Dal Dolma

Cabbage leaves

120 gm channa dal

120 gm rice

1 Tbsp finely chopped onion

1 Tbsp finely chopped capsicum

1 Tbsp tomato puree

3 Tbsp refined oil/olive oil

1 Tbsp lemon juice

Salt, sugar and pepper to taste

For the Rice:

Wash and soak the rice for about 2 hours, then drain it.

For the Dal:   

Wash and cook the channa dal in pressure cooker with ½ cup of water and ½ tsp of salt.  After the lst whistle, reduce the heat and cook for 3 minutes. Take the dal on a plate and crush ¾ of the dal with a fork.

For tomato puree:

Wash and cut 2 or 3 tomatoes, remove seeds if any and grind finely.  Heat a heavy pan with 1 tsp refined oil and cook the pulp with ½ tsp of salt until it become little thick.

For the cabbage leaves:

Take a medium size cabbage and cut the stem from the head of the cabbage deep enough. This will help the separation of the outer leaves from the core.  Dip the cabbage in boiling water.  Remove the first loosened leaf. Dip again and continue to remove the leaves one by one.

Prepare the stuffing material: 

In a heave pan heat 2 Tbsp of refined oil.  Add the onion and sauté it for few seconds.  Add the capsicum and 1/4 tsp of pepper powder and fry a little.  Add the tomato puree and stir well.  Add rice and mix well.  Next carefully fold in the channa dal into the fried mixture.  Switch off the heat.

Grease a round baking pan and cover its base with a cabbage leaf as shown in the picture.

Prepare the dolma:

1. Cut off the thick central part of the cabbage leaf, making it into two parts.

2. Take a spoonful of the prepared mixture and place it on the thicker side of the leaf and roll it up loosely, keeping space for the rice to expand. 

3. Place the seam side of the roll downward onto the pan.  Make another roll the same way and place it next to the first with one end overlapping it as shown in the picture.

4. Repeat these two steps until the base of the pan is fully covered. Make a second layer on top of the first.

5. Take about 100 ml of water, add 1 Tbsp of lemon juice, sugar and salt to taste and mix well. 

6. Add 1 Tbsp oil to this mix and pour over the rolls. 

7. Cover the pan with a plate.

8. Steam in a pressure cooker.  After the first whistle of the pressure cooker, reduce the heat to minimum and cook for 20 minutes. Switch off the heat

9. When the cooker cools, remove the pan with the rolls and keep it outside for some time before turning the shape onto a plate. 

10. Or separate the dolmas.

11. Serve hot with brown onion sauce or as you like.