Varan Phal

What is the meaning of Varan Phala? That is what I asked When I was told about this recipe by a friend who visited us from India  recently. Varan means cooked dal in marathi and  phala - fruit which here refers to the little wheat diamonds. This is a recipe of cooking varan and phala together in spices.

Ingredients:To make the Varan:
Toor dal - 1 cup
Mustard seeds 1/2 tsp
Cumin seeds 1/2 tsp
 Hing 1/4 tsp
Turmeric powder  1 tsp
Salt  1 tsp or as per your taste
Sambhar masala -  tsp
Red chilli powder  1 tsp or as per your taste
Goda masala or Garam masal 2 tsp
Ginger garlic paste 1 tsp
Oil 1 tbsp
Curry leaves  2-3
Water - 1-2 cups
Tamarind pulp - 2-3 tbsp
Jaggery - 3 tbsp



To make the Phala:
Whole wheat flour (atta) 1 cup
Water to make the dough
Salt 1/4 tsp
Red chilli powder -  1/4 tsp
Ajwain (Carom seeds) -1/4 tsp
Haldi- 1/4 tsp

Method :
First step is to cook dal. Wash the dal, add water, turmeric powder  and salt and cook it in pressure cooker.
While dal is cooking knead the dough for 'phala'. Take all the ingredients listed under phala and knead a dough as a chapati dough. Keep aside.


Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. Once the seeds star crackling add cumin seeds and hing. add curry leaves and mix this seasoning in the cooked dal. Add jaggery, tamarind pulp, sambhar masala, red chilli powder and goda masala/garam masala. Add some water in the dal. Dal should be liquid as we are cooking phala in that which will absorb some water. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat and let it simmer.


To make phala roll out chapati from the dough and cut it in diamond shape. 

 Add the chopped chapati/phala to the dal and let it cook for another 10 min. Taste the varanphal and adjust the seasoning. Garnish with cilantro leaves and serve piping hot with ghee.


Note - You can omit jaggery if you want to.


This is on its way to "Cooking with Whole Food - Toor Dal/Pigeon Peas started by Kiran.