Dal Dhokli

Dal dhokli is a traditional Gujarati recipe usually made for breakfast. They are a combination of soft dohklis (strips of dough made of whole wheat flour and chickpea flour) cooked in a sweet and sour dal flavored with aromatic spices. The bite from the peanuts and the freshly chopped coriander and onions added before serving adds more taste and flavor to this dish. They make a complete and satisfying one pot meal.You can make this recipe with left over cooked dal too. I call it the Indian version of pasta in a thick sauce 🙂 The ingredients used are very much Indian but the end result reminds me of a pasta dish 🙂

Ingredients:

For the dal:

• 1 cup toor dal
• 2 tbsp ghee/oil
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1/4 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 red chillies
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/4 tsp asafoetida (hing)
• 1/2 tsp coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 3 tbsp kokum (can substitute it with tamarind paste)
• 3 tbsp jaggery
• 2 green chillies slit
• salt to taste
• 2-3 tbsp boiled peanuts
• water for cooking dal

For the dhokli :

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 2 tbsp besan (chickpea flour)
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp chilli powder
• 1 tbsp oil
• salt to taste
• water for kneeding

For garnish:

• 2 tbsp finely chopped coriander
• 2-3 tbsp chopped onions
• half lemon

Method:

For the dhokli:

Add water and kneed all the ingredients for the dhokli into a soft pliable dough.

Roll it into chapatis and cut it into strips and set aside. (Roll the chapatis thinly)

For the dal:

Soak the toor dal in water for twenty minutes. Then cook the dhal with turmeric powder, chilli powder and salt.

In a pan add the ghee/oil and add the spices ( bay leaf, cloves, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, asafoetida, red chillies) and saute for a minute

Add the cooked dal, 3 cups of water, coriander powder, cumin powder, kokum or turmeric paste, jaggery, peanuts, green chillies  let it boil and simmer for 10 minutes. The consistency of the dal should be thin.

When you want to serve, add the dhokli strips into the dal one by one and cook for 5-6 minutes in a medium-low flame.

If the dal thickens while cooking, add more water.

The dough should get cooked in the dal.

They are best when eaten hot. Serve them garnished with chopped coriander leaves, chopped onions and some lemon juice drizzled on top.

Note:

You can boil the peanuts along with the dal if you don’t have boiled peanuts.

Extra boiled peanuts can be added as a garnish.

You can substitute kokum with tamarind paste or amchur powder (mango powder). Kokum is added to give some sourness to the dish. Feel free to substitute it with these alternatives. But kokum is used in this dish traditionally.