DAL PAKWAN

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time : 30 minutes
Serves: 6-8

Ingredients:

For Pakwan
1.5 cup all purpose flour/maida

1/4 cup semolina /sooji
1/4 tsp ajwain/carom seeds
1/2 tsp salt or to taste
2 tbsp oil or ghee
oil for deep frying

For Dal

1 cup chana dal or bengal gram
2 green chilies, slit
8-10 curry leaves
1 tsp cumin
a pinch of asafoetida
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1-2 tbsp tamarind pulp as per taste
1/2 tsp garam masala powder
1 tsp sugar or as per taste (optional)
salt as per taste
2 tbsp oil or ghee

Method:

For Pakwan

1. Mix all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and knead a tight dough.
2. Make small balls of the dough.
3. Roll them into circular discs with the help of a rolling pin.
4. Prick each with a fork and deep fry in hot oil till the pakwans are crisp and golden brown in color.
5. Drain the pakwans on an absorbant paper to remove excess oil.
6. Serve pakwan warm with chana dal .

For Dal

1. Rinse and soak the chana dal in water for 2-3 hours.
2. Drain and cook the dal with 3 cups of water,salt and turmeric powder in a pressure cooker for 2-3 whistles.
3.  Open the lid when the pressure releases on its own,
4. Add rest of the spices,tamarind pulp, sugar and salt to the dal.
5. Cook for 8-10 minutes on a low flame or till you reach desired consistency.
6. Heat oil or ghee in another pan.
7. Crackle the cumin first and then add the green chilies ,curry leaves and asafoetida and saute further for a minute or two on a low flame.
8. Pour this tempering over the dal.
9. Mix well and serve the steaming hot dal with pakwan accompanied with some chopped onions, tomatoes,green chilis,coriander leaves and sweet tamarind chutney. 

Contributed by:
 Era Juneja