Dal Dhokli

One of the things that separates Gujarat from Kathiawad for me, is dal dhokli. I tasted it for the first time in Ahmedabad. Our neighbor, Hema aunty, would make it in large volumes and distribute it to all the neighbors. And it was always mouth-watering. Putting manners aside, it was always "Wow, thank you!" rather than "No, thank you!".

Dal Dhokli is a meal by itself for Gujaratis, or for the rest of us, a scrumptious side dish, to go with Gujarati snacks.

Serves 4


Ingredients

For The Dhokli dough

2 cup whole wheat flower (aata)  
1 cup chick pea flour (besan)  
1/4 tspn asfoetida (heeng)

1/4 tspn carom seeds (ajwain)
1 tbspn oil

salt to taste

For The Dal

1 cup tuver (arhar) dal  
1 tbspn oil
1 tspn mustard seeds (rai)  
1 tspn fenugreek seeds (methi) 
6-8 curry leaves (kadi patta) 

3 slitted Thai peppers 

1 tbspn grated ginger
2 cloves

2 tbspn peanuts
2 dried red peppers

1 tspn turmeric powder (haldi powder) 

2 tspn cumin powder (jeera powder) 

2 tspn coriander powder (dhaniya powder)
1/4 tspn asfoetida (heeng) 
2 kokum, soaked - optional
1 cup jaggery (gur) 

1/2 tspn red chili powder

1 tbspn lemon juice

salt to taste 

2 tbspn ghee

For garnishing

4 tbspn finely chopped onions

4 tbspn finely chopped cilantro

1 tbspn lemon juice

 

Preparation 

1. Combine the Dhokli ingredients in a bowl and knead into a firm dough using enough water.
2. Divide the dough into 6 equal portions and roll out like parathas, about 4 mm thick.
3. Cut into diamond shapes - dhoklis, and set aside.
4. Finely chop the onions and cilantro for garnishing.

Instructions

1. Ideally, the dal needs to be soaked for 4 hours, and then pressure cooked with an equal measure of water for 20 minutes with turmeric and salt. 
2. If the dal is not soaked, pressure cook with twice the measure of water for 40 minutes with turmeric and salt.
3. Blend the dal with a hand blender into a homogenous pulp.
4. Heat the oil, and add mustard seeds (rai).
5. Add fenugreek seeds (methi) and carom seeds (ajwain). 
6. After half a minute, add curry leaves, chopped peppers and grated ginger, cloves and peanuts.
7. Stir for a minute.
8. Add the spice powders, and stir for a minute.
9. Sprinkle the spice powders on top.
10. Add the blended dal, an equal measure of water, and stir slowly.
11. Add asafoetida (heeng), kokum, red pepper powder, lemon juice, and salt.
12. Let the dal come to a boil, stirring occasionally.
13. Add the dhokli, and take the dal off the heat. 
14. Cover for 20 minutes. 
15. Take off the heat. 

Serving

1. Just before serving, heat the dal but don't bring it to a boil. 
2. Stir occasionally and gently so the dhokli does not break.
3. Sprinkle chopped onions, chopped cilantro and add lemon juice.

 

 

Dal Dhokli

One of my favorite spicy, sour, sweet, salty, spicy - did I say spicy twice? - thing to eat is Dal Dhokli. It is one of those things that you don't really serve guests for dinner because it is not glamorous enough. Unless it is a family dinner and you are all raised in Gujarat on the yumminess of Dal Dhokli. Easy to make, great to eat, it is basically diamonds of paratha dough swimming in spicy dal.

I did not think I could get it right, but living in Dallas, there was no choice but to make it myself. And I have slurped it gratefully to be able to say I do get it right.

This is a traditionally arhar (tuver) dal curry.

Makes 6 bowls of dal dhokli

Ingredients 

For the curry

• 3 cups arhar dal (yellow lentil)
• 1 tbspn coriander powder 
• 1 tbspn cumin powder
• 1 tbspn turmeric powder 
• 1 tbspn ginger, grated
• a pinch of asfoetida
• 2 medium tomatoes, chopped into chunks
• 1 lemon, sliced
• 1 cup gud (jaggery or cane sugar) 
• salt, to taste

For the dough

• 3 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 tbspn oil
• 1 tbspn ajwain 
• 1 tspn salt
• 2 medium Thai peppers, finely chopped
• water, as needed

For the tempering

• 2 tbspn vegetable oil 
• 4 medium Thai peppers, finely chopped
• 2 inches of ginger, finely chopped
• 1 cup peanuts 
• 1 tspn mustard seeds
• 6-8 curry leaves

For the garnishing

• 1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped
• 1 cup red onions, finely chopped
• 2 tbspn lemon juice

Preparation (10 minutes)

1. Set aside the peppers, ginger, cilantro, red onions - finely chopped.
2. Chop tomatoes into chunks.
3. Steam the dal for 20 minutes in the pressure cooker with turmeric and salt.  
4. Make the dough, as for parathas.

