Gujarati Dal Dhokli

Dal Dhokli is a spicy, sweet, one-pot meal, prepared by simmering whole wheat flour bits in a lentil-based motley perked with spices. It is a popular dish in Gujarat and Rajasthan and is prepared mostly for lunch. Here is how to make it in a traditional Gujarati style.

 

One of the closest friends of my mom is a Gujarati. As much as they shared their comradeship, they even exchanged many Gujarati recipes.

And I being a foodie, loved trying umpteen Gujarati dishes that my mom made after learning from her friend.

Right from Gujarati Bajre ki Raab, Gujarati Kadhi, Gujarati Fajeto, Gujarati Khandvi, my mom made them all and we enjoyed feasting on them like anything.  

Gujarati Moong Dal Dhokla to date continues to be my favorite and I prepare it every once in awhile for breakfast but guess what, amongst all of those Gujarati dishes, Dal Dhokli Recipe still remains completely unbeatable.

While my kid calls it a Gujarati Soup, I personally think that it is one of the tastiest “soup” that you would ever savor!

What is Dal Dhokli?

It is a spicy, tangy, and very slightly sweet and lip-smacking one-pot meal, prepared by simmering whole wheat flour bits in a lentil-based motley perked with spices, condiments and more.

To add on to that, it is then tempered with ghee, hing, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, curry leaves, green chilli – the result, an incredibly delicious meal that you just cannot miss eating!

Traditionally, it was made using the leftover dal.

To the leftover dal, some wheat dough pieces were added and made into a complete meal.

But you can definitely make the dal from scratch for making this dish.

Though many people in Gujarat, often relish this dish with a platter of rice, I recommend that you savor it just as it is so that you could absorb all its flavors without any mix-up!

The Rajasthani version of this is almost similar just that jaggery is not added in it and I prefer it that way.

If you want to skip adding jaggery too, feel free to do it. Another difference is the use of a variety of dal.

Rajasthani Dal Dhokli sometimes uses yellow Moong dal or Urad dal while Gujarati Version always uses tuvar dal.

Maharashtrian also makes a version of this Dal Dhokli and is called Chakolaya ( Varan Phal). They add kokum in the dal to make it tangy.

In UP and some parts of Bihar, the dumplings are made in slightly different shape and they are called dal ki dulhan.

Pro Tips by Neha

The dal for Dal Dhokli should be watery. The dough will absorb the water and thicken the dal.

After adding dhokli to the dal, make sure to finish the dish the same day.

This doesn’t refrigerate very well. The dhokli stick to each other and make a lump.

You can choose to skip adding jaggery as in the Rajasthani version.

To make it interesting for kids, you can cut the dhokli in interesting shapes.

This recipe is a perfect Jain style recipe made using NO Onion No Garlic but you can definitely go ahead and add a lot of garlic in the tadka. I love that version too.

To make a vegan version, replace Ghee with Coconut Oil or Vegetable oil.

Although traditionally vegetables are not added in this recipe, you can always go ahead and add veggies like carrots, peas, beans, etc to make it even healthier.

Add finely chopped raw mangoes in season.

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Step by Step Recipe

Wash the dal.

Add it in a pressure cooker along with turmeric powder, red chilli powder, salt, tomato and 4 cups of water.

Pressure cook until dal is softened. Add jaggery, 2 cups of water and lemon juice in the dal and mix well.

Add whole wheat flour, gram flour, salt, vegetable oil, ajwain and turmeric powder in a bowl and mix well.

Now add little water and knead to make a soft chapati like dough.

Make small balls from the dough and roll to make a thin chapati.

Cut the chapati into small pieces of any desired shape.

Add the pieces in the cooked dal. Add some more water if the dal is too thick. Cook for 10-12 minutes on medium heat until the dough is cooked properly.

Heat ghee in a pan. Once the ghee is hot, add hing, cumin seeds, and mustard seeds and let them crackle for a few seconds. Add curry leaves and green chilli and fry for a few seconds. Pour the tempering over the dal and give it a gentle mix.