DAL BAATI CHURMA

A famed culinary gem of Alwar, Rajasthan, Dal Baati Churma is revered as much for its simplicity as for its scrumptious taste. This story traces the interesting origins of this delicious dish.

DAL:-

The panchmel dal is a simple and nuritious mix of five lentils – moong dal, chana dal, toor dal, masoor dal and urad dal – prepared with a fragrant tempering of cumin, cloves and other spices.

BAATI: -

Baati (little doughballs made of wheat flour, ghee and milk) is believed to have originated during the time of Bappa Rawal – the founder of the kingdom of Mewar. Back then, the Rajputs were establishing their stronghold in the region and baati was their preferred war time meal.

CHURMA:-

Churma, on the other hand, is believed to have been invented when a cook of Mewar’s Guhilot clan accidentally poured sugarcane juice into some baatis. Realising that it had made the baati softer, the women of the clan started dunking the battis in sweet water (made from sugarcane or jaggery) in an attempt to keep the baatis soft and fresh for their husbands. This eventually evolved into churma, a sweetened and cardamom-flavoured mix of crushed baati.