Dalma is one of the most famous traditional dishes from Odisha, made by cooking lentils and a variety of vegetables together with a few simple spices. It is wholesome, comforting, flavorful, and surprisingly easy to prepare.
Dalma holds a special place in Odia cuisine and is also associated with the traditional food culture of the Jagannath Temple in Puri, where simple and sattvic preparations are an important part of the food tradition. What makes Dalma special is that several seasonal vegetables are cooked together with dal, creating a nutritious and satisfying one-pot dish.
Unlike many rich dal preparations, Dalma does not require a large number of spices. The combination of lentils, vegetables, roasted whole spices, ginger, ghee, and fresh coconut gives it a beautiful earthy flavor.
It is traditionally enjoyed with steamed rice, making a comforting meal that is filling without being overly heavy.
- A traditional and wholesome Odia recipe
- Packed with lentils and a variety of vegetables
- Naturally flavorful with minimal spices
- Easy to prepare in a pressure cooker
- Perfect with steamed rice
- A comforting one-pot meal for lunch or dinner
- Fresh coconut and ghee add a delicious finishing touch
For the Dal and Vegetables
- Toor dal (pigeon peas) – ½ cup
- Chana dal (split Bengal gram) – ¼ cup
- Brinjal (eggplant) – cut into medium-sized pieces
- Raw banana – cut into medium-sized pieces
- Sweet potato – cut into medium-sized pieces
- Bottle gourd – cut into medium-sized pieces
- Pumpkin – cut into medium-sized pieces
- Potato – cut into medium-sized pieces
- French beans – cut into pieces
- Carrot – cut into pieces
- Raw papaya – cut into pieces
- Elephant yam (suran) – cut into pieces
- Ridge gourd – cut into pieces
- Green chilies – 2
- Fresh ginger – 1 tablespoon, grated
- Turmeric powder – ½ teaspoon
- Bay leaf – 1
- Salt – as needed
- Water – as needed
For the Roasted Dalma Masala
- Cumin seeds – 1 teaspoon
- Dried red chilies – 6–7
- Black peppercorns – ½ teaspoon
- Cinnamon stick – 1 small piece
- Green cardamom – 1
- Clove – 1
For Tempering
- Ghee – 2 tablespoons, plus extra for the final tempering
- Cumin seeds – 1 teaspoon
- Dried red chilies – 3–4
- Hing (asafoetida) powder – a pinch
- Tomato – 2 roughly chopped (optional)
- Fresh grated coconut – ¼ cup
- Fresh coriander leaves – finely chopped
Step 1: Wash and Soak the Dal
- Take ½ cup toor dal and wash it thoroughly once or twice under running water.
- Transfer the dal to a bowl, add enough water, and let it soak for about 30 minutes. Soaking helps the dal cook more quickly and evenly.
- Take ¼ cup chana dal, wash it well, and keep it ready.
- For the chana dal, you can also add a little extra water while cooking so that it softens properly.
Step 2: Prepare the Roasted Spice Masala
- Now let’s prepare the simple roasted spice mixture that gives Dalma its distinctive flavor.
- Heat a pan over low heat. Add: 1 teaspoon cumin seeds, 6–7 dried red chilies, ½ teaspoon black peppercorns, 1 small piece of cinnamon, 1 green cardamom, 1 clove.
- Dry roast the spices over low heat, stirring continuously, until they become fragrant.
- Do not roast them on high heat, as the spices can burn and turn bitter.
- Allow the roasted spices to cool slightly. Then lightly crush them using a mortar and pestle. You can also grind them into a coarse powder in a mixer grinder.
- Keep this roasted masala aside. We will add it toward the end of cooking.
Step 3: Prepare the Vegetables
- Firstly, wash and cut all the vegetables into medium-sized pieces.
- For this Dalma, you can use a combination of vegetables such as: Brinjal, Raw banana, Sweet potato, Bottle gourd, Pumpkin, Potato, French beans, Carrot, Raw papaya, Elephant yam, Ridge gourd.
- Some vegetables, especially potato, raw banana, brinjal, and raw papaya, may change color after cutting. You can keep the cut vegetables submerged in water until you are ready to cook them.
