Dalma is a traditional dish of the eastern state of India, Odisha. The dish is also prepared by the Bengalis of the state of West Bengal. This Odia cuisine is a healthy dish as it is prepared using various nutritious vegetables like papaya, aubergines or eggplant etc and also mostly importantly legumes.

Ingredients of Dalma:
3/4 cup toor dal
1 tsp ghee or oil
4 dried red chillies
1 tsp of ginger minced
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp of pancha- phutana (mustard, kala jeera, fennel, cumin, fenugreek) seed
2 tsp fried cumin and red chilli powder
1 peeled potato cut into large pieces
150 gm yellow pumpkin cut into large pcs
1 large eggplant cut into medium size pcs
1 green banana cut into medium size pcs
1 small papaya cut into medium size pcs
2 tsp of grated coconut
Salt to taste

Method of Preparing Dalma:
Firstly, dry roast 1 tsp of cumin and red chilli in a pan and grind it properly and leave it aside.
Then boil 4 cups of water and add dal, salt, minced ginger, turmeric, and leave it until dal is half cooked.
Add all vegetables including potato, banana, pumpkin, brinjal and papaya and cook until they become soft and tender.
Then add coconut.
Take oil in the pan and boil.
Fry the panch- phutana until it crackle and then add it to the cooked dal.
Sprinkle roasted cumin and chilli powder.
Garnish with grated coriander leaves.
Serve hot.

Another easy method of preparing Dalma is as follows:
Ingredients of Dalma:
100 gm toor dal or pigeon pea
50 gm striped pear gourd
1 big onion chopped
50 gm potato and raw papaya
1/2 teaspoon mustard
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder and cumin seeds powder
3-5 dry chilli
1/2 tea spoon chilli powder
3 teaspoon refined cooking oil
Salt to taste

Method of Preparing Dalma:
Cut the potatoes and other vegetables into small pieces.
Take a pressure cooker and add the vegetables, the dal, turmeric powder and salt and cook them on medium heat.
After a whistle take the cooker off the gas and release the pressure from the cooker.
Open the lid.
Take a frying pan, heat it and add 3 teaspoon of refined oil.
Add bay leaves, cumin seeds, mustard, chopped onions and the dry chillies. Fry till golden brown.
Add this to the boiled vegetables and dal. Mix well.
Add the chilli and jeera powders.
Close the lid of the cooker and heat for 2 minutes
Serve hot.

Dalma is simple to make and can be prepared at home. It is consumed as a side dish with main course meals like rice or chapatti.