bit thick, then add some water slowly and stir to get a thick pouring consistency in the dal.

Step 4.

Take another pan, heat  ghee, add the cloves, green cardamoms, garam masala powder and crushed garlic.Fry them till they are fragrant.

Step 5.

Now add this fried tempering mixture to the dal, mix well. Simmer the dal for 10 minutes or so that the flavours of the spices blends well with the lentils.

Step 6.

Serve hot, garnish the dal with coriander leaves. Panchmel dal  goes very well with tandoori rotis ( Indian bread baked in clay onen), rice dishes.

Good points of mixed dals / lentils:

• Low in saturated fat
• No cholesterol
• Low in sugar
• Very high in dietary fiber
• High in iron
• High in manganese
• High in phosphorus
• High in thiamin

Health Benefits:

This recipe for Mixed Dal is very tasty and it gives energy. It is also very nourishing due to its high protein and brings deep nourishment to the tissues (dhatu).