Almost noone other than Indian people would have heard about this extremely delicious dish - Rajasthani Dal Bhati. It is not one of those things that you find in Indian restaurant. I’ve never seen it served at any Indian restaurant in the US or India or even in most restaurants in India itself. But man, are these restaurants missing out on something awesome!

Image courtesy of Surf India

It is popular the central and western parts of India - in the states of Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan. The people there treat this as their ’staple’ everyday dish. The dish’s speciality is its simplicity and appropriateness for daily meals.

If you are still trying to figure out how to say it, it is pronounced “DAAL BHAATI”. The D is said more like “th” in “the”. I hope that makes sense.

It appears like some mixed ground lentils made into a paste and then rolled into a ball, then lightly friend to form something like a ‘falafel’ or ‘cutlet’. It is served dunked in a boul of spinach soup and traditional Indian pickle. Sometimes the ball is mashed inside this boul as well.

I have no clue how its made. I just had it last night at a friend’s place and can’t stop thinking about it.

I found these posts that provide a recipe.

1. Rajasthani Dal Bhati Recipe
2. Dal Bhati Recipe 2

I am not sure how good it is because I haven’t tried it. But if you want to taste what real homemeade western-Indian food tastes like, go for this one!

This is not the fancy Dal Makhani that you might have had at the Indian Restauranta. Not the oily Dal Fry either. Just the simple Dal recipe that a lot of Indian people actually eat on a daily basis. It is simple to make, not too spicy, easy to eat (babies to bed-ridden old people can have it), and best of all, just tasty. Like with anything else, simple is usually the best.

Try it and let us know how you like it.

Ingredients

1. Toor Dal: 1 cup
2. Onions: 1 medium sized
3. Tomatoes: 2 medium sized
4. Garlic: 2-3 cloves
5. Green chillie: 2
6. Fresh coriander leaves: Few sprigs
7. Red chillies whole: 2-3 (optional)
8. Mustard seeds: half tea spoon
9. Cumin seeds: half tea spoon
10. Oil: 2-3 table spoons
11. Asafoetida-a pinch
12. Salt: to taste
13. Lime juice: 1 tbsp (optional)
14. Curry leaves (optional)

Preparation:

1. Wash the dal and cook the dal well with 4 cups of water in a cooker.
2. Once cooked, mash it nicely. You can add water if it is too thick.
3. Peal and finely chop the onions. Wash and finely chop the tomatoes. Peal,wash and crush the garlic. Remove stems and chop  green chillies and coriander leaves and curry leaves. Remove stems and break red chillies into 2 each.
4. Heat oil in a pan .Add mustard seeds to it. Once the seeds crackle add the cumin seeds and whole red chillies and a pinch of asafetida.
5. Add green chillies and the onions. Once the onions turn golden brown, add the tomatoes and fry it till the oil from the tomatoes separate.
6. Add the cooked dal to the tomatoes mixture, add salt and bring it to a boil.
7. Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves and curry leaves
8. Lastly add lime juice and its ready!!

A very subtle variation of this recipe can make you tasty Dal Soup as well. Just mash the Dal finer, use some additional water, leave out the coriander leaves and that’s it, you have Dal soup instead.