Dal Baati Churma
by Tarla Dalal
dal baati churma recipe | Rajasthani dal baati churma | authentic dal baati churma | with 50 amazing images.
This three-in-one treat dal baati churma is a typical Rajasthani treat. The Rajasthanis specialise in serving sweet and savoury dishes in combinations that steal the heart and delight the taste buds.
A platter of semi-sweet Churma, spicy Dal and deep-fried Baati, is one such traditional Rajasthani dal baati churma combination. Fresh baatis drowned in piping hot dal is a perfect accompaniment for churma. Because of water scarcity and climatic conditions, different method of cooking are used. Rajasthani cuisine has dishes that can be prepared and stored for days!
Dal baati is one of the main dishes of Rajasthani cuisine, the dish for which the cuisine is known for. The baati is a hard bread made with coarse whole wheat flour, semolina, ghee, besan and flavored with fennel seeds and carom seeds. Baatis can be fried or baked. The origin of baati goes way back to Rawal dynasty where the soldiers would make balls of dough and bury them under the sand and after they would return back from the war the baatis would be completely and nicely baked. Baati became a famous war-time meal. Later, then the combination of dal baati became very famous.
Churma is believed to be invented by accident, sugarcane juice fell over baatis by mistake which made them softer and further evolved into churma.
The process to make dal baati churma together may take long time yet the out-come and the efforts are worth everything!! Generous amount of ghee is used in making all the dal baati churma as it is believed that ghee enhances the taste and helps the real flavor come out.
Tips for dal baati churma recipe. 1. The dough for baati should be stiff or else the baatis won’t be firm. 2. Make a small indentation in the center of the baatis using your thumb. You can also make an ‘X’ or ‘+’ sign indentation, so it gets cooked well from inside too.
If you have ever been to Rajasthan in the winter months, you will know that this authentic dal baati churma combo is a wonderful way to warm yourself up on a cold day!
Enjoy dal baati churma recipe | Rajasthani dal baati churma | authentic dal baati churma | with detailed step by step recipe photos and video below.
Dal Baati Churma recipe - How to make Dal Baati Churma
Preparation Time: Cooking Time: Total Time:
Makes 4 servings
For The Churma
1 cup coarse whole wheat flour (jada gehun ka atta)
1/4 cup semolina (rava / sooji)
4 tbsp melted ghee
2 tbsp almond (badam) slivers
1/4 tsp cardamom (elaichi) powder
5 tbsp powdered sugar
ghee for deep-frying
For The Dal
5 tbsp chana dal (split bengal gram)
5 tbsp toovar (arhar) dal
5 tbsp green moong dal (split green gram)
1 tbsp urad dal (split black lentils)
salt to taste
3 tbsp ghee
3 cloves (laung / lavang)
2 bayleaves (tejpatta)
1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
2 green chillies ,
a pinch of asafoetida (hing)
1 tsp garlic (lehsun) paste
1 cup finely chopped onions
1 cup finely chopped tomatoes
1 tsp coriander (dhania) powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
1 tbsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp garam masala
1 tbsp finely chopped coriander (dhania)
For The Baatis
1 cup coarse whole wheat flour (jada gehun ka atta)
1/2 cup semolina (rava / sooji)
2 tbsp besan (bengal gram flour)
1/2 cup milk
4 tbsp melted ghee
1 tsp fennel seeds (saunf)
1/4 tsp carom seeds (ajwain)
salt to taste
ghee for deep-frying
For The Topping
4 tbsp melted ghee
8 tbsp finely chopped onions
2 tsp lemon juice
For the churma
- For the churma
- Combine the whole wheat flour, semolina and melted ghee in a deep bowl and mix well. Add approx. ¼ cup of water and knead well to make a stiff dough.
- Divide the dough into 8 equal portions.
- Shape each dough portion in the shape of your fist and press with your fingers in the centre of each portion to make an indentation (as shown in the images 1 to 3).
- Heat the ghee in a deep non-stick kadhai and deep-fry, a few dough portions at a time on a slow flame, till they are golden brown in colour from all the sides. These will take a long time to fry as the insides also need to be cooked.
- Drain on an absorbent paper and allow them to cool.
- Break the fried dough portions into small pieces with your hands and blend in a mixer into a fine powder.
- Add the almonds, cardamom powder and powdered sugar and mix well. Keep aside.
For the dal
- For the dal
- Clean and wash the dals. Combine the dals, 4 cups of water and salt in a pressure cooker, mix well and pressure cook for 3 whistles.
- Allow the steam to escape before opening the lid. Do not drain the water and keep aside.
