Gatte ki Sabji

EVENT: SHHH COOKING SECRETLY

THEME: RAJASTHANI CUISINE

Rajasthan, The Land of The Kings, is dear to me as I’ve spent 4 years studying at a convent school in Mt. Abu. I’ve not seen the whole of Rajasthan but have been to Jaipur, Udaipur and Nathdwara. Aravalli hills is where with my friends I’ve climbed many rocks and seen fabulous sunsets. Its where we’ve walked around Nakki Lake, filled our school blazers with chana chor garam, ridden on horses till our thighs ached. It is where we always warned each other about tigers in the hills which might come up to the terrace when we slept outdoors during the hot summers. Whether that was true or not who knows. But I know that any strange noise at night had us shivering. Its where we’d enjoyed umpteen times cassata ice cream, gorged on milk cakes (kalakand) and our Gujarati teacher would bring  a huge pile of theplas for us from his home.  A land where we’ve seen beautiful waterfalls, admired the carvings at Dilwara temple, a Jain temple in Rajasthan.With such fond memories how can I not be partial towards Rajasthan?

I’ve had the opportunity to enjoy hot, hot sugary milk and steaming hot crispy kachoris when we went to Nathdwara. Japiur is where I bought my first bandhani (bandhej) sari, black and gold! Yes an unusual combination from the land of vibrant colours but that’s the one that caught my eye. Jaipur is where I walked through the shops all in a row, fascinated by the huge sacks of spices, mojris, meenakari work, lehariya saris, embroided bedsheets, wall hangings, tablecloths, blue pottery, colorful stone studded bangles, paintings, got work duppatas, or salwar kameez sets, puppets. You definitely have to go with an empty suitcase to buy all those things there.

This beautiful land is the largest state in India, is home to India’s largest  Thar Desert, has colour coded cities where Jaipur is pink, Jaisalmer is sand colour, Jodhpur is blue, Udaipur white. It has the only saline river Luni that passes through the desert. Land of many palaces and forts, have on my wish list the Palace on Wheels journey. One day that wish will come true. A land with many UNESCO World Heritage Sites, a land where thousands of black rats live in at the Karni Mata Temple. I also want to visit the deepest step well in the world, Chand Baori. Rajasthan has so much to offer.

As for the cuisine, I got opportunity to sample an authentic Rajasthani thali at a restaurant. Its the first time that I tasted Ker Sangri, gatte ki sabji, dal batti and moong halwa. I love how they serve bajra rotla with gur(jaggery), ghee and a fiery hot garlic chutney. I’ve yet to taste ghevar. I love Rajasthani Cuisine. I’m not ashamed to admit that dipping batti in ghee is my all time favorite. Hot kachoris I can eat whole day long.

For this month’s theme, my partner was Narmadha who blogs at Nam’s Corner. I was really intrigued by her basundi with lauki recipe as basundi is thickened sweet milk and sometimes fruits are added to it. Adding a veggie is what fascinated me. Usually, whenever I’m partnered with anyone, I usually get to know them a bit more. Unfortunately, I was not able to do that with Narmadha as I was too busy with my niece’s wedding preparations. I just asked Narmadha whether she was open to any ingredients and she promptly replied yes. That led to me suggesting moong dal and ghee. With those two ingredients she dished out a curry similar to gatte ki sabji but different in that instead of chickpea flour or besan gatte she used lentil fritters/pakodas in a yogurt gravy. For the full recipe you’ll have to go to her blog for Moong Dal Karara.The fritters or pakodas are not deep fried as normally done, but she’s made them in a paniyaram pan.

I’d actually wanted to make gatte pulao so she asked me to use besan and ajwain. I didn’t prepare the pulao as sabji won the vote.  You can serve it with bajra na rotla, rice, phulkas, etc. An ideal curry to make when you don’t have vegetables at home. But then that’s how most of the dishes from Rajasthan are. You make use of dried vegetables and spices when fresh are not available.

