Rajasthani Panchmel Dal is a mixture of five distinct types of lentils or dals. Each dal is different in texture than others, but still, all dals blend amazingly together. And that makes this Rajasthani Dal a healthy and very delicious meal.
About Rajasthani Panchmel Dal
In any vegetarian or vegan kitchen, lentils are very important. They provide a mighty pack of nutrition. Each serving contains a good dose of protein, fiber, and minerals. We make dal almost every day, and that is why we need different varieties on our menu.
Panchmel Dal is an Indian dish, a mix of lentils and spices. It goes very well with Roti, Paratha, or Rice.
This dal is a cuisine of Rajasthan, a state in northern India. This recipe is straightforward but equally delicious. It contains a blend of five different dals and has a lot of flavors. This Panchmel Dal is my absolute favorite with Jeera Rice.
Rajasthani Panchmel Dal is comfort food, and the recipe comes together very quickly. Serve it for lunch or dinner with your favorite Indian flatbread or with rice.
Lentils For Rajasthani Panchmel Dal
I have used all the dals in an equal amount for this Panchmel Dal. They provide a deliciously nutty taste to this dish. You can add more or smaller amounts of dals as per your choice.
- Chana Dal (Split Bengal Gram): This dal is closely related to the chickpea family. It is packed with protein and helps in reducing cholesterol levels in the bloodstream. It is also suitable for diabetic patients. Check out this wholesome Chana Dal Fry │No Onion No Garlic recipe.
- Sabut Moong (Whole Green Gram): Moong beans are incredibly versatile, and we can use them in many recipes from salad to soup. They are light on the stomach and have lots of health benefits. These beans are one of the best sources of plant-based protein. Also, they are high in essential vitamins and minerals. If you wish, you can also use split green gram or moong dal instead of the whole Moong. You can also check out this Whole Green Moong Dal / Jain Mung Bean Curry (Instant Pot & Stovetop) recipe.
- Dhuli Urad Dal (Split Black Gram): Urad dal has many health benefits. It is also considered a perfect health package for pregnant women. It contains protein, vitamin B, iron, folic acid, calcium, and other vital minerals. This dal is very popular in India, and we can make many recipes from this dal. Check out this delicious Amritsari Sookhi Dal / Sookhi (Dry) Urad Dal No Onion No Garlic recipe.
- Toor Dal/Arhar Dal (Split Pigeon Peas): This dal is very popular in India, and almost every household has this dal as a staple food. It is high in folic acid and very light on the stomach, helping in the digestion process. As a Gujarati, this dal is essential in my house, and we make our famous Gujarati Dal using Toor dal.
- Sabut Masoor Dal (Whole Brown Lentils): This dal is power-packed with many health and nutritional benefits. It has constituted an essential part of Indian cuisine. It is high in protein and dietary fiber. Also, there are other varieties of Masoor Dal, like red lentils and green lentils. You can choose either one for this recipe.
Step by Step Directions
Cooking Dal
- Mix all the dals into a bowl.
- Rinse the dals thoroughly with water until water runs clear.
- Then soak dals with three to four cups of water for at least two hours or up to four hours.
- After soaking, drain all the water from the dals.
- Take the dals into the pressure cooker, add salt and turmeric powder.
- Pressure cook the dals for two whistles on medium flame or until they are cooked.
- Do not overcook the dals. They should not be mushy and somewhat retain their shape.
- Alternatively, boil the dals into a big pan or pot instead of a pressure cooker. And cook them until they are done.
Making Rajasthani Panchmel Dal
- Heat Ghee or oil into a pan.
- Add the cumin seeds, asafoetida, cloves, and red chilis.
- Allow cumin seeds to sizzle and then add the green chili paste and ginger paste and saute for a few seconds.
- Add chopped tomatoes and mix well.
- Add cumin powder, coriander powder, red chili powder, and Garam masala powder.
- Mix well and continue cooking.
- Cook the tomato mixture until tomatoes are soft and Ghee or oil separates from the sides.
- Add cooked dals.
- Mix everything well.
- Then add salt to taste and more water if required.
- Continue cooking for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Squeeze some lime juice to taste and add chopped coriander leaves.
