Garhwali Phaanu
A slow-cooked Garhwali lentil curry made by soaking, grinding and simmering local dals such as gahat or urad into a thick, hearty gravy.
- Prep
- 480 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 520 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 220 kcal
Equipment
- •Mixer grinder
- •Heavy pot
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 220 kcal
- fat
- 7 g
- carbs
- 26 g
- fibre
- 8 g
- protein
- 14 g
- calories
- 220 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Drain the soaked lentils. Grind them into a coarse, thick paste using very little water.
- 2
Heat mustard oil in a heavy pot until it smokes lightly. Lower the heat and add cumin seeds.
- 3
Add garlic and ginger. Fry gently until they smell fragrant.
- 4
Add onion and cook until soft and golden.
- 5
Stir in tomato, turmeric and chilli powder. Cook until they break down into a soft paste.
- 6
Add the ground lentil paste. Mix thoroughly with the masala (spiced onion-tomato base).
- 7
Pour in water a little at a time. Stir continuously so no lumps form.
- 8
Cover and simmer on low heat for 25–30 minutes, stirring often. Cook until thick and completely done.
- 9
Check the salt and add more if needed. Stir in a little extra water if it is too thick.
- 10
Scatter chopped coriander over the top and serve hot.
Chef's tips
Soaking the lentils overnight is essential for good texture and easy digestion. Stir the phaanu (lentil stew) often while it simmers so it does not catch and burn at the bottom.
Ingredient substitutions
- horse gram → black urad dal
Storage
Refrigerate for up to 2 days in an airtight container.
Reheating
Reheat on the stovetop over low heat, adding a little water to loosen if needed.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Not soaking the lentils long enough, leaving a raw taste
- •Using too much water, making the curry runny instead of thick
Serving suggestions
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