This almost staple dish from the cuisine of Rajasthan in western India, is simple and nutritious. It is even served on special occasions!!
Ingredients:
For daal (Lentil Curry):
2 cups rajma beans (soaked in water overnight with a pinch of soda bicarb)
3/4 cup whole black gram (urad) (soaked in water overnight with a pinch of soda bicarb)
3 onions, chopped finely
2 tomatoes, chopped finely
2 tsp garam masala powder
2 tsp chilli powder
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste
2 green chillies, slit lengthwise
2 tbsp cream
4 tbsp ghee
1 cup coriander leaves, chopped finely
Oil
Salt To Taste
For Bati (dumplings):
5 cups whole wheat flour, sieved
1 cup ghee, melted
2 tbsps curd
Salt To Taste
Preparation:
- Pressure cook rajma and black gram till it becomes soft. Heat 4 tbsps oil. Add onions. Brown them.
- Add ginger-garlic paste and tomatoes. Fry. Add all the masalas, beans and salt.Simmer till well blended. The gravy should be thick. Pour over cream and ghee. Knead a soft dough with flour, ghee, curd, salt and just enough water.
- Roll into lemon-sized balls. Cover and keep for one hour.
- Now pre-heat your oven to 400 F/ 200 C/ Gas Mark 6.
- Divide the dough into equal sized portions and roll into smooth balls. Press very lightly to flatten the balls just a little. Arrange them on a greased baking tray about 1" from each other.
- Bake the Baatis in the oven till golden. You need to turn them every 5-7 minutes to ensure even browning and cooking.
- Or According to tradinational way, roast in batches on hot coals till puffed and golden outside and spongy inside. Keep hot.
- Garnish the daal with coriander leaves and slit green chillies. Dip hot (baati) dumplings in the daal while eating.
To make this even more special, break the Baatis in half and lay on the plate. Now drizzle with melted ghee! Dip in the Daal and eat!
The Baati are traditionally roasted in an open coal fire but you can also cook them under a grill or in your oven. They are then eaten dipped in the thick, soup-like Daal. The Daal is traditionally made with a number of different types of lentils but you can use as many as you have at the moment. The Baatis can be made ahead of time. Just remember to keep them warm though.