Step 4: Pressure Cook the Dal and Vegetables
- After soaking the dal for about 30 minutes, transfer the toor dal and chana dal to a pressure cooker.
- Add the prepared vegetables, including: Raw banana. Brinjal, Bottle gourd, Pumpkin, Potato, Raw papaya, Carrot, Elephant yam, French beans, Ridge gourd, Sweet potato.
- Then add 1 cup water, 2 green chilies, 1 tablespoon grated ginger, ½ teaspoon turmeric powder, 1 bay leaf and Salt to taste. Mix everything gently.
Close the pressure cooker and cook for approximately 2 whistles on medium heat.Once the pressure has released naturally, carefully open the cooker.
The dal and vegetables should be completely cooked and tender. Avoid over-mashing the vegetables because Dalma is best when you can still see pieces of the different vegetables in the dish.
Step 5: Prepare the Ghee Tempering
- Place a kadai or deep pan over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of ghee.
- Once the ghee is hot, add 1 teaspoon cumin seeds and let them splutter.
- Add 3 dried red chilies. If using tomato, add 2 roughly chopped tomatoes and sauté for about 3–4 minutes until they soften.Tomato is optional. Even without tomato, Dalma tastes delicious and has a wonderful traditional flavor.
Step 6: Add the Cooked Dal and Vegetables
- Add the cooked dal and vegetables to the kadai.
- Add a little water if the Dalma is too thick. Adjust the consistency according to your preference. Taste and adjust the salt.
- Add ¼ cup freshly grated coconut and mix gently.
- The combination of different vegetables and lentils makes this dish naturally nutritious and flavorful. Since Dalma uses only a few spices, the natural taste of the vegetables remains prominent.
- Let the Dalma simmer for about 5–6 minutes on low to medium heat.
Step 7: Add the Roasted Masala
- Now add the roasted and crushed Dalma masala that we prepared earlier.
- Mix gently and allow the Dalma to simmer for another minute or two so the roasted spices can blend beautifully with the lentils and vegetables.
Step 8: Finish with Fresh Coriander
- Add finely chopped fresh coriander leaves and mix gently.
- At this stage, your Dalma is almost ready.
Step 9: Prepare the Final Tempering
- For the final tempering, heat about 1 teaspoon ghee in a small tadka pan.
- Add 3–4 dried red chilies and A small pinch of hing (asafoetida). Let them sizzle for a few seconds, being careful not to burn the hing.
- Immediately pour this fragrant tempering over the prepared Dalma.
- Finish with a little freshly grated coconut.
- Our traditional Odia Dalma is ready to serve!
Step 10: Serve
Dalma is traditionally enjoyed with hot steamed rice. Serve a generous portion of Dalma over freshly cooked rice and enjoy it as a comforting lunch or dinner.
The combination of soft rice, lentils, tender vegetables, roasted spices, ghee, and fresh coconut makes Dalma Bhat a simple yet incredibly satisfying meal.
Dalma is a beautiful example of how simple ingredients can come together to create a deeply satisfying meal. With lentils, seasonal vegetables, a handful of roasted spices, fresh coconut, and a little ghee, this traditional Odia dish is both comforting and flavorful.
If you enjoy wholesome Indian one-pot meals, this traditional Dalma recipe is definitely worth trying. Serve it hot with steamed rice and enjoy a taste of Odisha at home.
- Use a variety of vegetables:
The beauty of Dalma comes from the combination of different vegetables. You do not have to use every vegetable listed, but using several varieties gives the dish a wonderful texture and flavor. - Cut vegetables into similar-sized pieces:
This helps the vegetables cook more evenly. - Do not burn the roasted spices:
Roast the cumin, chilies, pepper, cinnamon, cardamom, and clove over low heat. Burnt spices can make the masala bitter. - Keep the masala slightly coarse:
A lightly crushed spice mixture gives Dalma a more traditional texture and allows the roasted spices to shine. - Do not over-mash the vegetables:
The vegetables should be soft but still visible in the finished Dalma. - Ghee makes a difference:
The final ghee tempering adds a beautiful aroma and richness to this otherwise simple dish. - Tomato is optional:
You can add tomato to the tempering if you like, but Dalma is delicious even without it.
