Dhokar Dalna is a Traditional Bengali cuisine and side dish . It is made with Bengal gram dal , potato , cumin powder , ripe tomato , onion , and garlic .
Even , it is served as a side dish . It is goes well with steam rice , polao/ pulao , paratha , fried rice , parotta , naan and chapati . Dhokar dalna is made from blend channa dal .
Main ingredients is Bengal gram dal , potato , ghee ( clarified butter ) , gram masala powder and other spices . You can serve as to Home party .
Which is of tangy , garam masala powder and ghee ( Clarified butter ) taste . Even flavor is of garam masala and ghee . It is an awesome taste curry . Which is also Extraordinary dish from Bengali cuisine . Dhokar dalna is served during festivals .
You can make often to Dhokar dalna . Dhokar dalna is popular Dish in West Bengal . Which is a long process cooking recipe . Dhokar Dalna is a rich gravy and long process recipe .
It is also tasty , melt in mouth , mouth watering and yummy curry . Dhokar dalna is three of part recipe or Dhokar dalna is 3 in 1 recipe .
First part is soaked the channa dal / Bengal Gram into the bowl and grind it . Then make a smooth paste from the channa dal / Bengal Gram .
Second part is make a mixture from the channa dal / Bengal Gram paste and then saute the paste . Then cool the mixture and cut the mixture . Finally Dhoka or lentil cake is fry methods from the Pulses mixture of lentil cake . Third part is curry methods of lentil cake . Once curry is ready , drop the lentil cake into the curry .But every bite is awesome taste . It is not very easy recipe . It is an onion and garlic recipe . If you do not like to onion and garlic . You can make without onion and garlic to Dhokar Dalna . Recipe is here ( How To Make Dhokar Dalna / Bengali Style Lentil Cake Curry )
For The Lentil Cakes
Ingredients :
1. 2 cup of Bengal Gram / Chana Dal / Cholar Dal
2. Turmeric powder As required
3. Salt to taste
4. Sugar - 1 tea spoon
5. Gram Masala Powder - 1/2 tea spoon
6. Oil As Required
7. Ghee / Clarified butter As Required
8. Cumin Powder - 1 tea spoon
9. Coriander Powder - 1 Tea Spoon
10. Dry Red Chili Powder - 1 Tea Spoon
For The Sauce Or The Gravy :
1. Potato - 2 ( Peeled the potato of outer skin and cut into medium size cube pieces )
2. Onion - 2 ( Peeled The onion from outer skin and cut into slice pieces )
3. Onion Pate - 2 table spoon
4. Garlic Paste - 3 table spoon
5. Bay Leaf - 2 pieces
6. Whole Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tea spoon
7. Whole green Cardamom - 1 ( Crushed and slit )
8. Ghee As required
9. Cinnamon - 1 stick
10 . Salt To Taste
11. Turmeric Powder As Required
12. Sugar - 1 Tea Spoon ( Optional )
13. Oil As Required
14. Garm masala Powder - 1 Tea Spoon
15. Tomato Puree - 1 cup
16. Ripe Tomato - 1 ( Cut into Very small pieces )
17. Ginger Paste - 2 - 3 Table Spoon
18. Whole Cumin Paste - 1 table spoon
19. Whole dry coriander paste - 1 table spoon
20. Dry Red Chili Paste - 2 Table Spoon
21. Kashmiri Dry Red Chili Paste - 2 Table spoon
To Make The Lentil Cakes :
Methods :
1. In a bowl , add 2 cup of Bengal gram / chana dal and pour enough water . Soaked the chana dal / Bengal gram for about 6 - 7 hours or over night .
2. Next morning drain the water completely . Wash and clean the Bengal gram / Chana dal with water . Drain the water again .
3. Take a mixer grinder . Now put the bengal gram / chana dal and add few drops of water into the grinder jar . Grind it very well and make a smooth paste from the Bengal gram / chana dal . keep a side .
4. Pour the dal into the bowl . Now also add 1 tea spoon of chili powder , 1 tea spoon of turmeric powder , 1 tea spoon of sugar , 1 tea spoon of cumin powder , 1 tea spoon of coriander powder and sprinkle salt to taste . Mix it well . Keep a side .
5. Take a wok or pan . Pour the oil into the wok and heat the oil . Now pour the pulses mixture into the wok . Mix it very well . Stir till the mixture leaves the side of wok . Stir until the pulses mixture is dry and it come together like a dough . Moisture is evaporated from the pulses . Once pulses mixture is completely dry and like a dough . Then switch off the flame .
6. Now take a flat plate . Add few drops of oil or ghee and grease the plate . Now pour the mixture into the grease plate . Pat down the mixture and spread it evenly . Let it cool down for 10 - 15 minutes . Allow to cool . Once the pulses mixture is completely cool . Then cut the mixture into the diamond shape or square pieces . Keep a side .
7. In a wok add enough oil and heat the oil . Once oil is completely hot . Now drop the Diamond Shaped lentil cake one after one into the hot oil on medium flame . Fry till golden brown on both sides on medium flame . Take it out from hot oil . Put the lentil cake in to the bowl . Keep a side .
To Make The Sauces Or The Gravy :
Methods :
1. Take a wok .Add oil into the wok . Heat the oil . Once oil is completely hot . Then put the potato pieces one by one into the hot oil . Fry till golden brown . Remove the potato pieces from the hot oil . Put the potato pieces into the bowl . Keep a side .
2. Now add 2 pieces of bay leaf , 1/ 2 tea spoon of whole cumin seeds , 1 pieces of crushed cardamom , and 1 pieces of cinnamon and stir for few seconds . Once spices are splatter .
3. Now add slices onion and fry till golden brown color .
4. Next add 2 table spoon of onion paste and saute till separates oil from onion paste .
5. Add finely chopped tomato piece into the oil . Saute till tomatoes are soft .
6. Next add 3 table spoon of garlic paste , salt to taste , turmeric powder , 1 tea spoon of sugar , 1 cup of tomato puree , 3 table spoon of ginger paste , 1 table spoon of cumin paste , 1 table spoon of coriander paste , 2 table spoon of dry red chili paste , 2 table spoon of kashmiri dry red chili paste . Saute and fry the all spices . While spices is separating from oil .
7. Now pour the 2 - 3 cup of water and add fried potato . Mix it well . Cover the wok . Let it cook for about 10 minutes .
8. 10 minutes later , open the cover . When potatoes are tender and gravy starts to thicken . Now add fried lentil cake or Dhoka into the gravy . Mix it very well . Now add 1 tea spoon of ghee or 1 tea spoon of garam masala powder into the gravy . Mix it very well .
9. Now switch off the flame . Transfer the Lentil Cake Curry Or Dhokar dalna in a serving bowl .
10. Serve hot with steam rice or your choice's food .