Dal Dhokli Recipe| How To Make Gujarati Dal Dhokli

Dal Dhokli is one of those dishes I did not take to immediately. I grew up not liking it, though my grandmother was known to make an extremely delicious version. Over time, though, I acquired a taste for it – even started loving it – and making it myself. In today’s post, I will be sharing a Dal Dhokli recipe, the way I have known it.

Gujarati Dal Dhokli

What is Dal Dhokli?

Dal Dhokli is a traditional Gujarati dish, a simple thing at heart. Wheat flour is spiced and bound into a dough, which is then rolled out into circles and cut into little diamonds (the ‘dhokli’). These diamonds are then cooked in a very flavourful lentil broth (the ‘dal’). There are, thus, two major components to this dish – the sweet-spicy-tangy-salty dal, which is similar to the Gujarati Khatti Meethi Dal, and the dhoklis. The combination of the two is very delicious, very filling, and very satisfying. It wouldn’t be wrong to call the Dal Dhokli a Gujarati version of pasta, me thinks. 🙂

The list of ingredients for the Dal Dhokli might seem long and the proceedure daunting, but it is actually not a very difficult dish to prepare. It might take a bit of practice to perfect, but that’s not a tall ask. I would urge you to try it out, if you haven’t already. It’s not just a delicious confection, but a very healthy one too, made using minimal oil. It is a complete meal in itself, which does not require any accompaniments. It is the perfect lockdown recipe too, requiring the bare minimum of ingredients, though you can jazz it up with more vegetables if you want to.

Dal Dhokli Recipe| How To Make Gujarati Dal Dhokli

Here is how we make it. My grandmother learnt how to make Dal Dhokli from her Gujarati neighbours, back when we were living in Ahmedabad. The recipe passed on to my mother, and then to me. While this recipe is very, very close to authentic, I have also outlined in the ‘Tips & Tricks’ section how to make it even more traditional.

I had put up a straight-from-the-heart post about making Dal Dhokli on my Instagram feed some time ago, and many readers were interested in the recipe. So, for all of you lovely folks out there, here’s the recipe!

Ingredients (serves 4):

For the dhokli:

1. 3/4 cup wheat flour + more as needed for dusting

2. Salt to taste

3. 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder

4. 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

5. A pinch of asafoetida

6. 1/4 teaspoon carom seeds (ajwain)

7. 1 teaspoon oil

For the dal:

1. 1/2 cup toor dal

2. 2 tablespoons raw groundnuts

3. A small lemon-sized ball of tamarind

4. 1 medium-sized tomato (optional)

5. 3-4 green chillies (optional)

6. 1/2 tablespoon oil

7. 3/4 teaspoon mustard seeds

8. 2 pinches of asafoetida

9. Salt to taste

10. Red chilli powder to taste

11. 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

12. 1 tablespoon jaggery powder or to taste

13. 3/4 teaspoon garam masala or to taste

14. 1 tablespoon finely chopped coriander

Method:

Top left and right: Steps 1 and 2, Centre left and right: Step 3, Bottom left: The dough for the dhokli is ready and resting, Bottom right: Step 4

1. Soak the tamarind in a little boiling water for at least 15 minutes, for it to soften. Let it cool down completely.

2. Next, we will cook the toor dal and groundnuts. Wash the toor dal thoroughly and drain out the water. Take the washed and drained toor dal in a wide vessel and add in just enough water to cover it completely. Inside the vessel, place a small bowl with the groundnuts and about a tablespoon of water. Place the vessel inside a pressure cooker. Pressure cook on high flame for 7-8 whistles or till the toor dal is completely cooked. Let the pressure release naturally.

3. Now, we will prepare the dough for the dhokli. Take the wheat flour in a large mixing bowl. Add in the salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, carom seeds and asafoetida. Adding water little by little, bind everything into a soft dough, similar to roti dough. When done, add a teaspoon of oil to the dough and knead for a couple of minutes. Let the dough rest, covered, till we are ready to use it.

4. Prep the tomato and green chillies now, if using them. Chop the tomato finely. Slit the green chillies length-wise. Keep these ready.

Top left: Step 5, Top right and centre left: Step 6, Centre right, bottom left and right: Step 7

5. When the soaked tamarind has completely cooled down, extract all the juice out of it. You may use water as needed to help with the extraction. Filter out seeds and impurities, if any.

6. When the pressure from the cooker has completely gone down, get the cooked toor dal out. Mash it well. Keep the cooked groundnuts aside.

7. Next, we will prepare the dhokli. Take a small ball of the dough, dust it with wheat flour, and roll it out into a thin circle (like a roti). Make sure that the dough is rolled out evenly and thinly; only then it will cook easily and the dish will taste lovely. Now, use a pizza cutter or knife to cut the circle into small diamond-shaped pieces. Collect the pieces in a plate.

