Dal bati

Daal bati is an Indian dish of dal (lentils) and bati (hard wheat rolls). It is popular in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh (especially in Braj, Nimar and Malwa regions), Maharashtra's Khandesh and Vidarbha region, Gujarat, and Uttar Pradesh.

Daal is prepared using tuvaar dal, chana daal (prepared by removing the skin of split chickpeas), mung dal, moth dal, or urad dal. The pulses or lentils are cooked together after being soaked in water for a few hours. First, a small amount of vegetable oil is heated in a frying pan and then the seasoning rai-jeera (mustard and cumin seeds) is added to the hot oil. Then green chilli, garlic and some spices including asafoetida, red chilli, turmeric, coriander, and ginger are added. There may be a sweet and sour version of the dal in some regions. Finally, the boiled daal is added and cooked.

Baati is a hard bread made up of wheat flour commonly known as aata. Wheat flour is kneaded with salt, dahi (yogurt) and water. Tennis ball-sized round balls of this dough are cooked in a well-heated traditional oven or in an earthen stove. When the baati becomes golden brown in colour, it is greased with ghee and is then served with daal, rava laddoo, rice, pudina chutney, kairi (raw mango) chutney, garlic chutney, green salad with much onion, and fresh buttermilk.

Dal baati churma is a traditional dish from the state of Rajasthan. It is associated with the festivals of Makar Sankranti and Diwali in the Dhundhad region. It is also prepared on special occasions like marriage ceremonies and housewarming.

Dal baati is eaten with churma popularly in regions of Rajasthan and Haryana. Churma is a sweet dish made of coarsely grounded wheat flour, bajra (millet) flour, or semolina. It is made by grinding the fire-baked or fried dough balls and mixing them with ghee, powdered sugar or jaggery and dry fruits.

Information regarding the origins of the dish is scarce: however, it has long been a part of cuisines from the western region of India, i.e., Rajasthan, Haryana, and parts of Gujarat.

Baati made of unsalted wheat, ghee and camel milk was first mentioned during the time of Bappa Rawal—the founder of the kingdom of Mewar in Rajasthan. They were known as a nomadic warrior tribe before they settled into the tapestry of a kingdom and got Chittor in form of dowry from Maan Mori, Baati was the Guhilot's official wartime meal.

Baati, a traditional dish, is said to have originated with soldiers who would break the dough into chunks and bury them under thin layers of sand to bake under the sun. According to anecdotal accounts, upon their return, soldiers would find perfectly baked roundels, which were then dunked in ghee. On occasion, curd or buttermilk might also have been added. Initially, Baati was paired with ghee and curd, but over time, Dal and Choorma became additional components of the meal. ^{[citation needed]}