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The first time I had Dalcha was at Thahiras house. At most households in Coimbatore, it was only a raita and a chicken kurma or salna that was served. So this dalcha recipe was so new to me. Thahira told me that they would not eat biryani without this mutton dalcha as side dish. Many people have requested the recipe for Dalcha. Here it is! “Baai” veetu Mutton Dalcha.

Usually, Dalcha is made with mutton and a little bit of mutton fat. Dice the mutton into small pieces and set aside. Take a pressure pan and add in the mutton pieces. I did not add the mutton fat. Add it if using. Add in the toor dal and chana dal. Add in the water and cook for 5 whistles. Switch off the flame and wait for the pressure to release naturally.

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Grind the garlic, ginger and onion with a little water to a fine paste. Set aside.

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Heat oil in a pan and add in the onions, curry leaves and green chillies. Fry for 3-4 minutes till the onions are soft. Add in the tomatoes and the onion-ginger-garlic paste. Fry for a couple of minutes.

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Add in the red chilli powder and salt. Add in the garam masala / curry masala powder. I added my home made curry masala powder today. Add in 2 tablespoon of tamarind paste. I use home made tamarind paste which works so well and makes for one chore less everyday. Here is the recipe for homemade tamarind paste. Fry for a minute.

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Add in the veggies. I used raw mangoes and brinjal today. You can also add drumsticks, raw plantains etc. Add in little water and simmer for 15 minutes covered with a lid.

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Add in the cooked dal-mutton mixture. Add in the ground coconut paste and let it simmer for a couple of minutes. Add in the coriander leaves and remove the pan from heat.

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Serve with biryani or ghee rice.

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For Cooking Dal and Mutton

  • 100 grams mutton with bone
  • 1/4 cup chana dal
  • 1/4 cup toor dal
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 2 cups water

Ginger-Garlic-Onion Paste

  • 6 cloves garlic
  • 1 inch piece ginger
  • 1 medium size onion
  • 1/4 cup water to grind

Other Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 medium sized onion, chopped
  • 2 green chillies, chopped
  • 2 sprigs curry leaves
  • 1 tomato, chopped
  • 2 teaspoon red chilli powder
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala / curry masala powder
  • 2 tablespoon tamarind paste
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 5 small brinjals, chopped
  • 1/2 of a raw mango, chopped
  • 1/2 of a raw plantain, chopped
  • 1/4 cup fresh coconut ground to a paste with 1/4 cup water
  1. Take a pressure pan and add in the mutton pieces. Add in the toor dal and chana dal. Add in the water and cook for 5 whistles. Switch off the flame and wait for the pressure to release naturally.
  2. Heat oil in a pan and add in the onions, curry leaves and green chillies. Fry for 3-4 minutes till the onions are soft. Add in the tomatoes and the onion-ginger-garlic paste. Fry for a couple of minutes.
  3. Add in the red chilli powder. Add in the garam masala powder. Add in 2 tablespoon of tamarind paste and salt. Fry for a minute.
  4. Add in the veggies – brinjal, mango and raw plantain. Add in little water and simmer for 15 minutes covered with a lid.
  5. Add in the cooked dal-mutton mixture. Add in the ground coconut paste and let it simmer for a couple of minutes. Add in the coriander leaves and remove the pan from heat.
  • Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Cook Time: 45 mins
  • Category: Side Dish
  • Cuisine: South Indian
dalcha - 9 dalcha-mutton-dalcha-recipe - 10

For Cooking Dal and Mutton

  • 100 grams mutton with bone
  • 1/4 cup chana dal
  • 1/4 cup toor dal
  • 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 2 cups water

Ginger-Garlic-Onion Paste

  • 6 cloves garlic
  • 1 inch piece ginger
  • 1 medium size onion
  • 1/4 cup water to grind

