Dal Dhokli is a homely Gujarati dish that is warm and comforting. This one pot meal is made by simmering wheat flour dough in a sweet and sour Gujarati dal .
In our home, Dal dhokli is pretty much always made with leftover Gujarati dal. The dish becomes a filling lunch or dinner and all you need to do is prepare the dhokli dough. It’s then rolled into thin circles and cut into diamond shapes. These diamonds are then dropped into hot bubbling dal and simmered until cooked.
My Mum adds a little besan (chana no lot) to the dough and this keeps the dhokli soft and helps thickens the dal.
Often any extra dough is used to make Gujarati thepla which is delicious with keri no chundo .
You can of course, prepare this meal from scratch – simply make Gujarati dal and as it is boiling, add in the dhokli. Finish with an aromatic tempering and you’re good to go!
Ingredients
Be sure to check out the full recipe and ingredient list below.
Prepared Gujarati Dal
Dhokli Dough Ingredients
- chapati atta
- gram flour (besan)
- red chili powder
- turmeric powder
- oil
- carom seeds (ajwain seeds)
To serve
- Chopped red onion
- Peanut oil
- Chopped coriander
- Lemon juice
Optional additional vaghar/tempering
If you are making your dal from scratch, you will want to add a vaghar. If your dal is a few days old, you may also want to add a further tempering of masalas to revive the flavours.
- Oil
- Mustard seeds
- Hing
- Spices – red chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, coriander and cumin powder
- Salt to taste
- Peas – optional
Hayley’s Tips
- The dal should be watery before adding the dhokli as the dhokli will absorb a lot of the water.
- Do not tip in all the dhokli at once.
- Add dhokli in different areas of the pot to prevent them sticking and clumping.
- Try to keep all the dhokli similar in size to ensure even cooking.
- You can even cook the round dhokli dough on a hot griddle or tawa for a minute on either side before cutting and adding to the dal. This also prevents the dhokli sticking.
Serving Suggestion
Dal dhokli is often served as it is in a bowl as a main dish for lunch or dinner. Top with red onion, a drizzle of peanut oil and lots of fresh coriander.
You can fill out the meal by adding plain boiled basmati rice and Indian kachumber .
Storage
Dal dhokli is best eaten immediately after preparation however, leftovers can be stored in the fridge for 2 days. It will have thickened so you may need to add a splash of water before reheating.
As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
Don’t forget to follow me on social media using the buttons below – I can’t wait to see you all there!
- YouTube
Gujarati Dal Dhokli
Equipment
- pan
- Rolling Pin
- Knife or pizza wheel
Ingredients
- 4 cup Gujarati dal
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
Dhokli Dough
- 2 cup wheat flour
- 3 tablespoon gram flour besan
- 2 teaspoon red chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 4 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon carom seeds ajwain
Garnish
- 3 tablespoon coriander leaves
- 2 tablespoon red onion chopped
- 4 tablespoon peanut oil optional
Instructions
- Mix all the ingredients for dhokli dough in a bowl, add water to make a stiff dough.
- Divide into equal portions and make balls.
- Roll out the dough into a circle.
- Cut the dhokli into equal diamonds.
- Pour Gujarati dal in a large pot and add 1 cup water to thin it out.
- Bring it to a boil.
- Add the dhokli pieces to the dal one by one.
- Bring the dal to a boil then lower the heat to a simmer.
- Allow the dhokli to cook for at least 15 minutes.
- If the dal thickens and dhokli are not yet cooked, add 1/4 cup of water at a time.
- Once the dhokli is cooked, you may want to add a further vaghar.
- Garnish with coriander, onion and squeezed lemon juice.
- Serve hot.
Video
Notes
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Note – This recipe has been updated from our recipe archives with new images and content, but the recipe remains the same. First published in January 2012.
Gujarati Dal Dhokli
Equipment
- pan
- Rolling Pin
- Knife or pizza wheel
Ingredients
- 4 cup Gujarati dal
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
Dhokli Dough
- 2 cup wheat flour
- 3 tablespoon gram flour besan
- 2 teaspoon red chilli powder
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 4 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon carom seeds ajwain
Garnish
- 3 tablespoon coriander leaves
- 2 tablespoon red onion chopped
- 4 tablespoon peanut oil optional
Instructions
- Mix all the ingredients for dhokli dough in a bowl, add water to make a stiff dough.
- Divide into equal portions and make balls.
- Roll out the dough into a circle.
- Cut the dhokli into equal diamonds.
