Gatte Ki Sabji / Gram Flour Dumplings in Spicy Yogurt Gravy

Gatte ki sabji is a popular Rajasthani gravy dish where boiled spiced gram flour roundels (gatte) are simmered in a curd based gravy. This is a mildly spicy flavorful dish made with onion-tomato and curd as the base. Gatte ki sabji makes a delicious meal when served with chapati or steamed rice. You can make this dish at home easily with ingredients that are always present in any Indian kitchen. I agree, the recipe is a bit time consuming, but trust me the end results are worth the efforts and time.

Here in this recipe, at first gatte ( spiced besan roundels) are made and then cooked in water so they become soft and easily take up the flavor from the curry in which they are further cooked and simmered. There are many variations to the Rajasthani Gatte ki sabji. Some recipes are onion-garlic free while others call for use of either onion or garlic or both. Some recipes do not use tomato at all while others do. But one thing that is common in all the variations is the use of curd. A full fat curd gives the gatte ki sabji the creamy smooth gravy like consistency. In this recipe, i have used both onion garlic and tomato puree along with curd to make this gravy. Both whole spices like bay leaf, clove, black pepper , cinnamon and cumin seeds are used along with the powdered spices to make this flavorful gravy. You can easily adjust the amount of spices going in this gravy as per your taste and spice tolerance. You can also make the gatte ahead of time and refrigerate and then use them when you want to make the curry.

                               

Rajasthan literally meaning " The Land of Kings" or "King's Abode" is the largest North Indian state in terms of area. Its capital is the pink city, Jaipur. More than 60 % of the Thar Desert ( The Great Indian Desert) lies in the state of Rajasthan making it dry and arid. Rajasthani Cuisine was influenced by both the war-like lifestyles of its inhabitants and the availability of ingredients in this arid region. The food that could last for several days and could be eaten without reheating was preferred. Scarcity of water and fresh green vegetables had a great impact on the cooking ingredients and methods. That is reason behind extensive use of milk products like curd and ghee in the cooking here. Most of the vegetarian dishes are lentil based. According to a survey released by the registrar general of India, Rajasthan has 74.9% vegetarians, which makes it the most vegetarian state in India. Rajasthani Cuisine is also influenced by the Rajputs, who are predominantly non-vegetarians. The Source.

I have got a chance to sample authentic Rajasthani food in many food exhibitions, restaurants and also in Jaipur, at chokhi Dhani. I have tried out Dal Baati Churma, the signature dish of Rajasthan also at home and the recipe is on the blog as well. I also loved the Pyaaj kachori, i tasted in Jaipur and wish to make it sometime. This gatte ki sabji is also close to my heart as this was among the dishes I cooked for a cooking competition conducted by Tata Sampann recently. Along with this gatte ki sabji I made Paneer Makhanwala, Chocolate Halwa and Matkichi Usal for the first round of the contest. I won first prize there and got a chance to cook live for the final round of the competition where i competed with 12 other winners from the tricity. I am very happy to share that i was the winner there too and won the prestigious title of Tata Sampann Super Chef of Chandigarh. Next month I will get a chance to meet Chef Sanjeev Kappor and learn culinary skills from him, as a part of my award.

It is month end again and the time for my regional Indian post for our Facebook Group, Shhhhh cooking Secretly Challenge, started by Priya of Priya's Versatile Recipes and taken further till date by Mayuri di who blogs at Mayuris Jikoni. In this group, each month we select an Indian state depending upon the alphabetical order and partners are assigned for the challenge. The chosen partners then exchange a set of secret ingredients among themselves and cook a dish with those ingredients from the regional cuisine of that month. The other group members who are not aware of the secret ingredients, then take turns to guess the ingredients just by looking at the pic of the dish. Doesn't this all sound interesting ! If you are interested in joining this exciting group, leave a message in the comment section below.

