Topic: London style Chicken Dansak

[Gezh]

I've tried a couple of the Dansak recipes in this section, and they have not really been much like the type of Dansak I get served in London. There has been some discussion on regional variations, and clearly there must be, as I am sure I have never had a Dansak with pineapple chunks in!

So today I had a go at making it the way I know it, and I think it turned out incredibly well, I'm very pleased with it. This recipe takes various elements of other people's and combines them. Also, the cooking method is the bog standard cooking method repeated on this site countless times, so I won't detail it too much.

Serves one big belly or two small bellies

Preparation

Lentils. I make regular portions of C.A.'s Tarka Dahl, and as C.A. himself recommends in his Dansak recipe, I use a ladle of this. It's best if it's thick, not watered down too much into soup. Of course you could prepare some fresh lentils, but I can't vouch for the difference it will make to the flavour.

Sweet and Sour. All BIR menus describe Dansak as Hot, Sweet and Sour, and it's an important part of the taste. I created a simple mix which did the trick for me:
1 heaped teaspoon sugar
3 level teaspoons lemon jiuce
1 heaped teaspoon mango chutney.

Base sauce. My favourite base is the Bruce Edward one, but of course you can use your own preference. 2-3 ladles needed, depending on amount you want to make.

Spices. All down to personal taste... I used:
1 tsp Rajah Madras Curry powder
half tsp Garam Masala.
1 tsp Rajah Chilli powder
1/3 (third) tsp Amchoor (mango) powder.
Small pinch dried methi leaves.

Meat. I had leftover chicken from a roast, and this was great. Prawns go fantastically in a Dansak too. Either way, mine was precooked and unspiced.

Other ingredients
Some finely chopped onion and pepper, optional
Garlic/Ginger paste, 1 heaped tsp
Tomato puree, 1 tablespoon

Cooking. The usual cr0 style:

- Heat oil.
- Fry onion and pepper, if using.
- Add G/G paste once oil is up to temperature. Fry and stir 1 min.
- Add spices, then tomato puree, fry 2 mins, careful not to burn.
- Gradually stir in the base, as described on almost all recipes on this site!
- Add the Tarka Dahl, sweet/sour mix, and chicken.
- Stir together and simmer gently while you make the rice.

Done!

[976bar]

Being from London myself this seems more the Dhansak I know and love. I will try this tonight but with fresh lentils and let you know how it turns out.

Some pictures of yours would have been good

[Gezh]

Being from London myself this seems more the Dhansak I know and love. I will try this tonight but with fresh lentils and let you know how it turns out.

Some pictures of yours would have been good

Yeah I know sorry, I got so carried away with the cooking and eating, I forgot about the camera 

The tarka dahl is pretty intense in itself, so I'm sure it really contributes to this dish. If using plain lentils, you may need to up some of the spice mix, but I'll have to try that another time.

Hope it turned out well!

[mmmcurry]

how did this go? 

[CurryOnRegardless]

Dahl is a favourite of mine and so therefore is dansak. Not many places seem to do a decent dahl but there is one local T/A that has it spot on. It has an open plan kitchen but the dahl is usually pre-made so until recently I'd no idea how they did it but a couple of months ago I had to wait while he made me a portion.
Simplicity is the key apparently. He just boiled some red split lentils, added a little turmeric and when done the tarka was just hing (the resin) melted into butter, not ghee, ordinary unsalted butter (the chef said Lurpack gives the best taste). Asked why not ghee he said it gets too hot and can burn spices too easily so it's best to use butter for a tarka, add the spice into the pan with the butter and slowly melt it the add to the dahl and that's it. Dead easy to do at home and tastes great, just don't overdo the hing a little goes a long way.

Cheers
CoR

[Secret Santa]

  the tarka was just hing (the resin)...

CoR that's the first time I've heard anyone give a report of hing resin being used in a takeaway...interesting.

[CurryOnRegardless]

  the tarka was just hing (the resin)...

CoR that's the first time I've heard anyone give a report of hing resin being used in a takeaway...interesting.

Hi SS

Indeed and, get this, the chef actually crumbles the stuff between his fingers into the melting butter!

This is the guy that wont normally let on about anything, if you ask a question he just fobs you off with a condescending "years of experience" answer so I felt quite privileged to get the tip about butter instead of ghee for the tarka.

Regards
CoR 

[Secret Santa]

the chef actually crumbles the stuff between his fingers into the melting butter!

Bloody hell! What's his name Popeye?  ;D

Seriously, I have to take a hammer to the stuff I buy. Either that or grate it.

Makes me wonder if it was hing resin, did he actually say that was what it was?

[CurryOnRegardless]

I know exactly what you mean SS but yes it was the resin, he showed me the stuff and when I said it was difficult to find he gave me a few lumps in a paper bag.

He didn't grind it to a powder in his fingers he just rubbed two lumps of it so a few bits dropped into the butter and that is all you need, still bloody impossible to do though so I smash some with a meat hammer and then just use a tiny pinch.

Back to the dansak, I think the pineapple has been consigned to the bin of history, can't remember the last time I had any but years ago it always had pineapple chunks in.

Regards
CoR

[George]

This recipe takes various elements of other people's and combines them. Also, the cooking method is the bog standard cooking method repeated on this site countless times, so I won't detail it too much.

Many thanks for what looks like a good recipe. I appreciate the way you've explained some of the rationale in your thinking - well set out.