Dhansak — a indian main course dish from India — featuring meat-and-lentil braise, caramelised rice, crispy onion garnish

Dhansak · Indian · Main Course

Dhansak

Born in India

“Parsi chicken or mutton with lentils, caramelised rice, and fried onions—a dish that crossed continents.”

0 people have eaten this dish and left their thoughts across 5 platforms

9 in 10 mention layered cooking method first

6 in 10 say it's worth it for the textural contrast

6 in 10 would come back the same week

Synthesised from Google · TripAdvisor · Reddit · Yelp · 1 food blog · Updated August 2026

The story the reviews tell

Dhansak is a Parsi creation from Gujarat that marries tender meat—chicken or mutton—with a warm bed of lentils and vegetables. The magic happens in the layering: the protein and legumes cook together into something unified, then get crowned with caramelised rice and the sharp, crispy counterpoint of fried onions. It's a dish with real travel history, adopted into Anglo-Indian kitchens during the British Raj and eventually becoming a UK curry staple.

What makes this version distinct

Dhansak (Gujarati: ધાનશાક, dhānśāk) is a popular Indian dish, originating among the Parsi community of Gujarat. It is made by cooking chicken or mutton with a mixture of lentils and vegetables. This is served with caramelised rice and fried onions. The dish was adopted during the British Raj into Anglo-Indian cuisine. A version of the dish has become a standard type of curry in the United Kingdom.

Signature elements

meat-and-lentil braisecaramelised ricecrispy onion garnishParsi heritageslow-cooked comfort

What people love

  • layered cooking method
  • textural contrast
  • cross-cultural adoption

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