Recipe: Dal Dhokli

Savour the taste of this traditional Gujarati dish with rice or chapattis.

Ingredients

For The Dhoklis

1 cup whole wheat flour (gehun ka atta)
1 1/2 tbsp besan (bengal gram flour)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1/4 tsp asafoetida (hing)
1 tbsp oil
1/4 tsp carom seeds (ajwain)
salt to taste

For The Dal

1 cup uncooked toovar (arhar) dal
2 tbsp ghee
1 tbsp oil
1/4 tsp mustard seeds ( rai / sarson)
1/4 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
1/4 tsp fenugreek (methi) seeds
5 curry leaves (kadi patta)
2 cloves (laung / lavang)
2 sticks cinnamon (dalchini)
1 bayleaf (tejpatta)
2 round red chillies (boriya mirch)
1/4 tsp asafoetida (hing)
5 kokum , soaked
5 tbsp jaggery (gur)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
1/2 tbsp lemon juice
2 green chillies slit green chillies
1/2 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp grated ginger (adrak)
2 tbsp boiled peanuts
salt to taste

For The Garnish

4 tbsp finely chopped coriander (dhania)

Instructions

For the dhoklis

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and knead into a firm dough using enough water.

Divide the dough into 5 equal portions and roll out each portion into thin chapatis

Heat a non-stick tava (griddle) and gently cook each chapati till light brown spots appear on both the sides.

Cool and cut each chapati into diamond or square shapes and keep aside.


For the dal

Clean, wash and drain the dal.

Combine the dal and1½ cups of water in a pressure cooker and pressure cook for 3 whistles.

Allow the steam to escape before opening the lid. Remove and blend it till smooth and keep aside.

Heat the ghee and oil in a deep kadhai, add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, curry leaves, cloves, cinnamon, bayleaf, round red chillies and asafoetida, mix well and sauté on a medium flame for 1 minute.

Add the dal, 3½ cups of water, kokum, jaggery, turmeric powder, lemon juice, green chillies, chilli powder, ginger, peanuts and salt. Mix well.

Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Keep aside.


How to proceed

Just before serving, boil the dal, slowly add the dhokli pieces one by one, and mix gently.

Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes, while stirring occasionally.

Serve hot garnished with coriander.