← Recipes

Dhokar Dalna

Fried lentil-cake diamonds in a rich ginger-cumin gravy with potatoes — the grand Bengali vegetarian centrepiece.

Ingredients

• 1 cup chana dal, soaked 4 hours
• 1 tbsp ginger, chopped
• 3 green chillies
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• ¼ tsp asafoetida (hing)
• 2 potatoes, cubed
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1 tbsp ginger paste
• 1 tsp cumin powder
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder
• 1 tsp sugar
• ½ tsp garam masala
• 1 tbsp ghee
• 6 tbsp mustard oil
• salt to taste

Method

1. Drain the dal and grind with chopped ginger and 2 green chillies into a coarse paste, using as little water as possible.
2. Heat 1 tbsp mustard oil, add ½ tsp cumin and the hing, then the dal paste with salt. Stir on low 8–10 minutes until it leaves the sides of the pan and forms a dough.
3. Spread it on a greased plate to ½-inch thickness. Cool 15 minutes and cut into diamonds.
4. Fry the dhoka in mustard oil till golden on both sides. Keep aside. Fry the potatoes in the same oil.
5. Crackle the remaining cumin, add the tomato, ginger paste and powdered spices with a splash of water. Cook till the oil separates.
6. Add the potatoes, salt, sugar and 2 cups water. Cook 10 minutes till the potatoes are soft.
7. Slide in the dhoka and simmer 2 minutes only. Finish with ghee and garam masala.

Tip: Add the dhoka just before serving — if they soak too long they turn soggy.