Odia Dalma with Seasonal Vegetables

An Odisha-style lentil and vegetable curry with pumpkin, potato, carrot, eggplant and green beans, finished with toasted cumin and coconut. Serve with freshly cooked rice.

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Kitchen Handi editorial adaptation of ordinary Odia home cooking, written for a saucepan rather than a pressure cooker. This version uses neutral oil instead of ghee and contains no onion or garlic. Regional context: Incredible India, https://www.incredibleindia.gov.in/en/odisha/puri/15-famous-dishes-of-odisha-to-try-while-visiting-puri . Method cross-checks: The Turmeric Kitchen, https://turmerickitchen.wordpress.com/2015/11/20/dalma-the-typical-odia-thali-a-divine-affair-recipe/ ; Chef Tripti Saxena, https://cookpad.com/eng/recipes/10866362 . Quantities, staging and beginner instructions are Kitchen Handi's adaptation; not kitchen-tested. Storage: refrigerate the dalma promptly in shallow containers within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 32°C, at 4°C or below. Use within 3–4 days and reheat to 74°C; follow separate rice-storage guidance for any accompaniment. Sources: https://www.foodsafety.gov/keep-food-safe/4-steps-to-food-safety and https://www.foodsafety.gov/food-safety-charts/cold-food-storage-charts .

Ingredients

• 180 g Toor dal (dry split pigeon peas, rinsed)
• 900 ml Water (plus up to 200 ml hot water if needed)
• 150 g Pumpkin (peeled and cut into 2 cm pieces)
• 150 g Potato (peeled and cut into 1.5 cm pieces)
• 100 g Carrot (peeled and cut into 1 cm pieces)
• 100 g Eggplant (cut into 2 cm pieces)
• 75 g Green beans (trimmed and cut into 2 cm lengths)
• 10 g Fresh ginger (peeled and finely grated)
• 0.5 tsp Ground turmeric
• 1 piece Bay leaf
• 1 tsp Fine salt (start with 3/4 tsp; adjust with the remainder)
• 1.5 tsp Cumin seeds (divided)
• 1 piece Dried red chilli (optional; omit for a mild version)
• 1.5 tbsp Neutral cooking oil
• 20 g Grated coconut (fresh or thawed unsweetened coconut)
• 10 g Fresh coriander (washed and chopped)

Step-by-step method

1. Rinse the lentils in a sieve. Wash and cut the vegetables to the sizes listed so the potato and carrot cook through before the softer pieces collapse.
2. Put the lentils, 900 ml water, ginger, turmeric and bay leaf in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil, skim any foam, then lower the heat to a gentle simmer with the lid slightly open.
3. Simmer for 30–35 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are nearly tender. Older lentils may take longer. If the pan starts to dry, add hot water a little at a time; do not let the bottom catch.
4. Add the potato, carrot, pumpkin, eggplant, green beans and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Simmer, partly covered, for 18–22 minutes. A knife should slide easily into the potato and carrot, and a lentil should squash without a hard centre.
5. While the vegetables cook, toast 1 teaspoon cumin and the optional dried chilli in a small dry pan over low heat for about 1 minute, just until fragrant. Cool briefly, then crush to a coarse powder. Do not blacken the spices.
6. Heat the oil in the same small pan. Add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon cumin; let it sizzle for 20–30 seconds. Take the pan off the heat and carefully pour the oil and seeds into the dalma.
7. Stir in the crushed spice mixture and coconut. Simmer for 3–5 minutes, stirring gently to preserve the vegetable pieces. Add a little hot water for a spoonable curry, or simmer uncovered briefly if too thin.
8. Remove the bay leaf. Taste before adding any of the remaining salt, then stir in the coriander. Serve hot with freshly cooked rice; the rice is a separate accompaniment and is not included in this recipe's time or quantities.