Dal Dhokli is very popular Gujarati delicacy, also called Varan Phal or Chakolaya in Maharashtra. It is made up of lentils (Toovar/Arhar Dal). Dhokli is a Sunday lunch delight in most traditional Gujarati households. A perfect combination of spiced whole wheat flour dhoklis cooked in Gujarati khatti-meethi dal. It is a very easy, healthy and one pot meal.
Dal dhokli has long been a staple dish in Gujarati cuisine and households. Its origins can be traced back several centuries. Using lentils to make nutritious dals and steaming dumplings from flour-based doughs were ancient cooking techniques in India. The premium placed on vegetarian foods in Gujarat led to creative dishes combining pulses and grains like dal dhokli. Historically, dhokli were made from pearl millet flour instead of wheat flour as it was more commonly available. The flour changed over time.
Steaming as a cooking method for dhokli became popular during the medieval period in India. This allowed for soft textures. Traditional cooks would wrap the cylindrical dhokli dough in a muslin cloth before steaming. This has now been replaced with direct steaming. Dal dhokli was traditionally eaten as a meal to celebrate festivals and special occasions in Gujarati communities. Over time, it became a regular part of the Gujarati diet. Each family created their own proportions and spicing for dal and dhokli. As Gujaratis migrated to various parts of the world, dal dhokli traveled with them and remains a beloved dish that connects them to their roots.
Ingredients
For Dhokli Dough
- 2 cup Whole Wheat Flour
- 1 tsp Turmeric Powder
- 1 tsp Red Chili Powder
- 1 tsp Coriander-Cumin Powder
- Pinch of Asafoetida/Hing
- 2 tbsp Oil
- ¼ tsp Carom Seeds
- Salt
For Dal
- 1 cup Toovar Dal/Arhar dal
- 2 tbsp Peanuts
- 1-2 tbsp Oil
- ½ tsp Mustard Seeds
- ½ tsp Cumin Seeds
- ¼ tsp Fenugreek Seeds
- 3-4 Curry Leaves
- 2-3 Cloves
- 1-2 Dry Red Chilies
- Pinch of Asafoetida/Hing
- 1 tsp Coriander-Cumin Powder
- 1 tsp Turmeric Powder
- 1 tsp Red Chili Powder
- 2-3 Slit Green Chilies
- 1 tsp Grated Ginger
- 1 Chopped Tomato
- 2-3 Kokum/Dried Mango Slice/Tamarind
- ¼ cup Jaggery
- Salt
For Garnishing
- Chopped Coriander
- Lemon Wedge
- Chopped Onion
Method:
Dhokli Dough
1. Take a mixing bowl, add the flour, oil, turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, carom seeds, salt and then knead all ingredients into firm dough using around 1 cup water, adjust water as per requirement.
2. Divide the dough into small-small equal portions balls, dust into the flour and then roll out each ball into the big disk like chapati.
3. Cut the each chapati into diamond or square shapes and keep aside. Make sure keep it dusted with flour to avoid sticking to each other.
Dal
1. Wash and drain the Toovar/Arhar dal.
2. Mix the dal with peanuts,add enough water in a pressure cooker and cook till 3-4 whistles.
3. Let it cool down, open after a sometime, and mix it well, keep aside.
4. Heat the oil in a deep pan; add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds and fenugreek seeds.
5. When seeds crackle, add curry leaves, cloves, dry red chillies, asafoetida and mix well, then add turmeric, chili powder, coriander cumin powder and saut for few seconds on low flame.
6. Add green chillies,ginger, chopped tomato, half of chopped coriander leaves (remaining keep aside for garnishing) and saut again.
7. Add the dal, 3-4 cups of water, kokum/dried mango, jaggery, salt and mix well.
8. Bring to a boil on medium to high flame while stirring.
9. Now add the dhoklis pieces slowly one by one in boiling dal and mix gently; otherwise they could coagulate to form one big lump.
10. Cook on medium flame for 5 to 7 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
11. Garnished with coriander and serve it along with steamed rice, chopped onion or Kachumber and lemon wedge.
12. Add more water while simmering, if the dal thickens.
Tips:
- You can make the dal using split yellow moong dal or masoor dal instead of tuvar dal.
- Feel free to skip the peanuts if you prefer.
- Adjust the spices according to your taste
- You can briefly cook the rolled chapati pieces on a griddle first. This will prevent them from sticking and allow them to cook faster in the dal.
Dal Dhokli
Ingredients
Method
- Dhokli Dough
- Take a mixing bowl, add the flour, oil, turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, carom seeds, salt and then knead all ingredients into firm dough using around 3/4 cup water, adjust water as per requirement.
- Divide the dough into small-small equal portions balls, dust into the flour and then roll out each ball into the big disk like chapati.
- Cut the each chapati into diamond or square shapes and keep aside. Make sure keep it dusted with flour to avoid sticking to each other.
- Dal
- Wash and drain the Toovar/Arhar dal.
- Mix the dal with peanuts, add enough water in a pressure cooker and cook till 3-4 whistles.
- Let it cool down, open after a sometime, and mix it well, keep aside.
- Process
- Heat the oil in a deep pan; add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds and fenugreek seeds.
- When seeds crackle, add curry leaves, cloves, dry red chillies, asafoetida and mix well, then add turmeric, chili powder, coriander cumin powder and saut for few seconds on low flame.
- Add green chillies, ginger, chopped tomato, half of chopped coriander leaves (remaining keep aside for garnishing) and saut again.
- Add the dal, 3-4 cups of water, kokum/dried mango, jaggery, salt and mix well.
- Bring to a boil on medium to high flame while stirring.
- Now add the dhoklis pieces slowly one by one in boiling dal and mix gently; otherwise, they could coagulate to form one big lump.
- Cook on medium flame for 5 to 7 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
- Garnished with coriander and serve it along with steamed rice, chopped onion or Kachumber and lemon wedge.
- Add more water while simmering if the dal thickens.
Notes
Feel free to skip the peanuts if you prefer.
Adjust the spices according to your taste.
You can briefly cook the rolled chapati pieces on a griddle first. This will prevent them from sticking and allow them to cook faster in the dal.
So yummmyyyyy
thanks Neeta!!