So, this month we are on our virtual trip to the beautiful Indian state of Rajasthan. My partner for the theme is Aruna who blogs at Vasus Veg Kitchen. Aruna who started blogging just 1 year back, dedicates her blog to her Appa. She has a lovely vegetarian blog with many authentic South Indian recipes. What i love about her blog is the simplicity of the detailed recipes with step wise pictures. For this challenge she wishes to do a sweet dish as she was planning to travel to her parents place and wanted to cook something with simple ingredients. So, i gave her ghee and raisins as the secret ingredients and she made delicious Rajasthani Moong Dal Halwa using the ingredients. In return she gave me ginger and turmeric. With these set of ingredients i could make many dishes, but i had this gatte ki sabji on my mind since a long time so finally made it.

                                                    

Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Cooking Time: 30 minutes

Serves:4-5

Ingredients: Measurements used 1 cup = 250 ml

For making Gatte:

• 1 cup gram flour / besan
• 1/2 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon roasted cumin powder
• Salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon oil
• 1 tablespoon curd
• 1/4 teaspoon asafoetida/hing
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• Pinch of cooking soda(optional)

For Making the Gatte Ki Sabji / Gravy

• 2 tablespoon oil / ghee
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
• 1 inch cinnamon stick
• 2-3 cloves
• 2-3 black pepper corn
• 1 teaspoon ginger garlic green chili paste(crush 3 cloves garlic, 1/2 inch ginger and 2 green chilies)
• 1 large onion finely chopped
• 1/2 cup tomato puree ( made from 2 blanched tomatoes)*
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 2 teaspoon red chili powder
• 1 teaspoon coriander powder
• 1/2 teaspoon garam masala
• 1 cup curd
• Salt to taste

Method:

1. For making dough for the Gatte:

• In a mixing bowl take gram flour and add all the ingredients except curd (turmeric powder, red chili powder, roasted cumin powder, asafoetida, salt and oil). Mix well. Now add curd to it and blend well. Next add water in parts to form a soft dough. I needed around 2-3 tablespoon of water only so be careful while adding water to the flour. The dough should be soft and easy to work on. Cover and keep the dough aside for about 10 minutes.

2. Method for cooking the gatte:

• Before making gatte , place a large sauce pan on gas stove with 3-4 cups of water. Heat the water on medium to high heat. Now divide the dough into 6 equal parts. Roll each dough ball into a cylindrical log shape. If your sauce pan is small you may cut the logs into 2-3 pieces or into roundels. 

•  Once the water is boiling add the dough logs to the water.  Allow it to cook until they float up and you see small bubbles on them which means the gatte are light and cooked well. Remove the cooked gatte logs with a slotted spoon draining extra water. Reserve the water used for cooking gatte. We will use this cooked water in making the gravy. 

•  On cooling, cut the gatte into roundels using a knife and keep aside until use. 

3. Method to make the gravy

• Heat oil in a pan. add whole spices ( cumin seeds, bay leaf, cloves, cinnamon and black pepper corn. Once the spices sizzle, add the garlic-ginger-green-chili paste and saute for few seconds.

• Next, add  the finely chopped onions and saute for 1-2 minutes. To this add the tomato puree and stir fry the mixture until oil starts floating on the masala.

• Now, add the spice powders ( turmeric powder. red chili powder, garam masala and coriander powder. Stir fry the spices with the gravy masala for another 1 minute on low flame. Add 1 cup of water we reserved after cooking the gatte to this..

• Next, add the gatte roundels to this and mix well. cook the gatte in the masala for 1-2 minutes before adding the whisked curd to it. Mix well and add 1 cup plain water to the curry. You may add more or less water to adjust the desired consistency. The gatte absorb the water from the curry even after cooking, so adjust the consistency accordingly.

• Lastly add salt to the curry and allow it to boil. Simmer and cook the gatte ki sabji for 7-10 minutes.  

• Put off the flame and serve the lip-smacking gatte ki sabji with Jeera Rice or chapati and enjoy a flavorful meal with your loved ones.

