Panchmel Dal is a nutritionally rich aromatic stew made by combining five different lentils and is wonderfully seasoned with a spicy ghee-garlic tempering. Rich, creamy and delicious, this dal tastes heavenly with rice, baati, or paratha!!!
Lentils, or dals, are an integral part of everyday Indian meals. Not only are they packed with proteins, but they are also rich in fiber, iron, manganese, folate, vitamins, and other nutrients. I am totally awed by the diverse range in which dals are cooked regionally. The recipe I am sharing today is Rajasthani Panchmel Dal also known as Panchratna Dal or Panckuti Dal. It literally translates to a mix of five lentils as Panch means five and Mel means mix. I grew up in Rajasthan so it holds a special place in my heart, along with Gatta Pulao, that I make on a regular basis. Traditionally, it's served with baati, though delicious, it can be quite heavy. It pairs equally wonderfully with rice, roti, or paratha too. Or, it can be simply enjoyed by itself with a dash of lemon juice.
This dal is bursting with tons of flavors and is quite simple. But as they say, some of the best recipes are the simplest ones. All that needs to be done is boil the dal with salt, turmeric, and tomatoes and then temper. The dal truly shines as the spices and ghee-garlic tempering come together beautifully to create a truly magical and flavorful dish! The amount of ghee I have used is way less than what's traditionally used, so it's still light and perfect for an everyday meal. At the same time, it's completely alright if you would rather use oil. This is a very forgiving recipe, it would still come out yum!!!
Ingredients
This recipe uses lentils and other ingredients which you probably already have in your pantry or can be sourced easily. Here is what you need -
- Lentils - For this, I have used a mix of toor, sabut masoor, chana, dhuli moong, and urad dal chhilka. This combination is what we like the most. Feel free to use different combinations and proportions that you prefer, keeping in mind that the cooking time should be similar. Alternatively, you can simply use a store-bought readymade 5 lentil mix too. Either way, the end result will be yummy!
- Aromatics - ginger, garlic, green chilies, and lots of tomatoes.
- Whole spices - Bay leaf, whole red chilies, and cumin seeds.
- Spices - The usual suspects! Red chili powder, coriander powder, turmeric, and garam masala.
- Ghee - Tempering in ghee takes this dal to an altogether different level. It gives dal a lovely flavor and aroma. But you can absolutely use oil for vegan option or if that's what you prefer. It will still be delicious.
- Cilantro - Topping the dal with lots of cilantro is an absolute must.
- Lemon juice - A dash of lemon juice at the end to round off the dal wonderfully!!
How to make Panchmel Dal??
Making Panchmel dal in Instant Pot is a breeze. Here are the steps at a glance!!
- Rinse and soak the lentils for 30 minutes.
- Add lentils, tomatoes, salt, turmeric, asafoetida, and water to the inner pot.
- Pressure cook at HIGH for 8 minutes followed by natural pressure release.
- Prepare the tempering in ghee with bay leaf, whole red chilies, ginger, garlic, green chilies, and the spices and pour over dal.
- Simmer at low for few minutes.
- Sitr in garam masala and lemon juice.
- Garnish with cilantro and serve hot baati, rice, roti, or paratha.
This Panchmel Dal
- is highly nutritious and delicious.
- makes a comforting and protein-packed meal with baati, paratha, roti, or rice.
- quick and easy.
- easy to refrigerate and freeze.
- is perfect for everyday meals or get-togethers.
Looking for more delicious lentil/dal recipes???
Lobia Masala / Black Eyed Peas Curry
Chana Saag / Chickpeas and Spinach Curry
Ingredients
- ¼ cup toor dal (split pigeon peas)
- ¼ cup sabut masoor dal (whole red or brown lentils)
- 2 tablespoons chana dal (split yellow chickpeas or split bengal gram)
- 2 tablespoons dhuli moong dal (petite yellow lentils)
- 2 tablespoons urad dal chhilka (split black lentil)
- 2 large tomatoes, quartered
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- a pinch of asafoetida
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro or coriander, chopped
- 4 cups water
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
For tempering
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon ginger, minced
- 2 green chilies, sliced
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 bay leaf
- 2-3 whole dry red chilies
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder (use ½ teaspoon for a milder dal)
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1 teaspoon garam masala
- 3 tablespoons ghee or oil
Instructions
Instant Pot Instructions
- Rinse and soak the lentils for 30 minutes.
- Add all the lentils along with tomatoes and water.
- Tip in salt, asafoetida, and turmeric. Give it a good stir.
- Close the lid of the IP with the vent in the sealing position.
- Change the setting to PRESSURE COOK or MANUAL MODE at High for 8 minutes.
- Once the time is up and IP beeps, let the pressure release naturally.
- Open the lid and mix well. Mash the lentils and tomatoes slightly using the back of a ladle.
- In a small pan over medium-low heat, pour ghee/oil. Once hot, add bay leaf, dry red chilies, and cumin seeds. Let them pop for about 30 seconds.
- Add garlic, ginger, and green chilies. Keep stirring until they are a nice shade of golden brown, another 30 seconds.
- Finally, add chili powder and coriander powder. Cook the spices for about 30 seconds and turn off the heat.
- Pour the tempering over the cooked dal.
- Turn on the SAUTE mode at Low and let the lentils come to a simmer, about 4-5 minutes. Add a little water if the dal is too thick.
- Stir in garam masala and lemon juice.
- Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with baati, rice, or paratha.
Stovetop - Traditional Pressure Cooker
- Rinse and soak the lentils for 30 minutes.
- Cook the lentils with salt, turmeric, asafoetida, tomatoes, and water for 4-5 whistles. Turn off the heat.
- In a small pan over medium-low heat, pour ghee/oil. Once hot, add bay leaf, dry red chilies, and cumin seeds. Let them pop for about 30 seconds.
- Add garlic, ginger, and green chilies. Keep stirring until they are a nice shade of golden brown.
- Finally, add chili powder and coriander powder. Cook the spices for about 30 seconds and turn off the burner.
- Pour the tempering over the cooked dal.
- Cook the lentils at medium-low heat for about 4-5 minutes. Add a little water if the dal is too thick.
- Stir in garam masala and lemon juice.
- Garnish with cilantro and serve hot with baati, rice, or paratha.
Stovetop - Saucepan
To cook the dal in a saucepan on the stovetop, add turmeric, asafoetida, tomatoes, lentils, and water to the pan and cook covered for about 30 minutes or until tender. Turn off the burner. Follow the rest of the steps from above.
Recipe Notes
- Use fresh ginger and garlic for best results. Substituting them with store-bought ginger-garlic paste won't do justice to this recipe.
- To make this dal vegan, replace ghee with any cooking oil.
- This dal is on the spicier side. Adjust the spice level as per your liking. You can use kashmiri chili powder or paprika instead of red chili powder too as it's milder and gives a beautiful hue to the dal.
- If you love extra garlic in your dal, feel free to add a couple of more cloves while tempering.
- Don't skip soaking the lentils for at least 30 minutes. That way it cooks faster and is easier to digest too. If you don't want to, add additional 2 minutes to the pressure cook time.
- Panchmel day stays fresh in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or in the freezer for up to a month.