- Heat the ghee in a deep non-stick kadhai, add the cloves, bayleaves, cumin seeds, green chillies and asafoetida and sauté on a medium flame for a few seconds.
- When the seeds crackle, add the garlic paste and onions and sauté on a medium flame for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Add the tomatoes, coriander powder, turmeric powder, chilli powder and garam masala, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 2 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
- Add the cooked dals (along with the water) and little salt, mix well and cook on a medium flame for 2 to 3 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
- Add the coriander and mix well. Keep aside.
For the baatis
- For the baatis
- Combine all the ingredients in a deep bowl and knead into a semi-stiff dough, without using any water.
- Divide the dough into 8 equal portions and shape each portion into an even sized round.
- Flatten the rounds, make a small indentation in the center of the baatis using your thumb. Keep aside.
- Boil enough water in a deep non-stick kadhai, add all the baatis into the boiling water and cook on a high flame for 15 minutes, while turning them occasionally. Drain and allow them to cool completely.
- Heat the ghee in a deep non-stick kadhai, add 4 baatis at a time and deep-fry till they turn golden brown in colour from all the sides.
- Repeat step 7 to deep-fry the remaining 4 baatis in one more batch. Drain on an absorbent paper and keep aside.
How to serve dal baati churma
- How to serve dal baati churma
- Warm the dal again till piping hot.
- Arrange 2 baatis on a serving dish, break them into pieces and pour 1 tbsp melted ghee evenly over it. Pour ¼ of the dal evenly over it. Sprinkle 2 tbsp of onions and ½ tsp lemon juice evenly over it.
- Repeat step 2 to make 3 more servings of {span class="bold1"}dal baati{/span}.
- Serve immediately with churma.
Dal Baati Churma Video by Tarla Dalal
Tips and notes for Rajasthani Dal Baati Churma
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We have used coarse whole wheat flour as it gives a grainy texture and a nutty flavour.
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The dough for baati should be stiff or else the baatis won’t be firm.
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In this recipe of Dal Baati Churma we have used less ghee, but traditionally ghee is an important ingredient in Dal Bati Churma recipe. After frying the batis in many households they are kept immersed in melted ghee and then served.
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The churma can be eaten on the side or if you wish you can sprinkle it on top of the dal baati and eat.
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Traditionally the baatis were baked over coal. Here we have deep-fried them. Alternatively you can also bake them in an oven or tandoor.
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For variation, check out our recipe of Baked Masala Baati. It is stuffed with a flavourful green peas stuffing.
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This recipe is a 3 in 1 combo of Dal, Baati and Churma. So let’s start with Churma first.
How to make the Churma
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To prepare churma for dal baati churma recipe | Rajasthani dal baati churma | authentic dal baati churma | in a deep bowl eat or parat/thaal, take whole wheat flour.
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Add semolina to get the coarse texture in churma. If using Jada gehun then skip adding rava.
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Add melted ghee.
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Pour ¼ cup of water. You can also make use of milk instead of water. Use water just enough to bind the flour.
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Combine all the ingredients and knead into a stiff dough. We don’t have to knead the dough like we do for bread. You just bind the flour together and make dumplings just like we do for tarts.
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Divide the dough into 8 equal portions.
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Shape each portion into the shape of your fist. The dough portion should be firm such that if you drop them for frying, it should not break or crumble in oil.
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Press with your fingers in the centre of each portion to make an indentation.
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Heat the ghee in a deep non-stick kadhai and deep-fry 4 dough portions at a time. To get a beautiful flavour, we are making use of ghee for frying, but you can use oil too.
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Fry on a low flame till they turn golden brown in colour from all the sides. The ghee must be moderately hot so the wheat dumplings cook properly from inside. If you are a beginner and do not understand if the dough portion is fried nicely or no, break a fried portion into half and if you notice it is creamy and not browned from inside then you fry the rest of the dough portions for a longer period of time. These will take a long time to fry as the insides also need to be cooked.
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Drain on absorbent paper and allow them to cool.
- Repeat step 7 to 9 and deep-fry 4 more dough portions. You have to be patient while frying so, they do not remain uncooked from inside.
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Once cooled, break the fried dough portions into small pieces with your hands.
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Transfer them in a mixer jar.
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Blend to a fine powder. This smooth mixture is called “churma".
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Remove the churma in a deep bowl. The texture should be like this.
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Add almonds. Other dried ingredients like walnuts, pistachios, raisins can also be added.
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Add cardamom powder to enhance the flavour of churma.
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Add powdered sugar. Add more or less sugar as per the sweetness you prefer.
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Mix well. Keep aside. You can make churma a day before and refrigerate it.
