Dhansak
| Type | Rice and Curry |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | India |
| Region or state | Gujarat |
| Associated cuisine | Parsi, Indian |
| Main ingredients | Lentils, vegetables, spices, cumin seeds, ginger, garlic, mutton, either gourd or pumpkin |
Dhansak is a popular Indian dish, originating among the Parsi community of Gujarat. It is made by cooking chicken or mutton with a mixture of lentils and vegetables. This is served with caramelised rice and fried onions. A version of the dish has become a standard type of curry in the United Kingdom.
Origins
Gujarat's Parsis
Dhansak originated among Gujarat's Parsi community,[1] Zoroastrians who had moved from Persia after the Arab invasion in medieval times.[2]
Dhānśāk is the Gujarati name for a dish of either meat or vegetables in a sweet and sour lentil sauce. The name derives from the Sanskrit dhānya, 'grain', and śāka, 'vegetables' (cf. saag, green vegetables, spinach).[3]
Parsi cuisine often, as here, extends a more expensive ingredient (meat) by combining it with vegetables or lentils.[4] In Parsi homes, dhansak is traditionally made on Sundays.[5]
Anglo-Indian to British
During the British Raj in India, merchants of the East India Company met Bombay's Parsis.[2] When the British rebuilt Bombay after an epidemic of the plague in 1896, many Parsi cafes were opened. These sold Parsi dishes including dhansak alongside English biscuits and cakes.[6] British merchants employed many Parsis as butlers, and dhansak became a popular Anglo-Indian dish. Returnees eventually brought the recipe home to Britain, where it became a familiar curry in the country's many Indian restaurants.[2] The name "dhansak" was redefined to mean "a slightly sweet lentil curry".[7]
Dish
Dhansak is made by cooking cubes of chicken or mutton with a mixture of lentils and vegetables.mutton Traditionally, four types of pulses were used together.[2] The vegetables used can include aubergines, bell peppers, potatoes, squashes, and spinach.[8] The curry is cooked until the pulses break up and make the sauce thick.[2][3] It is heavily spiced with mild spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, and nutmeg.[3] Stronger flavourings such as garlic, ginger, fenugreek, mustard seed, and chili can be added.[8] The sauce is flavoured with tamarind[2] or lime juice[8] to make it sour, and jaggery sugar to make it sweet, creating a Gujarati-style sweet and sour sauce.[2] The dish is traditionally served with caramelised rice and fried onions.[2]
International recipe variants for dhansak sometimes call for pineapple chunks to provide a sweet flavour.[9][10] Vegetarian versions can use spinach and butternut squash in place of meat.[10]
See also
References
- ^ Luhrmann, Tanya M. (1996). The Good Parsi: The Fate of a Colonial Elite in a Postcolonial Society. Harvard University Press. pp. 37–. ISBN 978-0-674-35676-4. Retrieved 28 September 2012.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Collingham 2007, p. 121.
- ^ a b c "dhansak". Oxford English Dictionary. Retrieved 16 November 2025. (and cf. the OED entry on saag).
- ^ Achaya, K. T. (1997). Indian Food: A Historical Companion. Oxford University Press. p. 140. ISBN 978-0-19-564416-6.
- ^ Mehta, Jeroo (1973). 101 Parsi Recipes. Popular Prakashan. pp. 73–. ISBN 978-81-7991-367-3. Retrieved 28 September 2012.
- ^ Collingham 2007, p. 206.
- ^ Collingham 2007, p. 225.
- ^ a b c Collingham 2007, pp. 126–127.
- ^ Fodor's England 2010: with the Best of Wales. Random House. 3 November 2009. pp. 495–. ISBN 978-1-4000-0861-2. Retrieved 28 September 2012.
- ^ a b "Spinach, Red Lentil and Roasted Squash Dhansak". Vegetarian Society. Retrieved 16 November 2025.
Authentic dhansak doesn't include pineapple, but you could add some if you like.