Welcome to a comforting dal-rice expertise! And I say this, as a result of that is all-time favourite mixture of steamed rice and lentils holds a particular place, for us Indians. It’s way more than meals. It’s an emotion. Actually sacred and revered. And this Varan Bhat is what it turns into in Maharashtra. This pair can be an vital dish that’s made throughout the pageant of Ganesh Chaturthi in each Maharashtra and Goa. On this put up, I’ve shared the only and best, but scrumptious and comforting Varan Recipe (lentil stew) together with the right method to steam the rice (Bhaat).


About Varan Bhat
In Marathi language, ‘varan’ means ‘dal or curried/stewed lentils’ and ‘bhat or bhaat’ is the time period for ‘steamed rice or chawal.’ So, the mix of Varan Bhat actually means ‘lentil-rice’ or the extra well-liked ‘dal-chawal.’
The distinction between the North Indian fashion Dal Recipe and the Maharashtrian Varan Recipe is that the latter is a extra homestyle and less complicated model in contrast to its richer and sophisticated counterpart.
Nevertheless, the expertise of having fun with Varan Bhat or some other dal chawal is similar – comforting and pleasant.
Varan Bhat Toop is probably the most traditional manner that you could find this scrumptious lentil dish being served in Maharashtrian households. ‘Toop or Tup’ in Marathi means ‘ghee or clarified butter.’
A drizzle of this toop over varan on high of a heap of steaming sizzling rice is not only tasty and comforting – its really satisfying.
About Varan Recipe
Whereas making the Varan Recipe, I often prepare dinner the tur or tuvar dal (pigeon pea lentils) in a strain cooker and rice in a pot.
However you should utilize the pot-in-pot methodology of cooking each dal and rice collectively. These days, I take advantage of the Instantaneous Pot and prepare dinner each the lentils and rice utilizing the pot-in-pot methodology.
This Varan recipe could be very easy and straightforward to make and is a tempered model of the dal. When making it for the Ganesha pageant, skip onion and garlic. If making ready on common days, then you may add each garlic and onion within the tempering.
Like I discussed earlier, this Varan recipe pairs very well with steamed rice or bhaat topped with some ghee (toop or clarified butter).
Varan Bhaat is served as naivedyam or bhog to Bhagwan Ganesha, together with vegetable dishes like sautéed potatoes (Puri Bhaji), steamed cabbage with coconut (Cabbage Bhaji), sautéed inexperienced beans (beans bhaji) or snacks like Alu Vadi, potato fritters (Aloo Pakora) and sweets like Puran Poli, Patholi and Coconut Ladoo.
To not overlook, the Modak, which is Bhagwan Ganesha’s most favourite meals.
Variations
There are various variations of creating Varan Bhaat. This can be a Maharashtrian manner of making ready the Varan Recipe, and was shared by a good friend of mine.
On this recipe put up, I’ve demonstrated each the strategies of creating the dal in addition to cooking the rice.
There are additionally variations the place coconut is added and this sort is often made within the coastal areas of Konkan and Goa.
Step-by-Step Information
Easy methods to make Varan Bhat
Prepare dinner Lentils
1. Rinse ½ cup toor dal or tuvar dal (pigeon pea lentils) in water a few instances. Add the lentils in a 2-liter stovetop strain cooker.


2. Add ¾ cup chopped tomatoes and ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder.


3. Add 2 cups water.


4. Season with salt as per style.


5. Strain prepare dinner lentils on medium to excessive warmth for 7 to eight whistles.


6. When the strain drops naturally within the cooker, open the lid.


7. Mash the dal with a wired whisk or picket spoon. Add water as required, provided that the dal seems to be thick.
If including water, then simmer the ready Varan on low warmth until you get the specified consistency, which is neither thick nor skinny. Flip off the warmth and hold the cooker lined.


Mood Varan
8. Warmth 2 tablespoons oil or ghee in a small pan.


