DAL – PEETHI (WHOLE WHEAT DUMPLINGS IN LENTIL SAUCE)

Monsoons were a time when green vegetables were not easily available. It was a trying time for a housewife-mother. She found it challenging to put delicious and nutritious food on the table. It was on such times, when the pantry was searched for different types of lentils. This recipe was born out of necessity and shows the resourcefulness of the woman of the house. That was then, now, this is a much in demand monsoon dish, relished by my family. We serve it hot ,while it’s pouring outside, with onion fritters, papad and pickles.

Dal-peethi : dal (lentils); peethi (dumplings)

SERVES-6

TIME:

PREP:30 MINS

COOKING:1  Hr

INGREDIENTS:

Chana dal                             50gms

Arhar dal                              50gms

Kali masoor dal                    50gms

Dhuli masoor dal                  50gms

Moong dal                           50 gms

Urad dal                              50gms

Whole wheat flour                375 gms (3 cups)

Ghee (clarified butter)           60 gms(4 tbsp)

Green cardamom                 4 nos

Cloves                                4nos

Bayleaves                             3

Cinnamon                            1”pc

Cumin seeds                        1 tsp

Whole red chillies                4nos

Red chilli powder                1tsp

Turmeric powder                1tsp

Garam masala powder         ½ tsp

Asafoetida powder              ½ tsp

Garlic                                  8 cloves

Ginger                                 1 ½ pc

Onions                                100 gms

Tomatoes                            100 gms

Green chillies                       2 nos

Vegetable oil                        30gms (3 tbsp)

Salt                                      3 tsp (according to taste)

METHOD:

·        Wash all the pulses together and soak in room temperature water for ½ hr.

·        Peel the onion, garlic and ginger , chop them finely

·        Chop the tomatoes and green chillies

·        Take a pressure cooker (5lt capacity)

·        Heat the vegetable oil

·        Add whole spices (cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, bayleaves)

·        Drain soaked lentils, add to the whole spices after about 30 secs

·        Stir for a minute. Add turmeric powder and salt.

·        Add 1 ltr of hot water.

·        Cover and cook under pressure for 20 mins

·        In the meanwhile knead the whole wheat flour with 1 tbsp ghee, salt and 1 ½ cup water.

·        Open the lid of the pressure cooker. The lentils should have been cooked by now. Mash the lentils very lightly with the back of a wooden spoon

·        Put the lentils back on low fire

·        Fashion dumplings (max thickness ½ cm) in interesting shapes, out of the flour

·        Drop them one by one in simmering lentil mixture

·        Keep stirring after every 2-3 mins

·        The dumplings would have cooked in 15 mins time.check

·        The consistency should be of cream soup. If you feel it’s too thick, add some hot water

·        Take off flame

·        Heat ghee in a pan, add cumin seeds, asafoetida powder, chopped, ginger,  garlic, onions and green chillies

·        Stir till caramalised

·        Add the coriander powder, chilli powder and chopped tomatoes

·        Cooked till tomatoes soften. mash well

·        Temper the ‘dal-peethi’ with the onion tomato mixture

·        Sprinkle garam masala powder. Mix well. Serve hot.

NUTRITIVE VALUE : lentils a great source of proteins and roughage. 

little cheat : if you cannot find so many lentils in your pantry , feel free to use as many as you have and you can happily substitute one for another. just ,take care about the total measurement.