Dal Kanda (Pigeon peas cooked with onions)

A long time ago (when I was 6 years old 🙂 )my father was posted in a small town called Sangli, we had a peon named Jakate, whom I called Jakate kaka (uncle). He used to bring this amazing dish called Dal Kanda cooked with some cluster beans in lunch tiffin every week. Every time he would bring it I would open his dabba (tiffin) fish out his dish and request him to eat my food instead 😛 and he would very happily let me eat his entire tiffin. 3 years we stayed in that town and every week at least twice I eat this dish, even though I was quite little but I still remember how special this dish is for me.

This recipe was given to my mum by him and I haven’t made any changes in this recipe, I love it the way it is.

It is one of the most simple things to cook but what makes it so special is the Kolhapur Kanda Lasun Masala, the ultra spicy and pungent spice blend made of spices like dried coconut, poppy seeds, stone flower and nagkesar. If you are in India you can easily get this spice blend but if you are out of India then you will have to settle for garam masala. 🙁

So let’s get to the recipe and do give it a try!

Serves 4

Ingredients

• 1 cup pigeon peas lentils
• 1 large onion diced
• 1 cup cluster beans cut in 1 cm length
• 6-7 garlic cloves roughly smashed
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp or taste red chilli powder
• 1 tbsp kolhapur masala or kanda lasun masala or kala masala or garam masala
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• ¼ tsp asafoetida (hing)
• Salt to taste
• Coriander for garnishing
• About 2 cups of water

 

Directions:

Wash the lentils 2-3 times, soak it in some water for 30-40 minutes.

Cook the lentils in about 1 cup of water with some salt, turmeric powder and asafoetida, when they are half way done add in the cluster beans and cook till the lentils and beans are completely cooked. If the lentils are getting dry add water as needed, the final consistency of the lentils should be cooked but not mushy and should be separated not cooked together.

In a pan, heat oil and mustard seeds, let them splutter, add in the garlic. Sauté for 2 minutes, add in the onion. Cook till the onion is cooked, add all the spices and mix.

Add the cooked lentils and cluster beans, mix it well.

Adjust salt and garnish with coriander.

Serve hot with sorghum roti (bhakri).