Dal Bati

Make the bati dough: combine whole wheat flour, semolina, 3 tablespoons of ghee, and salt. Rub the ghee into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add water gradually (about 100–120 ml) and knead into a very firm, stiff dough. Divide into 8 equal balls and shape into smooth, round batis.

Traditionally, batis are cooked over a wood fire or charcoal. For home cooking, bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for 30–35 minutes, turning halfway, until the batis are golden brown and cooked through. They should sound hollow when tapped.

Remove from oven and immediately dip each hot bati into a bowl of melted ghee for 30 seconds. This ghee bath is essential — it softens the crust and infuses the bati with richness.

Prepare the panchmel dal: wash all four dals together and pressure cook with turmeric, salt, and water for 4–5 whistles until very soft. Mash lightly.

Heat 2 tablespoons of ghee in a pan. Add cumin seeds and asafoetida. Let them splutter.

Add finely chopped onions and sauté until golden brown, about 8–10 minutes.

Add ginger-garlic paste and cook for 2 minutes. Add chopped tomatoes and cook until the oil separates.

Add red chilli powder and coriander powder. Cook for 2 minutes.

Add the mashed panchmel dal to the tempering. Stir well and add water to achieve a medium-thick consistency. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add garam masala and adjust salt.

Break each ghee-soaked bati in half and pour hot ghee generously over the broken pieces. Serve alongside the hot panchmel dal, with churma (sweet crumbled wheat) as the traditional third component of the Rajasthani thali.