Daalcha Ghosht -- Lentil and Meat Stew

Daalcha Gosht – Lentil and Meat stew

• Chaney ki Dal/Chana dal – 1 cup
• Green chilies – 3, chopped
• Tomatoes – 2, large, chopped
• Salt – to taste
•  Oil – 2 tbsp
• Cumin seeds – 2 tsp
• Curry leaves – 2 sprigs
• Onion – 1/4 cup, finely sliced
• Ginger-garlic paste – 1 tsp
• Dry red chilies – 2, each broken into two
• Lamb meat with bones/Lamb shanks – 500 gm
• Red chili powder – 1 tbsp
• Salt – to taste
  Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp
  Bottle Gourd/Kaddu – 1, medium sized, peeled and cut into diamond shape (optional)
  Tamarind extract – 1 cup
  Cilantro – 3 tbsp, finely chopped
    
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• Method:
  
  1.    Soak the daal for 1-2 hours in fresh cool water. Later drain the daal and rinse it in a wire mesh under running water. Add this soaked daal to a pressure cook; pour in about 3 cups of fresh cool water, chopped green chilies, tomatoes and salt. Close the lid and pressure cook until the daal is mushy. Puree it in a blender until smooth and keep aside.
  2. In a separate pressure cooker at medium high heat pour in oil and as soon as it is warm, add the cumin seeds, curry leaves, sliced onion and stir fry until the onion is lightly golden brown in color. Add ginger-garlic paste and stir fry along for a minute. Add dried red chilies, lamb bones/shanks, red chili powder, turmeric powder and salt. Mix well. Pour in fresh cool water to cover the meat and pressure cook until the meat is tender.
  3. Add bottle gourd pieces and mix well. Add little more water to cover them and again pressure cook for 1 whistle. (Skip this step if you are not adding bottle gourd)
  4. Add the pureed daal mixture and mix well. Add about 2-3 cups of fresh cool water and tamarind extract to get a pouring consistency (not too thick or too thin) and let it come to a boil. Once boiling, simmer and let cook for 10-15 minutes. Add cilantro and stir to mix. Serve warm