Dhokar Dalna / Fried Lentil Cakes in Spicy Gravy

Chana Dal is very nutritious and easy to digest. These little beans are a powerhouse of lean protein, fiber and iron. They're packed with nutrients, such as folic acid, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium and zinc. Chana Dal also known as "chholar dal" comes from India , where it's appreciated a lot unlike the western countries. "Bengal Gram Lentil"  is the British English term for what we call "chana dal" in Hindi. It's glycemia index is also very good for blood sugar levels.

Chana Dal is very closely related to garbanzo beans, or chickpeas. The differences are that chana dal is younger, smaller, split, sweeter, and has a much lower glycemic index. But you can substitute chana dal for garbanzo beans in just about any recipe.

Chana dal is the split kernel of a variety of chickpea known as desi or bengal gram. It has a sweet and earthy flavor, and the cooked bean is about the size and shape of a corn kernel. Chana Dal is one of the many lentils used to make dal, the family of Indian lentil dishes that form the foundation of Indian cuisine. Chana Dal makes a quick-cooking, exotic addition to dals, soups, curries, dips, pilafs, fritters, salads, casseroles, and rice or whole grain dishes. Toss them in a little olive oil and your favorite spices and roast them in the oven for a wonderfully tasty, healthy snack.

This time I used this powerhouse of nutrition in Bengali style and made famous Bengali dish called " Dhokar Dalna". Heard many times about this dish from many of my friends so decided to make it for dinner tonight, as I was left with 1 bowl of soaked Chana daal after making Chana Daal with Ghiya. Try making it in your kitchen as well. Until next time..................., Happy Cooking Friends, Saumya

Just like all the Kofta and Kadhi recipes, this also has two parts. One is to make Dhoka/Lentil Cakes and other is to make gravy for it. Lets start with the first part, which is to make Dhokas.

Pictorial Step-wise Method for Dhoka and Gravy:

Wash and soak Chana Dal/Bengal Gram for minimum 4 hours or overnight (for best results) .
Take the dal along with green chilies, salt, ginger and grind to a fine paste. Add little water (may be a tblspoon or so) as required for grinding.

In a non stick pan, heat oil.  Now add the dal paste in the pan along with Hing, Turmeric powder, Coriander powder, Garam Masala, Salt and Red Chili powder.

Cook it until the mix comes off the sides clean.

The dal should be cooked so that it is moist and soft but not runny or hard. Once it is cooked, transfer to a greased plate.

Apply oil on your hands and pat the paste into a flat cake, make sure the sides are tucked in. Make a 1 1/2 inch width cake.

The paste gets dried up fast, so you need to be quick in patting it down.
Once it cools down, cut into desired size and shape pieces.

Heat a Pan/Wok with oil and shallow fry Dhokas till golden brown on both sides.

Gently slide them into wok and don't flip over for the first few minutes. Fry in 4-5 at a time and drain them over a kitchen towel.

Now  peel and chop the potatoes into thing long pieces.

Par Boil them for 7-9 minutes and then shallow fry them in the same pan that you used for frying the lentil cakes.

Take them out and keep them aside until they are ready to use.
Again heat 1 tblspoon of Oil in the same pan/wok.

Add in the cumin seeds, whole garam masala and a pinch of Hing.

Add tomatoes and grated ginger, saute till tomato is well cooked and soft.

In a cup mix the spices Turmeric powder, Coriander powder, Garam Masala, Salt and Red Chili powder with a tblspoon of water and make a paste.

Add this paste to the Pan/Wok and fry the masala with tomatoes at low heat. Add in the Sugar as well.

Add the fried potatoes and about 1 and 1/2 cups of water.

Now cover and cook till the potatoes are soft.
Adjust the water and seasoning as per your choice of thickness and taste of gravy. Next add the ghee and mix everything .
Now gently add in the Dhokas/fried lentil cakes. Also add in the whole green chilies.

Simmer for 5 minutes, covered with the lid to let the Dhokas soak up some of the gravy juices.
Dhokar Dalna is ready to serve with rice or chapati.

Ingredients:

For Dhoka / Lentil Cakes:

Chana Dal                                   - 1 cup  ( Cholar Daal / Split Bengal Gram Lentil )
Green Chilies                              - 2 medium size
Ginger                                         - 1 inch piece
Asafetida / Hing                          - a pinch
Coriander Powder                       - 1/8 Tspoon
Red Chili Powder                        - a pinch
Turmeric powder                         - 1/4 Tspoon
Garam Masala                              - 1/8 Tspoon
Salt                                               - to taste
Oil                                                - 1 tblspoon for shallow frying

For Gravy of Dhokar Dalna:

Potato                                          - 1 big
Oil                                               - 1 tblspoon
Bay leaf                                       - 1 big
Whole Garam Masala                 - 1 Tspoon
Cumin Seeds                               - 1/4 Tspoon
Tomato                                        - 4 medium finely chopped
Ginger Paste                                - 1/2 tspoon or you can grate the ginger
Coriander Powder                       - 1 Tspoon
Red Chili Powder                        - 1/4  Tspoon
Turmeric powder                         - 1/4 Tspoon
Garam Masala                              - 1/4 Tspoon
Ghee                                             - 1 Tspoon
Salt                                               - to taste


Method for Dhoka:

Wash and soak Chana Dal/Bengal Gram for minimum 4 hours or overnight (for best results) .
Take the dal along with green chilies, salt, ginger and grind to a fine paste. Add little water (may be a tblspoon or so) as required for grinding.
In a non stick pan, heat oil.  Now add the dal paste in the pan along with Hing, Turmeric powder, Coriander powder, Garam Masala, Salt and Red Chili powder and cook until the mix comes off the sides clean.
The dal should be cooked so that it is moist and soft but not runny or hard. Once it is cooked, transfer to a greased plate.
Apply oil on your hands and pat the paste into a flat cake, make sure the sides are tucked in. Make a 1 1/2 inch width cake.
The paste gets dried up fast, so you need to be quick in patting it down.
Once it cools down, cut into desired size and shape pieces.
Heat a Pan/Wok with oil and shallow fry Dhokas till golden brown on both sides.
Gently slide them into wok and don't flip over for the first few minutes. Fry in 4-5 at a time and drain them over a kitchen towel.

