The Marwari cuisine is primarily vegetarian and offers a
fabulous variety of mouthwatering dishes. It is rugged like their homeland,
Rajasthan�s landscape and history � desert, gypsy people, war-like lifestyle.
The cooking style used is mainly based on the natural climatic conditions of the
desert land from where the marwaris have originated. Food that lasted for
several days and that could be eaten without heating was preferred, more out of
necessity than choice. Now the same have become delicacies and are relished by
people across the world. Read More
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Rajasthani food is incomplete without the mention of the
famed Dal-Baati-Churma. What started as a picnic food has become a distinctive
cuisine of the State. It consists of baatis or flaky round breads baked over
firewood or over kandas (i.e. cow dung cakes) as done in villages. Baatis can be
baked in a gas tandoor or an electric oven as well. Bafla or steamed baatis are
also very popular. But one thing common for baatis, irrespective of their
cooking technique is that they are always served dipped in ghee accompanied with
panchmel or panch kutti dal and churma. The dal is cooked with ghee, the masalas
in the dal are fried in ghee and more ghee is mixed into the dal before serving.
Often a large batch of baatis is made and part of the dough is left unsalted.
This unsalted dough then shaped into rounds and deep fried in ghee. Later these
deep fried baatis are crushed and sugar or jaggery is mixed into them to make a
sweet dessert- churma. The three together, simple though they sound, make a very
filling meal. No Rajasthani festive or wedding menu is complete without this
popular recipe.
Preparation Time: 20 mins.
Cooking Time: 1hour
Serves 5.
Ingredients
For the panchmel dal
1/3 cup chana dal
(split Bengal gram)
1/3 cup toovar
(arhar) dal
1/3 cup moong dal
(split green gram)
1 tbsp urad dal
(split black lentils)
1 tbsp whole moong
(whole green gram)
3 tsp chilli
powder
1/4 tsp
turmeric powder (haldi)
1 tsp
coriander (dhania) powder
1/2 tsp garam
masala
3 cloves (laung /
lavang)
2 bayleaves (tejpatta)
1 tsp cumin seeds
(jeera)
2 green
chillies, slit
a pinch of
asafoetida (hing)
2 tsp dried
mango powder (amchur)
2 tsp tamarind
(imli) pulp
3 tbsp ghee
salt to taste
For the baatis (for 10 baatis)
1 cup
whole wheat flour (gehun ka atta)
1/2 cup semolina
(rava)
2 tbsp besan (Bengal
gram flour)
8 tbsp milk
4 tbsp melted ghee
salt to taste
For serving
melted ghee
How to prepare
For the panchmel dal
Clean and wash the dals and add 4 cups of water. Pressure cook for 3 to 4
whistles or till the dals are cooked.
In a bowl, combine the chilli powder, turmeric powder,
coriander powder, garam masala with 3 tablespoons of water and mix well. Keep
aside.
Heat the ghee in a pan and add the cloves, bay leaves, cumin seeds, green
chillies and asafoetida. When the cumin seeds crackle, add the prepared masala
paste and saut for 1 to 2 minutes.
Add the cooked dals, amchur, tamarind pulp and salt and simmer for 6 to 7
minutes. Adjust the consistency of the dal before serving and if required, add
some water.
For the baatis
Mix all the ingredients and knead into a firm dough. Knead well for 5 to 7
minutes.
Divide the dough into 10 equal portions and shape each portion into an even
sized round. Flatten the rounds lightly using your thumb to make an indentation
in the centre of the baati.
Boil water in a broad vessel and drop the baatis in the boiling water. Cook for
15 to 20 minutes over a high flame.
When the baatis are done, drain and keep aside.
Heat a gas tandoor and put the baatis on the grill of the tandoor. Cook them on
a medium flame for 20 to 25 minutes. Cooking the baatis over a medium flame will
ensure that the baatis are cooked on the insides also.
Arrange the baatis on a serving plate, break each baati into two pieces and pour
melted ghee on the baatis.
Alternatively,
You can cook the baatis in a gas tandoor (without boiling them).
- Bake the boiled baatis in a pre-heated oven at 200�C (400�F) for 10 to 15
minutes turning them over occasionally.
- Or deep fry them in hot ghee instead of cooking them in a tandoor.
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