Daal Baati (Dal Bati) - Recipe for the dal

For information related to Dal Baati and the recipe to make Baati, see my previous post. The dal for the dal baati recipe is unique because it is made using urad dal. While I know that urad dal is a key component of idli and dosa batters, I haven't really seen it used as a main ingredient in too many dal recipe. The freshly baked, ghee dipped baati, is broken down into small pieces in a bowl and then piping hot dal is poured over it. The result is absolutely lip smacking. If you make this dish often, it is best to cut back on the amount of ghee that is used after the baking process to prevent those calories from adding up. But it is absolutely okay to indulge once in a while!

Ingredients
1 cup urad dal
4 tbsp split mung (yellow mung) dal
3 tbsp chana dal (yellow split pea)
3 cups water
a pinch of asafoetida powder
2 tbsp ghee or oil
1/8 tsp cumin (jeera) seeds
2 black cardamom (badi elaichi)
2 bay leaves (tej patta)
1 inch cinnamon
2 cloves garlic, crushed or finely minced
1 inch ginger, finely grated or ground
1/2 cup red onion diced
2 tomatoes diced
1-2 green chillies
red chilli powder to taste
salt to taste
1 tsp dhania (corriander) powder
1 tsp garam masala (optional)
1/8 tsp turmeric
additional water to thin out the dal
cilantro/corriander leaves, chopped for garnishing

Method
Mix the three dals together and add water to it. Add asafoetida and cook. See tips on alternatives of cooking dals. The dal mixture should be cooked through and soft. In a large, deep pan, heat the oil or ghee. To this add jeera, black cardamom, cinnamon and bay leaves. Cook these till you can smell the spices. Take care to prevent them from burning. Then add the green chilli, onion, ginger and garlic. Cook these till you do not get the raw garlic smell. The onion should be at the slightly browning phase. Then add the tomato and cook till the tomatoes are cooked through. Then add the turmeric, dhania powder and garam masala. If you want the dal to be spicy, you can add red chilli powder at this stage. Cook the spices for a couple of minutes and then add the cooked dal mixture. Add some water to thin it out a bit. The consistency should not be too watery. It should be like a thick soup. Turn off the heat when the dal boils. Garnish with chopped cilantro/corriander leaves.

Tips
The fastest method to cook dals is using a pressure cooker.  If using a stove top cooker, cook it for 5 or 6 whistles and if using the Instant Pot, 12 mins on manual mode, at high pressure. Let the pressure release naturally. However, if you do not have a pressure cooker, pre-soak the dal in warm water for a couple of hours. Then add water to the soaked dal and cook till soft. If spices being friend initially burn, it is best to start again with fresh oil. Burnt spices add a bitter taste and can potentially alter the taste of the entire dish. The list of ingredients may look daunting, but most of these should be easily available in your Indian grocery store.

Baati - Baked Whole Wheat Dumplings

The first time I ate authentic dal baati was in Indore, about eleven years ago. I was visiting family and there were two occasions when I was able to savor this delicacy. The baatis were authentically cooked in an earthen stove. Then, they were dunked in ghee and served with hot delicious dal. I can never forget that experience. The taste of the baatis being roasted and baked in an authentic kiln can just not be replicated in a modern kitchen. After I got married, I was pleasantly surprised to find that my husband liked this dish and even knew how to make it. Eventually, we started making it quite often. While one can't get the rustic taste, only possible using an earthern stove, the ones baked in the oven are also equally delicious. This is supposed to be a delicacy, however, I make this so often, that I am not sure I can realy classify it as a delicacy in our house anymore! I must mention that once you make this, you will realise it is much easier than toiling for hours on an elaborate menu. However, your guests will be very impressed with this dish. It is so easy that you may get hooked and make this a regular feature on your menu as well.

Ingredients
2 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup besan/chickpea flour
1 cup yogurt
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp ghee
1/4 tsp baking soda
water to knead

Method
Mix together all the dry ingredients. Then create a well in the center of the flour mixture. Into this add the ghee and yogurt. Then mix this. If the yogurt is watery, then you may not need to add any additional water to knead it all together into a soft dough. It shouldn't be too loose, nor too dry and hard. Knead the dough well and let it rest for 15-30 mins. Cover the dough with a damp cloth so it doesn't dry out.

Preheat the oven to 350F. Then roll out the dough into small balls about 1-1.5 inches in diameter. Place these on a baking sheet with enough space between them to allow for expansion. Bake in the oven for about 20-40 mins, till well browned. The baati will expand and break open and develop cracks as it cooks. The end result shouldn't be hard. When warm, pour a little ghee so that it gets absorbed through the cracks in the baati. Serve with hot dal and additional ghee.

Tips
Instead of adding ghee to the flour, you can add the milk solids that are left behind when you make ghee at home. This is a wonderful use of these solids, especially if you have used salted butter. If the milk solids are salted, then reduce the amount of additional salt that you add to the flour. Traditionally the baatis are soaked in ghee before being crushed and then hot dal is ladled onto this and is eaten hot.
To simulate an eathern kiln, use a pizza stone. Preheat it and then place the baatis onto this to be baked.