Dal Baati Churma

Ingredients

• 400g coarse atta (wholewheat flour) for the baati
• 80g fine semolina
• 100g ghee, melted, for the dough
• 1 tsp salt for the dough
• 1/2 tsp ajwain (carom seeds)
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 160ml water, approximately
• 200g ghee, melted, for dipping and serving
• 60g toor dal
• 50g chana dal
• 40g moong dal
• 30g urad dal
• 20g masoor dal
• 1.2 litres water for the dal
• 1 tsp ground turmeric
• 1.5 tsp salt for the dal
• 4 tbsp ghee for the tadka
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp asafoetida
• 2 dried red chillies
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 2 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 tbsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• Juice of half a lemon
• 100g jaggery, grated
• 1/2 tsp ground green cardamom
• 3 tbsp chopped almonds and pistachios

Before you cook

• Rub the 100g melted ghee into the atta, semolina, salt, ajwain and baking powder until the mixture holds its shape when squeezed.
• Add water little by little and bring it to a stiff, tight dough, then rest it for 20 minutes.
• Rinse all five dals together and soak them in water for 30 minutes.
• Heat the oven to 200C.

Steps

1. Divide the baati dough into fourteen balls and roll each smooth, then press a shallow dent into the top of each with your thumb.
2. Set eight balls on a baking tray and bake for 20 minutes.
3. Turn the baatis over and bake for another 20 minutes until they are pale brown, hard and cracked across the top.
4. Bake the remaining balls the same way while you cook the dal.
5. Drain the soaked dals and pressure cook them with 1.2 litres water, the turmeric and 1.5 tsp salt for 12 minutes on high pressure.
6. Let the pressure fall, then whisk the dal briefly so it becomes creamy but still has some whole grains.
7. Heat 4 tbsp ghee in a pan and add the cumin seeds, asafoetida and dried red chillies.
8. Add the chopped onion and fry for 7 minutes until golden.
9. Stir in the ginger garlic paste and cook for 90 seconds.
10. Add the tomatoes, ground coriander and chilli powder and cook for 7 minutes until the ghee separates.
11. Pour the tadka into the cooked dal, add the garam masala and simmer for 10 minutes, loosening with hot water if it thickens too far.
12. Squeeze in the lemon juice and taste for salt.
13. Take four of the baked baatis and crush them coarsely in a mortar or blitz them to a rough crumb.
14. Mix the crumb with the jaggery, ground cardamom, chopped nuts and 4 tbsp of the melted ghee to make the churma.
15. Crack the remaining hot baatis open with the back of a spoon and dunk each one briefly in the melted ghee.
16. Serve two baatis per person with a bowl of dal poured over them and a mound of churma on the side.