- Mix well and then transfer the Dal into the serving bowl.
- Serve hot with Roti, Paratha, or Rice.
Serving Suggestions
- To keep the whole meal light and comforting, serve Panchmel Dal with Jeera Rice (Restaurant Style) / Indian Cumin Rice or plain rice.
- You can also serve this Dal with Roti, Paratha, or Whole Wheat Kulcha (No Yeast) / Kulcha On Tawa.
- However, you can have this Dal as a side dish with vegetable curry or Paneer Curry of your choice for a larger meal.
Suitable For Special Diets
- No Onion No Garlic: As you know now, all of my recipes are without onion and garlic, and hence this dal has no onion and garlic. But it is full of flavors and very delicious. So whether you consume onion and garlic or not, this dal is a must-try recipe.
- Vegan Recipe: This Rajasthani dal is power-packed with plant-based protein and other nutrients. Use oil in the recipe instead of Ghee to make it vegan.
- Jain Recipe: This dal is no onion, no garlic recipe, and is perfect for the Jain diet. I have used fresh ginger in the recipe, but you can skip the ginger to make it strict Jain food. And if you wish, you can use a pinch of dried ginger powder instead.
More Comforting Dal Recipes
You May Also Like
- Jeera Rice (Restaurant Style) / Indian Cumin Rice
- Boondi Raita (Quick and Easy)
- Milk Rava Kesari / Milk Kesari
Recipe Card
Rajasthani Panchmel Dal / Rajasthani Dal / Panchmel Dal
Video
Ingredients
For Cooking Dals
- ¼ cup split Bengal gram (Chana Dal)
- ¼ cup whole Green gram (Sabut Moong)
- ¼ cup split Black gram (Dhuli Urad Dal)
- ¼ cup split Pigeon peas (Toor Dal/ Arhar Dal)
- ¼ cup whole brown lentils (Sabut Masoor Dal)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 3 – 4 cups water
For Rajasthani Panchmel Dal
- 2 tablespoon Ghee (or oil for a Vegan diet)
- A pinch of Hing (optional)
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 4-5 cloves
- 2 dried red chilis
- 1 teaspoon green chili paste
- 1 teaspoon ginger paste (optional for Jain diet)
- 2 tomatoes finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon cumin powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon red chili powder (or to taste)
- ½ teaspoon Garam masala powder
- Salt to taste
- ½ cup water or as required
- Lime juice to taste (optional)
- 2 tablespoon fresh coriander leaves finely chopped
Instructions
For Boiling Dals:
- Mix all the dals and rinse them thoroughly until water runs clear. Soak dals in three to four cups of water for at least two hours or four hours.
- Drain the water and take dals into the pressure cooker. Add three cups of water, salt, and turmeric powder. Cook the dals until done, do not overcook; the dals should not be mushy.
- Alternatively, you can also boil dals into a big pan until they are cooked.
For Rajasthani Panchmel Dal:
- Heat Ghee or oil into a pan. Add the cumin seeds, asafoetida, cloves, and red chilis. When the cumin seeds sizzle, add the green chili paste and ginger paste and saute for a few seconds.
- Add the tomatoes and mix well. Next, add cumin powder, coriander powder, red chili powder, and Garam masala powder. Mix well and continue cooking.
- Cook the tomato mixture until tomatoes are soft and Ghee or oil separates from the sides.
- Add cooked dals. Mix well and add salt to taste and more water if required. Continue cooking for 8-10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Squeeze some lime juice to taste and add chopped coriander leaves. Mix well and take into the serving bowl. Serve hot with Roti, Paratha, or Rice.
Notes
- We need to soak this dal for at least 2 hours because I have used whole Moong and whole Sabut Masoor Dal. But if you are in a rush and want to make this dal without soaking, use split Moong Dal and split Masoor Dal like red lentils. Then you will need to soak the dals for only at least 15 minutes.
Mansi Patel
This is such hearty healthy recipe. Our entire family loves it. We make this almost once in a month.
Jigna
Hi Mansi, same here! We love this Dal, and I also make it often. I am glad your family enjoys this recipe!