Dal Pithi is a dish from Bihari cuisine made of wheat flour rolled as small circles then shaped as flowers are cooked in spiced dal makes this fantastic healthy, filling dal pithi, this dish sounds almost like "Gujarati Dal Dhokli". `Dal` means legumes and `Pithi` means dumplings made out of whole wheat flour. Typically Dal Pithi is served with `Chokha` which is mashed potatoes fried with some onions, green chillies and pickle masala. One can have this dish just like that without any accompaniment. This filling dish can enjoyed thoroughly for a lunch or dinner.
Ingredients:
•Toor dal - 1/4cup
•Moong dal - 1/4cup
•Masoor dal - 1/4cup
•Chana dal - 2 tbsp
•Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
•Chilli powder - 1 tsp
•Garlic - 1 tsp (crushed finely)
•Garam masala powder - 1 tsp
•Asafoetida powder -1/4 tsp
•Salt to taste
•Mustard Oil
•Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
•Garlic cloves - 2 (chopped)
•Onion - 1 (chopped finely)
•Dry red chillies - 1
•Wheat flour - 1 cup (for making pithi)
Method:
•Wash and pressure cook dal with turmeric powder, crushed garlic, garam masala powder, chilli powder, salt to taste and 2 cups of water upto 3 whistles.
•Meanwhile, add water slowly to the wheat flour until the dough starts to come together. Knead the dough until soft but not sticky. Divide the dough into 15 equal parts.
•Take one of the balls; roll it into small circle about 2-3 inches in diameter. Keep flouring the dough. Now the ends together to the middle leaving the center hollow.
•Make this pithis with the remaining dough, keep aside.
•Open the pressure cooker, add 1 cup of water, must be sufficient to cook the dumplings. Give a boil.
•Once the dal starts boiling, add the dumplings and cover the lid and cook by stirring once in a while.
•Cook until the dumplings are soft and tender about 15-20 minutes.
•Heat oil in a pan and then add cumin seeds followed by red chilli, chopped garlic and onions.
•Cook until the onions turns golden and then pour this tempering to the dal pithi.
•Pour this to the dal pithi and give a boil.
•Serve hot with Chokha, pickle and ghee on top.
Notes:
1. Add the Pithis one by one into the dal; otherwise they could coagulate to form one big lump.
2. Add more water if the dal thickens while simmering.
