Dancing Elephant Club | Life
How a Single Recipe Infused Joy and Purpose into My Life
In response to Dancing Elephants prompt 3 of Life Column
Routines are important for life. However, sometimes this everyday routines are so boring and repetitive.
Doing the same activities in a day lead to a boredom. Without variation in activities and experiences, it can make life dull.
Therefore, it is really important to bring variety and creativity in our day to day life. Breaking out of rigid routines can inject freshness into life.
Last Sunday started like any other weekend day. I got out of bed and wondered what to do. I thought about trying a recipe that I love.
I felt a bit bored as the day went on. But then I remembered how much I loved that special dish from my childhood. So, I decided to make it myself. I gathered the ingredients and followed the recipe step by step.
I have made a famous Gujarati dish called Dal Dhokli. It is a traditional Gujarati dish that is prepared with lentils and wheat flour as ingredients.
- 1 cup whole wheat flour (atta)
- 1 cup cooked pigeon peas (tuvar dal)
- 2 tomatoes, chopped1 onion, finely chopped2-3 green chilies, chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, minced1-inch piece ginger, grated1 teaspoon mustard seeds1 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon coriander powder
- 1/2 teaspoon asafoetida (hing)
- 2 tablespoons oil
- Salt to taste
- Fresh coriander leaves for garnish
- Lemon wedges for serving
Recipe
- Rinse the toovar dal (pigeon peas) and add it in pressure cooker. Add 1/2 cups water in it. Close the lid, cook it over medium flame for 3 whistles. While daal is cooking, prepare the dough for Dhokli.
- In a mixing bowl, combine whole wheat flour, a pinch of turmeric powder, salt, and a tablespoon of oil. Gradually add water and knead into a stiff dough. Let it rest for about 15-20 minutes.
- After resting, divide the dough into small portions and roll them out into thin circles like chapatis. Cut the rolled dough into small diamond or square shapes using a knife.
- In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Let them splutter.Add chopped onions, green chilies, minced garlic, and grated ginger. Sauté until onions turn translucent.
- Add chopped tomatoes and cook until they turn mushy.
- Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, and asafoetida.
- Mix well and cook for another minute.
- Add cooked pigeon peas (tuvar dal) along with some water to adjust the consistency.
- Bring the mixture to a boil and then add the rolled dough pieces (dhoklis) one by one, stirring gently to prevent sticking.
- Cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the dhoklis are cooked through and tender. It may take around 15-20 minutes.
- Once the dhoklis are cooked, adjust the consistency of the dal dhokli by adding more water if needed. Check for seasoning and adjust salt and spices accordingly.
- Garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves.
- Serve hot with a squeeze of lemon juice on top.
Enjoy your homemade Gujarati Dal Dhokli!
When the dish was ready, it smelled and tasted just like Mom’s. Eating it brought back so many memories. I realized that sometimes, the best moments come from simple things like cooking a favorite recipe and remembering the love behind it.
Thanks, Dr. Preeti Singh for sharing this amazing prompt.
✍ — Published by DR Rawson — The Possibilist at Dancing Elephant Press. Click here for guidelines to post click here.