Instructions  (20 minutes)

For the dough

1. Mix flour, oil, salt, ajwain, finely chopped ginger and peppers well.
2. Add water, as needed to make a firm dough, as for parathas.
3. Cover with a wet napkin and set aside for 10 minutes.

For the curry

1. Heat the oil in a pan, and add curry leaves and mustard seeds and allow them to pop.
2. After a minute, add chopped peppers, ginger and finally peanuts.
3. Add tamarind paste and stir it in till it is cooked.
4. Add the coriander powder and the cumin powder.
5. Add chopped tomatoes and stir for a minute.
6. Add the steamed dal and stir till it is a homogenous paste.
7. Add water, three times the volume.
8. Allow the dal to boil.
9. Add salt to taste.
10. Add jaggery and stir till the pieces of jaggery melt.
11. Add asfoetida and stir for two minutes.
12. Roll the dough into a thickness slightly less than 1/4 inch (like a paratha) and cut diamond shapes.
13. As the dal starts boiling, drop the diamond shapes into the dal.  
14. Cook on medium heat for 5 minutes, and take off the heat. 

Garnishing

1. Sprinkle finely chopped cilantro on top. 
2. Sprinkle fine sev - optional. 
3. Sprinkle finely chopped

Serving

1. Serve hot as an entrée, in soup bowls.  

Undhiyu-inspired shaak

24 cups of undhiyu-inspired shaak

It is not always possible to make the traditional undhiyu at short notice, but vegetables in the refrigerator can be used to make a recipe similar to undhiyu.

Ingredients

• 6 small potatos
• 2 large carrots
• 2 cups pigeon peas
• 12 brinjals cooked as
• 2 medium white onions
• 1 large red onion 
• 8 ghattas  
• 4 cups cilantro chatni
• 2 tbspn vegetable oil
• 1 tbspn ajwain
• 2 tspn coriander powder 
• 2 tspn cumin powder
• 1 tspn turmeric powder 

Preparation

1. Prepare the spicy brinjals.
2. Steam potatos in a pressure cooker, and cut into 1 inch cubes.
3. Add 2 cups of water to the pigeon peas and cook in a microwave.
4. Slice carrots in 1-inch thick cross-sections, and cook in microwave with 2 cups of water for 6 minutes.
5. Prepare 4 cups of cilantro chatni. 
6. Deep-fry 8 ghattas in vegetable oil, and keep aside. 

Instructions

1. Heat the oil, and add ajwain. 
2. Place pigeon peas. 
3. Place potatos, carrots and slitted brinjals on top. 
4. Sprinkle the spice powders on top.
5. Cover and cook on low heat for 20 minutes. 
6. Add ghattas to the pan. 
7. Add cilantro chatni and cook on medium heat for 10 minutes.
8. Take off the heat.

Garnishing

1. Serve with cilantro chatni as a side. 
2. Sprinkle sev on top before serving.

Serving

1. Serve hot with puri or paratha.

5-bean dal

Makes 16 cups of dal


Ingredients

• 6 tbspn vegetable oil
• 2 medium onion, chopped
• 4 medium Thai peppers, finely chopped
• 2 tspn coriander powder 
• 2 tspn cumin powder
• 2 tspn turmeric powder 
• 6 cloves garlic, grated
• 2 tbspn ginger, grated
• 6 cloves
• 6 peppercorns
• 4 medium tomato, chopped
• 1 cup rajma (kidney beans)
• 1 cup udad (black grams) 
• 1 cup chhole (chick peas) 
• 1 cup chane (bengal grams) 
• 1 cup black beans 
• 1 cup cilantro, finely chopped   

Preparation (4 hours)

1. Grate garlic, ginger.
2. Cut peppers, and chop onions and tomatoes into 1-1/2 inch cubes. 
3. Soak the 5 dal in lukewarm water for 4 hours. 