Top left: Step 8, Top right and centre left: Step 9, Centre right: Step 10, Bottom left and right: Steps 11 and 12

8. Use all the dough to roll out thin rotis, in a similar manner, and cut them up into little diamond shapes. Collect all the little pieces in the same plate – these are your dhokli. Keep these covered till further use.

9. Now, we will prepare the dal. In a large vessel, heat the oil. Add in the mustard seeds and allow them to sputter. Add in the asafoetida, cooked groundnuts and slit green chillies. Let these ingredients stay in for a couple of seconds.

10. Next, add the chopped tomato to the vessel, if using. Also add in a little water and a bit of salt. Cook on high flame till the tomato turns mushy.

11. Add the tamarind extract to the vessel. Cook for 3-4 minutes or till the raw smell of the tamarind goes away.

12. Now, add the cooked and mashed toor dal to the vessel. Add salt to taste, turmeric powder and red chilli powder, along with 1-1/2 to 2 cups of water. Mix well. The mixture should be watery at this stage, as it will thicken up later.

Top left and right, centre left: Step 13, Centre right: Step 14, Bottom left and right: Steps 15 and 16

13. Add in the jaggery powder and garam masala. Mix well. Taste and adjust salt and spices if needed. Cook the mixture on high flame till it comes to a boil.

14. At this stage, reduce the flame to medium. Add all the dhokli we prepared earlier, to the vessel. Give the mixture a stir.

15. Cook everything together for 12-15 minutes or till the dough is completely cooked. You will need to stir intermittently to prevent sticking to the bottom of the vessel. The mixture will have thickened up quite a bit now, but it should still be on the runny side – it will thicken even further. Switch off gas at this stage.

16. Mix in the finely chopped coriander. Your Dal Dhokli is ready. Serve it hot or warm.

Is this recipe vegan and gluten-free?

This Dal Dhokli is completely vegetarian and vegan (plant-based). However, it is not gluten-free due to use of wheat flour and asafoetida (which may contain wheat flour, to a lesser or greater extent).

This recipe is also free of onion and garlic.

#LockdownRecipes at Foodie Monday Blog Hop

This recipe is brought to you in association with the Foodie Monday Blog Hop.

The Foodie Monday Blog Hop is a group of passionate food bloggers who share recipes based on a pre-determined theme, every Monday. With India going through a terrible second Covid wave at the moment and lockdowns are in place in several states across the country, we decided to put together some #LockdownRecipes this week. This Monday, the group members will be showcasing simple recipes using minimal ingredients, and I couldn’t think of anything better than this Dal Dhokli.

Narmadha, the warm, friendly and talented author of Nams Corner, was the one who suggested the week’s theme. I especially love the heritage Tamilnadu dishes and kids’ special recipes on her blog. The Thalippu Vadagam recipe she shared a while ago has me intrigued – can’t wait to try it out!

Tips & Tricks

1. Make sure the rotis are rolled out evenly and very thin. Only then will they cook easily and the Dal Dhokli will taste delicious. The dough must be soft and pliable.

2. The traditional Dal Dhokli recipe uses kokum (Garcinia Indica) as a souring agent. I don’t always have kokum at home, so I prefer using tamarind instead. My grandmother would use tamarind in Dal Dhokli, and I continue to do the same. Adjust the amount of tamarind you use as per personal taste preferences. You may use lemon juice as a souring agent instead.

3. Adjust the quantity of water you use in the dal as needed. Remember that it needs to be quite watery (but flavourful) before adding in the dhokli. It will thicken as the dhokli cooks, but should still be quite runny when you finish. It thickens up quite fast.

4. Dal Dhokli is best served piping hot or warm. If you are making it ahead of time, do heat it up before serving. You might need to adjust the water, salt, spices and sourness before serving, if it has thickened up too much.

5. You will need a big vessel for the Dal Dhokli to cook. The vessel should not be overcrowded, and the dhokli should have space to move around. I use a large, 8-litre pressure cooker bottom to cook the Dal Dhokli.

6. Many Gujarati families do prepare the Dal Dhokli without the garam masala. I use it simply because my grandmother also used to, and I like it that way. Feel free to leave it out if you so prefer.

7. Make sure the toor dal is completely cooked before using it in the dish.

8. You may add vegetables like beans, carrot and green peas to the Dal Dhokli too, as Mayuri ji of Mayuri’s Jikoni kindly pointed out to me. I have most commonly had Dal Dhokli cooked with cluster beans (gavarphali) at the homes of my Gujarati friends – I absolutely love the flavour the beans add to the dish.

