Recipe: Diamond shape wheat cuttings with Tuvar Dal (Varan Phal / Dal Dhokhali)
Cooking time: 30 mins
About the Recipe: This dish is very popular in regions of Maharashtra. It is commonly known as ‘Varan Phal’. It is also known as ‘Dal Dhokhali’ in Guajarati cuisine. This is a very simple and easy to cook dish. It is a good option for weekend cooking. It can be used as evening snack or a light dinner option. Believe me it is a best option when you are running short of time and can’t prepare entire meal. This single dish will incorporate all the nutrients of a full cooked meal. I remember my Granny preparing this dish for my Grandpa and we all kids used to jump in…easily she used to make the servings from 2 to 5. I love this dish.
Nutrient Benefit: Wheat Flour is more nutritious than all purpose flour. Toor Daal (Tuvar Dal) is rich in Proteins. Entire dish contains little amount of Oil. Prefer Extra Virgin Olive Oil [EVOO] than canola oil or vegetable oil. This is a common myth that EVOO is not for Indian Cooking style due to excessive heating. But EVOO can still be used as Oil for frying.
Ingredients:
Wheat Flour
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1 ½ Cup
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Finely chopped Onions
|
1 Cup
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Chopped Coriander /Cilantro leaves
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For garnishing
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Toor Daal / Tuvar Daal (Pressure cooked)
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1 Cup (raw Daal)
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Garlic Petals
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1 to 2
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Red Chilli Powder
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2 to 3 tbsp
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Turmeric Powder
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2 to 3 tbsp
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Garam Masala (kala masala)
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½ tbsp
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Salt
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According to taste
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Sugar
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Pinch or two
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Mustard seeds
|
1 tbsp
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Oil
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1 to 2 tbsp
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Optional
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Asafoetida, jaggery in cooked dal, Lemon for Garnishing
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Directions:
- Pressure cook toor daal with a pinch of turmeric powder, asafoetida and water.
- Take 1 ½ cup of wheat flour. Add 1 tbsp of red chilli powder. ½ tbsp of turmeric powder, pinch of sugar and salt according to taste to the wheat flour.
- Add water to the wheat flour to make soft dough. (Note: if the dough turns out to be sticky, add a little oil and mix it again.)
- Roll the dough to make it flat circular like a Roti but thicker. (thickness of about 2 Roti’s)
- Cut it into Diamond shapes and keep it aside.
- Heat a pan. Add 2 tbsp of olive oil (EVOO) into the pan.
- Add mustard seeds when the oil is hot.
- Add chopped garlic / garlic paste into the oil.
- Add chopped onions.
- Fry till the onions turn golden brown.
- Add 1 tbsp of chilli powder, 1 tbsp of turmeric powder, 1 tbsp of garam masala.
- Add the pressure cooked toor daal to the pan. (sizzle is expected). Add little water to thin the mixture. (If needed).
- After a quick stir add the diamond shaped wheat cuttings in the daal one after one.
- Let the mixture boil for 10 mins. Stir 2 to 3 times in between.
- Garnish it with raw chopped onion, chopped coriander and lemon juice (optional).
- Serve Hot!
Variations:
- We can prepare the dish with lentil soup as well. (Instead of Toor Daal.)
- Can add some chopped spinach in the toor daal mixture while pressure cooking.
- While serving add some butter or ghee on top of it. It enriches the taste of the dish.
