Dalca is a staple in Indian cuisine, a lovely dish made of lentils, meat and vegetables.
If you’re looking for a pick-me-up on a dull day, there’s no better solution than a hot, steaming plate of nasi briyani covered in this delicious stew. It’s enjoyable on its own or with other mains or side dishes – a glorious tummy-warmer.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons ghee
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil
- 1kg lamb chops, or other meat
- 5 potatoes, halved
- 3 tomatoes, cut into wedges
- 3 carrots, cut into 1cm chunks and halved lengthwise
- 2 round eggplants, cut into 1cm wedges
- 4 green chillies, halved lengthwise
- 1 handful mint leaves
- 2 cloves garlic
- 15g ginger
- 1/2 cup fresh santan
- 5 shallots and 2 large onions, sliced finely
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 6 cloves
- 5 cardamom pods
- 4 star anise
- 3 stalks curry leaves
- up to 1 cup boiled yellow split dhal lentils
- 2 tablespoon fish curry powder
- 1/2 cup asam jawa juice
- 1 cup water
- salt to taste
Method
- Finely crush the garlic and ginger, then rub the mixture over the lamb chops. Leave to marinate for at least 10 minutes.
- Heat the ghee and cooking oil in a pot. Once hot, add the curry leaves, cinnamon stick, cloves, star anise, and cardamom until the spices crackle and are fragrant.
- Add the sliced onions and 4 of the shallots. Fry until caramelised around the edges.
- Add the lamb chops. Stir and leave to cook for 10 minutes.
- Add in the cut potatoes, carrots, chillies, eggplant and tomatoes, followed by the cup of water.
- Boil the broth on low heat until the vegetables and lamb chops are tender.
- In the meantime, in a dry frying pan, lightly stir-fry the fish curry powder with the remaining shallot.
- When the lamb and veggies are cooked, add the curry powder to the pot. Add salt to taste.
- Add the asam jawa juice and leave the broth to boil for 5 minutes.
- Add the santan and boil for a further 5 minutes. If the gravy has reduced too much, add more water and/or santan. Adjust with more asam jawa juice, if needed.
- Add the dhal a little at a time until the broth has a nice thickened consistency that still flows well.
- Turn off the heat, dish out into bowls, garnish with mint leaves, and enjoy with a steaming plate of nasi briyani.
This article first appeared in butterkicap.com, a food and culture platform and community that enables anyone to experience Malaysia through stories of its people, food and places.