9. You may leave out the tomato and green chillies, and keep the Dal Dhokli plain and simple. Mayuri ji tells me that when no veggies or lentils are available, the dhokli can even be cooked in water, with the tempering, salt and spices added in. Isn’t this one super adaptable recipe, just perfect for the lockdown?

10. This is a no-onion, no-garlic recipe, but you may add them in if you prefer. Ginger paste can be added in as well.

11. You may cut out the dhokli as small or large as you prefer. I prefer keeping the diamonds really small – I feel the Dal Dhokli tastes better that way. A pizza cutter works best for cutting out the dhokli, but you may use a knife instead too.

12. Do not skip the jaggery used in the recipe, as it is an important component of the Dal Dhokli. The dish is supposed to be a mix of sweet, salty, spicy and sour. I have used jaggery powder here, instead of which you may use regular jaggery or sugar.

13. Here, I have prepared the dhokli first and then the dal. However, you may set the dal cooking first, simultaneously rolling out the rotis and adding them to the dal to cook.

14. You may add lesser dhokli to the dal than what I have suggested above. Any excess dough can be converted into Masala Rotis – roll it out into rotis and cook on both sides on a hot pan, with some oil drizzled around them.

Did you like this recipe? Do tell me, in your comments!

Palak Corn Recipe| Corn Palak Sabzi

The union of spinach (‘palak‘ in Hindi) and sweet corn kernels is a marriage that is definitely made in heaven. It is one that I adore to bits, too. For today’s post, I decided to use this brilliant combination of ingredients in a North Indian-style curry – Corn Palak Sabzi. Let me tell you, it tastes so, so, so awesome, and makes for an amazing accompaniment for rotis, naan and parathas!

Palak Corn or Corn Palak Sabzi

More about this Corn Palak Sabzi

As delectable as it is, Palak Corn or Corn Palak Sabzi is an easy dish to prepare. I make it in a very simple way, home-style, using basic ingredients that are commonly available in a typical Indian kitchen. I have made this dish closely on the lines of the Palak Paneer recipe I had shared on my blog some time ago.

The backbone of this sabzi is spinach and sweet corn, hence use the freshest of these ingredients you can find. I have used store-bought corn kernels here, to make my life easier, but you may buy whole cobs and separate the kernels yourself if you prefer it that way. I have used a bit of fresh cream to garnish the sabzi, but that is completely optional.

This is a completely vegetarian preparation. If you skip the fresh cream I have used for decoration (simply because I had some!), this recipe is plant-based (vegan) too. Skip the asafoetida used here, to make it gluten-free. Most Indian brands of asafoetida do contain wheat flour to a lesser or greater extent and are, therefore, best avoided when one is following a gluten-free diet. However, if you can find 100% gluten-free asafoetida, you can definitely go ahead and use it.

If you would like another way to use spinach and corn, check out these Spinach Corn & Cheese Sandwiches on my Instagram feed.

#NorthIndianCurries at Foodie Monday Blog Hop

I am sharing this Palak Corn recipe in association with the Foodie Monday Blog Hop.

The Foodie Monday Blog Hop is a group of passionate food bloggers who share recipes based on a pre-determined theme, every Monday. The theme this week is #NorthIndianCurries, where all of are showcasing different types of – of course – North Indian-style sabzi.

Swaty, a talented chef and author of Food Trails, was the one who suggested today’s theme. Her blog is a treasure trove of traditional dishes from Uttar Pradesh (where she is from), some unique fusion dishes, and amazing baked goodies. I absolutely loved the recipes for Tilwale Aloo and Sookhi Urad Dal she posted some time ago – can’t wait to try them out!

Palak Corn recipe

Here is how I make it.

Ingredients (serves 4-6):

For the green puree:

1. 1 medium-sized bunch of spinach, about 2 cups when finely chopped

2. A handful of fresh coriander leaves

3. A handful of fresh mint leaves

4. 2 green chillies or as per taste

For the red puree:

1. 3 medium-sized tomatoes

2. 1 small onion

3. 10-12 cashewnuts

4. A 1-inch piece of ginger

5. 5-6 cloves of garlic

Other ingredients:

1. 3 cups sweet corn kernels

2. 1/2 tablespoon oil

3. 3/4 teaspoon cumin seeds

4. 2 pinches of asafoetida

5. Salt to taste

6. 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

7. Red chilli powder to taste (optional)

8. 1/2 tablespoon jaggery powder

9. 1/2 tablespoon chana masala, or as per taste

10. Fresh cream, as needed for garnishing (optional)

Method:

Top left and centre left, centre right: Step 1, Top right: Step 2, Bottom left and right: Step 3

1. We will start by preparing the green puree required for the sabzi. Chop the spinach, coriander and green chillies, and add to a mixer jar. Add in the mint leaves as well. Grind everything together to a smooth puree, using a little water. Keep aside.

