Bataka ni Dhokli; a union of delicate potato dhoklis with a classic gujju style potato curry

તમને પહેલાના જ્ઞાતિ  સમ્મેલનોના ભોજન સમારંભો કે પછી  લગ્ન જમણવારો યાદ છે? એ પલાઠી વાળી, એકલીયા પર  પંગતભેર બેસવાનું, પડીયા–પત્રાળામાં જમવાનું, ઝપાટાભેર પીરસાતા ખાવાના, દાળ–શાકના કમંડળ અને ભાત પીરસવાના ભાતીયા!એ વખતોમાં ભોજન સાદા પણ સ્વાદિષ્ટ હતાં.

70 વર્ષ પહેલાં સુખડી–ગાંઠીયા–બટાકાનું શાક એ જમણવારનું મેનુ રહેતું.લાડુ/લાપસી, ગોળ– આંબલીનું બટાકાનું રસાવાળું શાક, દાળ ને ભાત.એ વખતોમાં પુરી–રોટલીનોએટલો મહિમા નહોતો. યજમાન જો  સમૃદ્ધ હોય તો ફુલવડી પીરસાતી. ડાંગરના ચોખા તો ક્યાંય ન દેખાય, કોદરાના ચોખા ખવાતા અને પ્રસંગે પીરસતા પણ ખરા. પત્રાળામાં બધું ચોળીને ભેગું કરી સબડકાભેર ખાવાનું અને જો સબડકો લેવાની મઝા ના આવે  તો જમવામાં ધબડકો હતો એમ માનવાનું. કહેવાય છે ને –સબડકા વગર ધબડકો. હવે કલ્પના કરો ગોળ–આંબલીથી રચેલા છાલવાળા બટાકાનું શાક અને એમાં ઉમેરાય આપણી પ્રિય ઢોકળી અને એ પણ પાછી બટાકાની ઢોકળી. કેટલી મઝા પડે! એજ ખટમીઠો સ્વાદ અને સબડકા લઈને જમવાનો અનેરો આનંદ આપતી આ ઢોકળીની વાનગી. 

બનાવી જુઓ ને કહો કેવી લાગી!

Dhokli meals are a bundle of joy and comfort combined with the ease of cooking. They tickle the right spot. Always. I have never been a dhokli fan, yet I am having so much fun curating all these regional Dhokli recipes on the blog. This one here is Potato Dhokli in Potato Curry. Yes, the dhokli sounds like gnocchi, but this is a vegan version with bajri, and wheat flour added to it. The skill is to evoke the classic khatta-meetha taste of potato curry that was once an integral part of the Gujarati pangat meals. Crack that balance of flavor, and you are a winner. These somewhat fragile dhokli cook in the flavorful curry; one needs the skill to gauge the exact time to turn off the flame so that the dhokli are cooked and also hold their shape. Otherwise, it is fun; shape them as you like; the classic thumbprint works the best. 

Bataka ni Dhokli; a union of delicate potato dhoklis with a classic gujju style potato curry

Serves -3

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Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 750 grams potatoes boiled, peeled and mashed and divided into equal parts.

For the Dhokli:

• One Half of the boiled and mashed potatoes
• 150 grams wheat flour
• 100 grams bajri/pearl millet flour
• 2 teaspoons ginger+green chilli paste
• 1 tablespoon chopped coriander optional
• 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
• 1/4 teaspoon haldi powder
• 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder adjust to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon Dhana-Jeera powder
• 1/2 teaspoon oil
• salt to taste
• water as required

For the potato curry:

• the remaining half mashed potatoes
• 2 dried red chillies
• 1 inch stick of cinnamon
• 2 cloves
• 1 spring curry leaves
• 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
• a pinch of hing
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon red chilli powder more or less as required
• 2 teaspoons coriander-cumin powder
• 1 teaspoon jaggery
• a small lime sized tamarind soaked in 3-4 tablespoons water
• a pinch of garam masala
• 2 tablespoons oil
• salt to taste
• water for the curry
• 2-3 tablespoons coriander finely chopped

Method

 

1. To make the Dhokli:
2. In a parat/thali or a mixing basin bring all the dry ingredients listed under the Dhokli list.
3. Mix it with the mashed potatoes, chilli+ginger paste, oil.
4. Bring it all together and knead it into a soft dough.
5. Add couple of tablespoons of water if required. Do not overmix.
6. Shape the dough into logs and pinch out marble sized dough balls.
7. Begin to shape the dhoklis with floured hands. Shape the Dhoklis and keep aside.
8. If you have some help in the kitchen, one person shapes the Dhokli while the other prepares the potato curry. So that both the components are made at the same time and the dish is ready within short time.
9. To make the potato curry:
10. Place a thick bottom kadai over medium flame.
11. Add oil. If using raw peanuts fry them once the oil is hot. Fry until they crack open, remove from oil and keep aside.
12. Add mustard seeds, after they pop add hing, turn the flame to low whole red chilly, cinnamon stick, cloves, turmeric powder, red chilli powder in quick succession.
13. Now add the mashed potatoes, mix it well so that the tempered oil coats it well. Add 1.5 cups water.
14. Give it all a good mix. Add 1 more cup of water. mix it well.
15. Now add the salt, dhana-jeera powder, jaggery and 1 tablespoon imli water.
16. Bring the curry to a boil and allow it to simmer.
17. At this state, taste it, adjust the khatta-meetha taste (no overpowering taste of khatta or meetha) and the consistency of the curry ( add some warm water if required).
18. Adjust the seasoning too.
19. Now bring the curry to a boil and add the dhoklis one at a time as the curry is on a boil.
20. After you have added all the Dhoklis, continue to cook, to not stir as it might brake the dhokli.
21. after a few dhokli pop on the top, turn the flame to simmer and cook until the Dhokli have cooked.
22. Turn off the flame.
23. Garnish with chopped coriander,
24. Serve hot topped with fried peanuts and a lime wedge.

Notes

While the Dhokli and their broth are simple meals, it does need some experience and skill to crack the right balance of flavours and the texture of the Dhokli. Try making these dhokli recipes a few time if you fail at first. Don't give up on them. These are beautiful recipes that have stood the test of time.