Method for Gravy:

First peel and chop the potatoes into thing long pieces.
Par Boil them for 7-9 minutes and then shallow fry them in the same pan that you used for frying the lentil cakes.
Take them out and keep them aside until they are ready to use.
Again heat 1 tblspoon of Oil in the same pan/wok.
Add in the cumin seeds, whole garam masala and a pinch of Hing.
Add tomatoes and grated ginger, saute till tomato is well cooked and soft.
Add in the Sugar.
In a cup mix the spices Turmeric powder, Coriander powder, Garam Masala, Salt and Red Chili powder with a tblspoon of water and make a paste.
Add this paste to the Pan/Wok and fry the masala with tomatoes at low heat.
Add the fried potatoes and about 1 and 1/2 cups of water.
Now cover and cook till the potatoes are soft.
Adjust the water and seasoning as per your choice of thickness and taste of gravy. Next add the ghee and mix everything .
Now gently add in the Dhokas/fried lentil cakes. Also add in the whole green chilies.
Simmer for 5 minutes, covered with the lid to let the Dhokas soak up some of the gravy juices.
Dhokar Dalna is ready to serve with rice or chapati.

Begun Bhaja

Begun Bhaja, traditionally cooked in Bengali families as a side dish, is eggplant slices, marinated and shallow fried. These slices are good part of your meal. These can be consumed with paratha, roti or steamed rice. Begun Bhaja is crispy outside and sift inside.

Ingredients :

Eggplant / Aubergine                - 1 large
Rice flour                                  - 1 tblspoon
Red Chili powder                      - 1 tspoon
Dry Mango powder                   - 1 tspoon
Garam masala powder              - 1 tspoon
Turmeric                                   - 1/2 tsp
Salt                                            - to taste
Oil                                             - for roasting

Method:

Wash the Eggplant well and Pat Dry with a clean cloth.
Slice the Eggplant in 1/2 inch thick slices. Don't cut it too thick,that will increase cooking time.
Also do not cut it too thin that will make it way too crispy.
It should be crispy from outside and soft inside.
Soak the slices in salted water for 10 minutes.
This helps in removing the bitterness from Eggplant, also will not let the Eggplant gets black.
Meanwhile, take all the spices and rice flour on a wide plate, mix well and keep aside.
After 10 minutes drain and dry all the eggplant slices on a kitchen towel or paper napkin.
Next transfer Eggplant slices into the marinate plate .
Coat well uniformly on to each slice. Leave them marinated for about 5-6 mins.
Heat a heavy pan / tawa for roasting. Grease it well with oil .
Place the Eggplant slices on the tawa and drizzle oil .
Cook on medium-low flame till both sides are cooked and crispy.
Drizzle some more oil when you flip in between.
Serve Begun Bhaja hot with rice, dal and roti or eat them with paratha.

Rasgulla / Roshogulla / Chena

Ingredients:

Milk                                      - 4 cups whole/semi skimmed
Lemon Juice                         - 2 tblspoon
Saffron                                 - 4-5 strands
Cardamom Powder              - 1 tspoon
Sugar                                    - 2 cups
Water                                    - 4 cups

Method:

Bring the milk to boil, try to use heavy bottomed pan.
Add the lemon juice once milk starts to boil, keep stirring to mix it well.
Gradually all the milk-mass will be gathered separating the whey.
Strain the water through a colander. I used the tea-towel over the colander and drain the water.
Wash it well with plain water to rinse the lemon from the Chena / milk mass.
Knot the muslin/cheese/teat towel to get rid of all the water from the Chena.
You can hang it to let that drip or press with a heavy thing to squeeze it.
I left it hanging for about 5 hours like I do with yogurt to make hung curd.
Now is the time to knead to Chena, I knead it for around 8 minutes .
I sprinkle half tspoon of cardamom powder on Chena while kneading to give it a flavor.
Remember to knead it with your palm not fingers or fist like we do with chapati dough.
Once it's kneaded well it will come togather like soft ball and starts to leave grease on your palms.
Make small balls out of the kneaded Chena.
I made 12 balls out of half cup of chena.
Make syrup with 2 cups of sugar and 5 cups of water, sprinkle rest of 1/2 tspoon cardamom powder.
Use a big pot to make the sugar syrup, as we will be boiling the Chena Balls into it.
Let the syrup comes to boil.  When it's rolling boil, add the Chena balls into it.
Cook them covered for 12-15 minutes. Cover with glass lid to keep an eye on them.
Once they are boiled they will come to surface and fluff-up.
To check their doneness, drop one Rasgulla into a glass of plain water, if it sink in the water it's done.#
If it's not done, boil it again for few more minutes and check again.
Chill the Rasgullas for few hours in the fridge before eating.
You can add saffron and pistachio flakes for garnish.
My family love eating rasgullas and I'm glad I tried them.