Mixed Daal (Panchmel)
ملی جلی دال (پنچ میل)
Mixed daal brings five everyday lentils into one pot, the style often called panchmel, meaning five mixed together. Each lentil cooks to a different texture, so the finished daal is creamy from the masoor and moong yet still has some bite from the chana and mash. It is a thrifty way to use up the last of several daal jars, and a rich onion, tomato and garlic makes it hearty enough for roti as well as rice.
- ⏱ Total: 1 hr 55 min
- Prep: 1 hr 5 min
- Cook: 50 min
- Easy
- Serves 5
Method
Tap a step when it is done.
Combine all five daals, wash them in 4–5 changes of water and soak for 1 hour. The chana and arhar need this to cook in the same time as the softer lentils.
Drain and put the daals in a with the 6 cups of water, turmeric, chili powder, ginger, garlic and salt. Bring to a boil on high heat and skim the foam.
Lower the heat, half cover and simmer for 40–45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until the masoor and moong have dissolved and the chana daal crushes easily with a spoon.
Give the daal a light or whisk for 20 seconds, just enough to make it creamy while leaving some whole grains. Adjust with hot water to a thick but pourable consistency and simmer for 2 minutes.
For the tarka, heat the ghee in a small pan over medium heat. Add the cumin and, when it crackles, the onion. Fry for 5–6 minutes until golden, then add the garlic and fry until light golden.
Add the tomato, dried red chilies and garam masala to the tarka and cook for 2 minutes until the tomato softens. Pour the whole tarka over the daal and stir it in.
Top with green chilies and coriander and serve hot with roti, naan or plain rice.
Kitchen notes
Use roughly equal amounts of each daal. If you are short of one, make it up with more masoor or moong; just keep the slow-cooking chana to a quarter or less.
Stir more often in the last 15 minutes. Mixed daal is thick and starchy and catches on the bottom easily.
A pressure cooker cuts the cooking to about 12–15 minutes after the first whistle; let the pressure drop naturally before opening.
Five daals in one pot
Most Pakistani kitchens keep several jars of daal on the shelf, and when each one is running low, they go into the pot together. Mixed daal is the result: more interesting than any single lentil, and heartier too. The name panchmel comes from the Rajasthani style of combining five lentils, but the idea is familiar across Pakistan and North India, where it is simply called mili-juli or mix daal. It is a common winter dish and a good everyday choice for a family that likes both soft and grainy textures.
The key technique: evening out the cooking times
The challenge is that the lentils soften at very different speeds. Masoor and yellow moong fall apart in twenty minutes, while chana daal and arhar can take nearly an hour. Soaking all of them together for an hour narrows that gap, and a long gentle simmer finishes the job: the soft lentils melt into a creamy base and the firmer ones stay as tender grains within it. Beat the daal only lightly with a so you keep that contrast.
Variations
- Garlic-only tarka: skip the onion and tomato and use plenty of sliced garlic and cumin for a lighter finish.
- With greens: stir in a handful of chopped spinach or fenugreek leaves for the last 10 minutes.
- Lemon finish: a squeeze of lemon on each bowl brightens the earthy flavours.
Storing and reheating
Mixed daal keeps for 3 days in the fridge and freezes for a month. It sets firm when cold; reheat it with hot water, stirring until smooth.
Questions people ask
Can I use fewer than five daals?
Yes. Any mix works. Masoor with moong is quick and smooth; adding chana or mash gives more texture and needs the hour-long soak.
Why are some lentils still hard while others have turned to mush?
The firmer daals were not soaked long enough. Next time soak the chana and arhar on their own for an extra hour, or cook them for 15 minutes before adding the rest.
What can I serve with mixed daal?
Roti or naan with sliced onion and achar, or plain rice. A dry vegetable such as aloo bhujia or bhindi makes it a full meal.
Nutrition (estimate, per serving)
- Calories
- 260
- Protein
- 12 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Carbs
- 33 g
