Chainsoo
A rustic Kumaoni curry made from dry-roasted, coarsely ground whole urad dal, slow-cooked into a thick, nutty gravy.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Total
- 60 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 230 kcal
Equipment
- •Grinding stone or mixer
- •Heavy pot
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 230 kcal
- fat
- 9 g
- carbs
- 24 g
- fibre
- 7 g
- protein
- 13 g
- calories
- 230 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Dry-roast the whole urad dal on a griddle without oil. Toast until it turns darker and smells nutty.
- 2
Let it cool down. Grind it coarsely in a mixer to a rough, sandy texture, not a fine powder.
- 3
Heat the mustard oil in a heavy pot until it smokes lightly. Add the cumin seeds.
- 4
Add the chopped garlic and ginger. Fry gently until fragrant.
- 5
Add the onion. Cook until it turns golden brown.
- 6
Stir in the tomato, turmeric and red chilli powder. Cook until the tomato softens.
- 7
Add the roasted, ground urad dal. Stir well to coat it in the masala (spiced mixture).
- 8
Pour in the water gradually. Stir continuously to prevent lumps.
- 9
Cover and simmer on low heat for 20–25 minutes until thick. Stir occasionally.
- 10
Season with salt. Serve hot.
Chef's tips
Roast the dal thoroughly before grinding for chainsoo's toasted flavour. Stir frequently while simmering, as the ground dal easily sticks to the bottom.
Ingredient substitutions
- whole urad dal → split urad dal (adjust roasting time down)
Storage
Refrigerate for up to 2 days in an airtight container.
Reheating
Reheat gently with a splash of water to restore consistency.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Grinding the dal into a fine powder, which ruins the coarse texture.
- •Not stirring often enough, causing the dal to catch and burn at the bottom.
Serving suggestions
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