9. Add ½ teaspoon mustard seeds first and allow them to crackle.


10. Then, add ½ teaspoon cumin seeds and allow them to splutter.


11. Add 1 pinch asafoetida (hing), 8 to 10 curry leaves, and 1 or 2 slit inexperienced chilies. Fry for a few seconds or till the curry leaves turn out to be crisp. Then, flip off the warmth.


12. Pour the tempering within the dal or ready varan.


13. Cowl with a lid for about 5 to six minutes, in order that the tempering flavors infuse into the varan.


14. Later, combine the tempering with the varan.


15. Add 2 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves. Combine after which serve with bhaat or steamed rice.


Prepare dinner Bhat (Rice)
16. Earlier than making the Varan, rinse and soak 1 cup rice in sufficient water for 20 to half-hour.
You could possibly use short-grained or medium-grained or lengthy grained rice like basmati rice.


17. After 20 to half-hour, warmth 2 cups water with ½ teaspoon salt in it, in a deep pot or pan. Let the water come to a boil.
Salt is non-obligatory and might be skipped.
Relying on the standard and kind of rice, you may add 2 cups water or 2.5 cups water.


18. After the water has come to a boil, decrease the warmth. Drain all of the water from the rice and add to the recent water.


19. Cowl the pot with a lid and simmer on low to medium-low warmth till all of the water is absorbed and the rice grains are cooked nicely and switch fluffy.


20. In between, examine a few instances. For those who really feel the water is much less and the rice grains aren’t cooked, then add some extra water.
Gently combine with a fork, cowl and proceed to prepare dinner.


21. As soon as the rice grains are tender and cooked nicely, fluff the rice with a fork.


22. Serve sizzling Bhat (steamed rice) with Varan (lentil stew). You’ll be able to high the Varan with a little bit of ghee, whereas serving.
You’ll be able to serve some vegetable facet dishes and even curd/yogurt or koshimbir (raita) and lonche (pickle) by the facet.


