Baati served with daal churmais a famous Rajasthani speciality. Baatis are stiff balls of dough cooked on charcoal or ash served with a generous helping of ghee. The accompanying Daal (lentil) dish is spicy and delicious, usually made with a mix of five lentils. There are a variety of ways you can make the daal and Baati.
Here i will show two such methods of preparing dal baati.


Method 1 : ( using red kidney beans / Rajma )

Ingredients:
For Baati:
Wheat flour - 5 cups
Curd - 2 tbsp
Ghee - 1 cup
Salt to taste

For Daal:
Rajma (red kidney beans) - 2 cups
Urud (Black gram) - 3/4 cup
Onions - 3 no's
Tomatoes - 2 no's
Green chillies - 2no's
Ghee - 4 tbsp
Cream - 2tbsp
Garam masala - 2 tsp
Red chilli powder - 2 tsp.
Haldi (turmeric) powder -1 tsp
Ginger- garlic paste - 1tbsp
Coriander leaves chopped - 1 cup
Oil - 2 cups
Salt to taste .



Method:

For baati (the dumplings):

1. Knead a soft dough with flour, ghee, curd, salt and just enough water.
2. Roll into lemon-sized balls.
3. Cover and keep for one hour.
4. Then roast in batches on hot coals till puffed and golden outside and spongy inside.
5. Serve hot with daal.

For baati:

1. Soak rajma and Urud dal in water overnight.
2. Chop onions and tomatoes finely.
3. Pressure cook rajma and black gram till it becomes soft.
4. Heat 4 tbsps oil. Add onions. Brown them.
5. Add ginger-garlic paste and tomatoes. Fry them for a minute.
6. Add all the masalas, beans and salt.
7. Simmer till well blended.
8. Pour over cream and ghee.
9. Garnish the dal with coriander leaves and slit green chillies.

Method 2: (using moong daal)

For Baati:
Wheat flour - 2 cups
Rawa (semolina) -1 tbsp
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Salt to taste .

For Daal:
Green moong (green gram) dal - 1/2 cup or tuvar dal
Yellow channa (Bengal gram) dal - 1 tbsp
Ghee or oil - 1 tbsp
Garam masala - 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1 tsp.
Haldi (turmeric) powder -1/4 tsp
Dhania (coriander seeds) powder - 1/2 tsp
Lemon - 1/2
Coriander chopped - 1 tbsp
Ginger grated - 1/2" piece
Cumin seed - 1/2 tsp
Mustard seeds - 1/2 tsp
Water - 2 cups
Salt to taste .

Method:

For Baati:

1. Mix the flour, rawa, salt and ghee.
2. Knead into a very stiff dough with warm water.
3. Shape into lemon size balls.
4. Heat a gas tandoor or oven and roast on low heat till the outer cover is brown and crusty.
5. Break open the balls and pour some fresh ghee on the halves.
6. Serve hot with dal and pickles.

For Dal:

1. Wash both dal together.
2. Add 1 cup water and a pinch of turmeric and cook dal well.
3. Remove from fire.
4. Mix all the spice powders in 1/2 cup water to make thin paste.
5. Put ghee in a pan and heat.
6. Splutter cumin & coriander seeds.
7. Add ginger and the paste of spice powders.
8. Fry for a minute, then mix in the dal.
9. Add remaining water, salt and stir well.
10. Bring to a boil.
11. Add lemon juice.
12. Garnish with chopped coriander.
13. Serve hot with baatis.

Making Time: 45 minutes

Serves: 4 persons.

Shelflife: 1 day.

Note: Green gram dal can be substitued with tuvar dal too. Though both daal go well with baatis, the magic is mainly with preparation of baatis.

Click here to know more about Rajasthani foods and cuisines - Introduction to Rajasthani Foods And Cuisines.