Besan ke Gatte (Chickpea flour dumplings in gravy)

A look at my September posts and I realized that all I have been doing is baking !! I have baked so extensively that I had to literally force myself to switch off my oven and turn to 'No-bake' dishes. 

I decided to try this very famous dish from Rajasthan, a beautiful state located in the northwest of India which is known for its amazing, colourful and spicy cuisine. 

This dish has two components- the 'Gatte' which are Chickpea flour steamed dumplings and the 'Gravy' which is curd based.

Ingredients:

     For Gatte-

• 2 cups besan /chickpea flour                  
• ½ tsp jeera/cumin seeds
• ½ tsp saunf/fennel seeds
• ½ tsp namak/salt
• ½ tsp lal mirch/red chilli powder
• 4 laung/cloves
• 4 kali mirch/black peppercorn
• 3 tbsp oil

     For Gravy-

• 1 cup curd
• 2 onions
• 4-5 garlic cloves
• 1’’ ginger
• 2 green chillies
• ½ tsp jeera/cumin seeds
• ½ tsp lal mirch/red chili powder
• ½ tsp haldi/turmeric powder
• 1 tsp dhaniya/coriander powder
• 1 tsp namak/salt
• ¼ tsp garam masala powder
• 2 tbsp oil

Procedure:

For Gatte:

Boil 4 cups of water in a deep pan.

Take a bowl and mix besan, jeera, saunf, salt, red chilli powder and oil. Add crushed cloves and black peppercorns. Now add little water to make a stiff dough. Make cylinder shapes 3-4’’ long with this dough and put in boiling water for 15 mins. Take them out and cut in small circular pieces. Retain the water.

For Gravy:

Make a fine paste of onions, ginger, garlic and green chillies. Beat curd with a whisk and keep aside.

Take oil in a pan and add cumin seeds. As it browns add the paste made. Let it brown and then add red chilli, turmeric and coriander powder. Add salt and garam masala. Now add curd and stir continuously till it gets a boil. Add the gatte pieces and the water retained from boiling them. Cook for 5 mins.

Garnish with fresh chopped coriander and serve with hot chapatis.

This was my first attempt at trying this very traditional dish and I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed. 
The 'icing on the cake' was Vishal (my husband) calling up from his office and asking me what I gave him for lunch. He had never heard of the dish and really enjoyed his lunch which was different from all the mundane dishes I make for him!!
Needless to mention the baker (oops) cook inside me was really satisfied !!

Happy Cooking
Amrita