Daal Dhokli

Daal - dhokli or chakolya is probably the most comforting food ever. I am not saying that this is 'the' way to make it but this is how I like to make it! Proportion of spices is merely a guideline. Adjust the daal suitable to your taste.The term dhokli refers to strips made form a spicy kanik/atta, almost comparable to fresh pasta. It is 'dhoklis' cooked in daal!

Ingredients
For daal:
1/2 cup toor daal cooked in 1 cup water
1 tb spoon oil/ghee
1/2 tea spoon cumin seeds
1/2 tea spoon mustard seeds
1/2 tea spoon asafoetida
1/4 tea spoon turmeric powder
1/2 tea spoon cayenne pepper
1 tb spoon tamarind paste mixed in 1 tb spoon water
1/2 tb spoon grated jaggery
1 cup water
1-2 tb spoon chopped cilantro

For Dhokli
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 tea spoon carom seeds (ajwain)
pinch of salt
1/2 tea spoon each turmeric powder and cayenne pepper
1 tb spoon oil
1/4 cup water

Method:
Make dhokli dough by mixing together all the ingredients. Add little water at a time to make a soft dough. Knead until soft (but not sticky) and set aside.You may require little less or more water.
Cook daal in a pressure cooker with a standard 4 whistle rule. Heat oil/ghee in a deep pan and add cumin seeds and mustard seeds. Once they pop, add asafoetida, turmeric powder and cayenne pepper and let that fry for 30 seconds or until fragrant  Add cooked daal,water, tamarind, jaggery and salt and let the daal boil on a medium heat. In the meantime, (to make dhoklis) divide the dhokli dough in 2 balls. Roll out each ball into a circle as thin as possible, divide the circle into 2 and cut into stripes of 1/2 inch width. Add dhoklis into daal and boil everything together for 3-4 minutes or until the dhoklis are cooked.Add chopped cilantro at the end. Serve hot with desi ghee.

Tomatoes overload !

It is almost end of summer here but farmers markets are still buzzing with beautiful coloured tomatoes and basil. I am using these 2 things in as many ways as possible! Usual preparations being caprese salad and pasta. Summer version of Jamie Oliver's Rotolo is my addition this summer (more on that coming up soon)  and so is this pizza. Although, making pizza was an impulsive decision but a really  tasty one.
            Addition of lemon and basil flavoured ricotta cheese acts almost like 'pizza sauce' with goat's cheese on top. A new combination but now my favourite!

Ingredients:
1 8" pizza base ( refer here)
1 tb balsamic vinegar mixed with 1 tb spoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup ricotta cheese
1 tb spoon lemon juice
1/2 tea spoon lemon zest
1 tb spoon finely chopped basil
1 cup baby heirloom tomatoes of different colours,halved
1/4 cup crumbled goat cheese
salt and pepper to taste
1 tb spoon pine nuts (optional)
1 tb chopped basil to sprinkle on top of pizza

Method:
Make the pizza base first (refer here.). Once you have a rolled pizza dough, transfer dough onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Brush the top of pizza base with the mixture of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Bake the base in a 450 F pre-heated oven for 12-15 minutes. The base should almost be cooked at this point.
    To make the 'sauce', mix ricotta cheese with lemon juice,lemon zest,chopped basil and season with salt and pepper and set aside. Remove the base from the oven and spread the ricotta mixture on a hot, almost baked dough. Arrange the tomatoes in a single layer and top it up with crumbled goat cheese. Season with salt and pepper again and put tray back in the oven for another 3-5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Remove from oven and sprinkle chopped basil and pine nuts on top. Serve immediately.

Note- Add 1/2 tea spoon chilli flakes on tomatoes if like!