DHOKAR DALNA | BENGALI PURE VEGETARIAN CURRY | NO GARLIC ONION

The Bamboo Kitchen / Food Blogger

Dhokar Dalna is a Traditional Bengali Pure Vegetarian recipe which is usually made on special occasions. This side dish consists of diamond shaped cakes made of “Channa Dal” and simmered in a rich gravy.

Try this out today for a “Special Treat”

INGREDIENTS

For Dhoka / Lentil Cake

1 cup Chana Dal/ Bengal Gram

1 tsp Cumin seeds

1 Green Chili chopped

2 tbsp Oil

1 tsp ginger

1/4 tsp Hing/ Asafoetida

Salt to taste

FOR CURRY/ GRAVY

2 Medium size Potatoes cut into cubes

3 tbsp Refined or Mustard Oil

1 tsp Cumin seeds

1 tsp Garam Masala Powder

2 Tomatoes diced

1 tsp Ginger Paste

1 tsp Cumin Powder

1 tsp Turmeric Powder

1 tsp Coriander Powder

1 tsp Red Chili Powder

Bay leaf / Tej patta

1 Cinnamon stick

4 Green Cardamom

Salt to taste

Green Chilies slit

1/2 tsp sugar

METHOD

Preparing Dhoka

Wash and soak chana dal overnight.

Next day, discard water and wash the dal again with fresh water and add it to a mixer grinder jar cumin seed, chopped green chilies and ginger and create a fine paste.

Grease a medium size thali and keep aside.

Heat 2 tbsp oil in a non-stick pan and temper it with asafoetida.

Add the channa dal paste and start stirring continuously till the dal leave the sides of the pan and starts to form a lump.

Transfer the cooked dal mix on the greased thali and gently tap to spread. You can grease your palm or a bottom of a flat bowl and tap the mix evenly from all sides so that it spreads equally.

Once the lentil cake is cool, cut into square or diamond shape and keep aside.

Now heat oil in a pan and gently slide the lentil cake pieces and fry from both sides till it turns light brown in colour. Add salt while frying.

Collect the fried pieces on a kitchen towel to soak excess oil.

Preparing Dhokar Dalna

Fry the diced potatoes in the same oil as used for frying the Dhoka and keep them aside.

Now temper the oil with cumin seeds, bay leaf, cardamom and cinnamon stick.

Add ginger paste and green chilies and fry.

Now add tomatoes and fry until oil starts leaving the sides.

Add in the red chili powder, cumin powder, garam masala powder and turmeric powder, sugar and salt as per taste.

Cook for few mins in low flames. Add oil if required.

Now add fried potatoes and mix well and add water to it.

Let the curry come to a boil and then simmer in low flame and till potatoes turn tender.