Recipe Tips:

• You can make this gatte ki sabji without onion garlic or tomato.
• To make the tomato puree, i blanched 2 large tomatoes in boiling water, peeled them and pulsed in a grinder jar on cooling to get the puree.
• Use good quality curd in this gravy which is nether too mild nor too sour.
• You can decrease the amount of red chili powder to 1 teaspoon in this recipe if you want a mildly spiced gravy.
• You can make the gatte ahead of time and refrigerate it and use as required to make this curry.
• If you have left over curry, you can make yet another delicious dish with it, the gatte ka pulao where the gatte are toasted or fried and added to the green peas pulao.
• Gatte absorb water from the gravy even after cooking. So adjust the consistency and cooking time of the gravy accordingly.
• You can use ghee or oil to make this gravy.

If you ever try this recipe, do share your feedback with us in the comment section bellow. For more updates and new recipes, follow us on #Facebook #Instagram #Twitter #Pinterest and #Google+

Check out the following Rajasthani recipes from this blog

• Dal Baati Churma 

                         

• Malpua

                         

• Kachi Haldi Ki Sabji

                         

• Panchmel Dal / Rajasthani Panchratna Dal

                          

• Besan Wali Bhindi

                          

• Churma

                         

• Bajra Khichdi

                        

Besan Dhirde / Besan Cheela / Savory Gram Flour Pancakes

Besan Dhirde is a traditional Maharashtrian breakfast dish. Basically it is a savory pancake made with gram flour and basic Indian spices and herbs. Besan Dhirde is similar to besan cheela but here in this dhirde we do not add veggies. The dish is onion-garlic free, vegan and gluten-free. Besan dhirde makes for a delicious protein rich breakfast and we Maharashtrians specifically make it during Ashad month (fourth Month of Hindu Calendar which corresponds to June/July in the Gregorian calendar) along with the Gavhache Dhirde, the sweet wheat flour pancakes. You can serve these delicious pancakes at breakfast with mango pickle or at lunch with some spicy curry and garlic chutney. 

Besan dhirde can be made thin or thick. When not adding veggies like in this recipe, i like to make it thin like crepes. When adding chopped onion, grated carrot , coriander , the besan cheela becomes filling and wholesome. Here i have added green chilies, ginger and fresh coriander leaves , cumin powder and salt to flavor the dhirde. The key to a good dhirde is to add water in batches, make a lump free thick batter first and then add water gradually to adjust the consistency. The batter is then spread in round shape on a heated pan / tawa and cooked from both the sides by adding very little oil. As i have made this dhirde for naivedhyam (offering to God) i have not added garlic or onion to it. Minced garlic gives a good flavor to this dhirde. 

                                   

It is customary in my family to make these savory besan dhirde and the sweet Gavhache Dhirde at least once during the Ashad month, offer it as naivedhyam to the deity and then consumed by the whole family as prasad. I am not sure about the reason behind this custom but we simply love both types of dhirde. With the onset of monsoon such healthy homemade dishes at breakfast are no less than a flavorful treat. The sweet panckes are served with sajuk tup (homemade ghee) and these spicy besan dhirde are served with spicy raw mango pickle . I have served it with garlic chutney and a spicy coconut based curry for lunch. So without further ado, let's get started.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes

Cooking Time: 15 minutes

Serves: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 cup gram flour/ chickpea flour/ besan
• 1/2 inch ginger piece
• 2 green chilies
• 1 small bunch of fresh coriander
• 1 teaspoon roasted cumin powder
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• Salt to taste
• 1-2 tablespoon oil for cooking the pancakes

Method:

1. To begin with making besan dhirde, grind the ginger , green chili and coriander leaves together without adding any water using a grinder jar.

2. Add gram flour to a mixing bowl. add this crushed ginger green chili coriander paste, turmeric powder. roasted cumin powder and salt to taste. Mix everything well and adding little water at a time whisk the mixture to get a lump free batter. at first the batter will be very thick. 

3.  To this, add water gradually and adjust the batter to a pouring consistency which is nether to runny or too thick. keep this batter aside for 5-10  minutes.

4. When ready to cook, heat a non stick pan/ tawa on medium flame. grease it with few drops of oil and then add a ladle full of batter in the centre of the tawa. Lower the flame and spread the batter with the backside of the ladle to thin circle. Drizzle some oil on the sides of this pancake and allow it to cook for a minute or so.

