Bandhakopir Dhokar Dalna is a delectable, spicy, and aromatic Bengali recipe that is madly popular among Bengalis. As there is no garlic and onion used in this recipe, it can be used on any auspicious day like many puja festivals and other vegetarian days.
What is Dhoka and Dhokar Dalna? In Bengali, Dhoka means the fried split Bengal gram cake. In this recipe, the dhokas made with cabbage and split Bengal grams are fried and then simmered in a gravy made with tomatoes, and ginger and sometimes added with potatoes finished in a warm, spicy, cumin, coriander flavored sauce which makes this great recipe.
The variations: It can be prepared with cabbage, banana blossom/mocha, cauliflower, and green peas.
How to consume? It can be consumed with hot rice and dal or with phulka and chapati
Types of equipment required for this recipe
- Mixing bowl
- Blender
- Serving bowl/Plate
- Kadai/Fry pan
- Spatula
- Pressure cooker
Ingredients for this recipe
To make the dhoka/lentil cake
- Cabbage (grated)-2 cups
- Soaked split Bengal gram/chana dal-2 cups
- Ginger-1/2 inch
- Green chili-1
- Asafoetida/Hing-1/4 tbsp
- Nigella seeds-1/4 tbsp
- Turmeric powder-1/2 tbsp
- Mustard oil-2 tbsp
- Salt -1/2 tbsp
- Sugar-1/2 tbsp
For making dalna/ curry
- Ghee 1 tbsp
- Oil-2 tbsp
- Potato-2 ( cut into medium dice shaped)
- Cinnamon-1/2 inch stick
- Cardamoms-2
- Black pepper corn-6
- Cloves-2
- Bay leaf-1
- Tomato -2
- Ginger-1/2 inch
- Green chili-1
- Sugar-1/4 tbsp
- Turmeric powder-1/2 tbsp
- Cumin-coriander powder- 1 tbsp
- Garam masala-1/2 tbsp
- Pinch of cardamom powder
- Chopped coriander leaves tbsp
How to make Bandhakopir Dhokar Dalna
Take a blender jar and add soaked chana dal, ginger, salt, and hing, if required add 2 tbsp water; make a fine paste, and keep it aside,(You can do this after the 2nd step also)
Take a pressure cooker; add the grated cabbages and water(2 cups) and go for 1 whistle
Open the lid and check it; keep it aside
Heat oil in a pan and fry the potatoes; once done, take them out from the oil and keep them aside
Add nigella seeds in the same oil for tempering, then add the boiled cabbage
Now add salt and turmeric powder, and stir them for a minute
Add the chana dal paste, and stir continuously until it becomes tight
Immediately transfer them to a pre-greased plate and flatten them with the help of a knife cut them into square or diamond shapes, and allow them to cool to become tight
Now heat oil in a flat pan, and fry the dhoka, Once they become light brown in color, take them out from the oil and keep them aside
Add cinnamon, cardamom, peppercorn, bay leaf and cloves for tempering
Now add the tomato-ginger-green chili paste and cook them for a minute
Add turmeric, coriander-cumin powder, salt, and sugar and stir them till the raw smell goes off
Now add 2 cups of water, followed by the fried potatoes, and mix them
Cover the lid, and allow them to cook for 4-5 minutes on medium flame
Open the lid, add the fried dhoka, and mix them well
Add cardamom powder and ghee; mix them well
Spread chopped coriander leaves over it, and serve hot with rice or phulka