Dalma

Dalma

Dalma

Veg

Odisha's most beloved everyday dish — toor dal slow-cooked with raw banana, raw papaya, yam, drumstick, and eggplant, tempered with panch phoron, dried red chilli, and a finishing drizzle of ghee. No onion or garlic in the traditional version, making it satvik and suitable as temple prasadam at Puri Jagannath. The dal and vegetables merge into a thick, unified preparation eaten with steamed rice at every Odia lunch; the dish that defines the Odia plate above all others.

Cuisines

Jharkhand Odia

Best for

Lunch Dinner

Recipe

Prep: 20 min Cook: 40 min Total: 60 min 2-3 servings

Ingredients

1 cup toor dal (pigeon peas)
2 cups water
1 cup mixed vegetables (potato, pumpkin, eggplant, raw banana, etc.)
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
2 tablespoons ghee
1 teaspoon ginger paste
2 pieces dry red chilies
1 teaspoon panch phoron (five spice mix)
1 pinch asafoetida
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon cumin powder
— salt to taste
2 tablespoons fresh coriander leaves, chopped

Instructions

  1. 1 Wash the toor dal thoroughly and soak it in water for 20 minutes.
  2. 2 Drain the soaked dal and add it to a pressure cooker with 2 cups of water and turmeric powder.
  3. 3 Cook the dal in the pressure cooker for 3-4 whistles or until soft.
  4. 4 In a separate pan, heat ghee and add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and dry red chilies.
  5. 5 Once the seeds start to splutter, add panch phoron and asafoetida.
  6. 6 Add ginger paste and sauté for a minute until the raw smell disappears.
  7. 7 Add the mixed vegetables and sauté for 5-7 minutes until they are slightly tender.
  8. 8 Add coriander powder, cumin powder, and salt to the vegetables and mix well.
  9. 9 Transfer the cooked dal to the pan with vegetables and mix everything together.
  10. 10 Simmer the mixture for 10-15 minutes on low heat until the vegetables are fully cooked.
  11. 11 Garnish with fresh coriander leaves before serving.

Tips

For extra flavor, roast the cumin seeds before grinding them into powder.