DAL DHOKLI/ दाल ढोकली A COMFORT FOOD FROM GUJARAT
DAL DHOKLI as the name suggests that this is a complete meal in itself which contains dal and roti in one dish. This is a comfort food from the states of Gujarat, Rajasthan and Maharashtra. Though all these differ a little in making but the basic process is almost the same for the three. There is even a slight difference between the two versions from Gujarat. Gujrati and Kathiawadi. Kathiawadi cuisine is a bit spicy and greasy than the Gujarati one. In Gujarati, dal dhokli is kept a little sweet and tangy. A balanced sweet-sour flavour comes with jaggery and lemon/tamarind or raw mango if available. I have given two temperings to this dish but you can cook it as a one-pot meal
To make this dish, toor dal is cooked separately with a liquidy consistency and dices of roti/dhokli dough are added to cook in dal curry. Finally, a tempering of some mild spices and aromatics is given to add the flavours.
I relate this dish of ours with almost the same dish from Italy with very little differences. Pasta e Lenticchie (Pasta with Lentils) is comfort and nourishing dish from Italy which has almost a similar process. Isn’t so amazing that the two countries which are very distant apart, have more than one dishes with similar process and ingredients. It really makes me amazed and enthusiast.. Let’s return to our very own DAL DHOKLI DISH😊
Prep time – 30 minutes
Cook time – 20 minutes
Cuisine – Gujarat (India)
Course – Main
Author – Bharti Dhawan
INGREDIENTS REQUIRED FOR DAL
• Toor/Tuvar/Arhar dal/pigeon eye pea – 1 cup (soaked for 30 minutes)
• Water – 3+3 cups or more
• Salt/namak – 2 tsp
• Turmeric/haldi powder – 1 tsp
• Ghee/oil- 1 tsp
INGREDIENTS FOR TADKA/TEMPERING
• Ghee – 2 tbsp +2 tsp
• Raw peanuts – 1 tbsp
• Grated ginger – 1 tsp
• Whole red chilly – 2-3
• Mustard seeds/rai – 1+1 tsp
• Cumin/jeera – 1+1 tsp
• Aseafotida/hing – 1 tsp
• Curry leaves – 2 springs
• Red chilly powder – 1 +1 tsp
• Coriander/dhania powder – 1+1 tsp
• Garam masala – 1 tsp
• Jaggery/gur – 1-inch piece
• Lemon juice – From 1 lemon
INGREDIENTS FOR DHOKLI/ROTI
• Whole wheat atta/flour – 1 cup
• Water – 1/2 cup or as required
• Salt/ namak- 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric powder/haldi – 1/2 tsp
• Red chilly powder/lal mirch- 1/2 tsp
• Ghee/oil – 1 tsp
METHOD FOR DAL DHOKLI
1- Add dal and all other ingredients written under ‘DAL’ to the pressure cooker (oil prevents dal to come out through vent)
2- Give 1 whistle at first and then slow down the flame to cook dal for more 5 minutes. When cooled down, open the cooker and mash dal with the ladle. Add 3 more cups of water and prepare for the first tadka
3- Whilst knead the dough for dhokli. Take a mixing bowl and add all the ingredients except water. Mix with hands and knead the dough adding little water at a time( the dough should neither too hard nor too soft) Keep at rest for 15-20 minutes
4- Whilst prepare for first tadka/tempering. For tadka, heat 2 tsp ghee/oil in a pan and add mustard seed. Allow them to splatter and add 1 tsp jeera, heeng, red chilly powder, dhania powder, curry leaves and peanuts
5- Roast them for a few minutes and add cooked dal. Allow to boil at low flame. Add salt, Jaggery and lemon juice
6- Now back to the dough. Knead the dough again to make it soft and divide into portions and roll into the dry flour
7- Now spread it with the help of rolling pin using some dry flour(the disk should neither too thick nor thin) With a sharp knife cut the disk into small dhokli pieces of your own choice
8- Add the dhokli into dal slowly and allow to cook for 10-12 minutes. Cover the pan with a lid
(Add some more water if required. The dhokli soaks a lot of dal water.
9- When you see that dhokli starts floating on the surface,(it takes 7-8 minutes) it has cooked to perfection. Switch off the flame now
A FINAL TADKA/TEMPERING
10 – Heat ghee and add grated ginger, whole red chillies, mustard seeds, remaining red chilly powder, dhania powder and curry leaves. Pour over prepared DAL DHOKLI. Serve hot
NOTES
A finely chopped tomato can be added during tadka for flavours and tang. This is optional and depends on your choice
In summers raw mango can be added to dal. It gives a pleasant tang to dal
You can add a little besan/gram flour to the wheat flour. 1 tbsp besan to 1 cup of wheat flour would be enough
A FEW MORE INTERESTING DISHES FROM GUJARAT
SOOJI HANDVO /AN INSTANT HANDVO
SOOJI DHOKLA/INSTANT RAVA DHOKLA
