Spiced Yogurt Soup with Indian ‘Pasta’ (Kadhi Dhokli)

There I was sitting on the sofa, and wondering what one should make for dinner. I’m someone who prefers making and trying something, different. I like to have variety when it comes to my main meal.

So, I had a somewhat light bulb moment and thought to myself if I can make Daar Dhokri then I’m pretty sure I can make Kadhi Dhokri! This is when this dish had come to life. My Mum had never made it before, nor had I eaten it before, no harm in trying I believe.

The Kadhi you make per your taste. So no fixed measurements as such, same goes for the Dhokri.

The What:
For the Kadhi

• Yogurt
• Salt
• Sugar
• Pinch of Turmeric (optional)
• Pinch of Citric Acid if the Yogurt isn’t tart enough
• Green Chilli, minced
• Ginger, minced
• Chickpea Flour
• Water

For the Dhokri

• Chickpea Flour
• Wheat Flour (optional)
• Salt
• Sugar
• Red Chilli Powder
• Green Chilli, minced
• Garlic, minced
• Pinch of Dried Fenugreek (Kasoori Methi)
• Pinch of Turmeric
• Coriander, finely chopped
• Water
• Oil

Tadka

• Mustard Seeds
• Cumin Seeds
• Garlic, minced (optional)
• Green Chilli, minced (optional)

The How:

• Blitz everything for the Kadhi in a blender and put to one side.
• Make the Dhokri by adding everything into a bowl, apart from the Water. Give everything a mix and taste. Then slow bit by bit add warm Water not too much as Chickpea flour is a very sticky flour.
• Once you have a dough like consistency, grease your hands and the dough with Oil so it is smooth.
• Pinch of little parts using your fingers and smoothen them out into small disks on your palm and place them onto a plate.
• Now, in a pot, add Oil once the Oil is hot add the Mustard Seeds and let them crackle and pop.
• Now add in the Cumin Seeds and Asafetida, Green Chilli and Garlic.
• On low medium heat, let everything cook for about a minute so the raw smell of Garlic and Chilli go away. Be sure not to burn anything.
• Next step is to add the Kadhi into the Pot, now you might want to step slightly away from the Pot as you’re doing this because it may just splutter on you.
• Now pop the gad medium-high and bring the Kadhi to a boil.
• When the Kadhi is bubbling away, submerge the Dhokri (disks) one by one into the Pot and stir (add a couple at a time) this prevents from them sticking to each other.
• Once, all the Disks are in…stir, and turn the gas low cover and cook for a couple of minutes, be sure to stir in between to it doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
  How do you know when it’s done?
• When you can cut the Dhokri with the side of a spoon, or when you give it a taste and it doesn’t taste raw.
• Garnish with Coriander and if you like drizzle a little Oil too.

It’s ready to Eat, Share and Enjoy

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Curried Tomato & Lentil Soup (Daar)

My Dad normally makes a spicy version of this for me when I have a cold, as I think it helps get everything out of my system.
This is a meal as it is, or have it with Rice and it becomes a staple dish for most of us Gujarati’s which is called Daar Bhaath or if you really want to make a meal out of it, you can make Daar Dhokli. Dhokli is Indian Pasta which is a dough made out of Wheat Flour and Chickpea Flour with herbs and spices and rolled out thin and cut into squares/diamonds (they can be any shape) then the ‘Pasta’ is immersed into Boiling Daar and cooked until the thin Soup turns nice and thick.

The What:

Prep for the Base

• 1/2 Cup Split Pigeon Peas (Toor Daal) soaked for half an hour at least
• 3 + 1/2 Cups Water
• 1/2 Tomato roughly chopped

Be sure to wash this Daal 5-6 times until the Water doesn’t seem ‘cloudy’ and the Daal doesn’t feel greasy

Spices

• 3 Tsp Salt
• 4 Tbsp Jaggery
• 1/2 Tsp Garam Masala
• 2-3 Tbsp fresh Coriander roughly chopped
• 1+1/2 Tbsp Coriander & Cumin Powder (Dhana Jeeru)
• 2 Tsp Garlic Paste
• 2 Tsp Ginger Paste
• 2 Tsp Green Chilli Paste
• 1/2 Tsp Turmeric
• 2 Tsp Red Chilli Powder
• 3 Tbsp Lemon Juice/ Tamarind Pulp
• 2 Cups Water

