DAL DHOKLI : A INDIAN PASTA

Dal dhokli is a spicy, tangy, and very slightly sweet and lip-smacking one-pot meal, prepared by simmering whole wheat flour bits in a lentil-based motley perked with spices and condiments. It is tempered with ghee, hing, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, curry leaves, dried red chili. It is a popular dish in Gujarat and Rajasthan and is prepared mostly for lunch. Traditionally, it was made using the leftover dal.

Dal dhokli has slightly sweet and tangy dal. While dhokli is made from wheat and gram flour. The dough is made with few spices. Then rolled into a thin circle and cut into diamond shapes. Then added into simmering dal and cooked till it is soft and not raw anymore. It is a unique combination of lentil and wheat to make it a complete meal. It has the goodness of dal and chapati in one pot. 

Traditionally dal dhokli is made from leftover dal, especially on Sunday. Earlier housewives cook every single meal. So those hardworking housewives need a little break from the kitchen once a week, so they make an extra batch of dal on Saturday. And on Sunday they make dal dhokli using that leftover dal. Though many people in Gujarat, often relish this dish with a platter of rice. Dal dhokli has a Maharashtrian version which is called Chakolaya ( Varan Phal). They add kokum in the dal to make it tangy.

Tips To Make Dal Dhokli

• Roll thin dhoklis as the thick one would require more time to cook. 
• Add the dhokli one by one and do not overcrowd it dal soup. Overcrowding may result in dhokli sticking to each other and my form lump while boiling.
• To give it a sweet taste you can add jaggery to it. 
• You can temper it with garlic also it gives nice flavor and fragrance.
• The dal for Dal Dhokli should be watery. The dough will absorb the water and thicken the dal.
• Although traditionally vegetables are not added in this recipe, you can always go ahead and add veggies like carrots, peas, beans, etc to make it even healthier.

Read More : Creamy White Sauce Pasta 

Dal Dhokli Recipe 

Ingredients

For Dal

• Tuvar dal 1 cup
• Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp
• Red chili powder 1 tsp
• Salt as taste
• Tomato 2
• Water 5 cups
• Lemon juice 3 tbsp
• Coriander leaves for garnishing

For Dhokli

• Whole wheat flour 1 cup
• Gram flour 2 tbsp
• Salt 1 tsp
• Oil 2 tsp
• Carom seeds 1 tsp
• Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp

For Tempering

• Ghee 2 tsp
• Hing 1/4 tsp
• Cumin seeds 1 tsp
• Mustard seeds 1 tsp
• Curry leaves 10-12
• Dried red chili 3-4

Method 

For Dal

1. Wash the dal and add it in a pressure cooker along with turmeric powder, red chili powder, salt, tomato, and 4 cups of water.
2. Pressure cook until dal is softened.
3. Remove the pressure cooker from heat and let the pressure release.
4. Add 1 cup of water and lemon juice in the dal and mix well.

For Dhokli

1. Add whole wheat flour, gram flour, salt, vegetable oil, ajwain and turmeric powder in a bowl and mix well.
2. Add little water and knead to make a soft chapati like dough.
3. Make small balls from the dough and roll to make a thin chapati.
4. Cut the chapati into small pieces of any desired shape.
5. Add the pieces in the cooked dal.
6. Add some more water if the dal is too thick.
7. Cook for 10-12 minutes on medium heat until the dough is cooked properly.

For Tempering

1. Heat ghee in a pan.
2. Once the ghee is hot, add hing, cumin seeds, and mustard seeds and let them crackle for a few seconds.
3. Add curry leaves and green chili and fry for a few seconds.
4. Pour the tempering over the dal and give it a gentle mix.
5. Garnish the dal dhokli with fresh coriander leaves.
6. Serve hot.