If You Make One Thing This Week...Rajasthani Dhal Baathi Churma...

Dhal Baathi Churma is a delicious Rajasthani dish consisting of Dhal, rusk-like buns called Baathi, and Churma which is a ground up mixture of baathi, mawa, nuts and sugar. There are other accompaniments such as ghee, onions, limes, ginger and coriander.

This is a rich dish with lots of ghee so it is not something that you want to eat everyday! As it is quite hearty and soup-like, I prefer  this dish in winter. Enjoy!

This recipe serves six.

Baathi:
2 cups cake flour (or all purpose)
1 cup semolina
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoons ajwain  (carom seeds)
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
3 Tblsp yogurt
3 Tblsp ghee (clarified butter)
About a 1/2 to 3/4 cup warm water

Combine all the dry ingredients. Rub the yogurt and ghee in. Add just enough water to form a stiff dough. Place in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and set aside for about 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees centigrade. Divide dough into balls. I make mine slightly smaller than a golf ball size. Flatten slightly with your thumb.Place on a grease proof paper lined baking tray and bake for about
20-25 minutes. Turn Baathi over halfway through baking. Remove from the oven when done, and keep warm.

Churma:
1/2 cup cake flour
1/4 cup semolina
Pinch of salt
1 Tblsp milk powder
4 teaspoons ghee
Warm water
1Tblsp each, chopped almonds, pistachios and cashews
1Tblsp melted ghee
1 Tblsp mawa, optional
1 teaspoon cardamom powder
1 Tbls icing sugar (powdered sugar)

Combine flour, semolina, salt and milk powder together.Rub in the ghee. Make a stiff dough with the
water. Set aside for 20 minutes. Divide into 6 balls and flatten into a disk. Bake together with the Baathis, turning halfway through. Set aside to cool. Grind coarsely in a food processor and combine with the remaining ingredients. Mix well. Place in a serving bowl and set aside.

Panch Mel dal:
1/2 cup moong dhal
1/2 cup Chana dhal
1/2 cup urid dhal
1/2 cup oil dhal (toor)
1/4 cup red lentils
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 Tblsp ginger, ground to a paste
1 Tblsp garlic paste
1/2 Tblsp green chilli paste ( or to taste)
4 teaspoons coriander powder
2 teaspoons cumin powder
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
A pinch of asafoetida
A pinch of ground cloves
1 teaspoon of ground black pepper
2 medium onions, finely chopped
2 medium tomatoes, puréed
1 1/2 teaspoons garam masala
2 teaspoons amchur powder
Salt
1 Tblsp ghee
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1-2 dry red chillies
A  sprig of curry leaves

Combine the dhals and wash thoroughly. Cover with hot water and leave to soak for 45 minutes.
Drain well and place in a pot. Cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Cook until dhals are soft and a little mushy. This may take an hour or so. You could use a pressure cooker if you have one. Top up with water if required whilst cooking. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a pan. Add the cumin seeds and when they start to sizzle, add ginger, garlic and chillie paste. Stir for a minute , then add coriander powder, cumin powder, turmeric, asafoetida, cloves and milled pepper. Simmer for a minute then add onions and cook till onions are soft. Add tomatoe purée and cook till done. Add garam masala and amchur powder. Season with salt to taste. Pour tempered spices over and garnish with chopped
coriander leaves.

Tempering:
Heat ghee over low heat. Add mustard seeds. When they start to pop, add chillies and curry leaves. Sizzle for a few seconds then pour over dhal.

To serve:
Finely chopped red onion
Chopped coriander leaves, combined with a few sprigs of mint, some julienned ginger
and some finely chopped red chillie.
Heated ghee
Lime or lemon wedges

Method of serving:

Break up some baathi in a bowl, pour over 1-2 teaspoons of ghee,then add the dhal. Drizzle with lime juice, then sprinkle coriander/ginger over,then some onion. Lastly sprinkle over a tablespoon or two of churma and tuck in. Enjoy!