Dhokar Dalna
Ingredients:
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Chhola (Chana) dal 1 cup. |
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Onion (medium ) one (dice). |
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Garlic cloves three to four (chop to small pieces or grate). |
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Ginger one quarter cup ( chop to small pieces or grate). |
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Tomato (medium) two (cut to small pieces). |
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Potato (medium) two to three (cut to small pieces). |
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Turmeric one half to one tea spoon. |
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Cumin two tea spoon. |
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Coriander two tea spoon. |
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Salt one table spoon (or to taste). |
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Green Chile one or two. |
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Dry red Chile two ( more, if desired). |
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Cooking oil one cup (or as needed). |
Procedure:
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Soak a cup of Chhola (Chana) dal in water overnight. |
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Blend the soaked dal to a smooth mixture. |
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Add sufficient water during blending to make a mixture that flows easily, but definitely not to a watery mixture. Add ginger (1/8 cup). |
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salt (1 tea spoon), cumin. |
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coriander (1 tea spoon each). |
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green chile to taste, and blend again. |
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On a flat skillet heat a small amount (one table spoon) of oil to medium temperature. |
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Pour the blended mixture of dal on the skillet, and turn the mixture frequently until the mixture starts drying and sticking to the skillet. |
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Remove the mixture from the hot skillet with a spatula, and pour on a lightly oiled flat rectangular cookie sheet. |
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Flatten the warm paste on the cookie sheet one half to three quarter inch thick with the help of a spatula and a dull knife. |
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If the top of the paste starts cracking, smooth it out with a little water. |
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Allow the content on the cookie sheet to dry for a couple of hours. |
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Now cut the content into squares ( one to one and half inch size) and slide them on the cookie sheet to break them loose from each other. |
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You will have 22 to 28 pieces. |
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You may use microwave oven instead of hot oil and skillet to dry the blended mixture. It takes about five to six minutes of microwave at 85% power rating to finish this job. You will need no oil for cooking with microwave. |
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Heat sufficient oil on a 12 inch (30 cm)diameter flat skillet for deep frying. Depth of oil need not be any higher than one eighth of an inch. Carefully fry each square lightly. Fry one side for a minute, dislodge it carefully from the skillet with a knife, and fry the other face for another half a minute. Set these lightly fried pieces ( dhokas) aside. |
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Heat two to three table spoon of oil in a medium to large pot ( 4 to 6 quart size). When the oil is hot, add to it dried chili pieces, cloves, cardamom, chopped onion and garlic, and sautÈ until lightly brown. Add to it cut pieces of potato and mix the contents well. |
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Cook in medium heat for 5 minutes until the potato get slightly tender. Now add turmeric, ginger, cumin, coriander, and mix well. Add cut pieces of tomato and mix well. Simmer the mixture in medium heat for about ten minutes. Add two to three cups of hot water and mix well. Add salt. Many people from West Bengal add half a tea spoon of sugar at this point. If you like tamarind, you may add half a tea spoon of tamarind paste now. Now lay the fried pieces of dhoka carefully on top of the hot liquid mixture (jhol), do not stir. Close lid. Simmer for another ten minutes. Turn off heat. Dhoka is now ready for serving. |