Missing India - A recipe!

I was fortunate enough to get a few recipes of my favorite dishes from my host mom in Rajasthan, India this summer.

Even during the monsoon season, rain is rare in central Rajasthan; it rained for a few hours a couple days the entire time I was there, and the relief of seeing it brought child like elation from adults. Going up on the rooftop while it was raining, and you'd see the heads of all the neighbors on their rooftops also taking rain baths.

Seemingly everything has a meaning and a tradition there, and rain is no exception to this. It didn't take me long to immediately start looking forward to eating dal dhokali as soon as I saw rain. It was easily one of my top 5 favorites and I miss it!! So I thought I'd share the recipe :)


Ingredients
(for dal)
-1/2 cup mung dal (kidney beans)
-1/2 tsp red chili, tumeric, coriander
-salt to taste
-pinch asafoetida
-1/4 tsp cumin seeds
4 cups water
(for dhokali)
-1 cup wheat flour (unbleached)
-1/2 tsp red chili
-¼ tsp tumeric powder
-¼ tsp cumin seeds
-salt to taste
-2 tsp oil/ghee

Method
Wash and soak dal for 15-20 minutes and drain excess water. Put 3 cups of water, salt, tumeric powder into dal and leave on gas (simmer) for 5-6 minutes. Now puta ll spices and duokali in and leave for ½ an on gas.
Take wheat flower and add all spices and make into dough (knead with water and pinch of salt until it stops sticking to your fingers. Roll to about ¼ inch thick and cut into 1 inch squares) and put into dal and simmer for 10 minutes. Add more water if needed.