One day, I noticed a large container of mung dal in my kitchen and decided it was time to put it to good use. You might wonder how I ended up with so much mung dal. When I asked my husband to buy masoor dal, he misread my text with the grocery list and brought home green mung dal instead. Now, I need to be creative and figure out what to do with this whole container of dal. And success!!
This dish is not only tasty and healthy but also easy to make! I decided to add a unique twist to the classic recipe by incorporating 20-25 crushed curry leaves from the plant I grew in my backyard and omitting oil from the batter. To speed up the process, I used green mung dal (with skin) soaked for just 2 hours in cold water instead of whole mung beans, and the results were fantastic! These dhoklas turned out to be light yet filling, packed with protein and nutrients. While some people prefer stir-fried. I liked the steamed version and the best way I enjoy them is straight from the steamer with just a drizzle of peanut oil.
Ingredients-
1 cup mung dal with skin (split lentils)
½ cup yogurt
2-3 green chili, stem removed
1’ ginger, peeled
10-12 curry leaves
1 tsp salt
¼ cup semolina flour
1 tsp soda by carb
Seasoning-
2 TB oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
¼ tsp asafetida
2 tsp sesame seeds
2-3 TB fresh coconut, shredded
2 TB cilantro, chopped
Method-
Soak the dal in 3 cups of cold water for 3-4 hours.
To pre-steam the steamer, add 5-6 cups of water to the steamer and bring it to a boil over medium heat. Grease a steam-proof plate and place it in the steamer, then cover the pan to retain the steam.
Drain the water from the dal, leaving ½ cup of the soaking water aside. and transfer the soaked dal to a blender. Add green chili, ginger, and curry leaves to the blender and grind the mixture to a coarse consistency. Transfer the blended mixture to a bowl, then add semolina, salt, yogurt and baking soda, mixing thoroughly.
Pour the mixture into the steamed tray and steam it for 12 minutes.
After steaming, remove the tray from the steamer and let it cool. Once cooled, cut the dhokla into diamond shapes.
For the seasoning, heat oil in a small pan and add mustard seeds. When the seeds start to crackle, add asafetida and sesame seeds. Pour the seasoning over the diamond-shaped dhoklas, spreading it evenly and garnish with coconut and cilantro.