Sizzle/Tadka

• 5 Tbsp Oil
• 1 Tsp Mustard Seeds
• 1 Tsp Cumin Seeds
• 1 Tsp Coriander Stalks finely chopped
• 1 Star Anise
• 1/2 Tsp Asafoetida
• 1/2 Fresh Red Chilli roughly chopped (optional)
• 1/2 Tsp Garlic
• 1/2 Tsp Green Chilli
• 1/2 Tomato finely chopped
• 1/2 Tsp Tomato Puree

The How:

• In a Pressure Cooker add all the ingredients for the Base and Pressure Cook it on high for 4 whistles.
• After 15 minutes release the pressure with the help of a spoon and open it up.
• Add all the Spices along with the Water and with the Hand Blender, Blend everything until everything is smooth and well blended.
• Taste taste and make sure all the flavours are suited to your pallet, if you think something is missing you can add it now or add it into the Tadka.
• In a big Pot heat the Oil on a Low-Medium flame.
• Once hot add the Mustard Seeds once they splutter add the Cumin Seeds.
• Now add the Coriander Stalks, Star Anise & Asafoetida, this is also the right time to add in the Red Chilli.
• Add in the Garlic and Green Chilli Paste, give everything a mix and let everything fry until the raw smell goes away (30-40 seconds)
• Now add in the finely chopped Tomatoes and Tomato Puree.
• Give everything a good mix, and cook until the Tomatoes become mushy.
• Once the Tomatoes can easily be mashed with the back of a spoon, add in the blended Soup.
• Stir and let it come to a boil. The more you allow this to boil the more flavourful it’ll get, so around 25-20 minutes.

It’s ready to Drink, Share and Enjoy.

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Curried Tomato Soup with Indian ‘Pasta’ (Daar Dhokli)

My brother recently got the Family watching Travel Vloggers on YouTube. We saw a video where a man visited a School in Gujarat and for Lunch all the kids (including him) ate Daar Dhokla. It struck me that I hadn’t eaten this in 2019! We’re already into February and so I thought why not. I find foods like this a somewhat treat as we don’t make it very often. But when we do, it certainly is an experience.

The What:

For the Base

2-4 Cups of Curried Tomato & Lentil Soup (Daar)

For the Indian ‘Pasta’

• 1/2 Cup Wheat Flour
• 2 Tbsp Chickpea Flour
• 1 Tbsp Fresh Coriander finely chopped
• 1 Tbsp Fresh Fenugreek (Methi) finely chopped
• 1/4 Tsp Red Chilli Powder
• 1/4 Tsp Coriander & Cumin Powder (Dhana Jeeru)
• 1/4-1/2 Tsp Garlic Paste
• 1/2-1/2 Tsp Green Chilli Paste
• Pinch of Turmeric
• Pinch of Salt
• 1 Tbsp Oil
• Warm Water for Kneading

The How:

if you’re using left over Soup then pop on gas and get it going, if you’ve already made some keep it going on the stove, meanwhile make the dough.

Dough

In a bowl add in everything apart from the Water and Mix.
Little by little add the Water and knead into a soft dough. I would say perhaps 1 Tbsp at a time would be a good idea, I think for me it took about 2-3 Tbsp. You have to be careful with the amount of Water you put in as there’s Chickpea Flour, things can get sticky quickly.

• Split the Dough into 2 portions.
• Using your palms flatten them into disks.
• Flour them on both sides.
• Roll them out – ensuring they’re not thick. Keep dusting it with flour if you think they’re sticking.
• Once it’s rolled out, cut them into shapes you prefer, long noodles or squares or diamonds.
• Before you can immerse these into the Soup you have to make sure, the gas in on high and it’s bubbling away.
• Once the Soup starts to bubble, drop the shapes in one by one (can take a while) and stir in between too. So add a couple and stir, add a couple and stir. Do this until all the shapes are in the Soup.
• *DON’T add them all in at once! I know it’s a tempting shortcut, but the last thing you want to eat is clumps of raw and hard dough*
• Turn the flame down a little and let it bubble away for 3-5 minutes.
• Make sure you keep stirring everything well, or else it could get stuck to the bottom.
• You’ll soon notice, the Soup becoming thick, don’t panic, rest assured this is how it’s meant to be. However if you think it’s a little too thick, add some boiled water from the kettle. Keeping in mind when you turn off the gas and cover the pot it will continue to cook in it’s own steam, therefore become a little thicker.

It’s ready to Eat, Share and Enjoy.

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