2. Next, take the sweet corn in a heavy-bottomed pan along with about 1-1/2 cup water. Use as much water as needed so that the corn kernels are completely submerged. Cook on high flame for 4-5 minutes or till the corn kernels are cooked through but not overly mushy. Switch off gas when done and keep aside. Do not discard the water the corn was cooked in.

3. Now, we will prepare the red puree needed for the sabzi. Chop the tomatoes roughly and add to a mixer jar. Peel onion, ginger and garlic, chop roughly, and add to the mixer jar too. Add in the cashewnuts too. Grind these ingredients together into a smooth puree without using any water. Keep aside.

Top left: Step 4, Top right: Step 5, Centre left and right: Step 6, Bottom left and right: Steps 7 and 8

4. Now, we will start preparing the Corn Palak Sabzi. Heat oil in a heavy-bottomed pan and add in the cumin seeds and asafoetida. Allow them to stay in for a couple of seconds.

5. Add the red puree to the pan and turn the flame down to medium. Cook on medium flame for 4-5 minutes or till the raw smell completely disappears and the puree thickens up.

6. Add salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and jaggery powder. Mix well.

7. Now, add the green spinach puree to the pan. Mix well.

8. Add the cooked sweet corn kernels to the pan, along with the water they were cooked in. Mix well. Cook on medium flame for about 2 minutes.

9. Add in chana masala. Taste and adjust salt, red chilli powder and jaggery powder if needed. Mix well. Cook on medium flame for a couple more minutes or till the gravy thickens up. Switch off gas at this stage. Your Corn Palak Sabzi is ready – serve it hot with rotis or parathas, garnished with fresh cream (if using).

Tips & Tricks

1. Adjust the number of green chillies you use depending upon your spice preferences. Using the red chilli powder is optional – use it only if you feel the heat from the green chillies is not enough.

2. I have used cashewnuts to thicken the gravy. You may use almonds instead, or a mix of cashewnuts and almonds.

3. I have used store-bought frozen sweet corn kernels here from a brand called Crest Foods. You may buy whole corn-on-the-cob and separate the kernels yourself, if you so prefer. If using a store-bought packet of corn kernels, do make sure they are fresh and contain no fibres.

4. Either chana masala or garam masala can be used in this sabzi. You may even use a combination of both. I have used home-made Punjabi Chana Masala Powder here.

5. I would not recommend skipping the jaggery powder. There’s only a little bit added it, and it does not make the gravy overly sweet. In fact, it helps in balancing all the flavours in the gravy beautifully.

6. I have cooked the sweet corn kernels in a pan. You may steam them in a steamer or pressure cooker instead.

7. There is no need to blanch the spinach. It cooks very easily, so I just chop it up and grind it into a puree (along with the other ingredients as stated in the recipe above). Make sure the spinach is washed thoroughly and free of dirt, before using it.

8. Make sure the tomato puree is well cooked, before adding the spinach paste to the pan. There should be no raw smell left in it, and it should have thickened up, during the process of cooking it.

9. I have used some store-bought fresh cream to decorate the Palak Corn Sabzi before serving it. However, as stated earlier, this is purely up to you.

10. For best results, use very fresh, tender spinach. Use the freshest coriander and mint you can get your hands on. Also, the sweet corn kernels should be free of fibres.

11. I have used the water the sweet corn is cooked in, in the sabzi. I used about 1-1/2 cups of water for the corn and used all of it in the sabzi. You may use less if you so prefer.

Did you like this recipe? Do tell me, in your comments!

Chana Dal Panki| Gujarati Lentil Pancake In A Banana Leaf

Have you ever tasted a Panki? It is a beautiful, delicate thing, a sort of pancake that is cooked in a banana leaf. Today, I am going to share with you all the recipe for Chana Dal Panki, i.e. Panki made using soaked and ground chana dal.

Chana Dal Panki

What is Panki, actually?

As mentioned earlier, Panki refers to batter cooked in a banana leaf, on a pan.
A heritage recipe from the state of Gujarat, Panki can be prepared using different ingredients – the traditional versions are made using rice flour, lentils and the like, while the more modern ones experiment with things like corn and moong sprouts.

A well-made Panki tastes absolutely lovely, and is a treat to the tastebuds, with the banana leaf imparting its fragrance to the dish. It is a healthy and wholesome dish too – only the banana leaf is greased, there is no oil used in the Panki batter as such. It is, therefore, practically oil-free.