Cooking (60 minutes)

1. Steam the soaked dal with 8 cups of water and salt for 20 minutes in a pressure cooker. 
2. Heat the oil in a pan, and stir the onions on medium-high heat till they are pink.
3. Add the peppers and powdered spices and stir till the oil separates from the onions. 
4. Add grated ginger and grated garlic and saute for another minute.
5. Add the steamed dal.
6. Add salt to taste.  
7. Stir for 15 minutes.
8. Add chopped tomatoes, and stir for ten minutes on medium-high heat.
9. Add ten cups of water and bring to a boil.
10. Take the pan off the heat.   

Garnishing

1. Sprinkle cilantro on top.

Serving

1. Serve hot with steamed Basmati rice.  

Paneer Makhani (Paneer in rich gravy)

Makes 8 cups of paneer makhani

I do not enjoy the smooth texture of a blended gravy, so I use finely chopped ingredients. But I have family that likes the restaurant look-and-feel of a blended gravy.

Ingredients

• 4 tbspn vegetable oil
• 2 medium onion, finely chopped
• 3 medium Thai peppers, finely chopped
• 1 tspn coriander powder 
• 1 tspn cumin powder
• 1 tspn turmeric powder 
• 2 cloves garlic, grated
• 1 tbspn ginger, grated
• 2 medium tomato, finely chopped - optional
• 1 cup cashew paste (soak cashews for 10 minutes and blend) - optional
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 tspn sugar
• 1 tbspn cilantro, finely chopped   
• 16 rectangular 1 x 1/2 x 1/2 inch cubes of paneer

Preparation

1. Grate garlic, ginger.
2. Cut peppers, and finely chop onions and tomatoes.
3. Beat the sour cream with a spoon.  
4. Pan-fry pieces rectangular cubes of paneer in vegetable oil, and keep aside. 

Instructions

1. Heat the oil, and stir the onions on medium-high heat till they are pink.
2. Add the peppers and powdered spices and stir till the oil separates from the onions. 
3. Add grated ginger and grated garlic and saute for another minute.
4. Add chopped tomatoes, and stir for two minutes.
5. If you prefer blended gravy with a restaurant look-and-feel, take the gravy off the heat and allow it to cool till it is lukewarm. Blend till it is smooth, and then heat on medium-high.- optional
6. Add cashew paste and stir well. - optional
7. Add salt to taste. 
8. Add sour cream and sugar and stir well. - optional
9. Stir on low-medium heat for another minute, and take off the heat.  

Garnishing

1. Put paneer cubes in a serving bowl. 
2. Stir in the curry. 
3. Sprinkle cilantro on top.

Serving

1. Serve hot with any flat bread - nan, roti or paratha hot from the pan.
2. It can also be served with hot steamed Basmati rice.  

Palak Paneer (Spinach and soft cheese)

Makes 8 cups of palak paneer

Ingredients

• 4 tbspn vegetable oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped - optional
• 3 medium Thai peppers, finely chopped
• 1 tspn coriander powder 
• 1 tspn cumin powder
• 1 tspn turmeric powder 
• 2 cloves garlic, grated - optional
• 1 tbspn ginger, grated
• 2 medium tomato, finely chopped
• 1 cup cashew paste (soak cashews for 10 minutes and blend) - optional
• 4 bunches of spinach
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 tbspn cilantro, finely chopped   
• 8 rectangular 1 x 1/2 x 1/2 inch cubes of paneer

Preparation

1. Grate garlic, ginger.
2. Cut peppers, and finely chop onions, tomatoes and spinach.
3. Beat the sour cream with a spoon.  
4. Pan-fry pieces rectangular cubes of paneer in vegetable oil, and keep aside. 
5. Put the well-washed spinach in boiling water with peppers and tomatos for 5 minutes, and blend into a paste.

Instructions

1. Heat the oil, and stir the onions on medium-high heat till they are pink.
2. Add the peppers and powdered spices and stir till the oil separates from the onions. 
3. Add grated ginger and grated garlic and saute for another minute.
4. Add cashew paste and stir well.
5. Add the spinach paste.
6. Add salt to taste.   
7. Stir continuously for 5 minutes, and take it off the heat.

Garnishing

1. Put paneer cubes in a serving bowl. 
2. Stir in the spinach curry. 
3. Sprinkle cilantro on top.
4. Decorate with sour cream. 

Serving

1. Serve hot with any flat bread - nan, roti or paratha hot from the pan, and refrigerated lassi (yogurt shake).
2. It can also be served with hot steamed Basmati rice.