Aam dhokli, zunka & mango dal: Delicious regional mango dishes to try

Whip up a khatta-meetha meal with these mango recipes.

Mango zunka

This is a twist to the authentic jhunka prepared made with semi-ripe mangoes which come into season in April-May.

Mangoes go well with savoury Indian dishes (Recipes by (L) Reetu Uday Kugaji and (R) Sanjana Das )

Traditional zunka gets an innovative flair in this Mango Zunka recipe (Reetu Uday Kugaji)

Elaborates Reetu Uday Kugaji, culinary expert and consultant chef, “Zunka or jhunka, is a traditional Maharashtrian dish which is in the dry form, prepared by using bengal gram flour, onions, and spices. It is paired with jwarichi (jowar) bhakri, thecha and taak. I have added peeled and grated raw mango to the zunka for a twist and this is so delectable as the flavour and juices in mango enhance the already amazing taste of the traditional zunka. You must use seasonal mangoes for it as they taste much more flavourful and delicious.

Ingredients

Bengal gram flour - 1 cup

Peanut oil - 4 tbsp

Curry leaves -2 sprigs

Asafoetida - ½ tsp

Mustard seeds - ¾ tsp

Cumin seeds - ¾ tsp

Ginger, (2-inch piece) + 8 cloves garlic + 4 green chillies, coarsely ground

Onion, sliced - 1, large

Peeled and grated raw mango -1, medium-sized

Turmeric - ½ tsp

Kashmiri red chilli powder - 2 tsp

Water - ¾ cup

Salt - to taste

Water for sprinkling - as required

Chopped coriander leaves - 2 tbsp

For the garnish

Chopped coriander leaves - 1 tbsp

Method

Heat oil add mustard seeds and cumin seeds in a non-stick pan. Let them crackle and add curry leaves. Now, add the ground ginger garlic and green chilli paste. Sauté until the raw aroma disappears. Add the sliced onion and salt to taste. Sauté until light golden in colour.

Add the coriander leaves, mix and cook for a few seconds. Add the grated raw mango and cook only until it is half cooked.

Now, add the turmeric and red chilli powder and ½ tbsp of water. Stir and cook for until you see the oil oozing out. Now, add the Bengal gram flour and mix well.

Keep stirring and cooking for at least 2 to 3 minutes or until the raw aroma of the Bengal gram flour disappears.

Sprinkle water, little at a time, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Now sprinkle more water and cover and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.

In between, keep checking to ensure it does not burn.

Remove the lid and stir. It should be of a crumbly texture.

Serve immediately with
jowarichi bhakri, thecha, whole green chillies and onion hit on the crown with your fist. Sprinkle lemon juice on the zunka, if desired.

Aam Diye Masoor Dal

By Sanjana Das, food content creator of @bengaligirl.tries

Aaam Diye Masoor Dal imparts a Bengali flavour to mangoes (Sanjana Das)

“This is my rendition of the Bengali classic, kacha aam diye tok dal. Instead of raw mangoes I’ve used sweet ripe mangoes for flavour and more depth,” says Sanjana.

Ingredients

Mango, sliced - 1, ripe

For the dal

Masoor dal - 1 cup

Water - 3 cups

Salt - 1 tsp

Turmeric powder – ½ tsp

For the tadka

Mustard oil - 2 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Bay leaf – 1

Dry red chilli – 1

Asafoetida (hing) – ¼ tsp

Green chillies, split – 2

Coriander leaves for garnish (optional)

Method

Wash and soak masoor dal in water for 30 minutes. Boil it with water, salt and turmeric until soft.

Heat mustard oil and temper it with mustard seeds, dry red chilli, bay leaf and hing. Add the sliced ripe mangoes and fry for a minute.

Add the cooked masoor dal and mix well. Pour in ½ cup water and drop in green chillies. Simmer for about 5 mins. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Mango Dal Dhokli
Maharaj Bhawar Singh, Maharaj, Rajdhani, shares his recipe

Prepare this delicious mango dal dhokli (Rajdhani )

Ingredients

For the dal

Toovar (arhar) dal - 1 cup

Ripe mango, peeled and diced - 1 full

Kokam, soaked for 15 minutes and drained - 5

Lemon juice - ½ tbsp

Jaggery, chopped - 5 tbsp

Ginger and green chilli paste - ½ tbsp

Chilli powder - ½ tbsp

Broken cashews - 3 tbsp

Curry leaves (kadi patta) - 10

Turmeric powder - ¼ tsp

Ghee - 2 tbsp

Oil - 1 tbsp

Cumin seeds (jeera) - ¼ tbsp

Mustard seeds (rai) - ¼ tbsp

Asafoetida (hing) - ¼ tbsp

Red chillies - 2

Cinnamon - 1 stick

Cloves (laung) - 2

Salt to taste

Water as needed

For the Dhokli

Whole wheat flour - 1 cup

Besan (gram flour) - ½ tbsp

Chilli powder - ½ tbsp

Turmeric powder - ½ tbsp

Carom seeds (ajwain, optional) ¼ tsp

Oil- 1 tbsp

Salt to taste

Water as needed

For the garnish

Coriander leaves, chopped - 4, fresh

Grated coconut (optional)

Ghee - 1 tbsp

For the dal

Clean, wash and drain the toovar dal. Pressure cook it with 2 cups of hot water for three whistles. Allow the steam to escape naturally before opening the cooker.

In a deep non-stick pan, blend the cooked dal with 1 cup of hot water using a hand blender until smooth. Add 2½ cups more hot water to the pan and mix well. Add salt, ripe mango, soaked kokum, lemon juice, jaggery, ginger-green chilli paste, chilli powder, cashews, curry leaves, and turmeric powder to the dal mixture.

Cook on medium flame for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

For the tempering (tadka)
Heat ghee and oil in a small pan. Add cumin seeds and mustard seeds. Let them crackle. Add asafoetida, dry red chillies, cinnamon, and cloves. Sauté for 30 seconds. Pour this tempering over the cooked dal mixture. Mix well and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes. Set aside.

For the dhokli

In a deep bowl, combine whole wheat flour, besan, chilli powder, turmeric powder, carom seeds (if using), oil, and salt. Knead into a semi-stiff dough using enough water. Cover the dough and let it rest for at least 15 minutes.

Divide the dough into 5 equal portions and roll out each portion into a thin 8-inch circle using a little whole wheat flour for dusting.

Cook each chapati lightly on a non-stick tava (griddle) from both sides. Let them cool, then cut into diamond or square shapes. Keep aside.

Assembly (To make the Dal Dhokli)
Just before serving, reheat the dal. Once it starts boiling, add the prepared dhokli pieces, chopped coriander, and ghee. Mix gently and cook on medium flame for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Serving tips: Add the dhoklis one by one into the dal to avoid them forming one big lump. You can add more water if the dal thickens while simmering. Add more ripe mango pieces for garnish on top of the dish.