The best Parsi Mutton Dhansak recipe

This amazing mutton Dhansak recipe is my grandmother's. She made it for our entire family for Sunday lunch. This was a feast, as it was accompanied by her lovely mutton kebabs or fish fry and kachumbur salad, onions and lemon. If you want to enjoy Dhansak you have to squeeze lots of lemon on it ;) At night we had the remaining Dhansak dal with brun pav and our all time favourite - fried eggs or the Parsi eedu Dhansak Dal ingredients 750 gms mutton on the bone 1/2 cup moong dal - 1/2 cup red masoor dal -1/2 cup toor dal 1/2 tea spoon turmeric powder - 2 tea spoons salt 1 table spoon chopped fresh methi leaves (fenugreek leaves) 1 table spoon mint leaves - 1 table spoon coriander leaves 2 green chillies finely chopped - 4 pieces pumpkin - 1 small brinjal 2 tea spoons ginger garlic paste - 1 medium onion finely chopped 4 garlic cloves finely chopped - 1 medium tomato finely chopped 2 tea spoons kashmiri chilli powder 6 to7 table spoons oil - 2 tea spoons ghee Dhansak masala powder Ingredients 7 green cardamons - 12 cloves - 1/4 piece nutmeg  2 pieces cinnamon sticks - 1 tea spoon pepper corns  1 tea spoon cumin seeds - 1 tea spoon coriander seeds Dhansak Rice Ingredients 500 gms basmati rice washed and soaked -1 and /2 tea spoon salt for rice 3 table spoons sugar - 1 onions sliced - 5 green cardamons - 1 bay leaf 2 pieces cinnamon stick - 5 cloves - 8 pepper corns - 1 tea spoon cumin seeds 4 table spoons oil Method Dhansak dal prep In a bowl mix together 1/2 cup moong dal - 1/2 cup red masoor dal -1/2 cup toor dal. Wash and drain and keep aside. Place a pressure cooker on high heat and add 4 table spoons oil Add 1 finle chopped onion and fry for 2 minutes until translucent Add 2 tea spoon ginger garlic paste and fry for 1 minute Add 1 tomato finely chopped and cook for 1 to 2 minutes Add 1 table spoon chopped fresh methi leaves (fenugreek leaves) 1 table spoon mint leaves - 1 table spoon coriander leaves 2 green chillies finely chopped - 4 pieces pumpkin - 1 small brinjal and cook everything for 2 minutes Add 1/2 tea spoon turmeric powder - 2 tea spoons salt and cook for 2 minutes Add 750 gms mutton on the bone and cook it in this for 2 to 3 minutes Add the 3 dals kept aside and mix everything together Add 3 cups water and pressure cook for 4 to 5 whistles Open the cooker after it has cooled and gently stir the cooked dal and mutton Check for any pieces of pumpkin and brinjal and mash them up in the dal Add water if the dal is too thick and mix it together and keep aside Dhansak masala prep Dry grind the following 7 green cardamons - 12 cloves - 1/4 piece nutmeg 2 pieces cinnamon sticks - 1 tea spoon pepper corns 1 tea spoon cumin seeds - 1 tea spoon coriander seeds. Keep aside Place a pan on medium heat and add 3 table spoons oil and 2 tea spoons ghee to it. Add 4 garlic cloves finely chopped and fry for 1 to 2 minutes until a creamish color. Add the Dhansak masala and cook for 1 minute Turnt he heat off and add 2 tea spoons kashmiri chilli powder and mix everything and cook for 1 minute Turn the heat back on medium low and mix this masala until it begins to bubble. Add 1/4 glass water and mix it together Remove from heat and add this to the Dhansak dal and mutton in the pressure cooker. Mix everything well and simmer for 5 minutes, add 1/2 to 1 cup water and bring the dal to a boil and remove from heat. Dhansak rice prep Wash 500 gms Basmati rice and soak it for 30 minutes. Keep aside Place a pan on medium heat and add 3 table spoons sugar Melt the sugar stirring continuously until the sugar gets to a dark brown color. When it reaches a dark brown color, it will start to bubble this is when you add 1/2 glass water to this and mix well Keep this aside as this will be mixed in the rice to give it the brown color and flavour. Take a pot to cook the rice and place it on medium high heat Add 3 table spoons oil Add 5 green cardamons - 2 pieces cinnamon stick - 5 cloves - 8 pepper corns - 1 tea spoon cumin seeds and 1 bay leaf and stir Add 1 onion sliced and fry until golden brown Drain the rice and add it to this and stir Add the caramel kept aside to this rice and stir well Add 5 cups water and stir everything Add 1 and 1/2 tea spoon salt and stir Cook this on high heat for 15 minutes You will see the rice cooking and the water almost drying up Cover and cook on medium low heat for 10 minutes Open and gently stir the rice Remove from heat Serve this amazing Dhansak with Kachumbur salad, onions and lemon slices And don't forget the make the mutton kebabs too :) :)