Panchmel Dal

SOAK THE CHANA DAL

• Chana dal takes the longest to cook of the five lentils. Measure 3 tbsp of chana dal into a small bowl, rinse under cold water, and soak in fresh cold water for 30 minutes before you begin cooking. 

• The other four lentils do not need soaking, simply rinse them thoroughly under cold running water, swirling and draining 2–3 times until the water runs clear, and set aside.

Chef Tip: 

Chana dal that is not soaked will remain slightly hard even after extended cooking, creating an unpleasant textural contrast with the softer lentils. The 30-minute soak is a small investment that guarantees even cooking across all five lentils.

COMBINE & BOIL ALL FIVE LENTILS

• Drain the soaked chana dal and combine with the rinsed masoor, moong, urad, and toor dal in a medium saucepan. 

• -Add 3 cups of fresh water, ½ tsp salt, and ¼ tsp turmeric. 

• Bring to a full boil over high heat, skimming off any white foam that rises in the first few minutes. Reduce to medium heat. 

• Cook uncovered for 20–25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until all the lentils are completely soft and the mixture has thickened into a creamy, slightly textured consistency. 

• Masoor and moong will dissolve; chana and urad will hold some shape. If using a pressure cooker, cook for 2–3 whistles on medium heat.

Chef Tip:

Do not stir the dal during the first 5 minutes of high heat boiling. This is when the foam rises and removing it gives you a cleaner, less cloudy finished dal. After skimming, stir freely as needed.

FRY THE ONION TO DEEP GOLDEN

• Heat 3 tbsp cooking oil in a wide, heavy-bottomed pan over medium-high heat. 

• Add the finely chopped onion and fry, stirring regularly, for 10–12 minutes until it reaches a consistent deep golden-brown colour. 

• Reduce heat to medium if the edges start darkening too fast. Do not settle for pale or light golden. 

• The depth of the final masala colour and flavour comes entirely from how well the onion is fried at this stage.

Chef Tip:

A finely chopped onion fries more evenly and faster than a roughly chopped one. If you want to speed the process slightly, add a small pinch of salt to the onion as soon as it hits the oil. Salt draws out moisture and speeds up the browning.

ADD GINGER, GARLIC & GREEN CHILLIES

• Add ½ tsp ginger paste and 1 tsp garlic paste to the golden onion. 

• Stir continuously for 2 minutes until the raw smell is completely gone. Add 2–3 slit green chillies and stir for a further 1 minute. 

• The paste will darken slightly and the pan will smell deeply aromatic.

Chef Tip:

Stay at the pan and stir without pause after adding the ginger-garlic paste. On a hot pan with fried onion already in it, ginger-garlic paste burns within 60 seconds of being left unstirred. Continuous movement is the only safeguard.

ADD TOMATOES & COOK TO OIL SEPARATION

• Add the 2 finely chopped tomatoes. Stir well to combine with the onion mixture. 

• Cook on medium heat for 10–12 minutes, pressing and mashing the tomatoes with the back of the spoon, until they have completely broken down and the oil is visibly separating and pooling at the edges of the masala. 

• The mixture should look dark, thick, and glossy and not wet. Do not proceed to the spices until the oil has clearly separated.

Chef Tip:

Adding tomatoes as a very fine chop, almost a rough paste. It dramatically speeds up breakdown time and ensures the masala reaches oil-separation in 10 minutes rather than 15–18 minutes. A sharp knife and a few extra seconds of chopping pays off at this step.

ADD ALL POWDERED SPICES & BHUNAI

• Add ½ tsp red chilli powder, ¼ tsp turmeric, 1 tsp coriander powder, and ½ tsp cumin powder to the oil-separated masala. 

• Stir immediately and continuously for 1–2 minutes on medium heat, allowing the spices to fry in the oil. 

• Add 2 tbsp of water if the mixture begins to stick. The masala will darken further and smell intensely fragrant. 

• Cook until the oil separates again after the spice addition. Then add ½ tsp garam masala, stir for 30 seconds, and proceed immediately.

Chef Tip:

Garam masala is always added last among the powdered spices and cooked for the shortest time. Its aromatic compounds are the most volatile and prolonged cooking on high heat drives them off and leaves only bitterness behind.

ADD COOKED DAL TO THE MASALA

• Pour the cooked panchmel dal directly into the masala pan. 

• Add 1 tsp salt, taste, and adjust. Stir well to fully combine the dal with the masala. 

• Add ½ to 1 cup of hot water to adjust consistency to your preference.

• Food Fusion style is medium-thick, pourable but not watery. 

• Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 5–8 minutes to allow the dal and masala to integrate and the flavours to meld.

Chef Tip:

Always taste after combining the dal and masala, before adjusting salt. The masala already contains salt, and the boiling water also had salt, adding a full teaspoon on top without tasting first often results in an over-salted dal.

ADD KASURI METHI

• Take 1 tsp of kasuri methi and rub it firmly between both palms over the dal. The rubbing crushes the dried leaves and releases their essential oils directly into the dal.

• Stir through and simmer for 1 final minute. Taste one last time and adjust seasoning if needed.

Chef Tip:

This step seems small but its impact is disproportionately large. Kasuri methi provides the distinctive aromatic background note that separates restaurant-style dal from home-cooked. Do not skip it and always rub, never just sprinkle.

PREPARE THE GHEE TADKA

• Heat 1 tbsp of ghee in a small pan over high heat until it shimmers and is just beginning to smoke. 

• Add ½ tsp cumin seeds and wait for them to crackle, about 15 seconds. Add the thinly sliced garlic and cook, stirring, until the slices turn golden and crispy  in 30 to 40 seconds. 

• Add the 2 whole dried red chillies and cook for 10 seconds. Remove from heat. 

• Immediately add ¼ tsp Kashmiri red chilli powder off the flame (it burns instantly on live heat). The tadka will sizzle dramatically. Pour the entire tadka, ghee and all, over the finished dal without stirring.

Chef Tip:

Pour the ghee tadka in the last possible moment just as the bowls are being set on the table. The crispy garlic softens within minutes of being added to hot liquid. The dramatic sizzle, the vivid colour, and the crispy texture all belong to that first serving. Prepare it fresh for reheated dal as well.