‘Paan‘ is Gujarati for ‘leaf’, and this dish gets its name from the fact that it is cooked in one. Considering how delicious and wholesome Panki is, I think it completely deserves to have more of the spotlight focused on it. Sadly, it is one of the lesser-known Gujarati delicacies, as opposed to other things like Dhokla, Khaman, Gujarati Dal and the Gujarati Thali.

What goes into Chana Dal Panki?

Chana Dal is soaked, then ground, to make the batter for this Panki. Ginger and green chillies add a lovely flavour to the batter, as do the curd and bit of jaggery that also go in.

This is a no-onion, no-garlic recipe, with no oil being used in the batter. It is vegetarian, but NOT vegan or plant-based because of the use of curd. It is gluten-free as well.

#TavaTales on Foodie Monday Blog Hop

I am sharing this recipe with the Foodie Monday Blog Hop.

The Foodie Monday Blog Hop is a group of passionate food bloggers who share recipes based on a pre-determined theme, every Monday. The theme this week is #TavaTales, wherein all of us are sharing delectable dishes cooked on a pan.

Kalyani of Sizzling Tastebuds was the one who suggested this week’s theme. Kalyani’s blog is a treasure of traditional South Indian foods, healthy salads and bakes, and several kid-friendly recipes. You guys should check out the enticing Tawa Paneer Tikka she has prepared for the theme – soooo yum!

Chana Dal Panki recipe

Making Chana Dal Panki is not a very difficult task at all. With a little prior preparation and minimal ingredients, it is possible to make this within a matter of minutes.

Here’s how we make Chana Dal Panki at home.

Ingredients (makes 6 pieces):

1. 1 cup chana dal
2. 1-1/2 green chillies
3. A 1-inch piece of ginger
4. Salt to taste
5. 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
6. 2 tablespoons curd
7. 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh coriander
8. 1 tablespoon jaggery powder or to taste
9. Oil as needed for greasing the leaves
10. 2 big banana leaves

Method:

Top left: Soaked and drained chana dal, Top right: Step 2, Centre left and right: Step 3 and 4, Bottom left and right: Steps 5 and 6

1. Wash the chana dal under running water a couple of times. Drain out all the water. Add in just enough fresh water to cover the chana dal and soak, covered, for 4-6 hours or overnight.

2. When the chana dal is done soaking, drain out the water from it. Transfer the soaked dal to a mixer jar. Add in the salt to taste, turmeric powder and jaggery powder.

3. Peel the ginger and chop roughly. Chop the green chillies roughly. Add the chopped ginger and chillies to the mixer jar.

4. Add the curd to the mixer jar.

5. Grind all the ingredients in the mixer jar together, adding a little water. You should get a batter that is runny but not too watery.

6. Mix the chopped coriander into the batter. Keep ready.

Top left and right: Steps 7 and 8, Centre left and right: Step 9, Bottom left and right: Steps 9 and 10

7. Now, fold each banana leaf into two length-wise, along the stem. Using a pair of scissors, cut the folded-up halves into three equal pieces – so, totally, you will have 6 pieces which can be opened up.

8. Grease one of these leaf pieces with a little oil.

9. Get a dosa pan nice and hot, then reduce the flame to medium. Place half of a leaf piece on it, greased side up. Pour about 4 tablespoons of the batter on one side of the leaf. Gently spread it out with a spoon. Close the other half of the leaf over the batter – in such a way that the greased side is touching the batter. Now, gently press down on the top part using a spatula, enabling the batter to spread out between the leaves.

10. Cook on medium flame till the bottom of the leaf starts getting brown. Flip the entire thing over to the other side, using a spatula.

11. Cook on medium flame till the other side starts getting brown too. Transfer to a serving plate. Serve the ready Panki with green coriander chutney.

12. Prepare about 6 Panki in a similar fashion, using up all the leaf pieces and batter. Serve hot.

Tips & Tricks

1. Use fresh banana leaves to cook the Chana Dal Panki. In the absence of these, large almond leaves can be used.

2. Each piece of banana leaf can be re-used 2-3 times to cook the Panki.

3. Do not add too much of water to the batter. Make sure the batter is neither too watery nor too thick.

4. Sour curd makes the Chana Dal Panki taste lovely, in my opinion. Adjust the quantity of curd you use as per personal taste preferences.

5. Use more or less green chillies, depending upon your spice preferences.

6. Make sure you cook the Chana Dal Panki on a medium flame, to ensure even cooking and to prevent the leaves from burning.

Did you like this recipe? Do tell me, in your comments!

