The weather is finally cooling down where I am, this means soup and stew making time. What’s better than a bowl of Dalcha, loaded with vegetables and flavor?
Dalcha is one of those dishes that I learned to make from a friend after eating at her house multiple times. It’s not the prettiest dish but I had found it very unique and delicious. It’s kind of a thick soup that is made by simmering mixed split lentils with a variety of spices, which are then mashed and cooked either with vegetables (such as bottle gourd, eggplant ) or with chunks of meat (most commonly lamb or mutton) in an aromatic broth. It is a very popular recipe in South India, especially Hyderabad.
There are countless ways to prepare dalcha. Here I am giving you a vegetarian dalcha recipe with green beans. This year my beans produced a worthwhile crop so I had to find different ways to include them in our meals every week. Last week I removed the vines from the trellis and picked whatever beans were on them. I had left the them on the plants too long and they had gone a bit tough but tasted absolutely delicious in dalcha. Instead of green beans, you can add a mix of eggplant, pumpkin, bottle-gourd, etc. or any one vegetable of your choice.
The advantage of using veggies in a lentil dish is to get a variety of antioxidants and enjoy different texture and taste. Typical ingredients used in the preparation of this dalcha include onions, garlic and ginger paste, tomatoes, and spices such as coriander, cumin, turmeric, cinnamon, red chili powder, curry leaves, fennel powder and cloves. Tamarind is the traditional souring ingredient used to enhance the taste, but if unavailable you can use lemon juice.
Dalcha is usually eaten either as a main course or a side, accompanied by Biryani, baghara chawal (flavored rice), phalli gosht (beans and meat). But if you are not the one accustomed to eating dalcha with biryani like me. You can always just relish it with plain rice or chapati as I do. Try it once and you will never forget this dish for its good taste.
A south Indian lentil and green beans stew with a distinct flavor.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup chana daal (bengal gram lentil)
- 1/4 cup toor daal (split pigeon peas)
- 1/4 cup masoor daal (red lentil)
- 200 g (+ -) trimmed green beans, cut into 4" length
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 1/2 tsp red chili powder
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 1 tsp fennel powder
- 1 tomato, chopped (1/2 cup)
- 35 g seedless tamarind, soaked in 1/3 cup warm water
- Salt to taste
- 1 onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
- 2 tsp ginger and garlic paste
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 tsp mustard seeds
- 1" stick cinnamon
- 1 (5") bay leaf
- 2-3 dry red chilies, broken into pieces
Instructions
- Place rinsed lentils in Instant Pot and cover with 3 cups of water. Stir in salt, ginger and garlic paste.
- Close the lid, set valve to sealing. Press the manual /pressure cook button and then select high pressure and set time to 15 minutes. Cancel the keep warm function.
- Once the time is up, allow the pressure to release naturally.
- Open the Instant Pot. Give a good stir. If the daal is too thick for your liking, thin with a bit of water (We tend to like our daal pretty thick and hearty). You may also mash some daal with back of your spoon at this point.
- Set the Instant Pot to "saute" mode on low, cover and let the daal simmer.
- Meanwhile heat oil in a pan on stove-top on medium heat.
- Add bay leaf, cumin, dried red chilies, cinnamon and mustard seeds and fry for few seconds.
- Then add chopped onion. Sauté until golden brown, add tomatoes along with turmeric, salt and red chili powder. Let the tomatoes get soft.
- Next add green beans. Cook until they are tender.
- Remove pan from heat and add the cooked beans masala to the instant pot. Gently stir. Squeeze the softened tamarind pulp into the water it was soaked in, throw away pith and it to the cooked lentils. Squeeze as much juice as you can from the pulp, adding some more water ( I strain tamarind pulp through a sieve by putting it over lentil pot and press it with a spoon).
- Add ground spices (garam masala, coriander powder, fennel powder). Stir everything well and taste. Correct at this stage if it needs anything.
- Cook it covered for another 5-8 minutes, while stirring occasionally. Add more water if needed, as dalcha becomes thick after some time.
- Serve it hot with biryani, pulao or even with plain steamed rice or idli , dosa or roti.
- Prepare the recipe in a regular pot on the stove through Step 4. Bring the daal to a boil, cover, and reduce the heat to a simmer. Let cook until the lentil are soft about 35 minutes, stirring once or twice throughout. Keep an eye on the Daal If it is getting dry top with more water.
- Then follow the rest of the instructions as above.
angiesrecipes
I love soup season 🙂 This looks comforting, warming and so tasty with all the great spices.
Rahul @samosastreet
I love south indian cuisine. But never tried a dalcha before. The recipe sounds amazing Balvinder. I always love changing flavors of my dal curry. Will definitely try
Heidi | The Frugal Girls
This is such a fun, cozy Fall soup recipe. It would be perfect for doubling and enjoying as easy dinners for days to come!
Dennis Yannakos
Cozy soup for a cozy Fall! Thanks for the recipe!
Kelly | Foodtasia
Such a lovely soup with wonderful flavors!
Juliana
This lentil dish with green beans sounds super tasty Balvinder…perfect for the upcoming cold weather.
Have a wonderful rest of the week!
John / Kitchen Riffs
I really like the variety of lentils you include in this. Such a tasty looking dish! We eat soup every month of the year, but much more during the cool/cold months. This is exactly the sort of dish we like — thanks.
laura
I love a nice dal, Balvinder. The spice mixture here strikes me as especially delicious. I love the addition of the tamarind and the cinnamon. This must be so warming. Delicious!
Judee
I love the mixtures of all the dals in one recipe. I am quite a fan of Indian food, but I have always eaten it in a restaurant. Since Covid we are not eating out and i’m trying to learn. This looks like a wonderful recipe for me to try. Thanks
Aarthi | Prepbowls
Hello Neetu! I’m so glad to have found your blog, for gluten free recipes, mouth watering dishes. Nowadays we are slowly trying to cook Gluten free food, just for it numerous health benefits. And I’m sure to try many of your recipes. I usually make dal dish with only single dal, and have never used vegetables in it, this looks so good with rice or roti, thanks for sharing it!
Balvinder
Thanks for visiting, Aarthi! I am from North India but have grown up in different cities and that’s what you will see in my recipes. This one is a hyderabadi specialty but in punjab too we cook daal with vegetables and greens.
Alida@mylittleitaliankitchen
Give me soup any day of the week. This looks delicious Balvinder and I love the spices you have used. I must try this. Thank you!
Katerina
This dalcha sounds absolutely delicious – I love all the different flavours and textures going on here. And I must say, I love cooking with lentils, there’s something so homey and comforting about lentil meals (plus they’re so good for you)? Thanks for the inspiration!
evi erlinda
This vegetarian dalcha looks so hearty and healthy! It will be a great dish during winter!