Its been so long posting something, feels good to be back. In March 2009 the daring bakers decided to make lasagnas from scratch and I happened to make double the quantity of dough. I had lots of left over dough and was planning to make ravioli, tortellini's and freeze them and that's how I realized I could make Stuffed Dal Dhokli, which I has been my favorite ever since I saw it in The Spice Cafe. I love her pictures and I think that's what inspired me to cook this, though I never loved it when I was small. But now every time I have some extra dough of any kind and its getting stale I make this, sometimes with a stuffing and sometimes not. There was this once that I had to make Muruku's and I used All purpose flour instead of Rice Flour, so yeah they too landed up as dhoklis. This is such a versatile recipe and do not forget to add the peanuts, they are the best part.

Ingredients

Dhoklis

I used about 1/2 cup of Spinach Pasta Dough

The Usual Dhokli recipe is as follow, you can skip the stuffing and just use the dough or use any other stuffing of your choice:

Dough
1/2 cup wheat flour
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
salt to taste
1 tsp oil
water for kneading

Method

1. Mix all the ingredients except water.
   
2. Knead to a soft dough using the water.
   
3. Cover and keep aside till you make the stuffing.
   

Stuffing

1/2 cup boiled and smashed potatoes
1 green chili, chopped finely
a pinch turmeric powder
1/4 amchur (mango powder)
1/4 tsp cumin powder
1/4 tsp red chili powder
1/4 cup chopped coriander leaves
salt to taste

Method

1. Mix all the ingredients together and keep aside.
   

Assemble the Dhokli

1. Take a lemon size ball of dough.
   
2. Roll to make a 1/4 inch thick circle.
   
3. Using a cookie cutter or a bottle cap, cut small circles about 2 inch in radius.
   
4. Place little bit of the stuffing on each cut circle.
   
5. Close the sides of the circle over the stuffing and form a ball.
   
6. Flatten the ball to form a flat disc.
   
7. Continue the same till all the flour is used.
   
8. Cover and keep aside till the dal is made.
   

Dal Ingredients
1 cup boiled Toor Dal
1/4 inch ginger grated (optional)
1 tsp jeera
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 pinch hing / asefetida
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1/3 cup raw peanuts
1/4 cup chopped tomatoes
2 kukum flowers
2 tsp jaggery/gur
salt to taste
fresh coriander leaves for garnish
2 cups water
1 tsp ghee / oil
1 onion chopped and mixed with some salt and red chili powder

Method

1. Heat ghee and add the hing, the mustard seeds and cumin seeds.
   
2. Once they splutter add the tomatoes and ginger. Cook for a minute.
   
3. Add the dal with the 2 cups off water.
   
4. Bring to a boil.
   
5. Add the peanuts,red chili powder, turmeric powder, kukum, jaggery and salt.
   
6. Boil for 5 minutes.
   
7. Keep it on simmer and add the dhokli's.
   
8. Simmer for 10 minutes.
   
9. The dal dhokli is done once the dhokli float to the top.
   
10. Add the coriander leaves.
    
11. Serve immediately garnished with the onion.
    

Ingredients
1 cup Basmati rice
2 to 4 peppercorns
12 mm. (1/2") piece cinnamon
2 cloves
2 green cardamom
1 onion, chopped
1 cup carrot, grated
1 cup boiled chickpeas or canned chickpeas
1/2 lime juice
1 tablespoon oil
salt to taste

Method

1. Wash the rice and keep aside.
   
2. Heat the oil in a pressure cooker, add the peppercorns, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom and onion and fry for some time.
   
3. Then add the carrots and chickpeas and stir for a few seconds.
   
4. Add 2 cups water, salt and lime juice and let the water boil.
   
5. Finally, add the rice and perssure cook for 2 whistle. Allow the steam to escape before opening.
   

(Mint leaves Spiced Rice)

This is my contribution to the Monthly Blog Patrol-April: One Pot Wonders, I have since been browsing blogs and had so many options. I finally decided to make the Pudina Biryani from Andhra Flavors - For Spicy Lovers Blog. I loved the color of the dish and was healthy too. I did make a few changes, I added some coriander leaves and onions as well, ground everything to a paste together, did not use beetroot since did not have them at home instead used a bowl of mixed vegetables. This is an easy recipe but still very delicious, loved the addition of pudina (mint).





