Dal Dhokli

Dal Dhokli is a one meal dish from the Indian state of Gujarat, that combines dal / lentils and wheat dhokli / pasta. This one dish combines the goodness of both proteins and carbs. Although traditionally, vegetables are not included in this dish, it's addition would truly make it a complete meal. The recipe I referred to and have reproduced here, is by late Tarla Dalal, and this Dal Dhokli is good.

Like I mentioned above, though the original recipe does not include vegetables, I did add some and thought it blended well and enjoyed it. My suggestion would be to add the vegetables once the tadka is done and let it cook a few minutes before adding the dal. And yes, the dal does thicken quickly once the dhoklis are added so make it a thin dal to start with and enjoy it like a wholesome soup with a squeeze of lemon.

Ingredients

for the Dhoklis
Wheat flour - 1 cup

Bengal gram flour - 1 tbsp 
Turmeric pwd - 1/2 tsp
Red chilli pwd - 1/2 tsp
Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Carom seeds - 1/4 tsp

Salt as per taste
for the Dal
Tuwar Dal - 1 cup

Peanuts - 15 to 20

Vegetables - 3/4 cup (optional - I used diced carrots and radish and cabbage chunks)
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Oil - 1 tbsp
Mustard Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Cumin Seeds - 1/4 tsp
Fenugreek seeds - 1/4 tsp

Curry leaves - 5 to 6 
Cloves - 2
Cinnamon - 2 mm (1") piece
Bayleaf - 2
Whole dry red chilli
Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp 
Kokum - 5 
Jaggery - 5 tbsp
Turmeric pwd - 1/2 tsp 
Lemon jce - 1/2 tbsp
Green Chillies - 2
Red chilli pwd - 1/2 tsp 
Ginger - 1 tsp 

Salt as per taste
for the Garnish
Coriander leaves - 4 to 5 sprigs
Lemon wedges - a few

Method
for the dhoklis - Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and knead into a dough by adding water little by little. The dough should be firm and keep it covered till ready to roll. Divide these into big balls are roll out like into a circle. Heat a tawa and roast it like a chapati. Once all the dough is made into chapatis, cut them into small squares or diamonds and keep aside till ready to add to the dal.

for the dal - Wash the dal and peanuts and put them in two separate cooker containers. Add water and cook in a pressure cooker for 3 whistles. Once the pressure is completely released, take the dal out and mash it after saving the water in another container. Keep both the dal and peanuts aside.

 

Heat a saucepan and combine the oil and ghee and once hot add the mustard seeds. Let it splutter then add the cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, curry leaves, cloves, cinnamon, bay leaf, whole dried red chillies and asafoetida. Sauté for a minute and then add the water from the cooked dal and peanuts and the vegetables (if including it in your dish). Add the turmeric powder, red chilli powder, green chillies, ginger, jaggery and soaked kokum. If using vegetables cook it for about five minutes if not add the mashed dal and peanuts and add water enough to get a thin consistency. Let this come to a boil stirring it a few times in between. Make sure the consistency is thin and add the coriander leaves and then take it off the heat.

 

When ready to serve, heat the dal and add water if necessary and get it to a boil. Add the dhokli pieces little by little stirring the dal gently all the while. Let the dal simmer for a couple of minutes and then take it off the heat. The dhoklis absorb the dal and swell a little. Serve it out in bowls with a wedge of lemon.

My dal was already thickening by the time I served myself

My Dal Dhokli from Gujarat goes to
 - "Flavors of the World - Grand Finale" hosted by simplysensationalfood
 - "Light Dinners" guest hosted by abowlofcurry, originally by Vardhini of cooksjoy