Red lentils and cauliflower are simmered with the Bengali 5-spice blend Panch Phoran in this delicious vegan dal.
Sometimes a recipe comes along that’s so spectacular that you feel compelled to climb your way up to the top of the nearest alp and sing like Julie Andrews, giddy and overflowing with such love for the world that the power of your emotions threatens to send you skidding down the mountain on the backside of your lederhosen.
Or you could just blog about it.
Either way, this is one of those recipes.
I know it doesn’t look like much, a little lumpy and gloppy and overly orange, but this combination of red lentils and cauliflower tastes out of this world, all because of panch phoran.
Panch phoran (also spelled panch phoron and panch puran) is a Bengali blend of five spices– fenugreek, mustard, kalonji (nigella), fennel, and cumin, in equal amounts. (In Bengal, radhuni would be used instead of mustard, but it’s not available in the U.S.) You can buy this spice blend in Indian grocery stores or you can make it yourself. Since I would have had to go to the Indian store to buy fenugreek and kolonji seeds, it was just as easy for me to pick up the pre-mixed package for $1.99.
It may well be the best two bucks I’ve ever spent. I’ve cooked with 4 of these spices before and love them alone and in combination with other seasonings, but somehow combined, they turn into a kalidoscope of flavor. Each bite tastes different from the next–first a little cumin combined with mustard, then fenugreek with fennel, and so on, the flavors shifting and blending with each other and the other ingredients. I’m not equal to the challenge of describing their flavors, but Barbara at Tigers and Strawberries devoted an entire post to panch phoran that’s sheer poetry. She writes:
When I drop those seeds into a pan of hot oil with a sizzle and a clatter, I am called backward to a time long ago and forward to a time that never was, into memory and dream, into a familiar strangeness. When I smell the wafting song of their voices coming together, I find myself very much at home.
It was thanks to Barbara’s evocative essay that I went searching for panch phoron last week. After looking at recipes online and in some of my cookbooks (particularly Madhur Jaffrey’s World-of-the-East Vegetarian), I decided to make a fairly standard dal and add the seasoning to it.
Including cauliflower was a last minute idea–I just love a one-pot meal, so if I can get my vegetable and protein all in one pot, I’ll do it. I can’t find any precedent for mixing cauliflower and masoor dal, so don’t consider this an authentic Bengali recipe. Just consider it delicious–and kid-friendly, if my daughter is any indication. (It’s probably the first time she’s ever taken cauliflower to school in her lunchbox.)
More Recipes with Panch Phoran
Once you try panch phoran, I hope you’ll be as excited about it as I am. If so, here are a few recipes you can use it in:
Kale with Panch Phoran from Tigers and Strawberries
Bengali Red Dal Curry from Kalyn’s Kitchen
Pumpkin and Potato Curry from Indian Food Rocks
Aloo Rasedaar from The Budding Cook
Bengali Cauliflower and Potato Chechki from Bon Appegeek
Cauliflower Dal with Panch Phoran
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups masoor dal or split red lentils
- 4 cups water
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
- 1/8 teaspoon canola or grapeseed oil (or canola oil spray)*
- 1 tablespoon panch phoran
- 1 large onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1 teaspoon ginger paste (or 1 tsp. minced ginger)
- 16 ounces diced tomatoes (or 1 can)
- 1 head cauliflower cut into small florets
- 1/2 cup water
Instructions
- Pick over and rinse the lentils and add them to a pot with 4 cups of water and turmeric. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Simmer until the dal is tender, about 20 to 35 minutes. (Or place in Instant Pot or pressure cooker and cook at high pressure for 7 minutes; allow pressure to come down naturally for at least 15 minutes before quick release.) When done, add salt and set aside.
- While the dal is cooking, prepare the vegetables. Heat a large, deep skillet, preferably non-stick. When hot, add the oil and shake it to spread it around. Add the panch phoran and stir. (You may instead use oil spray; spray before and after adding the panch phoran.) When the first seed pops, immediately add the onion, garlic, pepper flakes, and ginger paste. Stir and cook until the onion softens, about 2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, cauliflower, and 1/2 cup water, and stir. Cover and cook until the cauliflower is just tender, about 10 minutes.