Moru Sambar| No-Tamarind Sambar With Yogurt

Moru Sambar is an ancient dish from Tamilnadu, a variation to the regular sambar. Unlike the usual sambar, this one is made without any tamarind – buttermilk is used as the souring agent instead. Toor dal and vegetables go in too, just like in a sambar prepared the regular way. The flavour comes from freshly roasted and ground spices and coconut.

• 

  Moru Sambar or sambar made using buttermilk, sans tamarind

A closer look at the Moru Sambar

‘Moru’ is Tamil for ‘buttermilk’ and, hence, ‘Moru Sambar‘ refers to sambar made using watered-down yogurt. It is a delicious preparation, and makes for a nice change from the usual sambar and rasam varieties. It is different from Morekozhambu and More Kootu, two other heritage Tamilnadu dishes.

Moru Sambar is not a very difficult thing to put together at all. Here, I have shared my family recipe for this dish – it was my grandmother’s specialty, and the recipe below outlines the way she used to make it. Don’t be daunted by the length of the proceedure – I have merely tried to explain everything in detail so that the going is as easy as can be, for you guys.

• 

  Moru Sambar made with okra aka ladies’finger

A-Z Recipe Challenge

I am sharing this recipe for Moru Sambar in association with the A-Z Recipe Challenge.

• 

The A-Z Recipe Challenge is undertaken by a group of passionate food bloggers. Every month, the participants showcase dishes that use ingredients in alphabetical order from A to Z. The letter for this month is Y, and I chose to put up this recipe that uses ‘yogurt’ as the central ingredient.

How to make Moru Sambar

Ingredients (serves 4-6):

To roast and grind:

1. 1/2 teaspoon oil

2. 1-1/2 tablespoon chana dal

3. 1-1/2 tablespoon coriander seeds

4. 4 dry red chillies or as per taste

5. A pinch of fenugreek seeds

6. 1/4 cup fresh coconut

Other ingredients:

1. 1/2 cup toor dal

2. 1 cup thick sour yogurt (curd)

3. 1 teaspoon rice flour

4. 12-15 okra (ladies’ finger)

5. 1/2 tablespoon + 1/2 tablespoon oil

6. Salt to taste

7. 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

9. Red chilli powder to taste (optional)

10. 2 sprigs fresh curry leaves

11. 1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh coriander

For the tempering:

1. 1 teaspoon mustard seeds

2. 2 pinches of asafoetida

3. 2-3 dry red chillies

4. A pinch of fenugreek seeds

Method:

• 

  Top left and right: Steps 1 and 2, Centre left: Step 3, Centre right and bottom left: Step 4, Bottom right: Step 5

1. Wash the toor dal thoroughly. Drain out all the water.

2. Pressure cook the washed and drained toor dal with enough water to cover it, for 7-8 whistles on high flame. Let the pressure release naturally.

3. Cut off the tops of the okra. Then, chop them into 1-inch pieces.

4. Next, we will roast the ingredients required to make the spice paste for this dish. Heat 1/2 teaspoon oil in a heavy-bottomed pan. Add in the chana dal, fenugreek seeds, coriander seeds and dry red chillies. Roast on medium flame till the dal starts browning, taking care to ensure that the ingredients do not burn. Now, keeping the flame at medium, add in the fresh coconut and roast for a minute more. Transfer all the roasted ingredients to a plate and allow them to cool down completely.

5. Take the sour yogurt in a mixing bowl. Add in the rice flour and about 1/2 cup of water. Whisk well together. Keep aside.

• 

  Top left and right: Steps 6 and 7, Centre left and right: Steps 8 and 9, Bottom left and right: Steps 10 and 11

6. When the pressure from the cooker has completely gone down, get the cooked toor dal out. The dal should be well cooked and soft, with no hardness to it. Mash the cooked toor dal well. Keep aside.

7. When all the roasted ingredients have completely cooled down, transfer them to a small mixer jar. Grind everything together to a smooth paste, with a little water. Keep aside.

8. Now, we will start preparing the Moru Sambar. Heat 1/2 tablespoon oil in the same pan we used earlier. Add in the okra pieces and sprinkle a bit of salt over them. Turn the flame down to medium.

9. Cook the okra on medium flame for 4-5 minutes or till they are completely cooked. They will shrivel and change colour.

10. Add the cooked toor dal to the pan at this stage, still keeping the flame at medium.

11. Also add in the spice paste we ground earlier. Mix well.

• 

  Top left and right: Steps 12 and 13, Centre left and right: Steps 14 and 15, Bottom left and right: Steps 16 and 17

12. Add in the salt to taste and turmeric powder. Add red chilli powder if using.

13. Add in the curry leaves. Also add in about 1 cup of water or as needed.

14. Cook everything together on medium flame for 3-4 minutes or till the mixture thickens. Now, switch off gas and allow the mixture to cool down a bit – wait for 7-10 minutes.

