Chicken Dalcha/Chicken Lentil Curry

Prep Time: 10min

Cook Time: 40min
Total Time: 50min
Yield: 4-5 Servings

Ingredients

For Dal

1/2 Cup Chana Dal (Chanaga Pappu)
2 Cups Water
1/8 Tspn Turmeric Powder
1/2 Tspn Oil

For Mutton Dalcha

1/2 Kg Chicken bone-in, cut into medium sized pieces
1 Medium Sized Onion, finely chopped
1 Tblspn Red Chilli Powder
1 Green Chilli, slit on one side
1/2 Tspn Turmeric Powder
Salt to Taste
1 Tblspn Gingergarlic Paste
1/2 Lemon Sized Tamarind or add as needed, extract pulp
1/4 Tspn Garam Masala Powder
1/2 Tspn Black Cumin Seeds(Shahjeera)
1 Cinnamon(Dalchini) Stick
3-4 Green Cardamom(Ellachi) Pods
2 Tblspn Mint(Pudina) Leaves, chopped
2 Tblspn Cilantro(Kothmir) Leaves, chopped
1 1/2 Cup Water or add as needed
2 Tblspn Oil

Directions

For Dal

• Wash chana dal under running water & drain. 
• In a pressure cooker add all the ingredients & close the lid. Pressure cook for 4-5 whistles on a medium flame & turn off the flame. 
• Let the pressure release naturally & open the lid. Mash cooked dal with a masher to a smooth paste as shown in the picture below & transfer to a bowl. Keep aside.

For Chicken Dalcha

• Wash chicken pieces under running water. Keep aside to drain.
• Heat oil in a sauce pan on a medium flame, add black cumin seeds, cinnamon stick, green cardamom pods, green chilli & saute for a minute.
• Then add onion & saute till they turn translucent. 

• Add gingergarlic paste & saute for a minute. Add red chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt, garam masala powder & saute for another minute.

• Now add washed chicken, cilantro leaves, mint leaves & mix everything well as shown in the picture below. 

• Cook for 5-10 minutes or until oil separates. Add tamarind extract, water (chicken pieces should be completely immersed or you may add more water if you need to) as shown in the picture below & cover with a lid.

• Cook for 10-12 minutes or until chicken turns soft & tender. Open the lid & add cooked chana dal. Cook for another 8-10 minutes by stirring occasionally. 

• Turn off the flame & serve hot with bagara rice or plain rice.