- When the dal and cauliflower are both done, add the dal to the cauliflower mixture. Stir well, and check seasoning, adding more salt if needed. Simmer gently for about 10 minutes to allow flavors to blend. Serve hot, over rice if desired.
Notes
Nutritional info is approximate.
Please pin and share!
Kristin
October 30, 2012 at 10:43 amHi Susan, I made this last night and loved it. It was even better for brunch today 🙂 THANK YOU.
Carol Kuntzman
November 13, 2012 at 11:12 amThis Cauliflower Dal with Panch Phoron was wonderful!! Each time I reheat a big bowl I add a half tablespoon of creamy peanut butter and a tablespoon or two of almond or coconut milk. It adds a deep richness that complements the unique flavor bursts of all of those Panch Phoron seeds. This is a very unique and satisfying dish that keeps me going for the day without needing any kind of bread, crackers, or snacks with it. I couldn’t find the Kalonji seed so used black sesame seeds and I also added Turkish red pepper flakes for a little heat and garnish on top. Thanks for this outstanding recipe…
Kim M
December 2, 2012 at 2:14 amThis is amazing and has become my new favorite dish. I literally make a batch each week and have a bowl most days. It is so rich and deep in flavor.. Thank you for sharing!
Kathryn
January 15, 2013 at 4:28 pmI’ve been dreaming about this lately – picked up a head of cauliflower today!
Leila
January 21, 2013 at 12:25 amI tried this recipe. It is really good. I especially was glad of the ‘recipe’ for the panch phoran blend. And my husband, who thinks I’ve gone crazy in my new cooking.., he like it too!! Double thanks..
systema
March 24, 2013 at 4:03 amLentils – Cauliflower and Panch Poran – what more could you want !!!
janet @ the taste space
April 4, 2013 at 12:17 pmFinally shared my version.. this is an oftentimes repeated recipe for us, Susan. We increase the spices, though. Thank you so much for such a delicious recipe.
This is our version: http://tastespace.wordpress.com/2013/04/02/cauliflower-dal-with-panch-phoran/
Adam Hall
April 18, 2013 at 4:08 pmWhich gets the 4 cups and which gets the 1/2 cup of water ? I assume the lentils get the 4 but just checking.
Susan Voisin
April 18, 2013 at 4:30 pmYes, the ingredient are in the order in which they’re used, but I’ll edit the recipe to be more specific.
sushmita
May 15, 2013 at 3:46 amI am an Indian, i use paanch phoron in number of my dishes….i have never read or thought of such a beautiful description that u guys have written about paanch phoron. These seeds are magical..
Pastiche Paradis
June 9, 2013 at 11:24 pmI can’t wait to try this recipe. I just ordered Panch Phoron from Spices, Inc., where I get all of my exotic spices delivered to my house (it saves me lots of trips looking for spices, plus the prices are great!) I’m so excited to get my order in the mail and try this recipe. I do have a question. How to you pronounce panch pheron? I’ve looked all over the internet and can’t find a pronunciation. Is it like pawnch (ch as in cheese) four-ON or four-uhn? Or is panch more like pawnk (ch like in chameleon “k” sound?) Just wanted to know how to say it in case I have to verbally share it, ask for it, or explain it! Thanks for the recipe!
Susan Voisin
June 9, 2013 at 11:31 pmI really wish I knew! I’ll have to ask the next time I’m buying it at the Indian grocery store.
Anna
October 10, 2014 at 2:42 pmPanch is pronounced as in “Pancho Villa.” The ph is not pronounced like an “f” as in English, but as a “p” , followed by a little puff of air-like “hu”. (P and ph are two different letters in Sanskrit and Hindi.) You can certainly get away with just pronouncing it “poran,” with the emphasis on the second syllable, if it’s hard to get the p-h sound.
Tracy Wood
June 14, 2013 at 4:36 pmMade this for dinner tonight….house smells incredible….it’s resting in a covered pan…..rice is in steamer….beer is at the ready…..great Friday meal!
Mamachandra
September 14, 2013 at 3:59 pmSusan, after reading this post soon after you posted it, I immediately ordered some panch phoran to add to my spice collection and to make this delicious sounding recipe. I still haven’t made the recipe, but I did use it in roasting cauliflower and ended up creating a family favorite on my end….even if it did take me til today to actually blog about it.
