Dal Baati Churma

1. 1
   prep · ~30 min

   Soak the lentils and preheat the oven.

   1.Rinse toor dal, moong dal, chana dal, and urad dal well.

   2.Soak the lentils in water for 30 minutes, then drain.

   3.Preheat the oven to 200 C while you prepare the baati dough.
2. 2
   knead · ~20 min

   Make the baati dough.

   1.Mix 2 cups whole wheat flour, semolina, 2 tbsp ghee, and 0.25 tsp salt in a bowl.

   2.Add water little by little and knead into a stiff dough.

   3.Cover the dough and rest it for 15 minutes.

   TIPKeep the dough firm, not soft, so the baati holds its round shape and bakes up flaky.
3. 3
   assemble · ~35 min

   Shape and bake the baati.

   1.Divide the dough into 8 equal portions and shape them into smooth balls.

   2.Press each lightly in the center so they bake evenly.

   3.Place them on a baking tray and bake until golden and firm, turning once halfway.
4. 4
   pressure cook · ~20 min

   Pressure cook the dal.

   Add the soaked lentils and 3 cups water to a pressure cooker. Cook until soft and mash lightly.

5. 5
   temper · ~7 min

   Make the tempering for the dal.

   1.Heat 1 tbsp ghee in a pan over medium heat.

   2.Add cumin seeds, mustard seeds, and asafoetida and let them splutter.

   3.Add onion and cook until light golden.

   4.Add ginger, garlic, and green chili and cook until fragrant.

   TIPUse medium heat so the spices bloom without burning and turning bitter.
6. 6
   saute · ~6 min

   Cook the masala base.

   1.Add tomato and cook until soft and pulpy.

   2.Add turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, garam masala, and the remaining 0.25 tsp salt.

   3.Cook for 2 to 3 minutes until the masala looks glossy.
7. 7
   simmer · ~10 min

   Finish the dal.

   Add the cooked lentils to the masala and simmer for 8 to 10 minutes, adding a splash of water if needed for a pouring consistency. Stir in coriander leaves at the end.

8. 8
   prep · ~5 min

   Crush the baati for churma.

   1.Take 4 baked baati and let them cool slightly.

   2.Break them into pieces and crush them into coarse crumbs.

   3.Mix in the remaining 0.5 cup whole wheat flour if you want a fuller churma texture.

   TIPKeep the crumbs slightly coarse for a traditional churma texture instead of grinding them too fine.
9. 9
   saute · ~5 min

   Make the churma.

   Warm 1 tbsp ghee in a pan, add the baati crumbs, and roast briefly until fragrant. Mix in jaggery, cardamom powder, and almonds off the heat.

10. 10
    assemble · ~2 min

    Crack the baati and add ghee.

    Lightly crush the remaining 4 baked baati and drizzle the last 1 tbsp ghee over them so they soak up the richness.

11. 11
    serve · ~1 min

    Serve the dal baati churma.

    Serve hot dal with ghee-soaked baati on the side and a portion of churma alongside.

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