Dhokar Dalna - A complete veggie delight

Imagine the situation here: a hot summer afternoon, someone's getting married and you're invited for the wedding-day lunch. On such occasions you are bound to come across Dhokar Dalna or the Daal Burfi Spicy Curry. The best part is, dhokar dalna is always red in color and the spicier the better.

Ingredients:

Chanaa Daal / Cholar - 200 gms
Potato - 2 big diced in cubes
Dhaniya paste - 1 tbsp
Jeera paste - 1 tbsp
Garam masala powder – 1 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
Turmeric powder - ½ tsp
Curd - ½ cup
Dabur Homemade Ginger paste - 2 tbsp.
Green chilies - 4
Ghee – 2 tbsp
Cooking soda – 1 tsp
Sugar to taste
Salt to taste
Mustard oil - For frying and cooking

How to make Dhoka / Daal Burfi: Soak the channa daal overnight. In a grinder, grind the daal with ½ tsp of ginger, salt, green chillies, and cooking soda. Add a bit of chilli powder and turmeric powder as well. When the paste is made keep it aside. Heat mustard oil in a pan. And add the daal mixture. Fry till the water gets dried but it still remains like a paste. Grease a round plate with a bit of ghee or oil. And spread mixture in a fine layer. When it sets down, cut the mixture into diamond shapes and take them out. Heat oil again and deep fry each cubes till they are golden brown in color. Make sure they don't break.

How to make the curry: In the same oil add jeera, ginger and dhaniya paste. Stir the mixture. Add turmeric powder, red chilli powder, curd, a pinch of sugar and salt. Stir well till then curd starts leaving water and oil from it. Add the potatoes and mix again. Add required quantity of water and stir till its a thick curry paste. Add garam masala powder and mix well. Add the fried slices of dhokas and cook till the dhoklas soak the gravy properly. Add ghee. Serve hot. Can be eaten with rice or luchi or puri. Its a complete veggie dish without onion and garlic. Your Dhokar Dhalna is ready to eat.