GATTE KI SABJI 

For the gatte/dumplings:

1- 1¼ cup besan atta (chana flour)

¼ tsp turmeric powder (haldi)

¼ tsp asafetida (hing)

generous pinch of soda bicarbonate (baking soda)

½ tsp fennel seeds, crush them lightly

¼ tsp carom seeds (ajwain, ajmo)

½ tsp salt

½ tsp red chilli powder

2 tbsp oil

3 tbsp yogurt

For boiling:

4 cups water

For the curry:

1 large onion (approx 1 cup chopped)

6-8 cloves of garlic

1-2 green chillis

1″ ginger, chopped into small pieces

1½ cup sour yogurt, beat it well into a smooth consistency

2 tbsp oil

1 tbsp ghee

½ tsp mustard seeds (rai)

½ tsp cumin seeds (jeera)

¼ tsp fenugreek seeds (methi)

4-6 cloves

6-8 peppercorns

1″ cinnamon stick

2 small bay leaves

1-2 dry red whole chilli

¼ tsp asafetida (hing)

1 tsp salt

½ tsp red chilli powder

¼ tsp garam masala

¼ tsp turmeric powder (haldi)

1 tsp coriander powder (dhana powder)

3 tbsp fresh fenugreek, chopped

Preparation of the Ghatte Dough:

1. Sift the flour with soda bicarbonate, asafetida, salt, turmeric and chili powder.
2. Add carom seeds, coarsely crushed fennels seeds and oil. Mix well.
3. Add yogurt and begin to form a dough which is not too hard or too soft. If necessary add 1-2 tbsp of water.
4. Grease your palms with some oil and make a smooth dough.
5. Cover and let it rest for 10-15 minutes.
6. Grease your hands with oil again. Divide the dough into 5 parts.
7. Roll each part into a log about 4-5 inches long. The diameter should be about ½ inch.
8. Using a sharp knife cut the logs into slices about ¾ -1 inch in thickness.

Boiling the ghatte:

1. Add 4 cups of water into a pan.
2. When it comes to a rolling boil, add ghatte pieces, few at a time.
3. Let them boil for 10-15 minutes.
4. Remove one piece from the water and cut it to make sure its cooked.
5. Remove the ghatte into a bowl or plate using a slotted spoon.
6. Keep on the side till required. You will also need the water so don’t throw it away.

Preparation of the Curry:

1. Add onion, garlic, ginger and chilis in a food processor. Process it into a coarse paste.
2. Heat oil and ghee in a pan over medium heat.
3. Add cinnamon, cloves, peppercorns, whole red chili and bay leaves.
4. When the spices begin to sizzle, add fenugreek.
5. Then add the mustard and cumin seeds.
6. Add hing. Immediately add the onion paste.
7. Stir fry the paste till it begins to turn light pink in color.
8. Add turmeric, red chili, coriander powders, salt and garam masala.
9. Mix well.
10. Add the whipped yogurt and stir all the time.
11. Keep stirring till you see a bit of the oil.
12. Add 3 cups of  water in which you had boiled the gatte.
13. Mix well. Let it come to a simmer.
14. Add the boiled gatte. Cover the pan and let the curry simmer over low heat for 10-15 minutes.
15. Let the curry rest for 15-20 minutes.
16. Add 3 tbsp fresh chopped fenugreek and heat it up before serving.
17. Serve it roti, bajri rotla, paratha or rice.

Tips:

• Make sure the dough for the gatte is not too soft or too hard. 
• Adding oil to the gatte dough makes it soft and hard on cooking.
• Let the dough rest for a while. It will become easier to roll.
• Use yogurt that is not too sour and is thick.
• Add spices of your choice to the gatte dough and curry.
• Can be prepared without onion and garlic.
• Make the gatte ahead and store in the fridge.

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A little request:

If you do try this recipe then please either

• add a comment below,
• send a picture to my email mayuri.ajay.patel62@gmail.com
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• or tag me on Twitter as #Mayuri1962

You may want to check out the following recipes:

Tikkar Paratha

Potato Stuffed Chilli Bhajia

Bajri Rotla

Sharing this recipe with the following event:

Shhh Cooking Secretly a group started by Priya of Priya’s Versatile Recipes,  is where every month food bloggers are paired up and give each other 2 secret ingredients to cook with according to the theme chosen. If you’re interested in joining this exciting group then please leave a message in the comment section. Thank you.