Growing up in a diversified colony gave me an advantage to enjoy different meals prepared by our neighbors. I still remember I was in grade 7th when I first tasted this Dal pakwan recipe. My reaction was, “How do I eat a dal with papad?” But this one bite was enough to make me reconsider my opinion. I just LOVED IT, and from then on our sunday brunch used to be yummy dal pakwan and the tradition still continues.
Simple recipe where chana dal is tempered and flavored with spices. I have omitted onions in my tadka and have used them later while assembling the pakwans. I prefer this dal to be on a spicy side but spices can be modified as per one’s taste. If you chose to top your pakwans with dal then keep the dal consistency on a thick side. For me chana dal was cooked in 3 whistles but depending on the quality of the lentils and how old the lentils are, cooking time may vary. Cook until lentils are soft and tender.One spice that needs an special attention in this recipe is Amchur Powder. It brings out the tangy taste and makes it chatpatta. 😉
Pakwan is a pretty straightforward recipe. Combine ingredients, knead the dough and fry until golden brown in color. Do not forget to poke holes in pakwan before frying. Pakwans should not puff up like bhaturas, rather they should be flat and crispy like papads.
FOR HEALTHIER OPTION – PAKWANS CAN BE BAKED IN OVEN. Preheat oven @ 350 degree F and place pakwan in a single layer on a baking tray. Bake them for 10-12 minutes on until crispy brown in color. Depending on oven temperature cooking time may vary. Do give this yummy breakfast/brunch a try and let your taste-buds explode with flavor and cry out – mooore please!!
While you are here try out other brunch recipes Matar kulcha, Chole Bhature recipe.
Dal Pakwan Recipe
INGREDIENTS
BOILING DAL
- 1.5 cup Chana dal OR Bengal Gram lentils
- 1 teaspoon Haldi (Turmeric powder)
- Salt to taste
MAKING A TEMPERING/TADKA FOR DAL
- 1 medium Chopped tomato
- 1 tablespoon Chopped or grated ginger
- 3/4 teaspoon Cumin seeds
- 1.5 teaspoon Coriander powder (sukha dhaniya)
- 1/2 teaspoon Red chili powder
- 1 - 1.5 teaspoon Amchur Powder (Mango Powder)
- 1 teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
- 1 tablespoon Ghee for tadka
MAKING PAKWAN - MAKES 12 PAKWAN
- 2 cups Wheat Flour (Atta)
- 1 cup Maida (All purpose flour)
- 1.5 teaspoon Salt
- 1.5 teaspoon Ajwain
- 1.5 teaspoon Oil to finish up the dough
- Oil for Frying
ASSEMBLING PAKWAN
- 1/2 cup Chopped Onions
- 2-3 small Chopped green Chillies (optional)
- 2 tablespoon Chopped cilantro leaves - to sprinkle on top
- 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice - to sprinkle on top
- 1-2 tablespoon Gram flour sev to sprinkle on top
- A pinch of Chaat Masala - to sprinkle on top
- A pinch of Red chili powder
INSTRUCTIONS
MAKING DAL
- Clean and wash chana dal.
- Assemble: ingredients that are required for boiling the dal.
- In a pressure cooker add dal,salt and turmeric powder. Add enough water to cook the dal. For me it was 2 cups of water for 1 cup dal.
- Cook for 2- 4 whistles or until dal is tender. Cooking time may vary depending on dal texture and may take 4-6 whistles to cook the dal. Boiled dal is ready.
- Meanwhile assemble ingredients for tadka.
- In a kadhai heat ghee. Add cumin seeds and when they start to sputter add in chopped ginger and saute for a minute. Mix in chopped tomatoes..
- Mix in all the spices (except garam masala and amchur powder), add 3 tablespoon water, cover and cook on medium low flame until tomatoes are tender and soft.
- Mix in boiled dal. Add water accordingly.
- Add in amchur powder, garam masala powder and adjust the salt content.
- Chana dal is ready.
- Chana dal is ready. Let's begin making the pakwan.
MAKING PAKWAN
- Assemble: ingredients for pakwan.
- In a bowl combine all the ingredients one by one.
- Add enough water to knead a soft pliable dough.
- If the dough feels sticky dust it with 1 tablespoon of extra dough and make it smooth.
- Make small dough balls out of it.
- And roll it in the form of a small circle.
- Heat oil in a kadahi. Drop a ball of small dough in the hot oil and if it floats up right back, then the oil is ready for frying.
- Prick the rolled out dough circle with a fork.
- And fry them in hot oil until brown from both the sides.
- Do not let it puff. Unlike the pooris, pakwan has to be flat and crispy just like a papad.
- Remove from oil and rest it on a paper napkin to drain the excess oil. Crispy and crunchy Pakwans are ready.
- PAKWANS CAN BE BAKED IN OVEN. Preheat oven @ 350 degree F and place pakwan in a single layer on a baking tray. Bake them for 10-12 minutes on until crispy brown in color. Depending on oven temperature cooking time will vary.
- Serve it hot topped with chana dal, sprinkle some chopped onions, green chilies and cilantro on top. Sprinkle some lemon juice and finish it off with some red chili powder and chaat masala.
Hi Ruchi: Can you please confirm for me whether the pakwan is fried at a low to medium heat (like papri) to make it crispy or is it fried at a medium high heat like soft puris are fried. Kindly confirm. i would love to try out this recipe. Thank you in advance.
For crispy mathri-like pakwans, please fry them at medium heat.