A Traditional One Pot Meal – Nutritious & Scrumptious
One pot meal may have become the talk of the town in recent times. But this one pot meal Varan Fal – Chikolya has been there for generations now. Sundays are special in every family. And so they were in mine too. Generally sundays were a non-vegetarian day. On the veg Sundays this was the lunch menu. As I made and tasted it, I was transported to my childhood home eating this with my parents and brothers. It is a beautiful warm nostalgy for me. Dal dhokli is something similar but the spices and ingredients differ a little.
INGREDIENTS:
- Cooked Dal : 2 cups (Mix of toovar and moong dal cooked in a pressure cooker)
- Dough : Enough to make 4 chapatis
- Tomato : 2, chopped
- Garlic : 10 cloves, crushed
- Green Chillies : 5, slit and cut
- Karipatta : 15 leaves
- Corianders : a small bunch, chopped
- Panchphoran : 1 tablespoon (mix of jeera, rai, methi, saunf and kalonji)
- Hing : Half teaspoon
- MOMmade Haldi Powder – Half teaspoon
- MOMmade Goda Mazala – 1 tablespoon
- Gud / Jaggery : a small piece
- Kokum : 3 to 4 pieces ( I would love to use imli / tamarind instead but it was out of stock.
- Fresh Coconut : 2 tablespoon, grated
- Salt as per taste
- Oil for cooking
For the Dough : I have taken whole wheat atta, Salt, Oil, Ajwain and luke warm water to knead the dough. The dough should be just like you make for chapatis. Neither very tight nor very loose. Knead and keep it aside while you chop and prep the rest of the things. TIP : Resting your dough helps in making nice and soft chapatis.
In a pan (or kadhai) take oil and add panchphoran as the oil heats up. Then add in the crushed garlic, karipatta, green chillies and coriander leaves. I like to add the coriander leaves in the oil, just increases the flavour. Once friend for a minute or two, add in the tomatoes and fry.
Add salt, MOMmade Haldi Powder, MOMmade Goda Mazala and mix. Then add the cooked dal with the grated coconut and enough water for the whole thing to cook. I added about 2 full glasses of water.
As the dal / varan, bubbles up and cooks for say 7 to 8 minutes throw in the gud / jaggery and kokum. As I said I would have loved to use tamarind instead. If you are using tamarind, take a small piece and soak in a bowl of wate. Crush and pour in the water of the tamarind in the dal. Well this is an absolutely lip smacking varan here that can be consumed with hot rice as well.
While the dal is cooking, roll thin chapatis of the kneaded dough. Then cut them in the diamond shape pieces.
Once the dal is well blended with all the ingredients and is boiling, throw in the pieces of chapati. Remember to put the pieces only when the dal is boiling nicely. Do not put them in cold or lukewarm dal. It will be a mess. Also take some time and add one by one, giving a stir in between. Then cover and cook for 10 to 15 minutes, till the chapati pieces are well cooked. You will have to eat and check if they are properly cooked. Also check if you need to add some more water.
And thats how you serve the wonderful one pot meal. Take the chikolya in one big bowl with garlic chutney and a papad to go with it. Just add in a spoonfull of ghee, and dig in. I am sure your taste buds and your whole being will feel utmost satisfied. A traditional meal is sometimes or may be always the best meal to feed yourself. A good combo of health and yumminess.
BE YUMMY. BE HEALTHY.
I am Manasi Khandpekar, the founder of MOMmade along with my mom. She is the backbone while I enjoy being the face. Travelling from graphic design to brand communication to creating a brand of my own was a journey of learnings and excitement. The world of food fascinates me everyday. And thats where I am living every moment right now. Writing is another passion so food plus writing gave birth to this blog.
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