Marwari Bati/ Thetha

Bati, a hard bread made of wheat flour, is a popular accompaniment in the Rajasthan Region of India. The wheat flour is mashed with little bit of salt, ghee and water or milk. Subsequently turned into tennis ball sized round spheres, the mixture is put into a well heated oven. When the bati becomes golden brown in color, it is stuffed with ghee and served hot with dal and gatte ki subji. You may make different kinds of bati like stuffed potato bati, plain bati, stuffed green peas bati, stuffed paneer bati or stuffed gram flour bati. Essentially, the dough is same, but you get variations with different stuffings. In some parts of India, it is known as thetha. Enjoy!

Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 45 to 50 minutes
Serving: 4 (8 Batis)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 8 tablespoons melted ghee
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 
• 1/2 cup warm water or milk (Approx.)
• Ghee (to soak bati)

Directions:

1. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl. Knead well to make the dough stiff similar to bhakri dough. Divide it into 8 equal portions.
2. Knead each portion well for a smooth finish and shape them into round balls.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
4. Arrange the batis over a cookie baking sheet about one inch apart and place the pan in the middle oven rack. Bake for about 25 minutes, turn them over and further bake until batis are golden brown.
5. Break a bati from one side to make sure they have cooked through.
6. Once complete, break all the batis and pour the ghee over the bati or soak the batis in ghee and served with bowl of hot dal.

Bati served with dal, Gata nu shak, Batata nu shak and various condiments.

Mug Ni Fotrawali Dal ( For Bati )

The recipe for this dal is a family favorite. I make this dal at least once a week and we enjoy it with roti and vegetables. Most Rajasthani make punchkuti dal with bati (see recipe for Bati), but in my family we make this dal with bati. My friends also prefer this dal with bati. Whenever I invite them over for dal-bati, they insist that I should make mug ni fotrawali dal, not punchkuti dal. So enjoy a favorite of my family and friends!!!

Soaking time: 30 minutes
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serving: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 cup split green moong dal with skin (wash and soak)
• 1/4 cup split yellow moong dal
• 1-1/2 teaspoon red chille powder
• 1 teaspoon dhana-jeera powder
• 3 to 4 pieces kokum (washed and soaked)
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 2 slit green chillis
• 5 to 6 curry leaves
• 4 teaspoon ghee plus 1 additional teaspoon ghee
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
• 2 to 3 dry red chilli
• Pinch of asafoetida 
• 5 cups of water (approx.)
• Salt to taste
• 1-1/2 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander leaves for garnishing

Directions:

1. Mix both types of dal in a bowl and wash and soak for 30 minutes. Drain the water, add salt, turmeric powder, dhana-jeera powder, 1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder, curry leaves, kokum, slit green chilli and 1 teaspoon ghee. Mix it well and keep aside.
2. In a pot, boil 5 cups of water on a stove. Add dal mixture once boiling. Stir occasionally.
3. Cook and simmer until the dal is tender.
4. Mix the dal with an Indian mixer made of wood called RAI (see image below) in India. Dal and water should be of similar consistency. The consistency of dal depends on individual preference (not too thin or too thick).
5. For tempering, heat ghee in a laddle, add mustard seeds and as they crackle, add cumin seeds and hing/asafoetida. 
6. Add dry red chilli and chilli powder and pour the tempering into the dal mixture. Stir and turn off the stove.
7. Garnish with fresh chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with bati, roti or rice.

Note:

Add extra water, if required. In this dal, if you add garlic-ginger dressing (Rotla Dressing) it will be tastier. For rotla dressing, check the recipe on my blog.

Mug ni fhotrawali dal

Add all spices

Mix it

Boil the water and add the mixtures

Photo of a RAI