Gujarati Dal Dhokli

Sunday, half past one, a Rajkot kitchen. The dal is boiling and someone is standing over it dropping in diamonds of rolled dough, one at a time, so they do not stick to each other. Nothing else is being cooked, because nothing else is needed. It comes to the table in deep bowls with a wedge of lemon and a papad, and everybody goes quiet and then goes back for more.

Wooden cold pressed groundnut oil is the everyday oil of Gujarat and this dish shows why. It is mild enough that the mustard seeds, curry leaves and hing in the tadka stay in front instead of being smothered, and it holds the peanuts at a steady fry without turning heavy. Organic Jaggery goes in for the sweet side, unrefined so it brings a molasses depth that plain sugar cannot, and a spoon of Gir Cow's A2 Ghee stirred in at the end changes the smell of the whole pot.

The one thing that decides this dish is how thin you keep the dal. Make it looser than you think is right, almost soupy, before the dhokli go in. Wheat dough drinks a surprising amount, and in fifteen minutes a dal that looked correct at the start will have set into a thick paste.

How to make it

1. Pressure cook the dal with 3 cups (720 ml) water, ¼ tsp turmeric and a few drops of oil for 4 whistles, till very soft. Whisk it smooth with a ladle.
2. Make the dough while the dal cooks. Mix the atta, besan, ajwain, ¼ tsp turmeric, ½ tsp red chilli powder, ½ tsp salt and 1 tbsp groundnut oil. Add water a little at a time and knead a firm dough, like for roti. Rest for 10 minutes.
3. Roll the dough thin, like a thin roti, on a lightly floured board. Cut into diamonds about 3 cm wide. Dust with a little flour so they do not stick.
4. Heat 2 tbsp groundnut oil in a large, deep pot on medium. Add the mustard seeds and let them pop. Add the cumin, hing, curry leaves, dried red chillies and peanuts. Fry for 30 seconds.
5. Add the ginger and green chilli paste and fry for a few seconds. Add the rest of the turmeric and red chilli powder and the coriander powder, stir once, and pour in the cooked dal at once so the spices do not burn.
6. Add 2 cups (480 ml) water, the jaggery, tamarind and the rest of the salt. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Taste. It should be sweet, sour and a little spicy. Adjust now.
7. With the dal boiling, drop in the dhokli one by one, stirring gently between batches so they do not stick to each other.
8. Simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring now and then, till the dhokli are cooked through and the dal has thickened. Bite one to check that no raw flour taste is left.
9. Stir in the ghee and coriander. Rest for 5 minutes. Serve hot in bowls, with a lemon wedge and an extra drizzle of ghee if you like.

Tips

• Keep the dal thin before the dhokli go in. They soak up a lot. If the pot gets too thick, add hot water and simmer for a minute.
• Leftovers thicken in the fridge. Loosen with hot water while reheating. It keeps well for 2 days.
• Some families add 2 pieces of kokum instead of tamarind, and a handful of boiled peanuts. Both are worth trying.
• Rolling too thick makes chewy, heavy dhokli. Aim for about 2 mm, thinner than a chapati.