Dal Dhokli ( Spicy Pasta in Lentil Soup)

By patticakes

This is an authentic Gujarati soup. You won't find it on an Indian Restaurant menu.

Ingredients

• For Dal:
• 1 cup toovar dal
• 2 tbsp ghee
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1/4 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/4 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
• 1/4 tsp fenugreek (methi) seeds
• 5 curry leaves
• 2 cloves
• 2 sticks cinnamon
• 1 bayleaf
• 2 round red chillies
• 1/4 tsp asafoetida (hing)
• 5 kokum , soaked
• 5 tbsp jaggery (brown sugar)
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 green chillies slit green chillies
• 1/2 tsp chilli powder
• 1 tsp grated ginger (adrak)
• 2 tbsp boiled peanuts
• 1 cup peas
• 1 cup frozen french cut beans
• salt to taste
• 4 tbsp finely chopped coriander (dhania)
• For Dhokli
• 1 cup whole wheat flour (gehun ka atta)
• 1 1/2 tbsp besan (bengal gram flour)
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
• 1/2 tsp chilli powder
• 1/4 tsp asafoetida (hing)
• 1 tbsp oil
• 1/4 tsp carom seeds (ajwain)
• salt to taste
• 1/2 ts minced garlic

Preparation

Step 1

For Dhokli
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and knead into a firm dough using enough water.

Heat a non-stick tava (griddle) and gently cook each chapati till light brown spots appear on both the sides.

Combine the dal and 1½ cups of water in a pressure cooker and pressure cook for 3 whistles.

Allow the steam to escape before opening the lid. Remove and blend it till smooth using a hand blender and keep aside.
Just remember to simmer the dhokli in dal just before serving, or else it will turn soggy.

For the Dal
Heat the ghee and oil in a deep kadhai, add the mustard seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, curry leaves, cloves, cinnamon, bayleaf, round red chillies and asafoetida, mix well and sauté on a medium flame for 1 minute.

Add the dal, 3½ cups of water, kokum, jaggery, turmeric powder, lemon juice, green chillies, chilli powder, ginger, peanuts and salt and mix well.

Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes while stirring once in between. Keep aside.

Just before serving, boil the dal, slowly add the dhokli pieces one by one, and mix gently.

Simmer for 5 to 7 minutes, while stirring occasionally.

Add the dhoklis one by one into the dal, otherwise they could coagulate to form one big lump.

Add more water if the dal thickens while simmering.