Traditional Odia Dalma Recipe
Ingredients
For the Dal andVegetables
- 1/2 cup Toor dal
- 1/4 cup Chana dal
- 1/2 cup Brinjal,cut into medium pieces
- 1/2 cup Raw banana, cut into medium pieces
- 1/2 cup Sweet potato, cut into medium pieces
- 1/4 cup Bottlegourd, cut into medium pieces
- 1/4 cup Pumpkin,cut into medium pieces
- 1 small Potato,cut into medium pieces
- 1/4 cup French beans, cut into pieces
- 1/4 cup Carrot, cut into pieces
- 1/4 cup Rawpapaya, cut into pieces
- 1/4 cup Elephantyam, cut into pieces
- 1/4 cup Ridge gourd, cut into pieces
- 2 nos Green chillies
- 1/2 tsp Turmericpowder
- 1 no Bay leaf
- Salt as per taste
- 1 cup Water, or as needed
For the RoastedMasala
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds
- 6 - 7 nos Dried red chilies
- 1/2 tsp Black peppercorns
- 1 small Cinnamonstick
- 1 no Green cardamom
- 1 no Clove
For Tempering
- 2 tbsp Ghee
- 1 tsp Cumin seeds
- 3 - 4 nos Dried red chilies
- 1/8 tsp Hing
- 2 nos Tomatoes, roughly chopped (optional)
- 1/4 cup Freshly grated coconut
- Freshcoriander leaves
Instructions
- Wash the toor dal and chana dal thoroughly. Soak the toor dal in water for about 30 minutes.
- To prepare the roasted masala, heat a pan over low heat. Add cumin seeds, dried red chilies, black peppercorns, cinnamon, cardamom, and clove.
- Dry roast the spices on low heat until fragrant. Allow them to cool slightly, then crush them into a coarse powder using a mortar and pestle or mixer grinder. Set aside.
- Wash and cut the vegetables into medium-sized pieces. Keep vegetables such as raw banana, potato, brinjal, and raw papaya in water to prevent discoloration
- Add the soaked toor dal and chana dal to a pressure cooker
- Add the chopped vegetables, green chilies, grated ginger, turmeric powder, bay leaf, salt, and 1 cup water.
- Mix everything gently, close the pressure cooker, and cook for about 2 whistles on medium heat.
- Allow the pressure to release naturally. Open the cooker and check that the dal and vegetables are completely cooked.
- Heat 2 tablespoons of ghee in a kadai. Add cumin seeds and let them splutter
- Add 3 dried red chilies. If using tomato, add the roughly chopped tomatoes and sauté for 3–4 minutes
- Add the cooked dal and vegetables to the kadai. Add a little water if required and adjust the salt.
- Add freshly grated coconut and mix gently.
- Simmerthe Dalma for 5–6 minutes on low to medium heat.
- Add the roasted Dalma masala prepared earlier and mix gently. Simmer for another 1–2 minutes.
- Add finely chopped fresh coriander leaves and mix.
- For the final tempering, heat 1 teaspoon ghee in a small tadka pan. Add dried red chilies and a pinch of hing.
- Once fragrant, pour the tempering over the Dalma.
- Garnish with a little freshly grated coconut and serve hot with steamed rice.
Video
Notes
- Use a combination of seasonal vegetables for the best flavor.
- Cut the vegetables into similar-sized pieces so they cook evenly.
- Roast the spices over low heat to prevent them from burning.
- Keep the roasted masala slightly coarse for better flavor.
- Tomato is optional and can be skipped.
- Do not over-mash the cooked vegetables.
- A final ghee tempering gives Dalma a wonderful traditional aroma.
- Serve hot with steamed rice for a classic Dalma Bhat meal.
Dalma is a traditional dish from Odisha made by cooking lentils with a variety of vegetables and simple spices. It is commonly served with rice.
Traditionally, Dalma can be prepared with different types of lentils. In this recipe, we use a combination of toor dal and chana dal.
Yes. You can use the vegetables available in your kitchen. However, using a variety of vegetables gives Dalma its characteristic taste and texture.
The classic combination is Dalma with steamed rice, commonly enjoyed as Dalma Bhat.
