Dal Fara

🛒 Ingredients

• Chana Dal (split chickpeas), dry 100 g · 340 kcal
• Rice Flour 200 g · 720 kcal
• Green Chilies 5 g · 2 kcal
• Ginger 10 g · 8 kcal
• Cumin Seeds 6 g · 23 kcal
• Turmeric Powder 2 g · 7 kcal
• Asafoetida (Hing) 1 g · 3 kcal
• Vegetable Oil 30 g · 270 kcal
• Mustard Seeds 3 g · 15 kcal
• Curry Leaves 5 g · 5 kcal
• Dry Red Chilies 2 g · 6 kcal
• Sesame Seeds 5 g · 29 kcal
• Fresh Coriander Leaves 10 g · 2 kcal

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. Soak chana dal in water for 4-6 hours or overnight; drain completely. Grind the soaked dal with green chilies and ginger into a coarse paste, adding minimal water if necessary.
2. Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a pan, add cumin seeds and asafoetida. Once fragrant, add the dal paste, turmeric powder, and salt. Cook until the moisture evaporates and the filling is somewhat dry.
3. Bring water to a boil in a heavy-bottomed pot. Add rice flour and a pinch of salt to the boiling water, stirring continuously to form a smooth, thick dough. Remove from heat and let it cool slightly.
4. Knead the rice flour dough until smooth. Divide both the dough and the dal filling into equal small portions. Flatten each dough portion, place a spoonful of dal filling in the center, and fold it into a crescent or half-moon shape, sealing the edges.
5. Steam the prepared fara (dumplings) in a steamer for 15-20 minutes until cooked through. They should appear firm and slightly glossy.
6. For the tempering, heat the remaining vegetable oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, dry red chilies, asafoetida, and curry leaves. Let them splutter and become fragrant.
7. Add the steamed fara to the tempering, along with sesame seeds and a bit more salt if needed. Gently toss to coat all the dumplings evenly.
8. Garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve hot with chutney or a side of simple dal.