Other Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 1 medium sized onion, chopped
  • 2 green chillies, chopped
  • 2 sprigs curry leaves
  • 1 tomato, chopped
  • 2 teaspoon red chilli powder
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala / curry masala powder
  • 2 tablespoon tamarind paste
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 5 small brinjals, chopped
  • 1/2 of a raw mango, chopped
  • 1/2 of a raw plantain, chopped
  • 1/4 cup fresh coconut ground to a paste with 1/4 cup water
  1. Take a pressure pan and add in the mutton pieces. Add in the toor dal and chana dal. Add in the water and cook for 5 whistles. Switch off the flame and wait for the pressure to release naturally.
  2. Heat oil in a pan and add in the onions, curry leaves and green chillies. Fry for 3-4 minutes till the onions are soft. Add in the tomatoes and the onion-ginger-garlic paste. Fry for a couple of minutes.
  3. Add in the red chilli powder. Add in the garam masala powder. Add in 2 tablespoon of tamarind paste and salt. Fry for a minute.
  4. Add in the veggies – brinjal, mango and raw plantain. Add in little water and simmer for 15 minutes covered with a lid.
  5. Add in the cooked dal-mutton mixture. Add in the ground coconut paste and let it simmer for a couple of minutes. Add in the coriander leaves and remove the pan from heat.
  • Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
  • Prep Time: 15 mins
  • Cook Time: 45 mins
  • Category: Side Dish
  • Cuisine: South Indian

Find it online : https://www.kannammacooks.com/dalcha-recipe-mutton-dalcha-recipe/

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My aunt loved brinjals. She would not touch any English veggie. Only country veggies with an occasional carrot. That’s it! During her 60’s she developed an acute skin allergy. After many failed treatments, she went for treatment to an Ayurvedic clinic in Kerala and the treatment helped her keep the allergy in control. But the downside was that she had to give up eating brinjals and some other veggies. She found it really difficult to do that. She does sometime cheat and take an extra does of anti-histamine but that’s OK. Simple pleasures of life as we know it. This is her favorite way of eating brinjals and this recipe is such a winner on the lunch table.

Heat sesame oil (gingely oil) in a pressure pan until hot. Add in the fenugreek seeds (vendhayam), mustard seeds, cardamom and cumin seeds. Add in the sliced onions and fry till the onions are soft. Add in the tomatoes and ginger garlic paste. Fry for a couple of minutes.

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Add in the red chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, jaggery and salt. Add in the garam masala / curry masala powder. I added my home made curry masala powder today. Add in 2 tablespoon of tamarind paste. I use home made tamarind paste which works so well and makes for one chore less everyday. Fry for a minute. Add in the chopped brinjal and half a cup of water.

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Cover the pressure pan and cook for two whistles. Remove from heat and wait for the pressure to release naturally.

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Take a pan and transfer the brinjal mixture to the pan. Saute for 5-10 minutes to roast and thicken the thokku. When the thokku is thick and oil starts to separate, remove from heat and garnish with coriander leaves.

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Serve with rice, idli or chapati.

kathirikkai-thokku-recipe - 16
  • 3 tablespoon sesame oil (gingely oil)
  • 1/4 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
  • 1/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • 3 cardamom pods
  • 2 medium sized onions, sliced
  • 2 ripe tomatoes, sliced
  • 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste
  • 2 teaspoon red chilli powder
  • 2 teaspoon coriander powder
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala / curry masala powder.
  • 2 tablespoon tamarind paste
  • 1 tablespoon jaggery
  • 6 - 7 small brinjal, chopped
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 3 sprigs coriander leaves, chopped
  1. Heat sesame oil (gingely oil) in a pressure pan until hot. Add in the fenugreek seeds (vendhayam), mustard seeds, cardamom and cumin seeds. Add in the sliced onions and fry till the onions are soft. Add in the tomatoes and ginger garlic paste. Fry for a couple of minutes.
  2. Add in the red chilli powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder, salt and jaggery. Add in the garam masala / curry masala powder. Add in 2 tablespoon of tamarind paste. Fry for a minute. Add in the chopped brinjal and half a cup of water.
  3. Cover the pressure pan and cook for two whistles on medium flame. Remove from heat and wait for the pressure to release naturally.
  4. Take a pan and transfer the brinjal mixture to the pan. Saute for 5-10 minutes to roast and thicken the thokku. When the thokku is thick and oil starts to separate, remove from heat and garnish with coriander leaves.

Notes

Do not add too much fenugreek seeds. The curry will become bitter.

  • Author: Kannamma - Suguna Vinodh
  • Prep Time: 5 mins
  • Cook Time: 20 mins
  • Category: Side Dish
  • Cuisine: Tamilnadu
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