As always, thanks for all of the inspiration! I plan to make this recipe (finally!) before the end of the month. 🙂
Renee
December 15, 2013 at 6:32 pmSusan,
I love this Cauliflower Dal! Just made it for 2nd time tonight.
I am wondering if I can make the vegetable part of this and then freeze it? Will it ruin the flavor or texture? I have a lot of cauliflower now so I was wanting to use it. Thanks for a great website.
Jessie
January 16, 2014 at 10:12 pmI made this tonight, increasing the panch phoran to 3T, substituting ghee for the oil, and adding a few handfuls of chopped chard toward the end. It was very tasty! Definitely a new flavor profile in my Indian cooking repertoire. Cayenne spices it up nicely too 😉 Thanks Susan!
caroline harris
March 28, 2014 at 6:48 amIs the calorie content right for this dish? Without the cauliflower it works out to over 200 cals each according to my calorie counting website.
Jennifer
June 1, 2014 at 7:53 pmThis was so delicious! Thank you for this recipe. I loved it and will definitely make it again!
Paul
June 2, 2014 at 9:03 pmAdd panch phoron to a small amount of oil (until the mustard seeds pop) and a dash of Asafoetida (hing) . Throw in cubed zucchini and coat all the pieces with the spices. Cover for a few minutes on medium heat and finish by pan frying the zucchini in it’s own juices until they are slightly golden. It gives it a wonderful nutty flavor! I’ll never have zucchini any other way (diced sweet red bell pepper in the last few minutes of the cooking process makes for a nice addition to the flavors and color). Don’t over cook the zucchini – they should be tender but firm – not mushy.
Anna
October 10, 2014 at 2:35 pmI love this recipe. It is a family favorite, so much so that I’ve almost used up a large jar of panch phoran that I purchased when I first found this recipe. I always add the optional ground panch phoran at the end. I think I’ll make this dal again tonight! Thanks for your wonderful blog.
Jill
January 22, 2015 at 1:19 pmSounds amazing. I was just at New India Bazar on Polk Street in San Francisco last week buying hot curry powder! I’ll have to go back and get the panch phoran. Can’t wait to try this one!
oceanfrontcabin
April 5, 2015 at 8:52 pmHi Susan: I made your recipe for Cauliflower Dal with Panch Phoran last night (and had leftovers for tonight). I added lots of baby spinach, a few mushrooms, and served it over Trader Joe’s organic tri-color quinoa. I put it on a big platter in the middle of the table. We not only thought it was delicious, we also thought it looked gorgeous-I think the contrast of the spinach changed the look of it a lot.
Thanks so much for this recipe (and all of yours, for that matter)
Amy
September 1, 2015 at 1:23 pmIs there a way to adapt this to use an Instant Pot? Thank you!
Michael Gaddis
January 19, 2016 at 8:17 pmSo glad to be reading and enjoying your recipes again.
Question: Do you use the whole seeds for all five spices?
Jean Heath
January 21, 2016 at 1:18 pmLove the taste of panch poran, I do a great recipe with panch poran butternut squash with mango and fennel powder – this is next on the list.
Kelly
February 8, 2016 at 2:33 pmFunny story – Many months ago I wanted to try this recipe so I called several Indian grocery stores to buy panch phoran. None of them knew what I was talking about. Over the weekend I was in the Savory Spice shop looking for a certain curry powder mixture and found it. Luckily I remembered the recipe was from your site, because I am now in business to make this!
ha ha
February 14, 2016 at 10:10 pmshould the panch poran be ground or used whole?
Susan Voisin
February 14, 2016 at 10:57 pmUsed whole. For a little extra flavor, you can grind a little extra and add it.
