Mutter (Peas) Dhokli

Something completely different this time, from Dilip’s household. You will not find it in restaurants (well I have never seen it), but it may be offered in some ones home. It’s not in season but I manage to get some really fresh. We used to have it all the time when my son lived with me (he loves it). I got so weary of it, I could not take this dish anymore. But now its been awhile, with deep breath, I desided to go for it. Okay okay, what the heck is it you cry. Its Mutter Dhokli, what you scream!!. Yes you heard right, its Mutter Dhokli. Its way easy to prepare folks, so try it. The dish is not the same using frozen/tinned mutter, so use fresh peas if you can, which can be difficult here in the UK, since it’s out of season. Some supermarkets do have fresh pre-packed peas, so you might be lucky there.

Although it’s very easy to prepare, be careful with the dhokli. For those that have made daal dhokli for example will know what I mean. Too many dhoklis and it will get really thick, too little and you will end with an odd soup. For this dish most of the water should be simmered off such that the peas are nicely cooked and dhoklis should remain moist.

Ingredients (serves 2)

• Cup of fresh mutter
• ½ tsp hing
• pinch of turmeric
• 1 tsp red chilli powder (or 2 tsp if you like it hotter)
• salt to taste
• 3 cups of hot water
• oil

Preparation

Prepare dhokli dough, using white wheat flour and a tbsp of besan flour, to which add some turmeric, chilli powder and tbsp of oil. Use enough wheat flour to make around 5 chapattis, dough should be slightly harder then chapatti dough. Set aside for a few mins.

Method

• In a cooking pan prepare the tempering, heat some oil and add mustard seeds, once the seeds are crackling add the hing, after a few seconds add hot water and then the mutter. Please be careful as the hot water hits the hot oil it will splutter like crazy, put a lid on the pan as quickly as you can.
• Add salt, turmeric and chilli powder.
• Simmer on medium-low heat for 5 mins.
• Add dohklis using the prepared dough, by rolling out a slight larger than golf size ball size into a chapatti. Cut the rolled chapatti into diamond shapes and add to the simmering mutter. Stir all the time to ensure dhoklis don’t stick to each other. Repeat for the rest of the golf balls. Need to ensure the mixture does not get too thick, as it will thicken as the dhoklis cook, add some hot water as required.
• Cook the mutter dhokli for around 20 mins on a low heat, do not stir too much since the dhoklis will get mussy. If its too watery then simmer it off. The final creation should not be watery but nice and thick.

Mutter Dhokli

There you have it. Enjoy with chapattis; I like it on its own in a large bowl garnished with finely chopped onions and some drops of lime (or lemon). Very comforting on a cold winter’s evening.