Dhokar Dalna

Ingredients

• 1 cup chana dal(washed & soaked overnight)
• 1 tsp hing/ asafoetida
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 2 tsp cumin powder
• 2 tsp ginger paste
• 1/2 tsp kashmiri red chilli powdet
• 1/4 tsp nigella seeds
• 3,4 green chilli
• 1/4 tsp sugar
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp mustard oil
• 1 potato washed, peeled & cut into cubes
• 1 tomato
• 1 inch cinnamon stick
• 3,4 cardamom pods
• 3,4 cloves
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp ghee

Steps

1. Drain the soaked lentils & then grind them with little water to a smooth paste.
2. Pour the paste in a bowl, add salt, turmeric powder,ginger paste, chopped green chilli, stir to mix everything
3. Heat oil in a kadai.Temper it with the hing, nigella seeds.
4. Add lentil paste when nigella seeds start spluttering.
5. Stir & cook the lentil paste continuously so that they don't stick to the bottom of the pan.
6. Keep cooking till you see the paste starts coming off the kadai.
7. Take it off the flame & spread the cooked lentil paste on a greased tray with a spatula.
8. After 5 minutes cut them in diamonds.
9. Heat oil in a deep frying pan & fry the lentil cakes until golden brown on both sides.
10. Now heat oil in a kadai, add the whole spices- cinnamon stick,cardamom pods, cloves, bay leaf.
11. Then add chopped tomato, slit green chilli,red chilli powder, ginger paste, cumin powder, salt, sugar & saute with little lukewarm water.
12. Add the cubed potatoes & fry them for a few minutes, allowing the spices to release oil.
13. Add 2 cups of water, bring it to a boil, cover & cook it.
14. Cook until the potatoes are soft & tender.Then add the fried Dhoka/ lentil cakes to the gravy.
15. Simmer on medium flame for about 3,4 minutes & then switch off the flame.
16. Finally dizzle some ghee on it & sprinkle chopped coriander leaves.
17. Serve the delicious dhokar dalna with basanti pulao or hot steam rice.