Daal-Baati

My grand-pa, all three mama n a cousin are chilly merchants, running the business for 3 generations! Things that I always find exciting to visit their market is a vast database of red chillies!!! Kashmiri, Resham Patta, Boriya, Jwala etc. etc.... Poor me who can't have a bite of it even :( And the other is watching those Rajasthani workers moving around with big bags dried chillies on their shoulders!

The very first thing comes to your mind is "Dal-Baati" when you think of anything related to Rajasthan!!! and I have preserved a beautiful memory linking those workers and their authentic food :)

Let me say one thing, each person at my maternal Family is a big-time foodie... A plate of sweets or some hot-n-spicy delicacy, doesn't matter - It's all tasty to them!!! Many a times I have had Rajasthani food with them... prepared in-house or in restaurants. 

But if I talk specifically about 'Dal-Baati'... I'm still trying to get that taste I had around 10-12 yrs back, when a bunch of those Rajasthani workers cooked for our whole family at my Grand-Pa's place! Those baatis cooked in hand-made (soil) tandoor to go with super-perfumed panchmel daal and pungent garlic chutney!!! Since then, I have been trying to get those flavors and yes, I'm nearly touching that line now :) 

Makes: 2-3 servings

INGREDIENTS:

For Baati--

1 cup Bhakhri Flour (coarse wheat flour)
1/2 cup Wheat Flour

1 tbsp Semolina

1 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tbsp Clarified butter (ghee)

1 tsp Ajwain (carom seeds)

Salt, to taste

For Daal--

1/4 cup Tuver dal

2 tbsp Chana dal
1 tbsp Mung Dal (yellow)

1/2 cup Mung dal (green)

1 tsp Udad Dal

1 Chopped Onion

1 cup Tomato Puree

2 tsp Ginger-Garlic Paste

1 tsp Coriander Powder

1 tsp Red chilly powder

1/2 tsp Garam masala 

1 tbsp Lemon juice

Salt, to taste

STEPS TO FOLLOW:

- Mix all the ingredients of baati and knead a medium hard dough using lukewarm water. Cover with a cling wrap and keep it aside for an hour.

- Make small balls out of it and bake it in preheated oven on 180 degrees for around 15 mins. Turn them once n bake again for 10-15 mins.

- Melt clarified butter in a big bowl and put these baati into it for a few mins (ideally for an hour).

- Soak all dal for in plenty of water for 1-2 hours and pressure cook them for 4 whistles. Drain excess water leaving a little inside to make thick-dal consistency.

- Take some ghee (clarified butter) in kadai. Add chopped onions, ginger-garlic paste and saute it for a min.

- Add tomato puree and cooked daal with remaining stock. Mix everything well. 

- Add all the spices into it and cook covered for around 5-7 mins. 

- Serve hot wit soaked baati, home-made garlic chutney and fried green chillies!!!

SJ's NOTE:

- 'Churma' is the best sweet you can serve with Dal-Baati! To make it their way:

Roughly crush a few baati (straight from tandoor) in a bowl, add generous amount of clarified butter (hot n melted) and a spoonful of ground sugar (adjust to your taste)... Mix everything and serve! 

- To prepare green chillies:

Heat a tsp of oil in a sauce-pan. Add cumin seeds and a pinch of hing. Let it crackle and then add green chillies (cut/chopped/sliced) and saute it for a min. It's ready to serve!