Rajasthan is a land of rich foods and specialty desserts. A visit to this place is never complete without one tasting its rich and flavorful staple meal – Dal Baati Churma. Where Dal is – Mixed lentils cooked with spices, BAATI – Wheat dough balls cooked in oven or toaster and CHURMA/CHOORMA– Baatis are crushed and cooked in ghee and sugar; is a complete meal in itself. In this post we have shown recipe of Rajasthani Baati and how to eat Baati.
Traditionally Till date baatis are cooked over Kande (dried cow dung cakes) and they taste amazing, but nowadays we bake them in tandoors, conventional ovens and toasters. Though the name Baati sounds like too much work but it’s much easier than rolling out rotis. Dough balls are prepared and tossed in oven to bake.
Baatis are generously dipped in ghee and eaten with dal and churma on the side. In Rajasthan along with the whole meal extra bowl of ghee is served to pour over dal baati mixture. Sounds too much… believe me it’s yummylicious. Pamper your taste buds for once, indulge in this rich delicacy of Rajasthan and then let’s head to the gym 🙂
Eating a baati can sometimes be frustrating. I have seen people breaking baati with a spoon – wrong move – this way baati lands up in some else’s plate giving him a shock. Scroll down to see step by step method of how to enjoy Baati. Learn how to cook Baati without oven/Tandoor.
Traditional meal of Rajasthan – Dal Bati Choorma is served – ‘Padharo Mhare Desh’ meaning Welcome to my country or my part of the World!!
Rajasthani Bati
Ingredients
- 2 -1/2 cup Wheat Flour (Atta)
- 1/2 cup Oil
- 1/2 - 1 cup Water OR Milk or buttermilk (Approximately) (enough to knead a soft dough)
- 1 teaspoon Red chili powder
- 1 teaspoon Ajwain/ Carrom seeds
- 1 teaspoon Coriander powder (sukha dhaniya)
- Salt to taste
Instructions
HOW TO COOK BATI
- Let's start with kneading the dough. I have used a food processor to knead my dough.
- Add wheat flour along with all the spices, oil and slowly start adding the water or milk or buttermilk. Once the dough forms a round shape; stop adding more water. If needed add drop by drop to form a soft yet firm dough.
- Take the dough in your palm and give it a shape of a tennis ball. Repeat with rest of the dough and it will make 10 dough balls.
- Grease a baking tray by applying oil and arrange the baati dough balls in that tray.
- Bake @ 450 for 20-25 minutes....
- After 10 minutes turn the baatis and they will look like this as shown in the picture.
- Another 10 minutes into baking and baatis are ready. Turn the oven off and let the baatis sit in the oven for another 5 minute in the oven heat. Some of the baatis will crack open - it's just fine. Open up one baati to check if they are thoroughly cooked.
- Traditional way is to - Dunk the baati in a bowl of ghee, let it sit for a while till it soaks up the ghee and then serve. Well I prefer doing it the other way.
- Arrange all the baatis in a bowl and just pour some hot oil over each one of them. Either let them stand in that pool of ghee or transfer them to a new bowl/plate and serve.
- Enjoy warm baatis with Baati dal.
HOW TO EAT BAATI
- Baati in Rajasthan is always serve in huge thaals/big plates. It can be confusing how to eat it.
- Using your hands, break up baati into small pieces...
- Generously pour some dal on top of it till the baati mixture is covered with daal. People of Rajasthan pour spoonful of ghee on top of the dal and using a spoon mix everything up or use your fingers to mix it up.
- You can either choose to eat using a spoon or your finger. People of Rajasthan prefer to eat this finger licking meal using their fingers.
- Choorma is usually enjoyed at the end of the meal as a sweet but I have seen people adding choorma to their dal baati mixture and enjoying it. Well enjoy this meal the way it pleases your taste buds.
- Traditional meal of Rajasthan - Dal Bati Choorma is served --Enjoy!!
Disclaimer: Nutritional information provided below is approximate. Variations may exist due to the ingredients/brands used. Please refer to a Registered Dietitian or Nutritionists if you have any health issues. |
