Akka Lentils Recipe with step by step photos. A spiced whole brown lentil or lentil made from fiery and spicy Kolhapuri dishes. The city of Kolhapur in Maharashtra is famous for many locally prepared dishes and this Akka Masur is one such recipe. Akka means ‘whole’ or ‘whole’ in Marathi, here referring to whole brown lentils (called Musur in Marathi). The recipe is both vegan and gluten-free.
About Akka Masur
The recipe I mentioned above uses whole brown lentils. The word ‘Akka’ in Marathi means whole/whole and ‘Masoor’ refers to brown lentils.
During my trip to Kolhapur, I came across this gem of a dish made with whole lentils. We served our akka musoor with mango along with some chapatis and rice in the temple campus.
The lentil dish was simply mind blowing and we had a few more servings of it. It was not spicy at all. Since then I want to try the recipe.
I don’t know how the authentic recipe is made. I made this akka lentil recipe keeping in mind the taste, smell and taste of the akka lentil we had. This recipe comes very close to the original.
I have made this recipe slightly spicy and hot, which is the hallmark flavor factor of Kolhapuri cuisine. However, you can increase or decrease the spiciness by adding more or less spice powder if you wish.
I had kolhapuri masala, but I didn’t make the recipe with it. I want the recipe to be easy for everyone to make, with ingredients commonly found in Indian kitchens.
So I used toasted coconut and sesame seeds along with garam masala powder. If you have goda masala or mango masala, you can also add them instead of garam masala powder.
The recipe is a semi dry version. Although you can make a dry dish or add more water to make a curry like variation.
Serve this akka lentil with chapati or steamed rice.
Step by step guide
How to make Akkha Masoor
Cooking masoor and other preparations
1. Wash half a cup of whole lentils (brown lentils) thoroughly in water several times.
2. Then take washed lentils in a pressure cooker with 1 cup of water. Pressure cook on medium flame for 10 to 11 minutes or for 4 to 5 whistles.
3. When the pressure subsides naturally, open the lid and check the lentils. Lentils should be cooked well but kept aside.
They should not be spiced. If you get a slight bite in them, pressure cook for 1 to 2 whistles.
4. Once the lentils are cooked, heat a small pan and add 1 tablespoon of white sesame seeds. Fry the sesame seeds on low heat for a minute or until they change color and start to splutter.
5. Then add 3 tbsp desiccated coconut.
6. Fry both the ingredients on low flame, stirring continuously, until the coconut turns golden.
7. Remove and set aside.
8. When this mixture is hot or cool, add it to a dry grinder.
9. Grind to a fine mixture, without adding water. Keep aside.
Make the masala base
10. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a pan and add ⅓ cup finely chopped onion.
11. Stir and fry the onions on low to medium heat till they turn light golden.
12. Then add 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste.
13. Stir and fry for a few seconds until the raw ginger-garlic smell goes away.
14. Then add half a cup of chopped tomatoes.
15. Stir the tomatoes on medium heat and fry them till they become soft.
16. Now add the following spices:
- ¼ teaspoon turmeric powder
- Half teaspoon of cumin powder
- Half teaspoon garam masala powder- You can add half a teaspoon of Goda masala or Kolhapuri masala instead of garam masala
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- Coriander powder 1 tsp
17. Stir and mix well to combine.
18. Then add 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves. Mix again.
19. Add ground sesame + delicious coconut mixture.
20. Mix and stir again.
Make Akka Masur
21. Add half a cup of stock to the cooked lentils in which the lentils were pressure cooked.
If the stock is low, add a total of one and a half cups of stock + water. You can add only ½ cup of water.
22. Season with salt.
23. Stir well.
24. Cook uncovered on low to medium heat for 5 to 6 minutes.
25. When you see some oil bubbles floating on the top, the curry is done. I put some gravy in the recipe, which looks a lot like gravy, but isn’t.
For a completely dry curry, add less water and cook until all the water evaporates.
