Dal Baati Churma Recipe

Ingredients:

For Baati:

• 2 cups whole wheat flour (atta)
• 1/4 cup semolina (sooji)
• 1/2 cup ghee or clarified butter
• 1 teaspoon ajwain (carom seeds)
• Salt, to taste
• Water, as needed

For Dal:

• 1 cup split yellow lentils (toor dal)
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 tomatoes, finely chopped
• 2 green chilies, slit lengthwise
• 1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
• A pinch of asafoetida (hing)
• Salt, to taste
• Fresh coriander leaves, chopped, for garnishing
• Lemon wedges, for serving

For Churma:

• 2 cups whole wheat flour (atta)
• 1/2 cup ghee or clarified butter
• 1/2 cup powdered jaggery or sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder
• Chopped nuts (almonds, cashews, pistachios) for garnishing

Instructions:

For Baati:

1. In a mixing bowl, combine whole wheat flour, semolina, ghee, ajwain, and salt.
2. Gradually add water and knead the mixture into a firm dough. Cover the dough and let it rest for 15-20 minutes.
3. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
4. Divide the dough into equal-sized portions and shape each portion into a round ball.
5. Place the dough balls on a baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until they are golden brown and cooked through.
6. Once baked, remove the baatis from the oven and let them cool slightly.

For Dal:

1. Rinse the split yellow lentils (toor dal) thoroughly and soak them in water for 30 minutes.
2. In a pressure cooker, combine the soaked lentils with water, chopped onion, chopped tomatoes, slit green chilies, ginger-garlic paste, turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, and salt.
3. Pressure cook the dal mixture for 3-4 whistles, or until the lentils are cooked and soft.
4. Once the pressure releases naturally, open the cooker and stir the dal well. If the dal is too thick, you can add some water to adjust the consistency.
5. In a small pan, heat ghee. Add cumin seeds, mustard seeds, and asafoetida. Let them splutter.
6. Pour the tempering over the cooked dal and mix well.
7. Garnish the dal with freshly chopped coriander leaves.

For Churma:

1. In a mixing bowl, combine whole wheat flour and ghee. Rub the mixture between your palms to form a crumbly texture.
2. Add powdered jaggery or sugar and cardamom powder to the mixture. Mix well to combine.
3. Divide the mixture into small portions and shape each portion into a round ball or flatten them slightly.
4. Heat ghee in a pan over medium heat. Fry the churma balls in batches until they are golden brown and crispy.
5. Remove the fried churma balls from the pan and let them cool slightly.
6. Once cooled, coarsely grind the fried churma balls in a food processor or blender.
7. Garnish the churma with chopped nuts.

Serve the delicious Dal Baati Churma with a dollop of ghee, lemon wedges, and enjoy the wholesome flavors of this classic North Indian dish!