The Parsi people originated from Persia (now Iran), and it's this community of people that developed the Dhansak. It's usually prepared on a Sunday due to the amount of time it can take.
The chicken breast recipe below contains fruit juice to sweeten the flavour, but the traditional recipes would never contain any fruits, and would be sweetened by pumpkins or butternut squash.
This recipe will serve four adults, and can be prepared in around an hour.
Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts, 300ml chicken stock, 200ml pure pineapple juice, 100ml mango chutney, 5 onions, 2 garlic cloves, fennel seeds, 50ml natural yogurt, ginger puree, tomato puree, 400g lentils, turmeric powder, mild curry powder, chilli powder, garam masala powder, fresh coriander leaves
Method:
The chicken breast recipe below contains fruit juice to sweeten the flavour, but the traditional recipes would never contain any fruits, and would be sweetened by pumpkins or butternut squash.
This recipe will serve four adults, and can be prepared in around an hour.
Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts, 300ml chicken stock, 200ml pure pineapple juice, 100ml mango chutney, 5 onions, 2 garlic cloves, fennel seeds, 50ml natural yogurt, ginger puree, tomato puree, 400g lentils, turmeric powder, mild curry powder, chilli powder, garam masala powder, fresh coriander leaves
Method:
1. To begin, make the onion puree. To do this simply peel and chop 3 onions into small pieces and add to a small pan of boiling water. When you are happy that the onions are soft remove the pieces from the water and blend them into a puree.
2. You also want to make the lentil puree, so do this in the same way as outlined in step 1 (using lentils though, obviously!)
3. Place a large saucepan over a high heat and spoon in two tablespoon's worth of fennel seeds. Allow the seeds to toast, before pouring on a little oil and then adding the rest of the peeled and chopped onion. Fry the onion in the oil until they are golden.
4. Make the curry paste in a small bowl - 4 teaspoons of the curry powder, 2 teaspoons of turmeric powder and 1 teaspoon of chili powder should do the trick. Then add a little water and mix thoroughly. Crush in the garlic and grate in a little ginger and you'll have your paste!
5. Cut the chicken into 1/2" cubes. Add the paste to the pan and heat through, and then add the chicken in. Make sure the chicken is well coated in the curry paste.
6. Spoon in the mango chutney and then pour on the pineapple juice - stir the mixture well.
7. Now, in a second bowl, pour the yoghurt in, and put 2 tablespoons of tomato puree and all the onion and lentil puree, and mix in the bowl.
8. Now make up the chicken stock and pour this into the saucepan. Turn up the heat and pour in the yoghurt mixture you've just made. Bring to the boil, and then reduce the temperate and allow the curry to simmer away for around 20 minutes.
2. You also want to make the lentil puree, so do this in the same way as outlined in step 1 (using lentils though, obviously!)
3. Place a large saucepan over a high heat and spoon in two tablespoon's worth of fennel seeds. Allow the seeds to toast, before pouring on a little oil and then adding the rest of the peeled and chopped onion. Fry the onion in the oil until they are golden.
4. Make the curry paste in a small bowl - 4 teaspoons of the curry powder, 2 teaspoons of turmeric powder and 1 teaspoon of chili powder should do the trick. Then add a little water and mix thoroughly. Crush in the garlic and grate in a little ginger and you'll have your paste!
5. Cut the chicken into 1/2" cubes. Add the paste to the pan and heat through, and then add the chicken in. Make sure the chicken is well coated in the curry paste.
6. Spoon in the mango chutney and then pour on the pineapple juice - stir the mixture well.
7. Now, in a second bowl, pour the yoghurt in, and put 2 tablespoons of tomato puree and all the onion and lentil puree, and mix in the bowl.
8. Now make up the chicken stock and pour this into the saucepan. Turn up the heat and pour in the yoghurt mixture you've just made. Bring to the boil, and then reduce the temperate and allow the curry to simmer away for around 20 minutes.
4. Make the curry paste in a small bowl - 4 teaspoons of the curry powder, 2 teaspoons of turmeric powder and 1 teaspoon of chili powder should do the trick. Then add a little water and mix thoroughly. Crush in the garlic and grate in a little ginger and you'll have your paste!
5. Cut the chicken into 1/2" cubes. Add the paste to the pan and heat through, and then add the chicken in. Make sure the chicken is well coated in the curry paste.
6. Spoon in the mango chutney and then pour on the pineapple juice - stir the mixture well.
7. Now, in a second bowl, pour the yoghurt in, and put 2 tablespoons of tomato puree and all the onion and lentil puree, and mix in the bowl.
8. Now make up the chicken stock and pour this into the saucepan. Turn up the heat and pour in the yoghurt mixture you've just made. Bring to the boil, and then reduce the temperate and allow the curry to simmer away for around 20 minutes.
9. After 15-20 minutes add 2 teaspoons full of garam masala. Give it a final really good stir and give it another couple of minutes on the heat.
10. Serve onto warm plates with rice and naan bread, and my favourite drink with this recipe is an ice cool Tiger beer.
About the Author:
5. Cut the chicken into 1/2" cubes. Add the paste to the pan and heat through, and then add the chicken in. Make sure the chicken is well coated in the curry paste.
6. Spoon in the mango chutney and then pour on the pineapple juice - stir the mixture well.
7. Now, in a second bowl, pour the yoghurt in, and put 2 tablespoons of tomato puree and all the onion and lentil puree, and mix in the bowl.
8. Now make up the chicken stock and pour this into the saucepan. Turn up the heat and pour in the yoghurt mixture you've just made. Bring to the boil, and then reduce the temperate and allow the curry to simmer away for around 20 minutes.
9. After 15-20 minutes add 2 teaspoons full of garam masala. Give it a final really good stir and give it another couple of minutes on the heat.
10. Serve onto warm plates with rice and naan bread, and my favourite drink with this recipe is an ice cool Tiger beer.
About the Author:
If you enjoyed this then you'll love the rest of our chicken breast recipes, including a great chicken korma recipe. Click the link for more great recipes.