Dal
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To make the dal for dal baati churma recipe | Rajasthani dal baati churma | authentic dal baati churma | clean and wash the dals.
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Transfer the dals in a pressure cooker.
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Add 4 cups of water and salt.
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Mix well and pressure cook for 3 whistles or until tender but in case if your dal is still uncooked – close the lid and pressure cook for another 1-2 whistles. Allow the steam to escape before opening the lid.
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Give it a stir. Do not drain the water and keep aside.
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To temper, the dal for dal bati churma, heat the ghee in a deep non-stick kadhai.
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When the ghee is hot, add cloves.
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Add bay leaves.
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Add cumin seeds.
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Add green chillies.
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Add asafoetida and sauté on a medium flame for a few seconds.
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When the seeds crackle, add the garlic paste.
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Add onions.
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Sauté on a medium flame for 2 to 3 minutes or until the onions are translucent.
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Add tomatoes. Make use of red ripe tomatoes.
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Add coriander powder.
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Add turmeric powder.
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Add chilli powder. Add more or less as per the spice level you prefer.
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Add garam masala.
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Mix well and cook on a medium flame for 2 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
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Add the cooked dals (along with the water).
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Add a little salt.
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Mix well and cook on a medium flame for 2 to 3 minutes, while stirring occasionally.
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Add the coriander.
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Mix well. Keep aside.
Baatis for Dal Baati
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To prepare Rajasthani baati, in a deep bowl take coarse whole wheat flour.
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Add semolina.
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Add besan.
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Add milk.
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Add melted ghee. This addition of ghee is called ‘moyan’ or ‘moyen’. This helps to make crumbly yet crispy bati.
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Add fennel seeds and carom seeds (ajwain) to perk up the taste of Rajasthani baati.
- Add salt to taste.
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Knead into a semi-stiff dough, without using any water.
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Flatten the rounds.
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Make a small indentation in the center of the baatis using your thumb. You can also make an ‘X’ or ‘+’ sign indentation, so it gets cooked well from inside too. Keep aside.
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Boil enough water in a deep non-stick kadhai and carefully add all the baatis into the boiling water.
- Cook on a high flame for 15 minutes, while turning them occasionally.
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Drain and allow them to cool completely.
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Heat the ghee in a deep non-stick kadhai, add 4 baatis at a time.
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Deep-fry till they turn golden brown in color from all the sides.
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Drain baati on an absorbent paper and keep aside.
- Repeat step 16 to 18 and deep-fry the remaining 4 baatis in one more batch. Authentic Battis are roasted over goitha or charcoal to give that burnt smokey flavour. To give a similar texture you can place all the bati on a baking sheet and brush them with ghee. Bake at 200’C for 18-20 minutes or till the bottom surface turns light golden brown in color. Then take out of the oven, flip all the bati and bake again for 15-18 minutes from the other side till done. Alternatively, you can even bake the baatis in a gas tandoor.
- Our churma, dal and baati are now ready to assemble.
How to serve Dal Baati
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Warm the dal again till piping hot. Arrange 2 baatis on a serving dish.
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Break them into pieces with your hands.
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Pour 1 tbsp melted ghee evenly over it.
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Pour ¼ of the dal evenly over it.
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Sprinkle 2 tbsp of onions.
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And finally ½ tsp lemon juice evenly over it.
- Repeat to make 3 more servings.
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Serve immediately with churma.
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Have a go at other popular Rajasthani food combos like chana dal aur gur chawaal and raabdi with bajra roti.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Q Can i store Dal bhati in the refridgerator for a couple of days? You can store the Bhati and churma for 3-4 days. But the dal needs to be made fresh everytime.
- Q. Can i use regular gehun ka atta instead of jada gehun ka atta? We would suggest to use jada gehu ka atta to make to get authentic taste of bhatis and churma.
Tried the recipe at home. Was little doubtful that if made the whole frying in the ghee, it would be too rich that we won’t be able to eat the second one! But no, the absorption of ghee while frying is much less than I thought! Wholesome filling lunch! Thank you Tarlaji
Can batis be baked in otg?
It.looks tempting.. on rakshabandhan occasion I am definitely going to make it. Thank you Tarla ji
Edited after original posting.
Great recipe! Can i store Dal Bhati in the refrigerator for couple days?
Hi, I would love to try this recipe.Can I use regular gehun atta instead of jada gehun ka atta?
followed this recipe to the T many times and loved the dish every single time :) My son simply loves it for breakfast, lunch and dinner!
It was really tasty ,not to forget the wholesomeness a traditional recipe can be so comforting n satisfying indeed