Dhan dar patia is the holy trinity of Parsi food. It’s served on all auspicious days, celebrations or special occasions, and especially for Nowruz, the Parsi new year, celebrated in India usually in mid-August. Dhan means rice and dar is a buttery, velvety lentil stew finished with a crispy tadka (oil and bloomed spices) of sizzled cumin seeds, shallots and garlic. Patia (pronounced PAH-ti-ya, or sometimes PAH-ti-yoh) is a finger-licking good seafood stew. The sauce is a perfect balance of salty, sweet, sour and spicy flavors. One bite of umami-rich patia and you’ll be hooked. The Parsis are an eclectic community in India. They emigrated from Iran (then Persia) around the 7th century AD in order to maintain their Zoroastrian religion after Arab Muslims conquered Persia. According to Parsi literature, they settled in the state of Gujarat after being given refuge by the Hindu king Jadi Rana. Over time their Persia dishes merged with Gujarati food and became an important contribution to the diversity of Indian cuisine. Parsis are a food-loving group; they famously barely finish eating one meal before they begin talking about the next.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 1 hr 10 min |
| Active: | 1 hr 10 min |
| Yield: | 4 servings |
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 1 hr 10 min |
| Active: | 1 hr 10 min |
| Yield: | 4 servings |
Ingredients
- 1 cup toor dal (split pigeon peas), picked through and rinsed
- 2 medium shallots, quartered
- 1 Thai green chile, chopped
- Kosher salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground turmeric
- 2 teaspoons Kashmiri chili powder
- Kosher salt
- 1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp or 1 pound firm fish such as barramundi, tilapia or salmon cut into large (2 1/2-inch) squares
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds
- 5 to 7 cloves garlic
- 5 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 5 Thai green chiles, chopped
- 3 small onions, finely chopped (about 3 cups)
- One 14 1/2-ounce can whole peeled tomatoes, San Marzano if possible (about 1 1/2 cups)
- 2 teaspoons tamarind paste soaked in 1/4 cup hot water
- 1 tablespoon jaggery or raw cane sugar
- 1 bunch cilantro, chopped (about 1 cup)
- 3 tablespoons ghee, unsalted butter or coconut oil
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cumin seeds
- 2 medium shallots, slivered (about 1/2 cup)
- 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped garlic (5 to 8 cloves)
Instructions
- Warm basmati rice, for serving.
- For the dal: Add the rinsed and drained toor dal to a 6-quart Instant Pot® multi-cooker (see Cook’s Note). Add the quartered shallots, Thai chile, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and 3 cups water. Stir to mix. Follow the manufacturer’s guide for locking the lid and preparing to cook. Set to pressure cook on High for 10 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally. Being careful of any remaining steam, unlock and remove the lid. Use an immersion blender to blend the lentils until smooth. Cover and keep warm.
- For the patia: Combine 1 teaspoon each of turmeric, red chili powder and kosher salt in a small bowl and mix well. Toss the shrimp or coat the fish with this mixture. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Coarsely mash the cumin seeds and garlic in a mortar and pestle. Add a 1/2 teaspoon of the turmeric and the remaining 1 teaspoon chili powder and pound and mash again until mixed in.
- Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet or saucepan over medium heat. Add the Thai chiles. Let them sizzle for a few seconds and then add the onions. Cook until the onions turn golden brown, 12 to15 minutes. Add the garlic-cumin mixture and 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring, until the raw garlic smell goes away, about 5 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes and 1/2 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is thick and jammy, 15 to 20 minutes. Add 3 tablespoons of the tamarind sauce and the jaggery. Add 1/2 cup water. Mix well and simmer for 5 minutes. Taste and season with more salt if desired. Add the remaining tamarind if you would like it more sour or extra jaggery if you want it a little sweeter. Stir in 3/4 cup cilantro and cover to keep warm.
- Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat in a large nonstick skillet. Add the shrimp or fish and gently cook both sides until just cooked, about 3 minutes per side. Add this to the patia sauce. If using shrimp, mix it into the sauce; if using fish, lay it over the sauce. Cover the skillet to keep warm.
- To finish: In a small pan, heat 2 tablespoons ghee over medium-high heat. Once hot add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle until they get a little darker, about 30 seconds. Add the slivered shallots and cook, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook until it starts turning golden brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add half the mixture to the cooked dal and mix in. Transfer the dal to a serving dish and add 1 tablespoon of ghee to the dal and garnish with the remaining shallot mixture.
- Transfer the patia to a serving dish. If using fish, ladle some sauce over the fish; do not stir or the fish will crumble. Garnish with the remaining 1/4 cup cilantro and serve along with the dal and basmati rice.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 4 servings |
| Calories | 545 |
| Total Fat | 30 g |
| Saturated Fat | 8 g |
| Carbohydrates | 41 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 8 g |
| Sugar | 16 g |
| Protein | 31 g |
| Cholesterol | 67 mg |
| Sodium | 1080 mg |
| Serving Size | 1 of 4 servings |
| Calories | 545 |
| Total Fat | 30 g |
| Saturated Fat | 8 g |
| Carbohydrates | 41 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 8 g |
| Sugar | 16 g |
| Protein | 31 g |
| Cholesterol | 67 mg |
| Sodium | 1080 mg |