Panchmel Dal
Veg
Five lentils — toor, chana, moong, masoor, and urad — cooked together until soft and tempered with ghee, cumin, dried red chilli, and asafoetida. The definitive dal of the Rajasthani thali, essential alongside dal-baati, with five legumes providing complementary textures and flavours in a single pot.
Cuisines
Rajasthani
Marwari
Best for
Lunch
Dinner
Recipe
Prep: 20 min
Cook: 30 min
Total: 50 min
2-3 servings
Ingredients
| 2 tablespoons | toor dal (pigeon pea lentils) |
| 2 tablespoons | chana dal (split chickpeas) |
| 2 tablespoons | moong dal (split green gram) |
| 2 tablespoons | urad dal (split black gram) |
| 2 tablespoons | masoor dal (red lentils) |
| 3 cups | water |
| 1 tablespoon | ghee |
| 1 teaspoon | cumin seeds |
| 1 pinch | asafoetida |
| 1 teaspoon | turmeric powder |
| 1 teaspoon | red chili powder |
| 1 teaspoon | garam masala |
| 1 teaspoon | coriander powder |
| 1 | salt to taste |
| 1 | green chili, chopped |
| 1 tablespoon | ginger, grated |
| 2 | tomatoes, chopped |
| 2 tablespoons | fresh coriander leaves, chopped |
Instructions
- 1 Rinse all the dals together under running water until the water runs clear.
- 2 Soak the dals in water for 30 minutes.
- 3 Drain the soaked dals and add them to a pressure cooker with 3 cups of water.
- 4 Pressure cook the dals for 3-4 whistles or until they are soft and cooked through.
- 5 In a pan, heat ghee over medium heat and add cumin seeds.
- 6 Once the cumin seeds splutter, add asafoetida, chopped green chili, and grated ginger. Sauté for a minute.
- 7 Add chopped tomatoes and cook until they soften.
- 8 Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, and garam masala. Mix well.
- 9 Pour the cooked dal into the pan with the spice mixture, add salt to taste, and simmer for 5-7 minutes.
- 10 Garnish with fresh coriander leaves before serving.
Tips
For a richer taste, you can add a dollop of ghee just before serving.