5. Loosen the sides of the pancake with a flat ladle and flip it. Cook it on the other side as well until you get golden brown spots . Remove the pancake on a plate. Make all the pancakes similarly.

 6. Serve the delicious and healthy besan dhirde with some pickle or chutney for breakfast. Here, i have served it at lunch with Garlic Chutney and a coconut based spicy curry.

Recipe Notes:

• Since I made these besan dhirde for naivdhyam, i did not add garlic or onion. Minced garlic gives a lovely flavor to this dhirde. 
• You may add finely chopped onions and grated carrots also to this pancake to make it all the more wholesome.
• You may adjust the green chilies in the recipe as per your spice tolerance and skip entirely if serving to small babies.
• You may add black pepper powder also to this dhirde if you desire.
• Do not skip the fresh coriander as it gives lovely aroma and flavor to the pancakes.

This delicious besan dhirde recipe is a part of the #206th # FoodieMondayBlogHop where the theme for this week is #GlutenFreeTreats. This theme was suggested by Sujata Roy. Sujata di is a very sweet person just like the variety of Sandesh recipes on her blog, Batter Up With Sujata. I also adore the variety of bakes on her blog made from healthy ingredients. Do check out her blog for lots of sweet treats, healthy bakes and Bengali recipes. As per her theme, we had to cook a dish which had a gluten-free main ingredient and also the whole dish should be gluten free. This besan dhirde fits perfectly into the theme and also apt for the ongoing Ashad month.

For the uninitiated , Gluten is a protein found in certain grain, such as wheat, rye and barley. Gluten hels the food maintain its shape by providing elasticity and moisture. It also allows the bread to rise and gives it a chewy texture. Although gluten is safe for most people, those with conditions like celiac disease or gluten sensitivity should avoid it to prevent adverse health effects. Quinoa, oats, millets, brown rice, buckwheat, sorghum, tapioca etc are some of the gluten-free whole grains. Click here for more information about gluten-free foods.

This post is also added to the 130th My Legume Love Affair hosted by my dear friend and fellow blogger Kalyani. Conceptualized by Susan and carried forward to date by Lisa.

If you ever try this recipe, do share your feedback with us in the comment section below. 

Follow us on #Facebook #Instagram, #Twitter,#Pinterest and #Google+ for more recipes and new updates. 

For more Maharashtrian Flat breads & pancakes, check out the following recipe links from this blog.

• Goad Dashmi

                                

• Gavhache Dhirde

                               

• Puran Poli

                              

• Gulachi Poli

                             

• Bhajaniche Thalipeeth

                             

Rajgira Ladoo / Amaranth Seeds Ladoo

Rajgira ladoo is a healthy and delicious sweet ball made from popped amaranth seeds and jaggery. Rajgira ladoo is a gluten-free , calcium-rich , protein and fiber rich snack that can be had at any time of the day. Made with just 3 ingredients, making these rajgira ladoos is a breeze if you have popped seeds ready at hand. The recipe is very simple and does not call for checking the right jaggery syrup string consistency. You just melt the jaggery, add the popped seeds and roll them. These rajgira ladoos are soft and nutritious and make a perfect snack for all ages including toddlers and the elderly. These ladoos serve as an ideal fasting food for festivals like Shravan Somvar, Ekadashi, Ganesh Chaturthi and Navratri. They have a good shelf life of about 2 weeks at room temperature when kept  in an air tight container.

Rajgira (Amaranth) or Ramdana, as it is popularly known in North India is a power house of nutrients. It is an important part of our fasting rituals. The gluten-free grain is so versatile that it can be used in the powdered form as flour or popped to make a variety of dishes both sweet and savory. Lets us see some of the health benefits of including Rajgira in our daily diet.

