Floyd's Dhansak

[floydmeddler]

Hi guys,

I've been perfecting my Dhansak recipe now for a good year or more. I finally know it's perfect now as I haven't altered a single thing the last 10 or so times I've cooked it. I have this most Fridays as part of my BIR feast and find myself craving it madly during the week. When that lentils mix, lemon and pineapple juice hit the pan, the smell is nothing short of euphoric.  It's an absolute BEAUT of a Dhansak. 

This recipe serves two. I cook it in a wok.

Chicken Tikka Dhansak - Serves  2

Ingredients:

- 4tbsp veg oil
- 2 tbsp garlic/ginger (2:1 ratio)
- 3 tsp mixed powder
- ½ tsp cayenne powder
- 1 tsp methi
- 1 ½ TBSP double tom puree mixed with 5 TBSP water
- 2 tsp ketchup
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1 TBSP Mango chutney
- 600ml Curry base
- Precooked lentils: 80g dried red lentils, rinsed then cooked with ¾ tsp curry powder, 1/4 tsp garam masala, 4 cracked green cardamon pods and small bay leaf.
Cover with water. Cook down until mushy adding more water if need be.
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tsp pineapple juice
- 12 pieces of chicken tikka
- 2 tbsp fresh chopped coriander last few mins. More to serve.

Method:

1.   Heat Oil
2.   garlic+ginger 15 secs
3.   Spices, methi 15 secs
4.   Tom puree, ketchup 15 secs
5.   Sugar, mango chutney,  ½ of base *allow to cook down*
6.   Remaining base sauce, lentils mix, salt, lemon juice, Wors sauce, pineapple juice, fresh coriander, chicken *allow to cook down*
7.   Fresh coriander to serve

[livo]

I cooked this last night Floyd. Delicious. I highly recommend others give it a try.

[Peripatetic Phil]

Do either of you have any experience of this recipe with other than chicken tikka as the main ingredient ?  For me, a lamb dhansak is my dish of choice, but chicken dhansak (not chikken tikka) is a not-bad fallback.
--
** Phil.

[livo]

No Phil, I did chicken tikka (Syed's) and I also used his base gravy. I used double the chicken though I think. I cooked 1kg and put 3/4 of it in the dish. Really good.

[Peripatetic Phil]

OK, thanks Livo.  I will just have to make it myself and report back !
--
** Phil.

[livo]

I possibly should have cooked more water out of the lentils and there is quite a lot of liquid in the fruit juices and diluted tomato paste, plus 600 ml of base gravy (which I didn't measure accurately). Because I probably ended up with a larger volume of sauce than I possibly should have, I just added the extra chicken tikka.  I cooked it down as much as I dared but was worried about overcooking the chicken.  I think I could do it a bit better in future but I really enjoyed it.

I don't see too much problem with using pre-cooked lamb or standard BIR Chicken but not having tried it, I can't say for sure.

[floydmeddler]

I cooked this last night Floyd. Delicious. I highly recommend others give it a try.

Thanks Livo. Really glad you enjoyed it. :-)

[floydmeddler]

Do either of you have any experience of this recipe with other than chicken tikka as the main ingredient ?  For me, a lamb dhansak is my dish of choice, but chicken dhansak (not chikken tikka) is a not-bad fallback.
--
** Phil.

Hi Phil.

I've only ever gone for chicken tikka. I'm sure this would be great with lamb, too, though. Only one way to find out! :-)

[floydmeddler]

Tweaked slightly. Reduced the G+G. Upped the mixed powder, chilli and sugar. Reduced the Worcestershire sauce; found myself tasting it distinctly... Not what I'm after.

Chicken Tikka Dhansak - Serves  2
Ingredients:

- 4tbsp veg oil
- 1 TBSP garlic/ginger (2:1 ratio)
- 2 TBSP mixed powder
- 1 tsp cayenne powder
- 1 tsp methi
- 1 ½ TBSP double tom puree mixed with 5 TBSP water
- 2 tsp ketchup
- 3 tsp sugar
- 1 TBSP Mango chutney
- 600ml curry base
- Precooked lentils:
80g dried red lentils, rinsed then cooked with ¾ tsp curry powder, 1/4 tsp garam masala, 3 cracked green cardamon pods and small bay leaf. Cover with water. Cook down until mushy adding more water if need be.
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
- ¼ tsp Worcestershire sauce (don't change quantity)
- 2 tsp pineapple juice
- 12 pieces of chicken tikka
- 2 tbsp fresh chopped coriander last few mins. More to serve.

Method:

1.   Heat Oil
2.   garlic+ginger 15 secs
3.   Spices, methi 15 secs
4.   Tom puree, ketchup 15 secs
5.   Sugar, mango chutney,  ½ of base *allow to cook down*
6.   Remaining base sauce, lentils mix, salt, lemon juice, Wors sauce, pineapple juice, fresh coriander, chicken *allow to cook down*
7.   Fresh coriander to serve