The Culinary Delight of Rajasthan - Dal Batt Churma - History & Recipe

 

Food is any integral part of any country & when you are out on exploration, it is mandatory to taste the delicious cuisine of that place. India being a cultural state beholds culinary delights to upswing your mood.

Especially, if you are in Rajasthan, you need to tantalize your taste buds with its local food. Though the state has gamut of cuisine but Dal Batti Churma always steals the show. The dish is most wanted by travelers as it unravels the food of Rajasthan.

 

History of Dal Batti Churma

According to the historians, the dish originated during the reign of Bappa Rawal. He was the founder of the Mewar Kingdom in Rajasthan. In those days, it was a war time meal for Rajput soldiers.

If the story is to be believed, Rajput soldiers used to break the dough into chunks and later buried under thin layers of sand to bake under the sun, which they used to consume with Ghee, Curd or Camel Milk.

 

How to Make Dal Bati Churma ?

Try making Dal Batti Churma at home ! For those who are not in Rajasthan and still want to have it. The best way is to cook it. Here is the simple recipe of Dal Batti Churma.

 

Dal Bati – Ingredients & Method

You can also call them Puffed dough dumplings with lentil curry .

·        
Serves : 6 Px
Cooking time: 3 hours

Ingredients

For dal
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 tsps garam masala powder.

·         2 tsps chilli powder.

·         1 tsp turmeric powder.

·         1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste.

·         2 green chillies, slit lengthwise.

·         2 tbsps cream

·         4 tbsps ghee.

·         1 cup coriander leaves, chopped finely.

·         Oil.

·         Salt to taste.

·         For dumplings
5 cups whole wheat flour, sieved.

·         1 cup ghee, melted.

·         2 tbsps curd.

·         Salt to taste.

Method

1)      You need to pressure cook rajma and black gram till it becomes soft.

2)      Heat 4 tbsps of  oil in the pan or kadahi. Add onions and brown them. See that they are not burnt.

3)      After that add ginger-garlic paste and tomatoes. Fry. Add all the masalas, beans and salt. Simmer till well blended. Check the gravy should be thick.

4)      Pour over cream and ghee. Knead a soft dough with flour, ghee, curd, salt and just enough water. Roll into lemon-sized balls.

5)      Cover and keep for one hour. Then roast in batches on hot coals till puffed and golden outside and spongy inside. Keep hot.

6)      Garnish the dal with coriander leaves and slit green chillies. Dip hot dumplings in the dal while eating.

 

 

CHURMA

 

INGREDIENTS 
Wheat flour 200 gm

·         Ghee 400 gm

·         Khoya / Mawa 100 gm

·         Sugar (grounded) 200 gm

·         Soaked almond (finely chopped) 50 gm

·         Cardamom (small) 4

·         Dalchini 1"

 

Method
1) Melt 150 gms. of ghee and mix it in wheat flour.

2) Make a stiff dough using very little water. Heat the rest of the ghee in a kadahi. Make about 15-20 balls with the dough.

3) Fry it on low flame till it becomes golden brown. Churn it in grinder after it cools down. Mix khoya. Heat 1 tbsp. ghee in kadahi.

4) Add cardamom seeds and dalchini. Add the above mixture of wheat flour and khoya. Fry it for one minute.

5) When it cools down, add sugar and chopped almonds. Mix well. Serve in a plate. You can enjoy the taste of churma for 8-10 days if you keep it in an airtight box.