Panchsheel Dal

As the name suggests, this is a mix of five lentils. Inspired with the flavours of Rajasthan, this Lentil mix is my all time favorite. Its a creamy and rich recipe thats capable of pulling mood for everyone. Infact, I like it more than the usual and popular Dal Makhni, since the later one is a bit heavy on stomach. Instead this one is a perfect accomplishment with Rice and also makes a simple yet rich meal for every one.

Unlike Punjabi Dal, this one doesnt use Garam Masala which provides it a very subtle taste instead I have used hint of Cinnamon with the recipe to provide it a slightly sweet aroma. The use of mild spices make the dish even more adorable.
I had taken out the pictures the next day as I was expecting sunny whether, but till then the dal got dried up. So while in the pics, you see a bit thick version, it was actually not that dry. You can plan ahead and add sufficient water to avoid this. Although I loved this thicker version even better with Paranthas. :)

Ingredients:
1. 1/4 cup of each dal equally  :
Toor Dal, Yellow Moong dal, Red Masoor dal, Chana Dal and Split green Moong.
2. 1 tsp turmeric, coriander powder, red chili powder each
3. 1 large onion, chopped small
4. A small piece of ginger, chopped or grated ( Dont mince too much )
5. 3-4 garlic pods, crushed
6. 1 tbsp Kasuri Methi
7. Salt to taste
8. 2 tomatoes, chopped
9. Coriander leaves to garnish
10. 1/2 tsp hing ( Asafoetida )
11. 1/4 tsp Cinnamon
12. 1 tsp Ghee + 1 tsp oil
13. 1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
14. 1 tsp Cumin seeds
15. 2-3 green chilies, chopped small.

Method:
 Soak all the dals together after washing thoroughly for 30 min. Rinse many times till the white water clears away.
In a pressure cooker, heat 1 tsp of oil. Add hing and roast for 30 sec. Add tomatoes and green chilies and cook for 1 min. Add turmeric, coriander powder, cinnamon and salt and mix well. Cook covered till tomatoes gets all mushy and spices get cooked, for around 3-4 min.

Add dals and 4 cups of water. This much amount of water is required as the dal tends to get thick when cools off. Pressure cook for 2 whistles and open when the pressure ease off.
In another pan, heat ghee. Splutter mustard seeds and cumin seeds. When they crackle, add garlic and ginger and fry for 2 min on medium flame. Add onions and fry till brown for 4-5 min. Onions should be well cooked and light brown in colour else the taste will not be absorbed by the curry.
Add red chili powder and kasuri methi, give a nice stir. Pour this over cooked dal and combine. Garnish with cilantro.