Steamed spicy green peas and lentil cakes are curried in a lightly scented cumin-ginger paste.Koraishutir dhokar dalna is a beautiful variant of the classic Bengali dish dhokar dalna and it goes very well with bengali pulao or luchi.Dhokar dalna is considered as an epitome of Bengali vegetarian (niramish) cuisine.
Prep time
40 mins
Cooking time
30 mins
Total time
1 hour 10 mins
Ingredients:
To make dhoka / lentil cakes-
Chana dal / Bengal gram : 1 cup
Green peas : 1¾ cup
Green chillies (finely chopped) : 2 tsp
Ginger-cumin paste : 2 tsp
Fennel seeds ( roughly ground) : ½ tsp
Asafoetida / hing : a tiny pinch
Salt and sugar to taste
To make the curry
Ginger-cumin paste / aada-jeere bata: 4 tbsp
Tomato puree : ½ cup
Turmeric powder : ¼ tsp
Red chilli powder : ½ tsp
Green chillies chopped: 1 tsp or more
Bay leaves : 1 or 2
Cardamom - cinnamon and cloves : 2 piece each
Bengali Garam masala : a large pinch
Oil for frying
Ghee : 1 tbsp
Potatoes cut into qaurts : 2 cups (optional)
Method:
Wash and soak the chana dal for 5-6 hours.
Prepare the tomato puree from a well ripened tomato
Wash and soak the cumin seed for half an hour.
To prepare jeere-aada bata / cumin-ginger paste
Peel and roughly chop finger long ginger piece. Grind it together with 3-4 tbsp cumin seeds. Keep aside.
to prepare dhoka / pea-lentil cakes
Grind together all the ingredients listed under dhoka / lentil cakes.
It will be a smooth batter but will have slight coarse texture. Do not puree it.
Grease a flat bottom microwaveable dish.
Pour the batter, and cook on micro high for 5-7 min or until set firmly.
You can steam it in water bath or pressure cooker.
When cooled slightly, cut the cakes into desired shapes .
Heat enough oil in a kadhai or deep bottom pan.
Fry the dhoka till they are golden brown.
If they are not fried properly, dhokas will break when simmered in gravy.
In the same oil, fry the potatoes and keep aside.
To prepare the curry
Heat two tablespoon oil in a pan.
When it is hot enough, add bay leaves, cinnamon-cardamom and cloves.
Add the ginger-cumin paste. Fry it for a minute, then add tomato pureee.
Add the lightly fried potatoes.
Followed by all the spices except garam masala.
Saute the masala paste till oil leaves out from the corner of the pan.
Add salt and sugar taste.
Add water enough to cover half of the kadhai.
Lower the heat and let the potatoes cooked through.
Once done, add gently the lentil cakes or dhoka.
Add more water if requires.
Cover the pan and let the dhoka simmered in gravy for 5 minute.
Just before finishing, sprinkle garam masala and drizzle a spoonful of ghee.
Serve it warm.
My Tip:
Dhokas will soak up all the water, so before adding the dhokas, make sure enough water is there in the pan. It is best to prepare this dish at least one hour before serving. so that dhokas will not end up as dry or crumbly. It should be juicy.
Prep time
40 mins
Cooking time
30 mins
Total time
1 hour 10 mins
Ingredients:
To make dhoka / lentil cakes-
Chana dal / Bengal gram : 1 cup
Green peas : 1¾ cup
Green chillies (finely chopped) : 2 tsp
Ginger-cumin paste : 2 tsp
Fennel seeds ( roughly ground) : ½ tsp
Asafoetida / hing : a tiny pinch
Salt and sugar to taste
To make the curry
Ginger-cumin paste / aada-jeere bata: 4 tbsp
Tomato puree : ½ cup
Turmeric powder : ¼ tsp
Red chilli powder : ½ tsp
Green chillies chopped: 1 tsp or more
Bay leaves : 1 or 2
Cardamom - cinnamon and cloves : 2 piece each
Bengali Garam masala : a large pinch
Oil for frying
Ghee : 1 tbsp
Potatoes cut into qaurts : 2 cups (optional)
Method:
Wash and soak the chana dal for 5-6 hours.
Prepare the tomato puree from a well ripened tomato
Wash and soak the cumin seed for half an hour.
To prepare jeere-aada bata / cumin-ginger paste
Peel and roughly chop finger long ginger piece. Grind it together with 3-4 tbsp cumin seeds. Keep aside.
to prepare dhoka / pea-lentil cakes
Grind together all the ingredients listed under dhoka / lentil cakes.
It will be a smooth batter but will have slight coarse texture. Do not puree it.
Grease a flat bottom microwaveable dish.
Pour the batter, and cook on micro high for 5-7 min or until set firmly.
You can steam it in water bath or pressure cooker.
When cooled slightly, cut the cakes into desired shapes .
Heat enough oil in a kadhai or deep bottom pan.
Fry the dhoka till they are golden brown.
If they are not fried properly, dhokas will break when simmered in gravy.
In the same oil, fry the potatoes and keep aside.
To prepare the curry
Heat two tablespoon oil in a pan.
When it is hot enough, add bay leaves, cinnamon-cardamom and cloves.
Add the ginger-cumin paste. Fry it for a minute, then add tomato pureee.
Add the lightly fried potatoes.
Followed by all the spices except garam masala.
Saute the masala paste till oil leaves out from the corner of the pan.
Add salt and sugar taste.
Add water enough to cover half of the kadhai.
Lower the heat and let the potatoes cooked through.
Once done, add gently the lentil cakes or dhoka.
Add more water if requires.
Cover the pan and let the dhoka simmered in gravy for 5 minute.
Just before finishing, sprinkle garam masala and drizzle a spoonful of ghee.
Serve it warm.
My Tip:
Dhokas will soak up all the water, so before adding the dhokas, make sure enough water is there in the pan. It is best to prepare this dish at least one hour before serving. so that dhokas will not end up as dry or crumbly. It should be juicy.
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