Friday, August 28, 2020

Chane Dali- Taikile (Takla) Upkari (Bhaji- Vatli Dal).


“Chane Dali- Taikile (Takla) Upkari (Bhaji- Vatli Dal)” … This is a dish prepared with chana dal that is famously known as Vatli Dal … for variation I have prepared the same with addition of Taikilo/ Takla/ Takala/ Cassia Tora/ Tarotal leaves and it tastes lovely … Yummilicious … 

** Vatli Dal/ Seasoned Ground Chana Dal is a Maharashtrian special dish mostly prepared during festive season as an offering of Naivedyam to God. I learned to prepare this dish from my neighbor who prepares this on Ganapati Visarjan day every year. I have already posted the dish a few years back and will be sharing the link at the bottom of this recipe. This recipe is just a takeoff on that same dish with addition of leaves while rest of the recipe remains the same. Do try out the dish either with or without addition of the leaves. Stay Safe. 

** Here is the simple method of preparing “Chane Dali- Taikile (Takla) Upkari (Bhaji- Vatli Dal)” My Style … My method differs slightly from the traditional Maharashtrian method were in many do not pressure cook the dal once it is ground and proceed with the preparation straight away. But Aunty does so, and I too preferred this method, also made some minute variation to suit my way of cooking, to ensure that the dal is cooked to right consistency. 

** Ingredients : 
Chana Dal/ Split Bengal Gram Dal : 1 heaped cup 
Taikilo/ Takla/ Takala/ Cassia Tora/ Tarotal leaves : 1 cup cleaned and finely chopped. 
Coconut/ Soyi : ½ cup freshly grated. 
Green Chillies/ Tarni Mirsanga/ Hari Mirchi : 6-8 (less spicy one’s) 
Mustard Seeds/ Rai/ Sasam : 1 tsp 
Cumin Seeds/ Jeera : 1 tsp 
Turmeric/ Haldi Powder : ¼ + ¼ tsp 
Asafoetida/ Hing Powder : ½ to 1 tsp depending upon its aroma 
Curry Leaves/ Kadipatta/ Karbevu : 8-10 fresh leaves 
Sugar/ Shakkar : 1 tsp (Optional) I have not added. 
Lemon Juice/ Nimboo Ras/ Limbiya rosu : of 1 large sized lemon. 
Salt/ Namak/ Meeta : to taste 
Oil : 2-3 tblsp 

** Wash the chana dal and soak in plenty of water for 2-3 hours. Some soak it overnight or for about 6 hours, but I have soaked only for 2 hours. Drain and wash in plenty of water and put it in an colander and keep aside for 10-15 minutes shaking it in between to drain off all the water in it. The water should be drained off properly. 

** Put the drained chana dal in a mixer grinder and grind to a coarse rava consistency paste. I ground the same in food processor which gives a good textured coarsely ground mixture. If a few of the chana dal remain whole or halves, don't worry, it tastes crunchy and great. Remove the ground mixture and put this in a vessel with one cup of water, ¼ tsp of haldi powder, salt to taste, a few drops of ghee/ oil and mix well. 

** In a pressure cooker keep the bottom plate that is available on purchasing the cooker. Add about 1-2 cups of water, keep the vessel in which the chana dal is added. Cover and pressure cook on high for one whistle, then lower the heat and cook for about 3-4 minutes. Remove and let cool before you open the lid. 

** Once the pressure has fallen and you are able to open the lid, do so, remove the cooked dal and allow it to cool to room temperature. Once it cools, you will be able to break it into granules easily with a fork, like how we prepare for Idly usli. Do so till you get evenly broken small pieces of the cooked dal. 

** Now heat the oil in a thick bottomed kadai, when hot add in the mustard seeds, once they begin to splutter, lower the heat and add in the jeera, finely chopped green chillies, curry leaves, remaining turmeric, hing powder and let fry for few seconds. Now add in the finely chopped leaves and mix well. Sprinkle some water and cook covered till done. Finally add in the broken cooked dal, pinch of salt only as we have added the same to dal while cooking, sugar if you want to add, I have not added and mix well. Cover and let cook on low heat for 5-10 minutes. 

** Finally, add in the finely grated coconut and mix well. Once again cover with a tight lid and let cook on its own steam for about another 5 minutes. Remove from fire and add in the freshly squeezed lemon juice and mix well. You can also add in some grated raw mango when in season for which the same will have to be added along with the dal once the seasoning is done. 

** “Chane Dali- Taikile (Takla) Upkari (Bhaji- Vatli Dal)” is done and ready to be offered to God and Naivedyam after which you can distribute the same among your family and friends. You can also prepare this and relish as a snack anytime of the year, if you are fond of the same. Children simply love it and is good dish to be served when they are hungry coming back from school. Some even relish this as a side dish with roti/chapati. You can serve the same as per your wish, tastes great with poori too. 

** For “Vatli Dal” original recipe, the one without addition of the taikilo leaves you can check out the same through the link shared below …. 

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