Chicken Dhansak-Parsi Curry

Dhansak is a popular Indian dish, very popular among the Parsi community and combines elements of Persian and Gujarati cuisine.Dhansak is made traditionally on Sundays in Parsi homes, as it takes a while to make. It is made of lentils, vegetables, spices, cumin seeds, ginger, garlic etc. Among the Parsi community, Dhansak can be either prepared with chicken, mutton, in addition to the lentils and gourd or pumpkin. It is rarely made with other meats or as a vegetarian version.Outside of India, some variants of dhansak use pineapple chunks, eventhough traditional dhansak never contains pineapple or other fruits. I prepared few days back this chicken dhansak with chicken chunks, lentils and dhansak spice powder prepared at home itself..We enjoyed this chicken dhansak with hot steaming rice for lunch and with parathas for dinner..

2cups Chicken pieces(boneless)
2tsp Ginger garlic paste
1/2cup Toor dhal
1/4cup Moong dhal
1/4cup Masoor dhal
1no Onion (big and chopped)
1/2tsp Turmeric powder
1tsp Garam masala
1tsp Tamarind( thick juice)
1/2tsp Mustard seeds
2nos Bay leaves
1cup Coriander & Mint leaves (chopped)
Salt
Water

Dhansak masala powder:
1tbsp Coriander seeds
4nos Dry red chillies
1tsp Cumin seeds
1tsp Fennel seeds
3nos Cardamoms
1no Cinnamon stick (2inches broken)
1tsp Peppercorns
1/2tsp Fenugreek seeds

Grind all the spices as fine powder under the list for dhansak masala powder and keep aside...Meanwhile wash throughly the chicken chunks and add the garam masala powder & turmeric powder and ginger garlic paste with salt ,mix it thoroughly and let this spiced chicken sit for overnight or 4hours in fridge.

Heat oil, fry the bay leaves and mustard seeds, add the chopped onions and saute until the onions turns transculent, add the pulses and fry for few minutes, add enough water & salt to cover and cook in simmer until the pulses turns soft..stir occasionally and remove from the heat...

In an another pan, heat few drops of oil, saute the chicken pieces until they get half cooked..add the pulses,chopped coriander leaves, chopped mint leaves and dhansak masala powder to the cooking chicken chunks,keep stirring..once the chicken get well cooked, add the tamarind juice, give a stir and put off the stove...

U can prepare this chicken dhansak more thicker as u need, i went for sambhar like constitency..enjoy with rice or either with rotis..