26. Garnish with some chopped coriander leaves and serve Kolhapuri style akka lentil hot with some soft chapatis, bajra roti or jowar roti or steamed rice.
You can eat this delicious lentil with bread or pau.
More dal recipes
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Akka Lentil Recipe (Kolapuri Style)
This akka lentil recipe is a spicy whole brown lentil or lentil made from fiery and spicy Kolhapuri dishes. Best paired with some steamed rice or flatbreads like roti, chapati or paratha.
Q. Time 15 minutes
cooking time 25 minutes
total time 40 minutes
For pressure cooking lentils
Prevent your screen from going dark while making the recipe
Pressure cook lentils
Wash whole lentils or brown lentils thoroughly in water once or twice.
Then wash lentils in 2 liter pressure cooker with 1 cup of water. Pressure cook on medium flame for 10 to 11 minutes or for 4 to 5 whistles.
- When the pressure goes down on its own, open the lid and check the lentils. Lentils should be cooked well but kept aside. They should not be spiced. If you get a slight bite in them, pressure cook for 1 to 2 whistles.
Roasting and grinding
When lentils are cooked, heat a small pan and add white sesame seeds.
Roast the sesame seeds on low heat until they change color and start to crackle.
Then add desiccated coconut.
Fry both the ingredients stirring continuously on low flame till the coconut turns golden. Remove and keep aside.
Once this mixture is heated or cooled, add it to a dry grinder.
Grind to a fine mixture, without adding water. Keep aside.
Making akkha masoor
Heat oil in a pan and add finely chopped onions.
Stir and fry the onions on low to medium heat until light golden.
Then add ginger-garlic batter. Stir for a few seconds until the raw ginger-garlic smell goes away.
Then add chopped tomatoes.
Stir and fry the tomatoes on medium heat until they soften and become mushy.
Now add turmeric powder, cumin powder, garam masala powder, red chilli powder and coriander powder.
Shake and mix well.
Then add 2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves. Mix again.
Add the ground sesame and toasted coconut mixture.
Mix and stir again.
- Add half a cup of stock to the cooked lentils in which the lentils were pressure cooked. If the stock is low, add a total of one and a half cups of stock + water. You can add only ½ cup of water.
Season with salt. Shake and mix well.
Boil uncovered for 5 to 6 minutes on low to medium flame.
If you see oil floating on top, the curry is done. For dry curry, add less water and cook till all the water evaporates.
Garnish with some chopped coriander leaves and serve Kolhapuri style Akha masoor hot with some soft chapatis, millet or jowar roti or steamed rice.
You can also eat akka lentil with roti or pau.
- Use lentils that are fresh and not aged. Old or aged lentils take longer to cook.
- Instead of pressure cooking you can cook lentils in a pot or pan by adding water as required. Soak the brown lentils in a pan for 1 to 2 hours before cooking them.
- For a spicier dish, add more red chili powder. You can also add some green chillies if you want.
nutrients
Akka Lentil Recipe (Kolapuri Style)
No. per job
calories 272 135 calories from fat
% Daily Value*
thick 15 grams23%
5 grams of saturated fat31%
4 grams of polyunsaturated fat
5 grams of monounsaturated fat
Sodium 220 mg10%
potassium 523 mg15%
carbohydrates 27 grams9%
12 grams of fiber50%
4 grams of sugar4%
protein 10 grams20%
Vitamin A 586IU12%
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine) 0.3 mg20%
Vitamin B2 (riboflavin) 0.1 mg6%
Vitamin B3 (niacin) 1 mg5%
Vitamin B6 0.3 mg15%
Vitamin C 10 mg12%
Vitamin E 2 mg13%
Vitamin K 8 µg8%
calcium 68 mg7%
Vitamin B9 (folate) 170µg43%
iron 4 mg22%
magnesium 65 mg16%
Phosphorus 196 mg20%
zinc 2 mg13%
* Percent Daily Value is based on a 2000 calorie diet.
This Akka Masu recipe was republished and updated in January 2023 from the archives, first published in January 2016.
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