INGREDIENTS:
1 Cup Rice
3/4 Cup mixed vegetables of your choice (carrots, beans, potatoes, corn, double beans)
1 Tbsp ghee
1 Bay leaf
2 tbsp curds
1 tsp coriander powder
½ tsp Red Chili powder
21/2 Cups water
Salt to taste

Grind to a paste
1/2 cup Pudina/ Mint Leaves
1/2 Onion
1/2 cup coriander leaves
1/2 inch Ginger
2 Garlic cloves
1 Green chillies
2 Cardamoms
2 Cloves
5 pepper corns
1 Cinnamon stick

Method

1. Soak rice in water for 1/2 hour.
   
2. Heat ghee in a pressure cooker, add the bay leaf.
   
3. Add the ground paste and cook till the oil separates.
   
4. Add rec chili powder, coriander powder and cook for a minute.
   
5. Add the curds and mixed vegetables and cook for 5 minutes.
   
6. Add the water and salt.
   
7. Once the water comes to a boil, add the rice and close the cooker.
   
8. Give 2 whistles.
   
9. Serve rice with any raita or plain curds.
   

Note: You can cook this rice anyway you like I prefer using the cooker.

Bisi Belle Bath is a Karnataka dish, easy to make and very very tasty and filling. There are many kinds of bisi bele bath, using mixed vegetables, pearl onions, avlaikai. I like to make it with all them.

When I was browsing through many blogs I found that I was throwing away a very nutrious green every week -- the radish leaves never knew we could cook with them. I dont eat radish but we get 2 bunches every week as my husband loves to munch on them.

I was inspired by:

Lakshmi from the Yum Blog - Radish Leaves are edible

Mythreyee from Paajaka - Radish Leaves Curry / Mullangi Keerai Palya

Mahek from Mahek's Kitchen - MULYAPANNACHI BHAJI(radish leaves vegetable)

I started off to make Maheks version for the simple reason there was enough dal and since I never like the bitter taste of radish I thought maybe the dal will help a bit and I can pick and eat. But as soon as I started cleaning the radish leaves the smell was a bit too much for me to handle so then I decided to make bisi bele bath with the leaves maybe with all the vegetables and spices I dont get the bitter taste and maybe then I would get used to the radish taste. The reasult was great, I did get the taste of the leaves but it was not to bad at all. Will probably try making one of the above recipes next time.

Finally the recipe for Radish Leaves Bisi Bele Bath, this is my good friend Radha's recipe I learnt to make this from her when I was in Bangalore, I just added the radish leaves and used MTR Sambhar powder instead of her home made sambhar powder which I miss a lot.



1 cup Tuvar dal
1 cup Rice
6 cups Water
2 cup mixed vegetables, chopped (carrots, beans, brinjal, avlaikai, Peas,whole pearl onions) - you could use one vegetable or all
1 cup radish leaves, washed and chopped. (Leaves from 2 bunches)
1 tomato, chopped
2 tbsp peanuts
1 tbsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp turmeric powder
2 tbsp sambhar powder
2 dry red chillies
10-15 curry leaves
A pinch of asafetida
1 tbsp ghee
Salt to taste


Method

1. Soak the tuvar dal and rice together in water for 1/2 to 1 hour.
   
2. Heat oil in a Pressure Cooker, add the curry leaves, vegetables, peanuts, radish leaves and the dal rice mixture.
   
3. Add the water, salt, turmeric powder and tomatoes.
   
4. Pressure cook for 3 whistles, cool the cooker.
   
5. In a pan heat the oil and add the mustard seeds and the asafetida and wait for them to crackle.
   
6. Add the Sambhar water dissolved in 1/4 cup water ( This is so that the Powder does not burn) and stir for a minute.
   
7. Add this tempering to the pressure cooked mixture.
   
8. Mix well, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.
   
9. Serve with Boondhi and curds.
   

Note: Depending on the Sambhar powder quantity varies, add to suite your taste.