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Dhokar Dalna

 Dhokar Dalna or soaked Chana Dal Cake Curry that is cooked in a thick curry made with ginger, tomato and onions. This is a proper Bengali dish that is served with rice. Usually made on a special occasion, this curry is quite rich in taste and nutritious at the same time. You may also find another recipe of dhokar dalna that is made without any garlic or onions, also called (Niramish) in Bengali. The lentil cakes provide a good texture, and the size or shape of the cake can be altered as per the liking.



Ingredients

  • 250 g Chana Dal
  • 3 Green Chilies
  • 1 " Ginger
  • Salt to taste
  • 1/2 tsp nigella seeds (kalunji)
  • Oil ( for frying and for the curry)
  • 3 Onions
  • 2 Tomatoes
  • 1" cinnamon
  • 5 cloves
  • 3 green cardamom
  • 1 bay leaf ( halved )
  • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp ginger garlic paste
  • 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
  • 1/2 tsp red chili powder
  • 1/2 tsp cumin powder
  • 1/2 tsp coriander powder
  • 1/2 tsp garam masala powder
  • 2 tbsp yoghurt (beaten)
  • 1/2 tsp sugar
  • 2 slit green chilies
  • 1 tsp clarified butter (ghee)







Method

  1. Soak the chana dal in 2.5 cups of water overnight.
  2. In a grinder add the soaked chana dal, chopped ginger, green chilies, salt and half cup water, blend to a smooth paste.
  3. Heat 2 tsp oil in a kadai on low flame and add nigella seeds. and add the chana dal puree.
  4. Start cooking it slowly with stirring constantly, it will stick to the bottom and will become lumpy if not taken care of.
  5. Grease a steel plate with oil and keep it aside.
  6. Cook the chana dal until it becomes very thick in consistency and you are unable to stir it.
  7. Pour on the plate and immediately press and give it shape around the edges. If it gets cold, then you might not be able to give it the proper desired shape.
  8. Let it rest for 30 minutes and cut it as per your liking.
  9. Shallow fry until it develops a golden crust on top.
  10. Coarsely ground the onions for 2-5 seconds.
  11. Roughly chop the tomatoes and blend to a smooth paste.
  12. For the curry heat oil on low flame in a kadai and add the cinnamon, clove, green cardamom, bay leaf and cumin seeds, not add the onions. Add salt to let it cook faster.
  13. Just when the onions turn brown add the ginger garlic paste and cook until the raw aroma goes away.
  14. Now add the tomato puree, cook for 5 minutes.
  15. Add the powdered spices and cook with adding water at regular intervals. Let the oil separate.
  16. Add the beaten yoghurt to it and add sugar mix it well.
  17. Now add 2.5 cups hot water to it and let it come to a boil.
  18. Add garam masala powder, and add the fried lentil cakes and mix slowly.
  19. Turn off the flame and add the ghee to it.
  20. Serve with a hot bowl of steaming rice.

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