Craving your mom's homemade dal dhokli? Try out chef Sanjeev Kapoor simple recipe for the comforting Gujarati staple

Some nights all you need is a bowl of comfort food that reminds you of home and your childhood. Check out this dal dhokli recipe shared by chef Sanjeev Kapoor!
Some dishes go beyond satisfying hunger – they bring back memories of home, family dinners and the comforting flavours of childhood. If you've moved away from home, there are days when nothing hits the spot quite like a warm bowl of the simple staples your mum used to make, including the Saturday dinner staple – dal dhokli. Fortunately, these nostalgic favourites are easier to recreate than you might think, letting you bring a little taste of home into your own kitchen.
Celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor has shared his take on dal dhokli, a comforting Gujarati one-pot meal that combines soft, spiced wheat flour pieces with a hearty, flavour-packed toor dal. In an article published on his website on June 18, the chef walks readers through the complete ingredient list and a step-by-step method for recreating this wholesome regional staple at home.

Check out the full recipe below!
Ingredients
- 1 cup split pigeon peas (toor dal), soaked
- Salt to taste
- ¾ teaspoon turmeric powder
- ½ cup raw peanuts
- 1¼ cups whole wheat flour + to dust
- ¼ cup gram flour
- ½ teaspoon red chilli powder
- ½ teaspoon asafoetida
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 3 tablespoons pure ghee
- ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
- ¼ teaspoon fenugreek seeds
- 2 dried red chilies, broken into large bites
- 8 to 10 curry leaves
- 2 teaspoons green chilli paste
- 1½ tablespoons grated jaggery
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh coriander leaves
- 1 small onion, finely chopped
Method
- Drain the soaked split pigeon peas and transfer them to a pressure cooker. Add salt, half a teaspoon of turmeric powder, raw peanuts and three and a half cups of water. Secure the lid and pressure cook for three to four whistles, or until the dal is tender.
- Meanwhile, prepare the dough. In a large bowl, combine the wholewheat flour, gram flour, salt, one fourth teaspoon turmeric powder, chilli powder, one fourth teaspoon asafoetida and oil. Mix well, then gradually add three fourth cup water and knead into a stiff dough. Cover with a damp cloth and let it rest for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Once the pressure has released naturally, open the cooker and whisk or churn the cooked dal until smooth.
- Heat two tablespoons ghee in a kadai. Add the mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, one fourth teaspoon asafoetida, dried red chillies, curry leaves and green chilli paste. Sauté until the seeds begin to splutter and the spices turn aromatic.
- Add the cooked pigeon pea mixture to the tempering and stir well. Pour in one cup water, bring the mixture to a boil, then add the jaggery. Cook for four to five minutes, stirring occasionally, until the jaggery dissolves completely.
- Lightly dust your work surface with dry flour and roll the rested dough into a slightly thick roti. Cut it into medium-sized diamond shapes.
- Gently drop the dough diamonds into the simmering dal, one at a time. Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent them from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- Stir in the lemon juice just before switching off the heat.
- Transfer the dal to a serving bowl, drizzle the remaining tablespoon of ghee over the top, and garnish with freshly chopped coriander leaves and sliced onion. Serve hot.
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only. It is based on user-generated content from social media. HT.com has not independently verified the claims and does not endorse them.
ABOUT THE AUTHOREshana SahaEshana Saha is a fresh face in lifestyle and cultural journalism, bringing a refined, multidisciplinary perspective to the intersection of entertainment, fashion and holistic wellbeing. With less than a year of professional experience, she has quickly adapted to high-pressure editorial environments and currently works full-time with HT Media. Prior to this, she interned for nearly six months with Hindustan Times’ entertainment and lifestyle vertical, where she gained hands-on experience in digital reporting, trend analysis and editorial storytelling. Based in New Delhi, Eshana specialises in comprehensive coverage of major cultural moments — from international film press tours to the curated aesthetics of global fashion showcases, award shows and music-centred events. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in English from St Xavier’s University, Kolkata, and a Master’s degree in English from the University of Delhi, equipping her with a strong academic foundation and a keen ability to deconstruct complex cultural trends into clear, high-impact narratives. Beyond the red carpet, Eshana has developed a growing focus on health and wellbeing reporting. She bridges the gap between celebrity-driven trends and practical, evidence-informed lifestyle advice, ensuring her work remains both aspirational and grounded in editorial rigour. She has extensively covered the health implications of Delhi’s air pollution crisis, while also playing a key role in amplifying expert-led insights on women’s health and mental wellbeing, helping translate complex medical perspectives into informed, impactful public awareness. An artist at heart, she explores multiple creative forms — from visual arts and music to culinary experiments — and brings a creative’s eye for nuance, texture and detail to every story. Whether analysing runway dynamics or examining emerging wellness movements, she remains committed to accuracy and the highest standards of contemporary journalistic ethics.Read More
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