Dal Dhokli

Ingredients

• 200g split pigeon peas (toor dal)
• 1 litre water
• 1 tsp ground turmeric, for the dal
• 2 tbsp raw peanuts
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 40g jaggery, grated
• 2 tbsp tamarind pulp
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 150g wholemeal flour (atta)
• 2 tbsp gram flour (besan)
• 1/2 tsp ground turmeric, for the dough
• 1/2 tsp red chilli powder, for the dough
• 1/4 tsp carom seeds (ajwain)
• 1/2 tsp salt, for the dough
• 1 tbsp sunflower oil
• about 80ml water, for the dough
• 3 tbsp ghee
• 1 tsp black mustard seeds
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp asafoetida
• 2 dried red chillies
• 10 fresh curry leaves
• 1 small cinnamon stick
• 3 cloves
• 3 tbsp coriander leaves, chopped
• 1 tbsp ghee, to serve

Before you cook

• Rinse the toor dal in several changes of water and soak it for 30 minutes.
• Mix the wholemeal flour, gram flour, turmeric, chilli powder, carom seeds, salt and oil in a bowl, rubbing the oil through with your fingertips.
• Add water a little at a time and knead to a firm dough, slightly stiffer than chapati dough.
• Cover the dough and rest it for 20 minutes.
• Roll the dough out on a floured surface to about 2mm thick and cut it into 4cm diamonds.

Steps

1. Drain the dal and pressure cook it with 750ml of the water and the turmeric for 4 whistles, or simmer it covered for 40 minutes until completely soft.
2. Whisk the cooked dal smooth with a hand whisk, then loosen it with the remaining 250ml water.
3. Set the pan over medium heat and stir in the peanuts, chopped tomato, jaggery, tamarind, chilli powder, ground coriander and salt.
4. Simmer for 10 minutes until the peanuts soften and the dal tastes balanced between sweet, sour and salty.
5. Bring the dal up to a steady rolling boil.
6. Drop the dough diamonds in one at a time, shaking the pan gently rather than stirring, so they do not clump together.
7. Cook uncovered for 12 minutes, stirring only occasionally, until the dhokli are cooked through and the broth has thickened around them.
8. Heat the ghee in a small pan over medium heat and add the mustard seeds.
9. Once the seeds pop, add the cumin, asafoetida, dried chillies, curry leaves, cinnamon and cloves and fry for 20 seconds.
10. Pour the tempering into the dal and stir it through.
11. Taste and adjust the jaggery and tamarind until the sweet-sour balance is right.
12. Ladle into deep bowls, scatter with coriander, and finish each bowl with a teaspoon of ghee.