One of my favourite cuisine from Gujarat tastes best so far when come from my aunt’s kitchen. She is Punjabi by culture but loves cooking not just Punjabi dishes but flavours from other places as well.
So this time when I decided to let loose and spend a holiday with her in Abu Road, Rajasthan I also prepared a ‘things to do’ list at the back of my mind. To savor my taste buds I first asked for Dal Dhokli. A dish that comes from a Gujarati Kitchen tastes amazing when my aunt cooks it. A delicious combination of flour and dal served with desi ghee, Dal Dhokli is a traditional authentic cuisine that is different in taste and appearance. Here is how you too can bring the taste to your kitchen.
Method of Cooking
Preparation Time: 15 mins | Cooking Time: 38 mins | Makes 6 servings
Ingredients
For the Dhoklis
- 1 cup whole wheat flour (gehun ka atta)
- 1 1/2 tbsp besan (bengal gram flour)
- salt to taste
- 1/2 tsp chilli powder
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
- 1/4 tsp carom seeds (ajwain) , optional
- 1 tbsp oil
- whole wheat flour (gehun ka atta) for rolling
For the Dal
- 1 cup toovar (arhar) dal
- salt to taste
- 5 kokum , soaked for 15 minutes and drained
- 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
- 5 tbsp chopped jaggery (gur)
- 1 tsp ginger-green chilli paste
- 1 tsp chilli powder
- 3 tbsp broken cashews
- 10 curry leaves (kadi patta)
- 1/4 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
- 2 tbsp ghee
- 1 tbsp oil
- 1/4 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
- 1/4 tsp mustard seeds ( rai / sarson)
- 1/4 tsp asafoetida (hing)
- 2 round red chillies (boriya mirch)
- 1 stick cinnamon (dalchini)
- 2 cloves (laung / lavang)
Other Ingredients
- 4 tbsp chopped coriander (dhania)
- 1 tbsp ghee
For Serving
- Ghee
Method – For The Dhoklis
Combine all the ingredients in a deep bowl and knead into a semi-stiff dough using enough water.Cover the dough with a lid and keep aside for at least 15 minutes.Divide the dough into 5 equal portions and roll out each portion into a 200 mm. (8”) diameter thin circle using a little whole wheat flour for rolling.Heat a non-stick tava (griddle) and cook each chapati lightly from both the sides.Cool and cut each chapati into diamond or square shapes and keep aside.
Method – For Dal
Clean, wash and drain the dal.Combine the dal and 2 cups of hot water in a pressure cooker and pressure cook for 3 whistles.Allow the steam to escape before opening the lid.Combine the cooked dal and 1 cup of hot water in a deep non-stick pan and blend it well using a hand blender till smooth.Add more 2½ cups of hot water and mix very well.Place the deep non-stick pan on the flame , add the salt, kokum, lemon juice, jaggery, ginger-green chilli paste, chilli powder, cashew nuts, curry leaves and turmeric powder, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 10 to 15 minutes, while stirring occasionally.Meanwhile, for the tempering, heat the ghee and oil in a small non-stick pan, add the cumin seeds and mustard seeds and allow them to crackle.When the seeds crackle, add the asafoetida, red chillies, cinnamon, cloves and saute on a medium flame for 30 seconds.Add this tempering to the dal, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 2 to 3 minutes, while stirring occasionally. Keep aside.
How to proceed
Just before serving, boil the dal, once it starts boiling, add the dhoklis, coriander and ghee, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 1 to 2 minutes, while stirring occasionally.Serve immediately with ghee.
Handy Tips:
Add the dhoklis one by one into the dal, otherwise they could coagulate to form one big lump.Add more water if the dal thickens while simmering.
Believe me, once you taste this dish, you would want to have it again and again. A delicious delicacy from Gujarat will surely be on your top list of favourite cuisines.
Happy Eating!!!
Shades Of Expressions 