Kristin
August 11, 2016 at 11:58 amSo, I have an issue with cauliflower. I really like it quite a bit, but I hate cutting it into florets. I know, weird, but it causes me to buy cauliflower and then have a stand-off with it while it taunts me from the fridge drawer. I also never know exactly what I want to do with it, but almost every time, I end up making this recipe when I finally run out of other veggies. I’m always glad I did, ’cause it’s one of my very favorites. Anyway, I woke up this morning knowing we were getting down to the cauliflower part of the week, and started thinking about how this would work in the Instant Pot. IT TOTALLY WORKS!! I toasted the spices using the saute function, threw in the other stuff, cut the cauliflower in 4 hunks (I could have gotten away with leaving it whole – it just fell apart with a spoon), and popped the lid on. I let it go 8 minutes and let it come down some (about ten minutes) before using the quick release. Next time, I’m going to try 5 minutes, because everything was definitely WELL-cooked, but it really came out great. Word to the wise: Don’t do what I did and be distracted while the spices are toasting. A few of mine burned a little bit, so there was a slight bitter note every once in awhile.
canis
April 25, 2017 at 8:49 amI have serious constipation and IBS problem. I can’t digest high fibre foods especially bean. Oil is not good for health but seems to lubricate the colon. Do you have any suggestion for my health? I like your fat free receipe but seems too much fibre not for my health.
Susan Voisin
April 25, 2017 at 9:01 amI’m sorry, I’m not a nutritionist or medical professional and can’t offer any medical advice. I hope you find a solution.
Melinda
June 1, 2017 at 11:37 amJust finished a bowl…still enjoying the flavor in my mouth. This is one I’ll actually crave for.
Melinda
June 1, 2017 at 11:40 am…or actually, just crave (the “for” is redundant, isn’t it?)
Susan Voisin
June 1, 2017 at 11:58 amThanks, Melinda! I’m so glad you like it. And I appreciate your edit! 🙂
rakhiIndia.in
July 5, 2017 at 3:37 amVery nice and simple recipe Cauliflower Dal with Panch Phoran I tried it and it came out superb…thanx
http://www.rakhiinindia.in/
Sonia
October 24, 2017 at 4:03 pmI can’t believe I first made this recipe nine years ago and still make it to this day. I recently forward this recipe and site to a friend of mine and I’m so happy to see that you’re still cooking away. Thank you, Susan.
atiya
January 18, 2018 at 2:29 pmI made this tonight and it was hearty, delicious and warming on this cold winter night. Thanks for posting this recipes. The whole family loved it.
Maureen Ryan
February 17, 2019 at 5:22 pmAny chance you’ve ever made this in an pressure cooker/instant pot and have instructions? So delicious!!
Mandy
October 4, 2019 at 3:50 pmEasy, light, healthy, creamy, delicious, best vegan curry I’ve ever had.
Douglas Mosier
July 22, 2020 at 10:56 amWhen you use a can of diced tomatoes, do you drain them first or use the liquid? I’ve made this once but it was so long ago, I forgot what I did 🙂
Susan Voisin
July 22, 2020 at 11:12 amI used the whole can, but in a recipe like this, you could hold back all or part of the liquid if you judged that it would make the dal too runny. You can always add the liquid afterward, but you can’t take it back once it’s added. 😀
Douglas Mosier
March 16, 2022 at 8:42 pmI just made this again today and forgot about my previous question and put in the whole can. It was just the perfect sauciness!
FWIW, my omnivore roommate who’s on a temporary work detail here, likes it so much, he asked me for the recipe for when he goes back home. Win for yummy vegan recipes!!
Karle
February 24, 2021 at 10:38 amI am making this recipe today. I bought the spices at a local India Market. The five-spice mix is called Panch Puran, nigella, mustard, fenugreek, fennel, and cumin. From my online search, this mix seems very similar to the Panch Phoran.
Jeannie
October 13, 2021 at 3:28 pmI made this FINALLY last night after ordering the spice. Super simple and delicious. I added the extra 1/2 tbsp of the Panch Phoran too at the end. Tonight I think I may add some cilantro too, that is, IF I make it waiting until tonight as I have been craving it all day. It is comfort food at its finest. I wouldn’t mind a little extra red pepper next time too for a little kick. Only other thing that would be delicious with it would be some sweet potato naan to dip.
Douglas Dmitri Mosier
August 24, 2022 at 9:11 pmI made a batch of this the day before my roommate moved in. His second day, I put the last of it in a bento box for his lunch and when he came home, he handed me the box and said, “You gotta make that again!” And this from a confirmed carnivore. Of course, I tweaked it just a little; used a whole tsp of oil, added a can of chickpeas and a cup of lite coconut milk.
MARY
September 11, 2022 at 1:00 pmThis recipe sounds very interesting. My husband and I are not Vegans but we love vegetables. The dish looks very thick. Can it be used as a side dish easily?