Skilled Ideas
For Varan
- An ideal Varan Recipe is neither thick, nor skinny. So, you may modify the amount of water after which simmer to get the specified consistency.
- You can too add 1 or 2 tablespoons recent grated coconut in direction of the top, on this Varan Recipe.
- If you’d like, you may add some goda masala too, within the dal.
- 2 to three barely crushed garlic cloves might be added, in case you are making the dal for normal days. Whereas tempering, add the garlic together with the curry leaves and inexperienced chilies. Fry until garlic turns mild golden after which add the tempering within the dal.
- The varan recipe can be made with yellow moong dal (mung lentils) as a substitute of tur dal or you can use a half-half amount of each tur dal and moong dal.
For Bhat
- Including salt within the water for cooking the rice is non-obligatory. You’ll be able to skip it.
- You can too prepare dinner rice in a strain cooker. To take action strain prepare dinner the rice with 2 cups water for two to three whistles on medium to medium-high warmth.
- For separate grains, simply add 1.5 cups water and strain prepare dinner for 1 to 2 whistles.
- For a softer and mushy texture, add 2.25 cups water and strain prepare dinner for two to three whistles.
Extra Comparable Recipes To Attempt!
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Varan Bhat Recipe (Varan Recipe)
Varan is an easy to make lentil preparation the place the lentils are cooked till mushy and later tempered with spices and herbs. Bhat or Bhaat means steamed rice. Thus Varan Bhat means the tempered lentils stew served with steamed rice. This can be a Maharashtrian fashion recipe of a scrumptious, flavorful lentil stew or dal made with tur dal/tuvar dal (pigeon pea lentils).
Prep Time 20 minutes
Prepare dinner Time 40 minutes
Whole Time 1 hour
For the bhaat (steamed rice)
Stop your display screen from going darkish whereas making the recipe
For making varan
Rinse the lentils nicely in water for a few instances. Then add them in a 2 litre stovetop strain cooker along with chopped tomatoes and turmeric powder.Â
Strain prepare dinner the lentils with tomatoes and turmeric powder for 7 to eight whistles on medium warmth.
When the strain falls naturally within the cooker, open the lid and mash the dal with a wired whisk or picket spoon. Cowl and set the mashed lentils apart.Â
If the dal seems to be thick, then you may add water as wanted to get the fitting consistency, which is a medium consistency.
If including water, then simmer lentils on low warmth till you get the specified consistency, which is neither thick nor skinny.
Flip off the warmth and hold the cooked lentils lined with a lid.
Tempering varan
Warmth oil or ghee in a small frying pan.
Add the mustard seeds first and allow them to crackle.Â
Subsequent add the cumin seeds and crackle them.
Add the asafoetida, curry leaves and inexperienced chilies.
Fry for a number of seconds until the curry leaves turn out to be crisp.
Flip off warmth and pour this whole tempering combination into the cooked lentils.
Cowl and let the tempering flavors infuse with the varan (dal) for about 5 to six minutes.
Garnish varan with coriander leaves or combine within the coriander leaves.
Serve piping sizzling Varan (lentil stew) with Bhaat (steamed rice). You can too benefit from the Varan with chapati.
For making bhaat or steamed rice
Rinse the rice till the water is obvious of the starch.
Soak the rice in sufficient water for 20 to half-hour.
After 20 to half-hour, drain all of the water and set the rice apart.
Warmth 2 cups water and ½ teaspoon salt in a deep pot or pan. Let the water come to a boil. Salt is non-obligatory and might be omitted.
Add much less or extra water relying on the sort and high quality of rice you might have used.
After the water has come to a boil, decrease the warmth.
Cowl pot with a lid and simmer rice on a low to medium-low warmth till all of the water is absorbed and the rice grains are cooked tender, tender and fluffy.
In between do examine a few instances. For those who really feel the water has decreased and the rice grains are undercooked, then you may add some extra water. Gently combine with a fork. Cowl and proceed to prepare dinner.
As soon as the rice grains are tender and softened nicely, fluff rice with a fork.
Serve sizzling steamed rice with the dal varan. You’ll be able to drizzle a little bit of ghee on the Varan Bhat whereas serving.
- You can too add 1 or 2 tablespoons recent grated coconut towards the top on this varan recipe.
- If you’d like you may add some goda masala additionally within the dal.Â
- 2 to three barely crushed garlic cloves might be added if making varan for normal days. Whereas tempering, add the garlic together with the curry leaves and inexperienced chilies. Fry until garlic turns mild golden after which add the tempering within the dal varan.Â
- Strain prepare dinner the rice with 2 cups water for two to three whistles. Use a 2 to three litre stovetop strain cooker for cooking rice.
- For separate grains add 1.5 cups water and strain prepare dinner for 1 to 2 whistles on medium to medium-high warmth
- For a extra softer texture add 2.25 cups water and strain prepare dinner for two to three whistles.
Diet Details
Varan Bhat Recipe (Varan Recipe)
Quantity Per Serving
Energy 419 Energy from Fats 99
% Each day Worth*
Fats 11g17%
Saturated Fats 6g38%
Polyunsaturated Fats 1g
Monounsaturated Fats 3g
Ldl cholesterol 26mg9%
Sodium 967mg42%
Potassium 177mg5%
Carbohydrates 69g23%
Fiber 7g29%
Sugar 3g3%
Protein 10g20%
Vitamin A 434IU9%
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 0.1mg7%
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin) 0.04mg2%
Vitamin B3 (Niacin) 32mg160%
Vitamin B6 0.1mg5%
Vitamin C 64mg78%
Vitamin E 0.3mg2%
Vitamin Okay 4µg4%
Calcium 63mg6%
Vitamin B9 (Folate) 325µg81%
Iron 2mg11%
Magnesium 27mg7%
Phosphorus 87mg9%
Zinc 1mg7%
* P.c Each day Values are based mostly on a 2000 calorie weight loss program.
Varan Bhat recipe from the archives was first revealed on September 2013.