Dhokar dalna is one recipe that I have been planning to post for as long as I have been writing this blog. Not only because this is one of my most favorite Bengali dishes, but also because it is vegetarian, vegan, and reducetarian. This recipe also has an interesting backstory. So, the story is that my mom makes THE BEST dhokar dalna in the world! People go so gaga over her dhokar dalna recipe that she has been making it every weekend for as long as I can remember to entertain “sudden visits” from people who call in advance requesting dhokar dalna. 😉 Bored with the compulsory dhokar dalna every Sunday, I had once told my mom (some 15 years ago) that she “ought to graduate from dhokar dalna”. To which my mom had replied, rather condescendingly, “jedin amar moto dhokar dalna korte parbi janbi rannai Ph.D kore felechis” (the day you match my dhokar dalna you will have achieved Ph.D in cooking).
Needless to say, as much as I would like to prove my dhoka cooking prowess to my mother, that day hasn’t come yet. However, my mom has come to New York to meet her new grandson (yes, that has happened also 😀 ), so I figured I will let the expert share her secret with all of us. Furthermore, what’s a more appropriate panchami dish than dhokar dalna?
Tip: Even though dhokar dalna is traditionally made in a tomato gravy, you can use other kinds of gravies too. For example, the palak paneer gravy goes very well with dhoka, as does butter chicken gravy.
Dhokar Dalna
Ingredients
For the lentil cakes
- 2 cups Bengal gram/chana dal/cholar dal
- 1 cup dried peas/matar dal
- 1 tsp cumin powder
- 1 tsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tbsp ginger paste
- 1 tbsp sugar
- Salt to taste
- 3 tbsp mustard oil or vegetable oil
- 1 tsp asafoetida
- 1/2 tsp onion seeds
- 4-6 green chilies finely chopped
- oil for deep frying
For the Sauce
- 3 tbsp mustard or vegetable oil
- 1-2 bay leaves
- 3-4 whole cardamoms
- 1 tsp ginger paste
- 2 green chilies slit
- 8 large tomatoes puréed
- 1 tbsp cumin powder
- 1 tbsp coriander powder
- 1 tsp chili powder
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tsp sugar
- salt to taste
- 1/2 tsp garam masala powder optional
Instructions
To make the lentil cakes
- Mix the two kinds of dal and soak in water overnight.
- Drain the water and grind the dals/lentils into a smooth paste.
- Add coriander powder, chili powder, turmeric powder, ginger paste, salt and sugar and mix well.
- Heat oil in a thick bottomed pan.
- Add asafoetida, onion seeds, and green chilies. When they start to splutter, add the dal paste.
- Cook over medium heat, stirring continuously, until all the water evaporates and the mix starts sticking together and comes off the side of the pan easily.
- Remove from heat and form the lentil cakes (follow the video below for instructions).
- Deep fry the lentil cakes till golden brown (takes about 3-4 minutes).
To make the sauce
- Heat oil in a pan and temper with bay leaves, cardamoms, ginger paste, and green chilies.
- Add the puréed tomato and cook for 10-12 minutes.
- Add cumin powder, coriander powder, chili powder, turmeric powder, salt and sugar. Cook for 10-15 more minutes or until oil separates.
- Now add the fried lentil cakes and stir lightly.
- Turn off heat and add garam masala powder.
- Serve with steamed white rice.
Notes
The lentil cakes will absorb a lot of sauce, so make sure that you make extra sauce. Add some water to the sauce if necessary.
You can also add fried potatoes to the sauce.
Dhrubaa Mukherjee--An academic by profession, a contributor to Huffington Post, a dancer by passion, a compulsive foodie, a former flight attendant, and a constant traveler, I am, what they call, a transnational gourmand (gourmet?). I am not only fascinated by the tastes, colors, textures and aromas of food, I am equally intrigued by the histories, traditions and cultural inter-junctions that drive/influence recipes.
this looks soo hard to make but delicious