Gujarati Dal Dhokli Recipe-Sweet & Spicy Tangy Dal Curry with Whole Wheat Strips

The Gujarati Dal Dhokli is one of the most delicious Gujarati one dish meals that I was introduced to when I got married. Strips of spice whole wheat dough known as thepla dough are dropped into boiling hot lentils to get the soup like consistency along with pasta-like texture and crunchiness of the peanuts. It tastes delicious when served in a wide mouth soup bowl, drizzled with teaspoon of ghee and sprinkled with finely chopped onions. Course : Dinner Ingridients : 1 cup Fresh Green Toor Dal (Pigeon Pea) 1/4 teaspoon Mustard seeds (Rai/ Kadugu) 1/4 teaspoon Cumin seeds (Jeera) 5 Curry leaves 1 inch Cinnamon Stick (Dalchini) 1 Bay leaf (tej patta) 1/2 teaspoon Ginger , grated 1/4 cup Tomatoes , grated 2 Kokum (Malabar Tamarind) 1/2 teaspoon Red Chilli powder 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric powder (Haldi) 1/4 teaspoon Asafoetida (hing) 2 tablespoons Jaggery 2 teaspoons Lemon juice , freshly squeezed 1/4 cup Raw Peanuts (Moongphali) , roasted or steamed 1 tablespoon Oil 2 tablespoons Coriander (Dhania) Leaves , chopped Ghee , for serving 1 cup Onions , finely chopped, for serving Salt , to taste Ingredients for the dhoklis  (thepla dough) 1 cup Whole Wheat Flour 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric powder (Haldi) 1/2 teaspoon Red Chilli powder 1/2 teaspoon Asafoetida (hing) 2 tablespoons Oil Salt , to taste Instructions To begin making the Dal Dhokli, we will first combine the whole wheat flour,  turmeric powder, red chilli powder, asafoetida powder, oil and salt to taste for the dhokli in a large bowl. Knead by adding a little water at a time to make firm and smooth dough.Cover the dough and let it rest for 10 minutes. Knead once again and divide the dough into 6 portions. Roll each portion into very thin rounds, tossing on flour to prevent it from sticking.Cut the rolled portions in strips of 1/2 inch width and 2 inches in length and keep aside.To make the dal for the Dal Dhokli, rinse the lentils and cook them until soft and mushy. See Video Recipe of How to Cook Lentils in a Pressure Cooker.While the dal is still hot whisk them along with turmeric, salt, asafoetida, red chilli powder and one and half cups of water until well blended and smooth. Set aside.Heat oil in a large sauce pan on medium heat; add the cumin seeds, mustard seeds, curry leaves and allow it to crackle. Add the ginger, pureed tomatoes, kokum, cinnamon, bay leaf, dal and jaggery and allow the mixture to boil vigorously for about five minutes.Once the dal starts boiling vigorously, add the peanuts and strips of dhokli one by one into the boiling lentil. Allow the dal to boil along with the dhokli for another five minutes.Adding the dhoklis can thicken the lentil mixture; you might need to add additional water so the dal dhokli mixture has a thin soup like consistency.Finally stir in the lemon juice and coriander leaves to the Dal Dhokli.The Dal Dhokli makes a perfect one dish meal along with Kachumber Salad for dinners or a lazy Sunday afternoon lunch.