15. With the flame still off, add the yogurt mixture to the pan. Stir constantly while adding it in.

16. Now, keep the pan on low-medium flame and let it get heated up. Stirring intermittently, wait for the mixture to come to a simmer, 4-5 minutes. Switch off gas after the mixture has simmered for about 2 minutes. The Moru Sambar is almost ready. Mix in the finely chopped coriander.

17. Lastly, we will prepare the tempering. Heat 1/2 tablespoon oil in a small tempering pan. Add in the mustard and allow it to sputter. Add in the fenugreek seeds, asafoetida and dry red chillies. Let the ingredients stay in the hot oil for a couple of seconds, then pour the tempering onto the prepared Moru Sambar. It is now ready to serve – serve it hot with steamed rice and a poriyal of your choice.

Is this a vegan and gluten-free recipe?

This Moru Sambar is not vegan (plant-based) because of the use of dairy yogurt in it. The yogurt is an important component of the sambar, and cannot be missed. I have not tried making this with non-dairy yogurt, so not sure if that would work.

Because of the use of asafoetida, this is not a gluten-free dish either. Most Indian brands of asafoetida contain wheat flour to a lesser or greater extent and are, hence, best avoided when one is following a gluten-free diet. To make this dish completely gluten-free, simply skip the asafoetida that is used in the tempering. If you can find 100% gluten-free asafoetida, you could definitely use it.

Tips & Tricks

1. Use yogurt prepared from full-fat milk for best results. Also, it’s best if the yogurt is sour. I have used home-made thick yogurt (aka curd) here.

2. Adjust the quantity of water you use, depending upon the consistency of the Moru Sambar that you require. Ideally, the Moru Sambar should be moderately thick – neither too watery nor too thick.

3. If the yogurt is not sour enough, you may add in a little tamarind paste. However, this is purely optional. If using tamarind paste, add it in along with the cooked toor dal and the spice paste.

4. I have used a mix of the not-so-spicy Bydagi dry red chillies and the hot Salem Gundu dry red chillies in the spice paste. Adjust the number of chillies you use as per personal taste preferences.

5. The red chilli powder is optional. Use it only if you feel the heat from the dry red chillies is not enough.

6. The yogurt, water and rice flour should be whisked well together. Do ensure this.

7. To prevent the yogurt mixture from splitting, please follow the steps exactly as stated above. Allow the mixture to cool down a little before adding the yogurt mixture to it with the gas switched off, stirring constantly. Then, heat it all up gently on a low flame.

8. I have used okra aka ladies’ finger here, to make the Moru Sambar. You may use other vegetables too – drumsticks and brinjals work really well.

9. Ghee can be used in the tempering, instead of the oil I have used here. However, stick to oil and don’t use ghee if you want the Moru Sambar to be vegan (plant-based).

10. Wheat flour can be used in the buttermilk, instead of the rice flour used in the above recipe. However, avoid using wheat flour – stick to rice flour – in case you want to keep the dish gluten-free.

Did you like this recipe? Do tell me, in your comments!

One-Pot Kala Chana Masala| Black Chickpea Pressure Cooker Curry

Kala Chana Masala is a beauty of a dish made using black chickpeas, a flavourful gravy that is a family favorite. With pooris, naan, rotis or parathas – just about any kind of flatbread – it makes for a wonderful accompaniment. We love slurping this up with some hot steamed rice too. Today, I am going to share with you all the recipe for this dish, the way I make it.

All of us at home are big fans of the rustic, earthy texture of black chickpeas aka kala chana. We love the way they lend themselves beautifully to a variety dishes. I have already shared the Pani Poori recipe and Kala Chana Nu Rasavalu Shaak in which we often use these chickpeas, and now there’s this one.

• 

  Kala Chana Masala

What goes into Kala Chana Masala?

Black chickpeas are the main ingredient, of course, cooked in a tomato and onion gravy. The home-made Punjabi chana masala powder that goes into it elevates the flavour quotient by several notches. It is finished with a touch of kasoori methi i.e. dried fenugreek leaves and some fresh coriander.

There are no fancy ingredients in this curry, no thickening agent, no artificial additives – only honest to God ingredients. Yet, this Kala Chana Masala gravy turns out delightfully thick and very, very delicious.

It is not a very difficult dish to prepare. You do need some prior preparation, in terms of soaking the black chickpeas overnight. Once that is done, though, it is a simple thing to put together. What I have shared here is a one-pot recipe, which can be easily made in a pressure cooker.

#FamilyFavorite at Foodie Monday Blog Hop

I am sharing this recipe in association with the Foodie Monday Blog Hop.

