I am always on the lookout for easy one pot meals that are healthy and nutritious. Weekends are when we get to eat hot meal together and I cook elaborate stuff (by my standards). But then on some days, I want quick, easy to prepare but delicious food. This recipe of Gujarati special Dal Dhokli ticks all boxes for me.

I first heard of Dal Dhokli from a friend and it tasted just like comfort in bowl. In my opinion, nothing can beat the rice/roti and dal combo. And when that roti dal combo is made into a one pot dish, how can it not be delicious?! I duly got the recipe from my friend and made it up a couple of weeks back. It is getting too hot in here to be spending long hours in the kitchen and this was just perfect.

Now don’t be intimidated by the number of ingredients. Look past them and you can see how easy Dal Dhokli is. Spiced Whole Wheat Flour is cooked in a dal/lentil based gravy which has right amount of sweet and spice, something I love of the Gujarati cuisine. With a dollop of ghee and a squeeze of lemon juice, this was such a comfort food.

How to make Dal Dhokli | Gujarati Special Dal Dhokli

📖 Recipe

Detailed step by step picture tutorial of making Dal Dhokli | Gujarati Special Dal Dhokli

Making Dhokli

  1. In bowl, add whole wheat flour, besan/gram flour, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, ajwain, salt and oil.

  2. Roughly mix it through and sprinkle some water.

  3. Knead this into a soft pliable dough by adding water as needed. Set this aside until the Dal is ready.

Making Dal

  1. In pressure cooker, add washed toor dal with enough water and pressure cook it for 4 to 5 whistles.

  2. Once the pressure drops, remove the pressure cooker lid and gently mash the dal.

  3. Add chopped onions, tomatoes, cut green chillies, red chilli powder, turmeric powder – let this come to a boil on medium flame.

  4. Meanwhile, set the peanuts for boiling until soft.

  5. Add ginger garlic paste to the boiling dal and continue to boil it. Add more water as needed.

  6. As the onions and tomatoes have turned mushy, add jaggery and boil for another 5-7 mins.

Making Dal Dhokli

  1. Take the prepared dough and divide it into two equal balls. Take a ball of dough and slightly dust with flour and pat it flat.

  2. Roll it thin dusting extra flour (as little as possible) as needed.

  3. Cut it into desired shape and size. Repeat this with rest of the dough and set the cut pieces aside.

  4. In a small pan, heat 2 teaspoon of oil. Add mustard seeds, cumin/jeera seeds, dried bay leaf, dried red chilli and everything begins to pop, add asafoetida and fresh curry leaves. Remove from heat.

  5. Add this tempering to the slow boiling dal. Mix well.

  6. Next added cooked peanuts and mix well.

  7. Slowly drop few of the prepared Dhoklis into the boiling dal in batches. Ensure that they are not sticking to the bottom or glued together.

  8. As the Dhokli gets cooked, it floats on top. Switch off from heat and add fresh coriander leaves.

  9. Serve hot with a dollop of ghee and lemon wedge/onions on the side.

Recipe Notes

Instead of boiling the peanuts separately, can be pressure cooked along with the dal. Adjust spices as per preference. Don’t add all dhokli at once as they can turn lumpy and get stuck at the bottom. Keep stirring continuously while adding them. Instead of jaggery, sugar can be added. Adjust the quantity as needed. Best served hot/warm.

I would be delighted to know if you have tried this recipe, don’t forget to share your feedback and comments below. If you have any questions, you can e-mail me! I am also available on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter 🙂