Akkha masoor recipe with step by step photos. A spiced whole brown lentils or masoor dal preparation from the fiery and spicy Kolhapuri cuisine. The city of Kolhapur in Maharashtra is famous for many locally made dishes and this Akkha Masoor is one such recipe. Akkha meaning ‘whole’ or ‘entire’ in Marathi, here refers to the whole brown lentils (called Masoor in Marathi). The recipe is both vegan and gluten-free.
About Akkha Masoor
As I have mentioned above the recipe gets its name from using whole brown lentils. The word ‘Akkha’ in Marathi means entire/whole and the ‘Masoor’ refers to brown lentils.
During my travels to Kolhapur, I came across this gem of a dish made with whole masoor lentils. We had akkha masoor served to us with some chapatis and rice along with Amti in a temple campus.
The masoor dish was simply mind blowing and we took a few more servings of the same. It was not at all spicy. From then onwards I wanted to try the recipe.
I do not know how the authentic recipe is made. I created this akkha masoor recipe remembering the taste, aroma and flavors of the akkha masoor which we had. This recipe came very close to the original one.
I have made this recipe slightly spicy and hot, which are hallmark flavor factors of Kolhapuri cuisine. However, if you want you can either decrease or increase the spiciness by adding less or more of the spice powders.
I had Kolhapuri masala, but I have not made the recipe with it. I wanted the recipe to be easily made by everyone, with the ingredients usually found in Indian kitchens.
Hence I have used garam masala powder along with ground roasted desiccated coconut and sesame seeds. If you have Goda Masala or amti masala you can add them also instead of garam masala powder.
The recipe is a semi dry version. Though you can also make a dry dish or add more water to make a curry like variation.
Serve this akkha masoor with chapatis or with steamed rice.
How to make Akkha Masoor
Cook Masoor and More Prep
1. Rinse ½ cup whole masoor dal (brown lentils) very well in water a couple of times.
2. Then take the rinsed masoor lentils in a pressure cooker along with 1 cup water. Pressure cook on medium heat for 10 to 11 minutes or for 4 to 5 whistles.
3. When the pressure drops down naturally on its own, then only remove the lid and check the lentils. The lentils should be cooked well yet separate.
They should not be mushy. If you get a slight bite in them, then pressure cook for 1 to 2 whistles more.
4. When the lentils are cooking, heat up a small pan and add 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds. On a low heat roast the sesame seeds for a minute or till they change color and start to pop.
5. Then add 3 tablespoons desiccated coconut.
6. On a low heat, with a continuous stir, roast both the ingredients, till the coconut becomes golden.
7. Remove and set aside.
8. Once this mixture becomes warm or cools down, add them to a dry grinder.
9. Without adding water, grind to a fine mixture. Keep aside.
Make Masala Base
10. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan and add ⅓ cup finely chopped onions.
11. Stir and sauté on a low to medium heat till the onions start to turn light golden.
12. Then add 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste.
13. Stir and sauté for some seconds till the raw aroma of ginger-garlic goes away.
14. Next add ½ cup chopped tomatoes.
15. Stir and sauté the tomatoes on medium heat till they soften and become pulpy.
16. Now add the following spices:
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon garam masala powder – you can also add ½ teaspoon of goda masala or Kolhapuri masala instead of garam masala
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
17. Stir and mix well to combine.
18. Then add 2 tablespoons of chopped coriander leaves. Mix again.
19. Add the ground sesame seeds + desiccated coconut mixture.
20. Mix and stir again.
Make Akkha Masoor
21. Add the cooked masoor lentils along with ½ cup of the stock in which the masoor dal was pressure cooked.
If the stock is less, then add overall a half cup of the stock + water. You can also add only ½ cup water.
22. Season with salt.
23. Stir well.
24. Simmer on a low to medium heat without a lid for 5 to 6 minutes.
25. When you see some specks of oil floating on the top, the curry is done. I kept some gravy in the recipe, which looks like a lot of gravy, but is actually not.
For a completely dry curry, add less water and cook till all the water evaporates.
26. Garnish with some chopped coriander leaves and Serve Kolhapuri style Akkha Masoor hot with some soft chapatis, bajra roti or jowar roti or steamed rice.
You can also have this delicious lentil dish with bread or pav.
