DAL DHOKLI

INGREDIENTS:

Ingredients for dal:
Toor dal	½ - ¾ cup
Peanuts	2 tbsp
Water	2 cup
Salt	As needed
Turmeric powder	½ tsp
Red chili powder	½ tsp
Coriander powder	½ tsp
Cumin powder	¼ tsp
Garam masala powder	¼ tsp
Jaggery	½ tsp
Lemon juice	1 tbsp
Tomato	1 large – chopped
Ginger paste	1 tsp
Curry leaf	1 sprig
Coriander leaves	3 tbsp – chopped
Cumin seeds	½ tsp
Mustard seeds	½ tsp
Dry red chili	1-2
Asafetida	1/8 tsp
Oil	1 tsp
Ghee	1 tbsp

Ingredients for dhokli:
Wheat flour	1 cup
Salt	½ tsp
Turmeric powder	¼ tsp
Red chili powder	½ tsp
Ajwain	½ tsp
Oil	1 tsp
Water	½ cup

METHOD:

Preparing the dhokli:

• In a large mixing bowl, add 1 cup wheat flour, salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder, ajwain. Mix well and start kneading into a smooth dough by adding little water at a time.
• Once the dough is smooth, smear a tsp of oil on the dough. Let the dough rest for 15 mins.
• Divide the dough into 5-6 portions. Dust a dough ball on both sides with flour and then roll out into a slightly thick chapati.
• Cook the chapati on hot tawa for 30 secs each side. The chapati doesn’t need to be fully cooked, it should be only half-done.
• Repeat the same steps with remaining dough balls. Once all the half-cooked chapatis are done, stack them together and cut into diamond shapes or shape of your choice.
• Keep the cut dhoklis aside.

Preparing the dal:

• Wash the toor dal thoroughly and cook the dal with 1 cup of water and ¼ tsp turmeric powder in a pressure cooker for 4-5 whistles. Along with the dal, cook peanuts with water in a small bowl.
• Remove the lid once pressure settles and carefully remove the cooked peanuts. Drain the water from peanuts and keep aside. Mash the dal so as to get a smooth consistency.
• Heat 1 tsp of oil, add cumin seeds, mustard seeds, broken dry red chili and curry leaves. As the seeds splutter, add asafetida and ginger paste.
• Saute for a min and add the chopped tomato. Also add ¼ tsp turmeric powder, ½ tsp red chili powder, ½ tsp coriander powder, ¼ tsp cumin powder, and ¼ tsp garam masala powder.
• Mix well and cook until the tomatoes are soft and mushy. Add the mashed dal, cooked peanuts and 1 cup of lukewarm water.
• Mix everything well and bring the dal to a boil. The dal should be thin and watery consistency as the dal will thicken after adding the dhoklis. So, add another ½ cup lukewarm water if the dal is thick.
• After the dal comes to a boil, add the cut dhokli pieces to the dal and let it cook for 10 mins in medium flame.
• The dal would have thickened and the dhoklis would also be full cooked after 10 mins. Turn off heat and add ½ tsp jaggery, 1 tbsp lemon juice and chopped coriander leaves. A tbsp of ghee can also be added to enhance the flavor.
• Serve the dal dhokla warm.