Varan Chikolya \ Varan Phal ,in Maharashtra , is same dish as Dal Dhokli. Whenever we get bored of eating sabzi roti and rice, and need something different but not outside food, we have a very good option of having mugachi khichdi or Turichi Khichdi or Varan Chikolya.
This one dish has carbs and proteins, and we don't have to take too much efforts. It is so simple to make regular Tuvar Dal and add diagonal shaped roti into that.
This dish replaces regular meals in one dish meal. Very simple, quick and nutritious dish with lots of protein power of Toor Dal.
2 cups wheat flour
1 cup water, as needed to make a dough
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp Carom Seeds/Ajwain
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. oil
2 cups water , for pressure cook of dal
1 tsp. Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp. Asafetida
1 tsp. Mustard seeds
1 tsp. Cumin seeds
10-12 Garlic cloves
6-8 Curry leaves
3-4 Green Chilies
2 medium tomatoes, chopped
2 tsp. Jaggery
1 tbsp red chili powder
2 tbsp oil
Salt as per taste
2 tbsp Ghee to garnish
Coriander leaves to garnish
1.Make dough for chikolya with wheat flour, salt, oil, carom seeds and cumin seeds. Add water as per needed because we need a little tight dough for this.(Roast cumin seeds and carom seeds on pan till it
releases its flavor and make a powder. It gives very nice flavor to chikolya.)Let it Rest for 10-15 minutes.
2.Wash Toor dal 2-3 times with clean water and cook in pressure cooker with water.
3.Once the dal is cooked and all steam gone, open the lid and add turmeric powder and salt with water. You can add water as per Dal consistency. If water is more, you have to boil dal for more time.
4.Heat oil in pan and add mustard seeds, cumin seeds and curry leaves along with Asafetida.(This is very common Tempering for any dal.)
5.Add green chilies and garlic cloves. Saute for 1 minute and make sure they don't get burn.
6.Add chopped tomatoes and mix thoroughly. Let it cook for 3-4 minutes. Add jaggery and mix it well with other masala.
7.Add red chili powder and cooked dal into this mixture and let the Varan | dal boil on medium flame.
8.Till that time, roll the dough and make 5-6 balls. Roll each ball into regular roti and with the help of knife cut into diagonal shapes like shankarpali. We call these as chikolya or Phal or Dhokli.
9.Take out these cut diagonal pieces and put it into boiling dal.
10.All Chikolya should be properly cooked in dal, you may need to add little water to make nice dal consistency. Because chikolya will also absorb water to get cooked.
11. Varan chikolya or Varan Phal or Dal Dhokli is ready to be served .Garnish with Ghee and coriander leaves.
Varan chikolya tastes great when warm.
