Dhokar Dalna

After a weekend full of meat and calories, I take a recluse every monday (for religious reasons) & turn into a complete vegetarian, some people are strict vegans (no milk or animal products, with no consumption of onions and garlic)

So friends today I am sharing a recipe that was handed down to me by generations in my family & finally I am sharing it with you all !, It's a East-Indian Recipe (from Bengal).

It is made with Split bengal gram (lentils- chana dal) -Dhokar Dalna

This can be eaten with puri (deep fried flat bread), paratha or even rice. If you are dieting  you can opt for Roti (Indian flat bread) instead of puri and paratha.

Ingredients

• Chana dal: 500 grams (soaked over-night)- Bengal split gram

         

• Ginger: 1 inch
• Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
• Turmeric: 1 tsp
• Fennel seeds: 1 tsp (sauf)
• Jeera powder: 1/2 tsp (cumin powder)
• Coriander powder: 1 tsp
• Red chilly powder: 1 tsp 
• Medium sized tomatoes (chopped and made into a fine puree) : 3
• Bay leaves: 2-3
• Ghee: 1 tbsp 
• Oil: 3 tbsp
• Salt and sugar according to your taste.

Garam Masala (mixture of spices) that need to be grounded and kept aside:

• 4-5 regular small Cardamom (elaichi)
• 3 cm- Cinnamon (dal chini)
• 5-6 Cloves
• 4-5 Peppercorns 
• 1 big Black cardamon

Procedure

• First grind the soaked Chana dal properly with salt and sugar in a mixer or grinder.

• Now steam the dal (lentil) paste for about half an hour in a pressure cooker.

• Take it out. Let it cool. Make square shaped cakes as in the picture and shallow fry it properly in oil and keep it aside.
• I have made a dry paste of cumin, ginger and fennel seeds.
• In a separate pan heat the ghee and add the above paste along with two bay leaves fry it properly then add turmeric, chilly, coriander and cumin powder along with salt & fry for another 5 minutes in medium flame
•  Now add the tomato purée and cook further till oil comes up. You can add 1 cup of water, if there is a need.. Let it boil properly 
• Then add the fried chanadal(lentils) cake and let it simmer for another 5 minutes.
• Lastly add the freshly ground Garammasala and stir carefully so that the cakes don't break.
• Before serving spread ghee from top.

Tips:

If you don't want to steam the dal(lentil) paste, you can also fry it in the wok/kadai till it gets tight  (firm) but don't forget to add chick flour in that case which will act as a binding. But I like my dhokar dalna to be steamed.

~ENJOY!~