The Foodie Monday Blog Hop is a group of passionate food bloggers who share recipes based on a pre-determined theme, every Monday. The theme this Monday is #FamilyFavorite, wherein all of us are showcasing recipes that are hits in our respective families.

Aruna, a very talented cook and the author of Vasu’s Veg Kitchen, was the one who suggested the theme this week. Check out the lovely home-made chocolates that Aruna has prepared for the theme – I’m soooo tempted to give them a go myself!

How to make One-Pot Kala Chana Masala

Here is how I make it.

Ingredients (serves 3-4):

1. 1 cup black chickpeas
2. 4 medium-sized tomatoes
3. 1 small onion
4. A 1-inch piece of ginger
5. 5-6 garlic cloves
6. 1/2 tablespoon oil
7. 3/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
8. 2 pinches of asafoetida
9. Salt to taste
10. 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
11. Red chilli powder to taste
12. 2-3 teaspoons chana masala or to taste
13. 3/4 tablespoon jaggery powder or to taste
14. 1/2 tablespoon kasoori methi
15. 1 tablespoon finely chopped coriander

Method:

Top left and right: Steps 1 and 2, Below top right: Step 3, Bottom left and right: Step 4

1. Soak the black chickpeas in enough water to cover them fully, for 8-10 hours or overnight.

2. When the chickpeas are done soaking, drain out all the water from them. Transfer them to a wide vessel. Add in fresh water, about an inch above the chickpeas. Place the vessel in the pressure cooker. Pressure cook on high flame for 5 whistles. Let the pressure release naturally.

3. When the pressure from the cooker has completely gone down, get the cooked chickpeas out. You know that they are done when you are able to crush them entirely between two fingers – there should be no hardness. Retain the water in which the chickpeas were cooked, too.

4. Now, chop the tomatoes finely. Peel the onion, ginger and garlic and chop roughly. Grind the tomatoes, ginger, onion and garlic together to a smooth puree. Keep aside. 

Top left and right: Steps 5 and 6, Below top right: Step 7, Bottom left and right: Steps 8 and 9

5. Now we will start preparing the One-Pot Kala Chana Masala. Heat the oil in a pressure cooker bottom and add in the cumin. Allow it to sputter. Add in the asafoetida and let it stay in for a couple of seconds.

6. Add the tomato puree to the cooker. Turn the flame down to medium. Cook on medium flame for 4-5 minutes or till the raw smell of the paste is completely gone. Stir intermittently.

7. Add salt to taste and the turmeric powder.

8. Add in the red chilli powder.

9. Also add in the cooked black chickpeas, along with the water they were cooked in. Add in 1/2 cup of water or as needed. Mix well.

Top left and right: Step 10, Below top right: Step 11, Bottom left: The gravy, after pressure cooking, Bottom right: Step 12

10. Add in the chana masala and jaggery powder. Mix well. Taste and adjust salt and spices.

11. Close the pressure cooker. Allow 2 whistles on high flame. Let the pressure release naturally.

12. When the pressure from the cooker has completely gone down, mix in the finely chopped coriander. Crush the kasoori methi roughly between the palms of your hands and mix it in too. Your One-Pot Kala Chana Masala is ready – serve it with hot with flatbread of your choice or steamed rice.

Is this a vegan and gluten-free recipe?

This is a completely vegetarian recipe, one that is vegan as well. It is suitable for those following a plant-based diet.

To make this gluten-free, simply skip the asafoetida used in the recipe. Most Indian brands of asafoetida do contain wheat flour to a lesser or greater extent and are, therefore, best avoided when one is following a gluten-free diet.

The home-made chana masala I have used here is vegan and gluten-free as well. However, if you are using a store-bought spice blend, do ensure that the ingredients used therein suit your dietary requirements.

Tips & Tricks

1. You may skip adding the jaggery, though I would personally recommend it. The little amount of jaggery used does not make the Kala Chana Masala sweet, but rounds off the other flavours beautifully.

2. I have used home-made Punjabi chana masala powder here. You may use a store-bought version instead, too.

3. Adjust the amount of water you use, depending upon the consistency of the Kala Chana Masala you require.

4. The chana masala I have used here has some amount of tanginess to it. I have also used the tart ‘Nati‘ (country) tomatoes here as opposed to the ‘farmed’ ones. Hence, I did not need to use lemon juice or any other souring agent. However, if you need to, you may add in some amchoor powder or lemon juice to taste.

5. I have used a large 7.5-litre pressure cooker here.

6. After the cooked chickpeas are added in, you may do away with the pressure cooking. In that case, simply cook uncovered on medium flame for about 5 minutes or till the gravy thickens. I prefer the pressure cooker method, though.

Did you like this recipe? Do tell me in your comments!