Daal Dhokri

Daal Dhokri - a traditional Gujarati bowl of comfort. The daal is made with the addition of vegetables (I used frozen peas and carrots) and the dhokri is basically a spiced chappati dough, which is rolled out, cut into diamonds and cooks in the simmering daal - a bit like an Indian pasta!

When I eat daal dhokri I am always reminded of my childhood and my mum making this dish; she would add in a handful of peanuts, and we would excitedly count who had got the most. We like to sprinkle something crunchy on top...either bombay mix, or even some crushed up crisps. In the same way as my mum does, I make a little extra dough and use this to cook some chappati's to serve with the daal dhokri.

The recipe below uses a pressure cooker to prepare the daal. If you do not have a pressure cooker, then soak the daal overnight, rinse and boil for about 20-30 minutes or until the daal is completely cooked. Then continue as below.

There are so many different steps to make this dish so it is pretty long-winded - I apologise! I have tried to make things as clear as possible but if you have any queries then please comment below and I will do my best to help you. Good luck!

Recipe (serves 4):
Dhokri (includes 10 mini chappati's to serve):
2 cups wholewheat chappati flour
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 tsp salt
Pinch cayenne pepper (or more to taste)
1/4 tsp ground turmeric (hardar)
1 tsp corriander and cumin powder (dhana jeeru)
1/2 tsp cumin (jeeru)
1/2 tsp carraway seeds (ajmo)
1 - 1.5 cups hot water

Daal:
1 tbsp vegetable oil
Pinch hardar
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup tuwer daal
2.5 cups boiling water

1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp jeeru
1 stick cinnamon
3 cloves
1 thumb fresh ginger, grated
2 garlic cloves, finely sliced

2 medium carrots, peeled and finely diced
1 cup peas
Handful of peanuts (optional)
1 cup chopped tomatoes (I used tinned)
1 - 2 tsp sugar (to taste)
1 - 2 tsp salt (to taste)
Pinch cayenne pepper (or more to taste)
2 tsp dhana jeeru
3/4 tsp hardar
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 tbsp lemon juice

Method:

1. Place a pressure cooker on a medium-high heat 
   Add oil, salt, hardar, tuwer daal and hot water
   Stir and seal the pressure cooker, placing the whistle on top
2. Cook the daal for 10 minutes - approximately 6 minutes (or 2 whistles) at a high heat, and then 4 minutes (possibly 1 more whistle) at a low heat
3. Remove the pressure cooker from the heat and set aside to let the remaining steam escape naturally. Do NOT try to open the pressure cooker at this point!
4. In a large bowl, mix together all of the dough ingredients EXCEPT for the hot water
   Add 1 cup of water, mixing to bring together, and then gradually continue to add the water and mix into a soft smooth dough. You may not need to use all of the water
5. Knead for 3-5 minutes, shape into a ball and cover with a tea-towel. Set aside
6. In a large, deep pan heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil on a high heat
   Add rye and cover - wait for the rye to pop and then immediately add jeeru, cinammon, cloves and stir
7. Reduce the heat to medium, add garlic and ginger. Stir until the aromas are released
8. Add carrots, peas, peanuts and stir for 2 minutes
9. Add tomatoes and remaining spices EXCEPT for the garam masala and lemon
   Stir and simmer on a medium-low heat
10. By this point, the pressure cooker should be safe to open. Remove the whistle and open the lid
    Blend the daal with a hand blender until smooth
11. Add the daal to the tomato mixture and stir in 2 cups hot water. Turn heat to low and place lid on the pan
12. Take one cup of dough and place to the side
13. Take a handful of dough (about 2 golf-balls-worth!) and roll out into a chappati shape
    Cut into diamonds
14. Remove the lid from the daal and turn the heat to medium
    Add the cut diamonds into the daal, ensuring that they are not all in the same place
    Stir and ensure that the daal is not sticking to the bottom of the pan
15. Repeat until the dough has been used up
    Add 2 cups hot water, garam masala and lemon juice to the daal and stir
16. Place lid on the pan and simmer on a medium heat for 25 minutes - stirring regularly to ensure the daal is not sticking to the pan
17. To make the chappati's, split the remaining dough into 10 pieces
18. Roll one piece into a chappati
19. Heat a frying pan on a medium heat and place chappati in the centre
    Brush the top with vegetable oil and flip over
    Brush the top with vegetable oil 
    When the underside is slightly charred, turn over and cook the other side
20. Remove and repeat for the remaining chappatis
21. Serve the daal dhorki and chappati's with some crunchy bombay mix - or peanuts.

Tips:

• If you don't want to have the extra chappati's on the side then you can either reduce the chappati flour by 3/4 of a cup before making the dough - or you can add the rest of the dough as dhokri into the daal. If you are going to add it into the daal, then be sure to add extra water to thin the daal and also a little more seasoning

​Enjoy! If you have tried this recipe then please feel free to comment below and let me know how it went. If you have any questions then please ask and I'll do my best to answer!

For more recipe's, inspiration and general musings follow me on Instagram @jemplusthree