Recipe for Varan Phal

Name: Recipe for Varan Phal
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Ingredients: Sambar; Wheat Flour Dough; Fresh Coriander Leaves; for garnishing; 1 tbsp Sesame Oil; 10-12 Curry Leaves; 10-15 Raw Peanuts; 1 tsp Cumin Seeds/Mustard Seeds; ⅓ tsp Asafoetida

If I have to list some of the comfort foods from India, Varan Phal will surely take one of the top positions. Just like Dal Chawal ( one of India’s most loved comfort foods), this dish is also easy to make, heartwarming and light. It fills you and yet keeps you light and active.

Varan Phal comes from the state of Maharashtra in India. It is the Indian version of Pasta. However, there are some key differences. This pasta is made with whole wheat flour instead of refined flour, and the ‘sauce’ is made with lentils, predominantly Toor Dal. In my home, we make it with sambar.

If I plan to make Varan Phal for breakfast, I make some extra sambar the previous night. The next day, the taste and flavour of the sambar get enhanced. I dilute the sambar by adding a few cups of water and boiling it. I cook my whole wheat rolled dough in the sambar. I finally temper it with some common tempering ingredients. And, just in a few minutes, a simple yet delicious breakfast is ready. It tastes even better on a cold winter day. The hot soupy sambar is comforting and tastes amazingly delicious.

Let’s start with the recipe:

Kitchen Equipment Needed:

Pressure Cooker: https://amzn.to/3O1zg0h
Pan: https://amzn.to/3Dlz6fi
Rolling pin and board: https://amzn.to/3Q3Vam2
Knives: https://amzn.to/3Lg64Bj
Cutting Board: https://amzn.to/3K0dh8L
Mixing bowl: https://amzn.to/3K14XFH

Ingredients needed to make Varan Phal:

Sambar
Wheat Flour Dough
Fresh Coriander Leaves; for garnishing

Tempering Ingredients:

1 tbsp Sesame Oil
10-12 Curry Leaves
10-15 Raw Peanuts
1 tsp Cumin Seeds/Mustard Seeds
⅓ tsp Asafoetida

Method to make Varan Phal:

Prepare Sambar. Check out the recipe here.
Prepare wheat flour dough by combining whole wheat flour and water and kneading them to a smooth dough. Rest the dough for about 15 minutes before rolling.
In a wide pan, transfer the sambar and boil it. If it is thick, add water and dilute it.
Roll the wheat flour dough. If you roll it thin, it will cook faster.
Cut it into pieces using a knife.
When the sambar comes to a boil, add the cut pieces and cook them on medium heat in the sambar. Stir it occasionally so that the dough doesn’t stick to the base.
The pasta would take about 15-18 minutes to cook fully. At any point, if you feel that the sambar has thickened too much, add boiling water and continue cooking.
Once cooked, taste and check the salt. If needed, add a bit more.
Prepare the tempering by frying all the tempering ingredients on medium heat.
For serving, portion out the cooked pasta. To each portion, add the tempering and garnish with fresh coriander leaves and serve.

Here are some more pictures 🙂

Here is the recipe in printable format: