Dalcha Recipe

Dalcha is a delicious side dish commonly served for biryani. Dalcha is made by cooking dal with tempered spices, onion, tomato and vegetables or meat. It is a easy side dish for biryani, ghee rice or pulao. Learn to make Dalcha with step by step pictures.

Dalcha is a popular side dish for biryani. The first time I tasted dalcha was at my perimmas place at trichy, I loved it so much. It is usually served with kuska biryani , veg biryani, nonveg biryani etc. I promised to post this recipe when I posted chiccken biryani but time had other plans for me, but now I am finally here with the recipe. This is a vegetarian version of chalna recipe, check my notes to make nonveg version.

About Dalcha

Dalcha is a common side dish served with biryani. Dalcha is usually made with meat but I have shared the veg version here. Dalcha is a veg alternate to Non veg gravy for Biryani and easy to make. It is very flavorful and tastes great with idli, dosa , chapati too.

Dalcha or Veg Dalcha is a vegetable stew made with lentils and vegetables. This is from Nawabi cuisine and most commonly served side dish for biryani. Traditionally dalcha is made with meat and lentils, which is very aromatic and flavorful. I have replaced meat with vegetables and this version goes well with veg biryani and nonveg biryani.

Dalcha Ingredients

• Lentils – Toor dal and chana dal is used here which forms the base of this gravy.
• Onion, Tomato – Onion, tomato is sauteed with tempered spices.
• Vegetables – Brinjal and raw mango is most commonly used in veg version.
• Spice powders – Red chili powder and coriander powder is used.
• Tamarind – Tamarind is soaked in water and tamarind paste is extracted.
• Ginger garlic paste – Ginger garlic paste is added for flavor.
• Coriander leaves – Coriander leaves is added for garnish, adds great flavor.
• Tempering – Whole spices like cinnamon, cloves and bay leaf along with fennel seeds, curry leaves, green chilies is used for tempering.

Similar Recipes

• Poondu Kulambu
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• Mor Kuzhambu
• Puli Kulambu

How to make Dalcha Step by Step

1.Heat oil in a pressure cooker – add the items under ‘to temper’ let it splutter then add onion, ginger garlic paste sauté till slightly browned. Then add chopped tomato sauté till mushy and raw smell leaves. Then add red chili, coriander powders, required salt and mix well.

2.Add the dals, give a quick stir add about 1 cup of water and pressure cook 4-5 whistles. The dals should be mushy. Keep aside.

3.In a pan heat oil, saute the brinjals until golden brown and is half cooked, set aside. Transfer the dal mixture to a pan and heat it up. Add water if the mixture is too thick. Once it starts boiling add the brinjals.

4.Add raw mango pieces, allow it boil. Cook covered until both the veggies turn soft. Once the veggies are cooked add tamarind water and let it for one boil then garnish with coriander leaves and switch off.

Serve hot with biryani!

Expert Tips

• Add required quantity of water to dilute the curry for the veggies to get cooked. Do not add tamarind paste before the veggies get cooked.
• The curry thickens with time so switch off accordingly.
• Brinjal and raw mango are must for this curry so don’t skip it.
• This curry goes well even with plain rice, kuska biryani,veg biryani etc.
• For nonveg version, just add mutton pieces with bones along with dals to pressure cook. Make sure to pressure cook till mutton is cooked fully. You can skip brinjal if you want for nonveg version. Other steps remains the same.

Serving and Storage

Dalcha can be served with biryani, pulao or ghee rice. This keeps well in fridge for 2 days, reheat and serve it.

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Dalcha Recipe

Dalcha is a delicious side dish commonly served for biryani. Dalcha is made by cooking dal with tempered spices, onion, tomato and vegetables or meat. It is a easy side dish for biryani, ghee rice or pulao. Learn to make Dalcha with step by step pictures.

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time25 minutes mins

Total Time40 minutes mins

Servings2

AuthorSharmilee J

1x2x3x

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup toor dal heaped
• 4 tablespoon chana dal
• 1 big onion chopped finely
• 1.5 teaspoon ginger garlic paste
• 5 brinjals cut into four
• 1 raw mango cut into small pieces
• 1 tomato chopped roughly
• 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
• 2 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1 tablespoon tamarind paste
• coriander leaves to garnish
• salt to taste
• 3 teaspoon oil

To Temper :

• 2 teaspoon oil
• 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1 slitted green chillies
• 1/2 inch piece cinnamon
• 2 cloves
• 1/2 bay leaf

Instructions

• Heat oil in a pressure cooker – add the items under ‘to temper’ let it splutter then add onion, ginger garlic paste sauté till slightly browned. Then add chopped tomato sauté till mushy and raw smell leaves. Then add red chili, coriander powders, required salt and mix well.
• Add the dals, give a quick stir add about 1 cup of water and pressure cook 4-5 whistles. The dals should be mushy. Keep aside.
• In a pan heat oil, saute the brinjals until golden brown and is half cooked, set aside. Transfer the dal mixture to a pan and heat it up. Add water if the mixture is too thick. Once it starts boiling add the brinjals.
• Add raw mango pieces, allow it boil. Cook covered until both the veggies turn soft. Once the veggies are cooked add tamarind water and let it for one boil then garnish with coriander leaves and switch off.
• Serve hot with biryani!

Notes

Add required quantity of water to dilute the curry for the veggies to get cooked. Do not add tamarind paste before the veggies get cooked.

The curry thickens with time so switch off accordingly.

Brinjal and raw mango are must for this curry so don’t skip it.

This curry goes well even with plain rice, kuska biryani,veg biryani etc.

For nonveg version, just add mutton pieces with bones along with dals to pressure cook. Make sure to pressure cook till mutton is cooked fully. You can skip brinjal if you want for nonveg version. Other steps remains the same.

Nutrition Facts

Dalcha Recipe

Amount Per Serving (100 g)

Calories 678 Calories from Fat 135

% Daily Value*

Fat 15g23%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Trans Fat 0.04g

Polyunsaturated Fat 4g

Monounsaturated Fat 7g

Sodium 2081mg90%

Potassium 3164mg90%

Carbohydrates 130g43%

Fiber 52g217%

Sugar 64g71%

Protein 23g46%

Vitamin A 2556IU51%

Vitamin C 90mg109%

Calcium 246mg25%

Iron 6mg33%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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