Niramish Dhokar Dalna / Bengali Style Fried Lentil Cakes in Tomato Curry

by Shaheen Ali
Niramish Dhokar Dalna

Last week was a hectic one! We had my mom with us, celebrated Eid-ul-Adha with family and close ones and now back to life. Last week we hogged on Non vegetarian dishes like there’s no tomorrow. My refrigerator is still loaded with some raw mutton which i’ll hopefully try making and consuming in a day or two. But for now here’s adelicious recipes made using NO ONION,NO GARLIC. Yes you read that right, Dhokar Dalna or if i may call it as Niramish Dhokar Dalna is one authentic traditional recipe from Bengal Cusine that is made without onion and garlic. The word Niramish defines that all. Soaked Chana dal is ground to make a fine paste and steamed as a cake. Later cut into squares and deep fried. This is Dhokar and together when it combines with fried potatoes that goes into a tomato based flavored curry is known as Dhokar Dalna. I learned this recipe from my mother as i have seen her making this when we were young, now as she stays alone, she avoids making such tedious recipes. Dhokar dalna is typically enjoyed as a side dish with luchi or plain steamed rice. Check out the recipe and do share your feedback with me below.

To make Dhokar Dalna, first you need to make the Dhokar that is the steamed and fried lentil cake. For that first wash and soak chana dal overnight. Discard water and wash the dal again with fresh water and collect in a mixer grinder jar. Add cumin seeds, chopped green chilies and ginger in the jar and grind to make a fine paste. Grease a medium size thali and keep aside. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a non stick pan and temper it with asafoetida. Immediately add the chana dal mix and start stirring continuously till the dal leave the sides and collect to form a lump. Transfer the cooked dal mix on the greased thali and gently tap to spread. You can grease your palm or a bottom of a flat bowl and tap the mix evenly from all sides so that it spreads equally. Tuck the corners well and place the thali in a steamer and steam the lentil cake. This might take 10-15 mins or more. Keep checking by inserting a tooth pick in the center till it comes out clean. Transfer the thali on a wire rack and allow it to cool. Once the lentil cake is cool, cut into square or diamond shape and keep aside. Now heat oil in a wok or a pan and gently slide the lentil cake pieces in batches and fry from both sides till golden. Collect the fried pieces on a kitchen towel to soak excess oil.

Second stepis to make the tomato base curry without using Onion and Garlic. For that first In the same oil fry potato cubes till golden in color and collect them aside. Now temper the oil with some cumin seeds, bay leaf, cardamom and cinnamon stick. Add ginger paste and green chilies and fry till raw smell goes off. Now add in the tomato puree and fry till oil starts leaving the sides. Meanwhile in a bowl mix curd with coriander powder, red chili powder, cumin powder, garam masala powder and turmeric powder (optional). Add the curd mix in the wok and stir nicely. Cook for 5-6 mins in low flames. You can adjust oil from sides if required. Now add fried potatoes and mix well. Adjust salt as needed and slowly add water to make curry. Let the curry come to a boil and then simmer the flames and cook for another 5 mins till potatoes are tender. Gently add the fried dhokar/ lentil cake pieces into the curry, sprinkle sugar and turn of the gas. You can garnish the curry with some freshly chopped coriander and serve with luchi or hot rice.



Print Recipe
Niramish Dhokar Dalna / Bengali Style Fried Lentil Cakes in Tomato Curry
Course side dish
Cuisine bengali
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Passive Time 12 hours
Servings
people
Ingredients
For Dhokar / Lentil Cake
Course side dish
Cuisine bengali
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Passive Time 12 hours
Servings
people
Ingredients
For Dhokar / Lentil Cake
Instructions
How to make Dhokar / Lentil Cake :
  1. Wash and soak chana dal overnight. Discard water and wash the dal again with fresh water and collect in a mixer grinder jar.
  2. Add cumin seeds, chopped green chilies and ginger in the jar and grind to make a fine paste.
  3. Grease a medium size thali and keep aside.
  4. Heat 2 tbsp oil in a non stick pan and temper it with asafoetida.
  5. Immediately add the chana dal mix and start stirring continuously till the dal leave the sides and collect to form a lump.
  6. Transfer the cooked dal mix on the greased thali and gently tap to spread. You can grease your palm or a bottom of a flat bowl and tap the mix evenly from all sides so that it spreads equally. Tuck the corners well and place the thali in a steamer and steam the lentil cake. This might take 10-15 mins or more. Keep checking by inserting a tooth pick in the center till it comes out clean.
  7. Transfer the thali on a wire rack and allow it to cool.
  8. Once the lentil cake is cool, cut into square or diamond shape and keep aside.
  9. Now heat oil in a wok or a pan and gently slide the lentil cake pieces in batches and fry from both sides till golden.
  10. Collect the fried pieces on a kitchen towel to soak excess oil.
How to make curry :
  1. In the same oil fry potato cubes till golden in color and collect them aside.
  2. Now temper the oil with some cumin seeds, bay leaf, cardamom and cinnamon stick.
  3. Add ginger paste and green chilies and fry till raw smell goes off.
  4. Now add in the tomato puree and fry till oil starts leaving the sides.
  5. Meanwhile in a bowl mix curd with coriander powder, red chili powder, cumin powder, garam masala powder and turmeric powder (optional).
  6. Add the curd mix in the wok and stir nicely. Cook for 5-6 mins in low flames. You can adjust oil from sides if required.
  7. Now add fried potatoes and mix well. Adjust salt as needed and slowly add water to make curry.
  8. Let the curry come to a boil and then simmer the flames and cook for another 5 mins till potatoes are tender.
  9. Gently add the fried dhokar/ lentil cake pieces into the curry, sprinkle sugar and turn of the gas.
  10. You can garnish the curry with some freshly chopped coriander and serve with luchi or hot rice.
Recipe Notes

If you liked this traditional No Onion-Garlic recipe from Bengal, then try making at home and send us your feedback in comments below.

Love : Shaheen

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