Phunake/Vafole

A leafy vegetable called Chiu or Chival or Chivai is used in these dumplings when available. Khandeshi people really love this weed kind of vegetable. It grows on its own in the farms. Farmers just pull it out by bag fulls and sell. This vegetable is bit slimy and sour to taste.

Phunake or Vafole are Khandeshi style toor daal dumplings. These are usually eaten with Khandeshi style buttermilk kadhi. It is one protein packed lunch menu I always enjoy when I visit my in-laws place. Very simple to make but tasty.
Combination of these two, Phunake made with chivai is a delicacy in Khandesh. Everyone in my family start drooling even with the thought of it.

 

Recipe I am sharing today is made up with chopped onions and cilantro as it is not possible to get Chivai vegetable here. These dumplings are served with specially prepared Khandeshi Kadhi.

1 cup Toor Daal
1 Small Onion
3-4 Green Chilies (or per taste)
5-6 Cloves of Garlic
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
Salt per taste
Fistful of Chopped Cilantro
Water as needed

Preparation -
Pick over and wash daal. Soak it in about 2-3 cups of water for 5-6 hours.
Drain soaked daal after 5-6 hours, reserve drained water. We will use that to grind daal.
Coarsely grind daal using reserved water and little more if needed. The consistency of batter should be dry and not watery.
Remove in a bowl and add salt to taste.
Chop onion and cilantro into fine dice. Mix into the batter.
Grind green chilis, garlic and cumin seeds into paste. Mix this thoroughly in the prepared batter. Taste test for salt and chilies, adjust accordingly.
Now boil water in vessel which can be fit a steamer. Oil the steamer or line with parchment paper.
Make fist size balls of prepared batter and line up properly in steamer plate. Steam on medium heat for 12-15 minutes.
Once phunake are steamed, let them cool down a little bit and then serve with Khandeshi Buttermilk Kadhi.

Tips - 

1. Another vegetable Gholu/Ghol (purslane) and Chival are different weeds. Here is picture of Ghol - http://www.vadanikavalgheta.com/2011/08/gholichi-bhaji.html. Ghol leaves are almost 3 times bigger than chival leaves. 
2. Once served, break the dumplings into crumbs and eat with kadhi like we eat rice and kadhi.
3. I suggest re-steaming the leftovers instead of microwaving. 
4. These are traditionally made with toor daal and no other daals added.