Dhan-saak Dal ( 1 Teaspoon Oil Recipe )

A traditional Parsi dish usually prepared on Sundays for a family meal. As the name says, dhan-saak is an interesting combination of dals (dhan) and vegetables (saak) perked with loads of spices to make it a mouth-watering dish. Being cooked only with 1 teaspoon of oil this is a really healthier recipe. We have taken care not to strain out the dal after boiling it so as to retain all the fibre and nutrients that the vegetables and dals provide. Serve the dhan-saak with Brown Rice, to make a completely gratifying meal.

Preparation Time: 25 mins
Cooking Time: 30 mins
Makes 4 servings

1/2 cup toovar (arhar) (arhar) dal
2 tsp yellow moong dal (split yellow gram) (split yellow gram)
2 tsp masoor dal (split red lentil) (split red lentil)
2 tsp urad dal (split black lentils) (split black lentils)
2 tsp vaal dal (split field beans/ split butter beans) (split field beans)
1/4 cup chopped potatoes
1/4 cup chopped brinjals (baingan / eggplant) (baingan / eggplant)
1/4 cup chopped bottle gourd (doodhi / lauki) (doodhi / lauki)
1/4 cup chopped red pumpkin (bhopla / kaddu) (kaddu)_spell!
1 spring onions with greens , chopped
1 tbsp fenugreek (methi) leaves (methi) leaves , chopped
1 tomato , chopped
3 tsp tamarind (imli) (imli) , soaked in 1/4 cup
1/2 tsp oil
salt to taste

To Be Ground Into A Paste
1 green chilli
3 whole red chillies
4 large sized cloves (laung / lavang) of garlic (lehsun) (lehsun)
1 stick of cinnamon (dalchini) (dalchini)
4 cloves (laung / lavang) (laung / lavang)
25 of ginger (adrak) (adrak)
1 cardamom (elaichi) (elaichi)
1 tsp coriander (dhania) (dhania) seeds
4 black peppercorns (kalimirch) (kalimirch)
1/2 tsp cumin seeds (jeera) (jeera)
2 tsp chopped coriander (dhania) (dhania)
2 tbsp water

To Be Made Into A Dry Powdered Masala
1 cardamom (elaichi) (elaichi)
1 stick of cinnamon (dalchini) (dalchini)
1 clove (laung / lavang)