Panchratna dal (alsopanchmel dal inRajasthani cuisine orpancha dhal inCaribbean cuisine) is a populardal in theIndian subcontinent and Indian-origin communities inGuyana,Suriname, andTrinidad and Tobago.Lentils are an integral part of Indian cuisine. This is a dish customarily served on special occasions.[citation needed] It is usually accompanied by an Indian flatbread orroti.[1][2]
As the name suggests, based on theSanskrit rootpanch for five,panchratna dal is made by combining five different kinds ofdals (lentils) common toIndian households. The wordratna means jewels andmel means mix. Hence,panchratna andpanchmel mean 'five jewels' and 'mixture of five dals' respectively.
Traditionally, a panchratna dal mixture contains equal quantities oftoor dal,urad dal,moong dal,chana dal andmasoor dal. The dal mixture is first soaked in water to soften the lentils. This mixture is then pressure-cooked for 15 minutes till the dal is cooked. The cooked dal is then flavoured with butter, chilies,cumin,cloves,cardamom, ginger andgaram masala.[3]
Some recipes substitutemasoor dal for the moth dal, which is less commonly available in some regions than the other four dals.
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