Dal Baati

Recognised as a Rajasthan speciality, Dal-baati, is a wholesome Rajasthani meal. Dal, or lentil curry, is made of two kind of lentils which are cooked along with the masalas to make a tasty dal or curry . Baati, a rounded of stuffed flour that's baked in a charcoal fire or oven. Baati comes in many varieties as a substitute for rotis. You could opt for plain baati, or try the more exotic masala, dry fruit or missi baatis. Baati is made out of wheat, flour, millet or a mix of maize and wheat flour, with loads of ghee.

Preparation time: 20 mins
Cooking time: 45 mins

Ingredients:

For baati (dumplings):

1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup besan (gram flour)

3 tbsp ghee, melted

1/2 cup curd

salt to taste

For the dal (lentil curry):

2/3 cup split green moong dal

1/2 cup channa dal

4 dry red chillies
10 - 12 curry leaves
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
a pinch of asafoetida (hing)
1 tsp tumeric powder
2 tbsp chilli powder
2 tbsp corainder powder
salt to taste
2 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
2 cup water
juice of half lemon

Method:
For the baati:
1. Knead a soft dough with flour, besan (gram flour), ghee, curd, salt and just enough water.



2. Divide the mixture into 6 equal parts. Roll into lemon-sized balls. Cover and keep for one hour.
3. Then bake in the oven at 350* F for about 30 - 35 mins approximately till puffed and golden outside and spongy inside. Remove and glaze it with ghee. Serve hot.



For the dal:
1. Wash and soak the dals together for atleast 1 hour. Pressure cook the dal till it is cooked. Beat the dal to form a consistent paste.



2. Heat the pan with ghee. Add mustard seed, cumin seeds(jeera). When they start to crackle.

3. Add curry leaves, pinch of asafoetida (hing), dry red chillies. Fry it for few minutes.


4. Add chilli powder and tumeric powder to it. Fry for little while till the oil separates out. Add the corainder powder, salt to taste and the cooked dal and the remaining water, bring to a boil.




5. Add lemon juice is needed. Garnish with corainder leaves.



Note: You can make dumplings up to 2-3 hours before upto the point of cooking. Then place on a greased tray, cover with a cling film and keep aside. Start cooking 30 minutes before serving
The temperature to cook the baati may vary when you see the baatis are golden brown break open a little and check the inside is cooke or not. That way you will know it is done or not.

Besan puri

Cooking is my passion, I keep on trying new recipes. As my husband always says "Cooking Is An Art, Don't be scared of trying new things". I totally agree with him on this. I originally learnt this recipe from my mother in law when she came to Seattle to visit us. The first time I tasted this it was good. A perfect dish for those nice rainy days. She makes this dish without onions, but in my pursuit to try something different I thought of adding onions. I personally feel that Onions goes with anything and the extra Oomph! factor. And it came out awesome. Loved it. Hope you try it and like it too.

Preparation time: 5 mins
Cooking time: 15 mins

Ingredients:
For the dough :
1 cup of Wheat Flour (Atta)
Salt to taste
Water as needed to make the dough

For the stuffing:
1/2 cup gram flour
4-5 green chillies finely chopped
1 cup onions finely chopped
1 1/2 tsp. red chili powder
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
3-4 pinches asafoetida(hing)
2 tsp amchur powder(Green mango powder)
1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
1"(25mm) ginger grated
1 tbsp. coriander finely chopped
Oil / Clarified butter for making the puri

Method:
1.Knead the flour with water and salt into a soft dough. Keep aside.

For the stuffing:
1.Heat a pan add oil, add the cumin seeds. When the cumin seeds starts to crackle. Add green chillies, ginger and asafoetida(hing) cook for sometime.
2. Add onions, fry till they are translucent. Add Chilli powder, tumeric powder, garam masala, amchur powder. Mix well. Then add gram flour and fry it till the raw smell of the flour is gone and it is cooked.
3. Add chopped coriander leaves and salt to taste. Mix well. Remove from the flame and keep it aside.

4. Roll out the dough in 4 cm diameter. Place 1 tablespoon of the stuffing in the centre and closed the edges. Roll out with a light hand using dry flour, in order not to break the dough open. Roll out aprox. 6 inches round.

5. Now cook on a tava (Griddle or pan) with Ghee (clarified butter) until light brown on both the sides.

6. Serve hot with yogurt or pickles.

Note: If you think there is less gram flour in the stuffing you can add more as needed.