Dal ki Dulhan / Dal Pithi / Dal Dhokli

Sweta C
Feb 26, 2017
4 min read

As a kid, I hated dal and would make faces while eating it. So, my mom would craft ways to make me eat dal in different ways, one of which was - Dal ka Dulha. This spicy lentil soup with dumplings became my favorite - Thanks to the fascinating name. The dumplings she made was a big flower head kinds. And hence, the name Dulha (just a guess :P ) . While I was staying away from home, I played around with the recipe, tweaked it a little and developed some great blend of flavors with mini-whole wheat dumplings which I affectionately call as the Dulhans.

When your husband or kids don't like the sight of some greens or vegetables, what do you do? Yes, hide it in their favorite food. This recipe features a secret ingredient for added nutrition - Spinach.

Little oil, low cabs, high-protein + it is a great comfort food. What else can you ask for? So, let's go over this delicious nutrition pack.

Ingredients:

For Dal:

Arhar dal/ Toor dal/ Pigeon peas spilt and skinned - 1 to 1 n half cups

Fresh Spinach leaves/ Fresh Fenugreek leaves - 1/2 a bunch

Green chilies - 2 to 3

Garlic - 5 to 6 cloves

Ginger - 1 inch

Cumin seeds - 1 tsp

Dry whole red chilies - 2 nos.

Cloves - 3

Bay leaf - 1

Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp

Turmeric powder - 1 tsp

Sambhar masala - 1 to 1 n half tsp

Dry mango powder/Lemon juice - 1tsp

Salt - 1 n 1/2 tsp

Ghee - 1 tsp

Oil - 1 tsp for tampering

For Dumplings:

Whole wheat flour - 1 and half cups.

Dried Fenugreek leaves - 1 tbsp

Carom seeds - 1 tsp

Water - for kneading

For Garnishing:

Spring onions - 4 to 5 leaves

Fresh Cilantro

Directions:

- In a pressure cooker take the washed lentils. Add cloves, bay leaves, turmeric powder 1 tsp salt and 3 cups water. Pressure cook for 10-12 min or until the dal is cooked 80 - 90%

- Heat 1 tsp. oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds, dry whole red chilies and hing/asafoetida. When cumin seeds stops crackling add grated ginger and garlic. keep stirring until golden brown. Add powdered spices (dry mango powder, sambhar masala) & 1/2 - 1 tsp salt.

- Add the tadka/tampering to the cooked dal.

- Add chopped spinach and 1 tsp ghee/clarified butter.

- Add carom seeds and dried fenugreek leaves in whole wheat flour and knead into a smooth dough ( little hard than a chapati dough ).

- Take a big portion of the dough, dust it in flour and roll it into a big chapati (neither too think nor thin). - Cut through the rolled dough with the help of a cookie cutter or a bowl/container with sharp edges and . Remove the extras.

- Now, its time to get the dulhan ready. Take two opposite ends of the flattened dough and pinch them together. Next, join the other two ends, folding them from the opposite direction.

(Scroll down for visuals)

- Add the whole wheat dumplings in the prepared dal/lentil and cook it fr 12-15 mins i.e.,1-2 whistle in a pressure cooker.

- Dal ki Dulhan is ready. Garnish with some spring onions and fresh cilantro.

Serve hot with pickle.

Make the dumplings of any shape of your choice. After all shape and size doesn't matter ;) Perfect blend of flavors is what we are looking for :)

Tips:

- Do not knead a very soft dough as the dumplings might not retain its shape.

- Substitute spinach leaves with any leafy greens or bottle gourd and enjoy a nutritious meal.

In a pressure cooker take the washed lentils. Add cloves, bay leaves, turmeric powder 1 tsp salt and 3 cups water. Pressure cook for 10-12 min.

Better if the dal is 80-90% cooked.

Heat 1 tsp. oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds, dry whole red chilies and hing/asafoetida. When cumin seeds stops crackling add grated ginger and garlic. Keep stirring until golden brown. Next, add green chilies. Add powdered spices (dry mango powder, sambhar masala) & 1/2 - 1 tsp salt.