Gujarati Series: Daal-Dhokli

Daal-Dhokli, one of my most loved food since childhood.....This is pure comfort especially in the winter time. Served piping hot, this meal really satisfies. This is also one of the well known Gujarati dishes that you may have tasted before.

Here is what you need:

For the Dhokli: 1.5 cup wheat flour,
1 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp chili powder, 1 tbsp besan flour, a handful of chopped coriander leaves, salt and a pinch of sugar to taste.

For the Daal: 1.5 cups Tuver daal - cooked in the pressure cooker till soft.
1 large tomato, ginger-jalapeño- chopped, salt,turmeric, dhania-jeera powder, jaggery or brown sugar, coriander leaves. For the tempering, you will need, mustard seeds, dry red chilis, methi seeds, asafoetida, curry leaves,and cloves, some peanuts and oil.

Note: Daal-Dhokli tastes the best when made right before serving...around half an hour to 45 minutes before. Keeping it too long on the stove will result in a thick, gooey mess. (this is my experience talking)

Make the Dhokli dough: Mix the flours with the spices and the coriander leaves. Add Hot water and knead into a semi-stiff dough, almost similar to the one you make for Puris. Cover and set aside.

Cook the tuver daal until soft. In a deep pot, take some oil, add the mustard seeds, dry chili, methi seeds, asafoetida, curry leaves,peanuts and cloves. Now add the chopped tomato, jalapeño and ginger. Stir well. Add the daal and enough water for the dhoklis to cook in. Don't make it too thick or too thin. Add the rest of the spices and let this come to a boil.

Meanwhile make the dhoklis by rolling out the dough, take a knife and cut out diamond shapes that are neither too thick or thin. Drop these dhoklis one by one into the daal.

Let the daal cook until the dhoklis are soft. Serve Hot with some basmati rice...and of course, dahi. One of my most favorite foods...this is bound to fill you up! This is also a great dish for the kiddies, they just love those soft dhoklis....try it sometime.