More dal recipes
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Akkha Masoor Recipe (Kolhapuri style)
Ingredients
For pressure cooking lentils
- ½ cup whole masoor dal (whole red lentils or brown lentils)
- 1 cup water – for pressure cooking
For grinding
- 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds
- 3 tablespoons desiccated coconut
Other ingredients
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil or sunflower oil
- 1 onion – medium-sized, finely chopped or ⅓ cup finely chopped onions
- 1 teaspoon Ginger Garlic Paste
- 1 tomato – medium to large, chopped or ½ cup chopped tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons coriander leaves – chopped
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon Coriander Powder
- ½ teaspoon cumin powder
- ½ teaspoon Garam Masala or kolhapuri masala or goda masala
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ cup water – added later
- salt as required
- 1 to 2 tablespoons coriander leaves – chopped, for garnish
Instructions
Pressure cooking lentils
- Rinse the whole masoor dal or brown lentils very well in water a couple of times.
- Then take the rinsed masoor lentils in a 2 litre pressure cooker along with 1 cup water. Pressure cook on medium heat for 10 to 11 minutes or for 4 to 5 whistles.
- When the pressure drops down on its own, then only remove the lid and check the lentils. The lentils should be cooked well yet separate. They should not be mushy. If you get a slight bite in them, then pressure cook for 1 to 2 whistles more.
Roasting and grinding
- When the lentils are cooking, heat up a small pan and add the white sesame seeds.
- Roast the sesame seeds on a low heat till they change color and start to crackle.
- Then add the desiccated coconut.
- On a low heat, with a continuous stir, roast both the ingredients, till the coconut becomes golden. Remove and keep aside.
- Once this mixture becomes warm or cools down, add them to a dry grinder.
- Without adding water, grind to a fine mixture. Keep aside.
Making akkha masoor
- Heat the oil in a pan and add the finely chopped onions.
- Stir and saute on a low to medium heat till the onions start to turn light golden.
- Then add ginger-garlic paste. Stir and sauté for a few seconds till the raw aroma of ginger-garlic goes away.
- Next add chopped tomatoes.
- Stir and sauté the tomatoes on medium heat till they soften and become pulpy.
- Now add turmeric powder, cumin powder, garam masala powder, red chili powder and coriander powder.
- Stir and mix well.
- Then add the 2 tablespoons of chopped coriander leaves. Mix again.
- Add the ground sesame seeds and desiccated coconut mixture.
- Mix and stir again.
- Add the cooked masoor dal along with ½ cup of the stock in which the masoor dal was pressure cooked. If the stock is less, then add overall a half cup of the stock + water. You can also add only ½ cup water.
- Season with salt. Stir and mix well.
- Simmer on a low to medium heat without a lid for 5 to 6 minutes.
- When you see oil specks on floating on the top, the curry is done. For a dry curry, add less water and cook till all the water evaporates.
- Garnish with some chopped coriander leaves and serve kolhapuri style Akkha Masoor hot with some soft chapatis, bajra or jowar rotis or steamed rice.
- You can also have akkha masoor with bread or pav.
Notes
- Use lentils that are fresh and not aged. Old or aged lentils take a lot of time to cook.
- Instead of pressure cooking, you can cook lentils in a pot or pan adding water as needed. Soak the brown lentils for 1 to 2 hours prior to cooking them in a pan.
- For a spicy dish, add more red chilli powder. You can also add some green chillies, if you prefer.
Nutrition Info (Approximate Values)
This Akkha Masoor recipe from the archives first published in January 2016 has been republished and updated on January 2023.
I love your website. I have shared it with everyone I can think of…
Made this recipe. Came out fantastic. Though I wanted it spicier so added a chopped green chilli and a teaspoon more of garam masala. I often try out your recipes and they come out very good, thanks to your detailed explanations and photographs. Thank you for the good work.
Welcome Seema. Glad to know that you like the recipes and they are coming out well. I would have done the same to make this masoor dal more spicy.
Made the akkha masoor dal just now. Came out fantastic. I just wanted it spicier so added extra teaspoon of garam masala as well as a chopped spicy green chilli. Your recipes are always very good and I often try them out. Thank you for your detailed explanations, the finer points to be taken care of and the photos as well. That is the reason why the recipes turn out well. Thank you very much once again.
Welcome Seema. Thanks for your appreciation and positive feedback on akkha masoor recipe. I try to cover all finer points so that it is easier to prepare the food properly. some tricky recipes need such kind of detailing. good to know that it is helping.
Made this today, came out really tasty. Thank you.
thanks for the positive review on the recipe.
hello dassana. my boyfriend and i are a big fan of your recipes. we have been making 1-2 of your recipes every week for probably more than a year now. this one is my personal favourite. i just have one question: this recipe calls for 1/2 of a cup of lentils while most of your recipes call for 1 cup. why is that? i usually make 1 cup anyways.
thanks sophie. i had made this recipe as a side dish, so i added half cup. i thought if i prepare with 1 cup, then there will be some leftovers. usually i avoid having leftovers. but you can make with 1 cup, if having it alone with some rice or bread or chapatis.