Goat Dhansak (Mutton with Red Lentils)

Another hot day here in Kansas. I am not wishing to be Dorothy because that would mean getting hit by a tornado and that is just plain cruel. However, I am sure a little respite from the sunny afternoons will be welcomed by all. My Fitbit (activity tracker) keeps on showing that I have several steps left to complete my daily target and I am like, ‘leave me be!’. It is so hot outside to go for a walk or run and so everyday I wait till sunset (to go for a walk) so that I don’t feel unproductive at the end of the day. 

So what do I do all day at home? I am done with all the unpacking so now I am rearranging. I rearrange, catch up on my reading then look for some delish recipes. It was during one of those recipe search sessions that I found today’s dish - Goat Dhansak.

When I found this recipe of Goat Dhansak on Mary Berry’s website, I had no idea that this is actually a very popular Indian dish. As I read, this dish originates from the Parsi Zoroastrian community and combines the cooking skills of Persian and Gujarati community. This is quite different than the goat curries we always have. In fact, I have seen dishes with meat and lentils several times while browsing for different recipes but I had no idea this tastes so great. The Tandoori or Mughlai section of most restaurant’s menus also have a similar dish but it’s just not the same. Traditionally, Goat Dhansak is served with rice cooked in caramel water but I decided not to go overboard with the experiments and served it with plain white rice. Needless to say, it was amazing!

I also came to know that Persian cooking uses a combination technique. Since meat is always an expensive ingredient, the quantity of the dish is increased by adding different types of vegetables and lentils. Since this is also a Gujarati dish, you will also see varieties of Indian spices in it. The original Dhansak recipe is very similar to a stew with varieties of lentils (like Arhar dal, Chana dal and Red Masoor dal) and vegetables (like potato, tomato, eggplant and pumpkin) in it. I decided to omit the vegetables because I wanted the mutton to have its gorgeous flavor.

Every dish tastes unique because of the spices added in it. This Dhansak is prepared by using a special spice mix called ‘Dhansak Masala’. This is very similar to the Garam masala I frequently use while cooking. If you have a readymade packet of powdered Garam masala at home, make sure to cross check the spices which are - Cinnamon, Cardamom, Cloves, Nutmeg, Coriander Seed and Cumin Seed. 

If you don’t have a pressure cooker at hand, then definitely give this dish at least two hours to cook. We don’t want to consume any uncooked meat. When cooking in a cooker, cook the meat half way by browning it first and cooking it for one or two whistles, then add the rest of the spices, lentils and give it another whistle or two. Pressure cooker definitely reduces the cooking time by a lot so you may want to go for it. However, I somehow feel that slow cooked mutton tastes a lot better than pressure cooked. I, therefore, always use my Dutch oven for cooking meat.

If you don’t like the flavor of goat, go for lamb. This recipe will taste good with either of these meats. Again, this is not an original recipe of Dhansak but it tastes amazingly good. Make sure to fry the onion well so that it develops a delicious caramelized flavor. Mint leaves are added as a garnish but they do help develop the flavors even more. Originally this dish calls for a sweet, sour and spicy flavor but I am not very fond of sour dishes and hence I haven’t used any tamarind/ lemon or lime to cook it. Traditionally pumpkin is added to add a hint of sweetness but Mary Berry has used honey and who am I to argue with the queen of flavors! Do not skip that because it will cut the heat of the black pepper and spices.

Now I know I have only prepared this once, but that was enough to convince me that I got to share this recipe with everyone so that they can also try and share their inputs. Also, whenever I don’t share a recipe, I lose it. Believe me this is an extremely good dish to lose or forget.

So, give this a try sometime and then post in the comments how it turned out. You can also post on my Instagram #lifewithoutalu with the photo and your comments/ input.

Ingredients:

• Mutton (Goat Meat) – 1 pound
• Onion - 1 medium, chopped
• Ginger - 1 inch, peeled
• Garlic - 4 cloves, peeled
• Red Chilies - 2, broken
• Green Cardamom - 10 pods
• Cumin Powder - 1½ tablespoons
• Coriander Powder - 1½ tablespoons
• Turmeric Powder - ½ teaspoon
• Tomatoes - 14 Oz can (or 2-medium, chopped)
• Chicken stock - 1 cup 
• Red Lentils - ½ cup 
• Honey - 3 tablespoons
• Salt – to taste (about ½ teaspoon)
• Freshly ground Black Pepper – ¼ teaspoon
• Mint Leaves - 3 tablespoons, chopped 
• Ghee – ¼ cup 
• Whole Black Peppercorns – 5-10
• Cloves – 5-7, powdered
• Nutmeg – ¼ teaspoon, powdered 
• Cinnamon Stick – 1 small 
• Bay Leaves – 2-3

To serve:

• Boiled Rice

When cooking goat meat, long marination is the key. Try to marinate the mutton for at least 4-5 hours or overnight with the following: 

Cumin Powder, Coriander Powder, Turmeric Powder, Salt, Cloves Powder, Nutmeg Powder, Black Pepper Powder, Ginger and Garlic paste. 

Directions:

• Heat 2 tablespoons of Ghee in a large frying pan over high heat. Use non-stick pan for an easy clean up. 
• Add the marinated mutton in a single layer (you may have to fry it in two batches). Fry until browned. Remove from the pan and set aside.
• Add the remaining Ghee to the pan. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the onion and fry for 4-5 minutes, or until beginning to soften.
• Bash the cardamom pods with the end of a rolling pin to split the husks, then remove the seeds and grind them to a fine powder in a Mortar and Pestle. Add to the pan with the remaining spices (Red Chilies, Whole Black Peppercorns, Cinnamon Stick and Bay Leaves). 
• Fry for a minute then add the remaining ingredients to the pan (Tomatoes, Chicken stock, Red Lentils and Honey). Add the fried mutton as well.
• Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Then cover and simmer for 1½-2 hours or until tender. 
• Check the seasoning. Sprinkle chopped mint leaves and serve hot with boiled rice.

Tips: 

• If you are cooking in a pressure cooker, cook the meat half way by browning it first and cooking it for one or two whistles, then add the rest of the spices, lentils and give it another whistle or two.
• Use a good quality non-stick pot/ Dutch Oven to cook this.

Love Goat Meat/ Lamb? Try these recipes as well:

• Mutton Rezala (Bengali recipe: Tender Meat in Cashew Poppy Seed sauce)
• Achari Mutton
• Mutton Gravy
• Mughlai Mutton Stew
• Awadhi Mutton Biryani
• Mangshor Jhol (Bengali Style Mutton Curry)
• Mughlai Kabab
• Grilled Lamb Kababs
• Kosha Mangsho (Bengali dish: Slow cooked aromatic Mutton gravy)
• Goat Stew with White Wine
• Papa’s Kosha Mangsho (Grandpa’s Special Goat Curry)
• Keema Matar (Minced Goat meat/ Beef with dried Peas)
• Hariyali Ghosht - Herbed Goat Curry
• Kashmiri Rogan Josh (Slow cooked mutton in red curry)