Topic: CA's Chicken Dhansak

[Razor]

Hi CA,

Great results and photos guys!  Glad you liked the recipes and thanks for trying them out and reporting back with your photos! 

I love the texture you've achieved there Rich....brilliant!  Very classy presentation! 

Well, after yesterday's performance against Liverpool, I may just do that 

Ray

[colin grigson]

Another great dish CA !! ... not one ingredient was overpowering .. perfect balance !!   

We cooked this yesterday to spec using CA's base and masala .. I used the masoor dhal recipe that I posted in traditional Indian recipes ( no-one else tried it yet  ) .. it was sooo nice we're having the same again tonight !!

CA  thanks again !        

[Edwin Catflap]

Colin your vindaloo and dhansak last week were great, full of flavour with every flavour coming through and very much BIR style!

Edwin

[colin grigson]

Eddie ... both recipes were from CA  .. since this is new for you I'd start there and then try the other hundreds of great recipes available here once you're feeling a bit more confident.     

[mmmcurry]

I gave this a go the other week, not fully to spec, with a few variations but it tasted great i thought. Thanks for the recipe CA! have tried a few of your recipes off here and they always go down a treat with myself the family and any guests that are lucky enough to sample them  , I've never got round to posting back though until now.

My Variations
I added a 1/2 tsp tandoori masala (added with spices at beginning)
1 inch cinnamon stick (added with spices at beginning)
4 chopped green chili's (i like mine spicy as its what im used to from my favourite TA what im trying to emulate)
3 green cardamons (added after base sauce/dal)


I also used this dal fry recipe to add to my dansak, which I have got from an Indian friend and modified slightly to make it more like the one in your link, i feel this gives an extra flavour to the finished curry

Pre cook the dal (about 1-2 cups) in a pressure cooker in 1 tsp chili powder and 1tsp turmeric (or boil for half hour-45 mins depending on if you have one)
heat some ghee in a pan (works best as it gets very hot and adds another flavour but can use oil too)
add 3/4 tsp of mustard seeds and stir until they start to pop
add 1/4 tsp of cumin seeds and stir (they will start crackling)
then add 1 chopped onion and 3-4 curry leaves and keep stirring until clear (5-10 mins)
add a pinch of asafoetida powder (your wife will actually thank you more for this one than your tastebuds, look up its medicinal effects if you don't know about this spice )
add 1 chopped tomato and stir
add 2 chopped chili's and stir for a minute
add 2 tsp each chopped garlic and ginger and stir for a minute
add 1 tsp garam masala
add 2 tbsp ketchup
then add the dal to this mixture, so you get all the ghee/oil into the dal which contains the flavours
add a pinch of salt and simmer for 5-10 mins to allow the flavours to bind together

This dal recipe makes enough to go in two curry's


Its still not quite right and is missing something, its not quite like what im after but its still a bloody lovely curry!

[fried]

One of last night's curries.

[George]

My Variations
I added a 1/2 tsp tandoori masala (added with spices at beginning)
1 inch cinnamon stick (added with spices at beginning)
4 chopped green chili's (i like mine spicy as its what im used to from my favourite TA what im trying to emulate)
3 green cardamons (added after base sauce/dal)

I also used this dal fry recipe to add to my dansak, which I have got from an Indian friend and modified slightly to make it more like the one in your link, i feel this gives an extra flavour to the finished curry

Its still not quite right and is missing something, its not quite like what im after but its still a bloody lovely curry!

Did you try the original recipe - fully to spec - first? If not, perhaps it was all your changes which led to it being not quite right.

[bustinmelva]

i made this curry last week to the letter ( it was the first curry i made using the recipes from this site)
i have always wanted to make this curry like a BIR as it has always been my favourite.
after getting all the ingredients, i spent all afternoon making CA's base, the Tarka dhall, mix powder ready for the Dhansak, the tarka dhall smelt amazing.
i made the curry and was impressed how well it turned out, i would say it was almost like a BIR.
the basis of a good Dhansak is definitely there, the tarka dhall just didn't seem to come through enough maybe my measuring was slightly off with the other ingredients at the end. a few more attempts me thinks and it will be there.
being my first i cant really give much judgement, i will let you know how my next one goes though
 
either way not bad for my first BIR curry

thanks CA   
 

[Unclefrank]

Hi bustinmelva i use more than the 6 tbsp stated in the recipe.
 I use a big chefs spoon full, dont forget keep tasting whenever you add more than the recipe states so you dont go overboard.

[bustinmelva]

thanks uncle frank,
i used more dhall when i made it again the other day did seem to help,
also i have been reading elsewhere on here about the (southern version) omitting the pineapple, which seems good to me as i have never seen a chunk in any takeaway down south with it in.
as recipes go, this is a good one so i suppose if your a southerner like me just leave them out