•  Rajgira is a good source of calcium, protein and amino acid and is rich in iron, magnesium, Vitamin A, B and C too. 
• Rajgira is the only grain which contains Vitamin C. It has twice the amount of calcium as milk, which helps in reducing the risk of osteoporosis. 
• Rajgira makes a perfect fasting grain due to the presence of amino acids. It is easy to digest and curtails hunger, hence it gives the feeling of fullness during fasts.
• Rajgira is suitable for diabetes as it helps in reducing hyperglycemia.
• Rajgira is a heart healthy grain as it contains unsaturated fatty acids and soluble fiber, which help in reducing blood cholesterol levels.
• The magnesium present in Rajgira prevents the constriction of arteries and blood vessels, hence it is beneficial for people with migraine.Source

To make the ladoos, popped rajgira seeds are used. we can use readily popped seeds which are easily available in Indian grocery stores or pop the seeds at home. The rajgira seeds are heated on a skillet in small batches ( not more than a tablespoon of seeds at a time) until they pop up. 1/2 cup of rajgira seeds yield around 3 cups of popped seeds. In this recipe i have added 1 tablespoon water to the jaggery to make the syrup. This makes slightly soft ladoos which are apt for babies and elderly. If you prefer harder ones, do not add water and simply melt the grated jaggery. You have to make the ladoos while the ladoo mixture is warm as on cooling the jaggery hardens making it difficult to roll. Also you need to coat your hands with water while rolling the ladoos, so that the rajgira jaggery mixture does not stick to your hands. You can also make chikki or fudge with the same mixture by just pressing it into greased tray. So let's get started.

Preparation Time: 15 minutes
Cooking Time: 10 minutes
Serves: 16-18 medium sized ladoos

Ingredients:

• 2 cups popped Rajgira / Amaranth seeds
• 1 cup grated or powdered jaggery
• 2 tablespoon ghee
• 1/4 teaspoon cardamom powder (optional)

Method:

1. Heat ghee in a pan. Add grated or powdered jaggery to it. Add 1 tablespoon water to it and cook the mixture until jaggery melts completely. Cook the melted jaggery for 1-2 minutes.

2. Add popped rajgira to the jaggery syrup. Mix everything very well and cook further for 1-2 minutes. Put off the flame. Lastly add the cardamom powder and give a quick mix.

3. Coat your hands with water and start making balls of the mixture while it is still hot. For that, take handful of the ladoo mixture in your palm and start binding it together and then roll between the palms to get the round shape. Make all the ladoos similarly. Allow the ladoos to cool down at room temperature, before transferring it to an air tight container.

Recipe Notes:

• These ladoos are moderately sweet just the way my family enjoys. If you like your ladoos to be on the sweeter side, you may increase the amount of jaggery powder by 1/4 -1/2 cup.
• I have added 1 tablespoon water while making the jaggery syrup which make the ladoo a bit soft . If your prefer harder ones, skip addition of water.
• You have to be quick in rolling the ladoos while the mix is still warm as on cooling the jaggery hardens making it difficult to shape.
• Coat your hands with water while making the ladoos, so that the mix does not stick to your hand.
• The ladoos remain good at room temperature for 2 weeks provided you keep them in a clean and dry air tight container. 
• You can serve these ladoos to babies above the age of 1 year.

Taking this rajgira ladoo recipe to the Healthy Wellthy Cuisines Facebook group of which i am a member. Here we post recipes every fortnight depending on the pre-decided theme. The theme for this fortnight is #SawanSpecial. Sawan or Shravan is a holy Hindu month dedicated to Lord Shiva. Devotees refrain from eating onion-garlic during this entire month and keep fasts on Mondays. Fruits and milk is taken during the fast and in the evening the fast is opened with a satvik home made meal. Many festivals like Nag Panchami, Raksha Bandhan, Janmashtami etc fall during this month and variety of sweets are prepared for the occasion. Here are some more Sawan Special recipes for you to check out from fellow bloggers.

• Badam Kheer with Meethe Pude by Shalu 
• Besan Kheer by Sasmita
• Churma  by Swaty 
• Quinoa Payasam by Vanita 

                                           

For more festive ladoo recipes, check out the following from this blog.

• Naralipakatle Ladoo / Suji Coconut Ladoo

                          

• Instant Peanut Coconut Ladoo

                           

• Peanuts Sesame Seeds Coconut Ladoo

                          

• Dates and Nuts Ladoo

                          

• Besan Suji Ladoo