Dal Baati

DAL BAFLA/ BAATI - There is no comfort food better than home food. And what better home food than Dal chawal, right? Dal Bafla or Dal Baati is an amazingly popular combination. Here's my recipe for it.

Ingredients

For Bafla

• 2 cups Whole wheat flour, coarse,
• ⅓ cup Semolina,
• 1/2 tsp ajwain
• Prepared Bafla Tempering,
• Salt to taste
• ½ tsp Sugar
• ½ tsp Baking soda, (optional)
• 1 cup Curd, beaten
• Water as required
• 2-3 tsp Oil (after kneading)

For Bafla Tempering

• 1 ½ tbsp Ghee
• ½ tsp Cumin seeds
• ½ tsp Fennel seeds
• ½ tsp Turmeric powder
• A pinch of asafoetida
• ¼ tsp Degi red chili powder

For Sesame seeds and Peanut Powder

• ¼ cup white Sesame Seeds
• ¼ cup Peanuts
• Salt to taste

For Dal

• 1 ½ tbsp Oil
• 1 ½ tbsp Ghee
• 3-4 Cloves
• 6-7 Black Peppercorn
• ½ tsp Cumin seeds
• 2 no. Bay leaves
• 3 medium Onions, chopped
• A pinch of asafoetida
• 2 tsp Degi red chili powder
• 1 tsp Turmeric powder
• 1 ½ tsp Coriander powder
• 2 medium Tomatoes, chopped
• ½ inch Ginger, peeled, chopped
• Salt to taste
• 1 cup Chana dal, soaked
• 1 ½ cup Toor dal, soaked
• 2-3 tbsp Prepared Sesame seeds and Peanut powder
• 4-5 cups Water
• Salt to taste
• Water as required

For Steaming

• 4-5 cups Water
• ½ tsp Ghee (for greasing)

For Poaching Bafla

• 5-6 cups Water
• Salt to taste (poaching)
• ½ inch Ginger
• 1 no. Green Chili, broken into half

Other Ingredients

• ¼ cup Ghee (for shallow frying/poached bafla)
• 1 cup Ghee (for soaking bafla)

For Tempering

• 2-3 tbsp Ghee,
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds,
• 6-7 Dry red chillies,

For Garnish

• Coriander sprig,

Process

For Bafla

1. In a Parat, add whole wheat flour, semolina, prepared tadka and rub it well.
2. Add salt to taste, sugar and mix well.
3. Add baking soda, curd and knead it, add water in small batches and make a smooth soft dough.
4. Apply oil on top, cover it with muslin cloth and rest it for 20 minutes.
5. Keep it aside for resting.
6. Cut the dough into 3 equal parts, layer it on top and press into the center with the help of your palm and make small lemon size balls
7. Keep it aside for further use.

For Bafla Tempering

1. In a small shallow pan, add ghee, once it's hot, add cumin seeds, fennel seeds and let it splutter well.
2. Add turmeric powder, asafoetida, degi red chili powder and mix well.
3. Keep it aside for further use.

For Dal

1. In a pressure cooker, add oil, ghee, once it's hot, add black peppercorns, cloves, cumin seeds, bay leaf and let it splutter.
2. Add onion and saute it for 4-5 minutes or until translucent on moderate heat.
3. Add asafoetida, degi red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and saute well.
4. Add tomato, salt to taste and cook for a minute.
5. Once the masalas are cooked well, add chana dal, toor dal and saute it for 2-3 minutes.
6. Add prepared sesame seeds & peanut powder and saute it well, add water, salt to taste and give a good stir.
7. Cover it with the lid and take 3-4 whistles or until the dal is cooked.
8. keep it aside for further use.

For Sesame and Peanut Powder

1. In a small pan, add sesame seeds, peanuts, salt to taste and dry roast it on moderate heat.
2. Transfer it into a mixer grinder jar and make a coarse powder.
3. keep it aside for further use.

For Steaming

1. In a kadai, add water, place a greased plate or strainer.
2. Place bafla, cover it with a lid and cook it for 9-10 minutes on moderate heat.
3. Transfer it into a tray and keep it aside for further use.

For Poaching

1. In a shallow pan, add water, salt to taste, ginger and green chili and get a quick boil.
2. Add bafla into it and cook it for 7-8 minutes.
3. Once bafla floats on top of the water, Transfer it very gently into a tray.
4. Keep it aside for further use.

For Shallow Frying

1. In a small pan, add ghee, once it's hot, place prepared poached bafla and shallow fry until golden brown in color.
2. Transfer it into ghee and soak for 3-4 minutes.
3. Once the bafla is soaked, transfer it to a tray and keep it aside for further use.

For Roasting Bafla

1. In a pan, place steamed bafla and roast it on flames on both sides with the help of a cooking rack.
2. Once the bafla gets golden brown in color, transfer it into ghee and soak for 3-4 minutes.
3. Once the bafla is soaked, transfer it to a tray and keep it aside for further use.

For Dal Bafla

1. In a serving dish, place bafla of choice, accompanied with the onion, pickle, lemon wedges and ghee.
2. Transfer the dal into a serving bowl, add tadka and garnish it with coriander sprig.
3. Serve hot