- Pour Gujarati dal in a large pot and add 1 cup water to thin it out.
- Bring it to a boil.
- Add the dhokli pieces to the dal one by one.
- Bring the dal to a boil then lower the heat to a simmer.
- Allow the dhokli to cook for at least 15 minutes.
- If the dal thickens and dhokli are not yet cooked, add 1/4 cup of water at a time.
- Once the dhokli is cooked, you may want to add a further vaghar.
- Garnish with coriander, onion and squeezed lemon juice.
- Serve hot.
Video
Notes
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Baingan Bharta is a flavour-packed Indian curry made with smoky roasted aubergine, that is mashed and cooked in a spiced onion, tomato masala.
Baingan Bharta translates to mashed aubergine (eggplant). It is a North Indian curry made with smoky mashed aubergine and an onion tomato bhuna masala .
You might like this similar Kathiyawadi dish – Dahi Varo Oro .
To achieve the characteristic smoky flavour, you need to roast the aubergine on a direct flame. This chars the skin and condenses the aubergine flesh until it is buttery soft.
Roasting on a direct flame draws out the incredible flavour and sets baingan bharta apart from other aubergine recipes like brinjal bhaji , baingan masala and aloo baingan .
Ingredients notes
Be sure to check out the full recipe and ingredient list below.
Aubergine
Onion, garlic, ginger, green chillies – all finely chopped or sliced
Tomatoes – fresh tomatoes, chopped
Spice powders: red chilli powder, turmeric powder, coriander-cumin powder, garam masala
Cumin seeds
Oil
Coriander to serve with
Hayley’s Tips
- Mashed aubergine absorbs oil like a sponge so you do need more oil for this recipe than usual.
- You can either slice or puree the smoked aubergine as the pureed aubergine will absorb even more oil.
- Instead of roasting on an open flame (which can create a mess), roast the eggplant in an oven at 400°F (200°C) for 30-40 minutes, or in an air fryer at 375°F (190°C) for 20-25 minutes. This reduces charring mess on the stovetop.
- Before roasting, poke a few holes with a fork to prevent bursting and to make peeling easier.
- If roasting on an open flame, wrap the eggplant in aluminum foil to reduce mess and sticking.
- After roasting, place the eggplant in a covered bowl for 5 minutes. The steam will loosen the skin, making it easier to peel.
- Instead of using your hands (which can get messy), use a spoon or tongs to scrape off the skin.
- Recipe add ins – my Mum often adds in chopped spring onion or sometimes chopped spinach. You could also add in green peas.
Serving Suggestion
Baingan Bharta is best served with bajra roti , known in Gujarati households as bajri na rotla. Other Indian flatbreads that work are whole wheat chapatis or plain paratha .
Add in a side of garlic lasan chutney and you have a flavour-packed meal.
Storage
Store leftover baingan bharta in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat in a pan or in the microwave.
This recipe does not freeze well as the aubergine will loose texture upon defrosting.
As always if you make this recipe, be sure to leave me a comment, rate this recipe and tag me on Instagram @jcookingodyssey or #jcookingodyssey. I love seeing all your photos of my recipe recreations!
Don’t forget to follow me on social media using the buttons below – I can’t wait to see you all there!
- YouTube
Baingan Bharta
Equipment
- pan
Ingredients
- 1 large aubergine
- 4 tablespoon oil
- 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 onion chopped
- 1 teaspoons ginger grated
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon green chillies minced
- 1 tomato chopped
- 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
- ½ teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 tablespoon ground coriander and cumin
- ½ teaspoon garam masala
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoon coriander
Instructions
- Grease the aubergine with a little oil, make slits all over the surface and cook over an open flame until it is soft and charred.
- Allow to cool then peel away the skin. Mash the pulp or chop and keep it aside.
- Heat the oil in a pan and add the cumin seeds.
- When they crackle, add the onions and sauté for a few minutes or until it turns light pink.
- Add the ginger, garlic and green chillies and cook for a minute.
- Tip in the tomatoes and cook further 2-3 minutes.
- Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander cumin powder, garam masala and cook until the oil separates from the masala.
- Stir in mashed aubergine and salt.
- Mix well and cook further 3-4 minutes on low heat.
- Garnish with coriander and serve.
Video
Nutrition
PLEASE NOTE: Nutritional values are estimated by a computer and may vary based on ingredients and portion sizes. For personalised dietary advice, please consult a qualified healthcare professional.
Note – This recipe has been updated from our recipe archives with new images and content, but the recipe remains the same. First published in May 2010.
