Dal Dhokli - Lentil Stew with Dumplings

Dhoklis:Sieve the flour. Add all the spices, methi leaves, oil and water to form semi-soft dough. Cover and keep it aside for 30 minutes. Knead well and divide the dough into about 7-8 portions. Roll out each portion into thin rounds, use a little flour to make sure it does not stick. Cut each with a pizza cutter into big bite-size squares. Cover the dhoklis with a piece of paper, don’t let them dry or overlap too much, lest they get stuck.
Dal:In a deep, heavy bottomed pan, heat oil. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds; as they splutter, add dried red chilies, green chilies, curry leaves and ginger to it. Fry a little and add the grated cauliflower, peanuts and the remaining boiled vegetables. Throw in the tomatoes and torn dal and 1/2 cup of water or as required. Add the rest of spices, salt, jaggery, kokam. Mash lightly with the ladle and let it all blend with the dal until it comes to a boil. Let this mixture be fairly watery. It'll thicken up considerably once the dhoklis are thrown in.
Slowly, add the dhoklis batch by batch, a few at a time to the boiling dal. Repeat until all 5-6 chappatis are done. Let this boil until all the dhoklis are cooked through, but not overcooked. Like fresh pasta, the dhoklis are cooked when the rise to the top, takes barely a couple of minutes. Garnish with fresh cilantro and chopped red onions. Serve hot with some spicy pickle, if desired.
Note: Use a cookie cutter to cut the rotis into whimsical shapes. Have the kids pitch in. They'll love to eat what they make! Adjust sweetness, spiciness to your liking. This is sure to become one of your regulars, esp. on a cold night.