Dal Bafla, a traditional dish from the Madhya Pradesh you can also ask for Bafla Bati. Delicious and filling!
There are two components in the Dal Bafla the Dal and the Bafla.
Dal is a tangy dal generally toor dal is used to make the dal but sometimes a mixture of dal like moong dal, toor dal, urid dal and chana dal is also used.
Bafla is unleavened bread made from whole-wheat flour. Bafla is boiled like a dumpling and then baked traditionally. (But, like me you can make it on a tava/skillet.)
The dough used to make dal bafla in Madya Pradesh or dal baati in Rajasthan is the same but in Rajasthan, the baati is baked, the bafla is boiled then baked. Traditionally the batti was deep-fried too but only for special occasions.
How do you eat a bafla? Crumble the dough balls and drizzle it with some dal and a dollop of ghee.
For Ssshhh.... Secretly Cooking we are exploring Madhya Pradesh! In case you do not know we are a group let of bloggers who blog on a theme. We are paired and we share ingredients. The 2 ingredients star in our dish for the state chosen.
I am paired with Prathima Shivraj and her blog is called Prathus food do check her place for delicious recipes of Veg. Burgers. I am waiting for mangoes now to try the cut mango curry from her place.
Anyway, Prathima gave me ghee and any flour of my choice as my ingredients. Now any flour had me wanting to try so many delicious dishes like kachori, malpua, Palak/spinach poori.
Basically, I wanted to live the time when Pappa was posted in Indore and we lived opposite Chappan a street which serves street food and there are 56 shops here.
I have in the past made Shahi Shikanji which is different from Shikanji. I wanted to make kasta kachori it was rejected outright, I knew better than ask about malpua.
I did make Palak/spinach Poori but by the time, I went to take the pictures they were like “kal raat ki basi poodi”. However, there is still hope for palak/spinach poori as my daughter has been asking me to make those awesome green pooris.
Finally, I decided that I will make dal bafla if no one is willing to eat also it is okay I will carry them to work!
Let me tell you, hubby, complained that they, the bafla were not stuffed but that did not stop him from eating them. He has stuffed cheese, vegetables in the baati. He could not take tangy dal for health reasons but he used a lot of vegetable gravy. Kid liked them a lot and I had nothing to carry to work the next day.
Yess!!!! Success!!!!
So let us check the making of dal bafla. I have used Nisha Madhulika’s site for my recipe.
How To Make Dal Bati – Daal Baati recipe
- Serves: 16 batti
- Preparation time: 20 minutes
- Cooking time: 30-40 minutes
Ingredients for Bati:
- 2 cups wheat flour
- ½ cup rava/sooji
- 5 tablespoon homemade ghee
- ½ teaspoon jeera/cumin seed
- ½ teaspoon ajwain/carom seed
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- Water as needed
- Salt to taste
Ingredients for dal:
- 2 cups toor dal
- 2 tablespoon ghee
- ¼ teaspoon hing/asafoetida
- 1 teaspoon jeera/cumin seed
- ½ teaspoon haldi/turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon dhania/ coriander seed powder
- ½ teaspoon red chilli powder
- 2-3 tomatoes
- 3-4 green chilli
- 1-inch ginger piece
- Coriander leaves cut finely
- Salt to taste
Method:
To make Bafla:
- Ina big bowl mix flour and semolina.
- Add 3-tablespoons ghee, baking powder, cumin seed, carom seed and salt. Mix.
- Using little water at a time knead the flour mixture to a stiff but pliable dough.
- Cover and set aside for half an hour.
- Make medium sized balls from the dough. Press and make flat disks.
- In a deep pan boil 2 litres of water.
- When the water comes to a rolling boil add the dough balls one at a time.
- Let the water boil and them time it for 16 minutes. As the dough cooks, they start floating. Gently toss the water on the dough and stir.
- Transfer the boiled balls in a plate.
- Bake them in the oven at 200°C till they turn brown. Or like me shallow fry on low-medium flame till golden brown
How to make Dal:
- Wash and soak the dal in water.
- Cook in the cooker with sufficient water for 3 whistles.
- Switch off the gas and let the pressure come down naturally.
- Meanwhile, grind the tomatoes, green chilli and a one-inch piece of ginger, fine.
- Heat 1 ½ tablespoon ghee in a kadhai/wok.
- Crackle the jeera add the hing/asafoetida.
- Stir in turmeric powder and coriander seed powder.
- Add the tomato mixture, red chilli powder.
- Fry stirring until the oil starts floating on top of the mixture.
- Add the mix to the cooker along with ½ the dhania/ coriander
- Bring to a boil and switch off the Dal.
- Transfer to a bowl and garnish with the balance dhania/ coriander leaves. Add ghee too if you wish I did not.
To serve:
- Crumble the ball; add piping hot dal, ghee and some green dhania/ coriander chutney on top.
Enjoy!!!
How To Make Dal Bati – Daal Baati recipe
Ingredients
For the Bafla:
- 2 cups wheat flour
- ½ cup rava/sooji
- 5 tablespoon homemade ghee
- ½ teaspoon jeera/cumin seed
- ½ teaspoon ajwain/carom seed
- ½ teaspoon Baking powder
- Water as needed
- Salt to Taste
Ingredients for Dal:
- 2 cups toor dal
- 2 tablespoon Ghee
- ¼ teaspoon Hing/Asafoetida
- 1 teaspoon jeera/cumin seed
- ½ teaspoon haldi/turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon dhania/ coriander seed powder
- ½ teaspoon Red chili powder
- 2-3 Tomatoes
- 3-4 green chili
- 1 inch Ginger piece
- Salt to Taste
- leaves Coriander cut finely
Instructions
To make Bafla:
- Ina big bowl mix flour and semolina.
- Add 3-tablespoons ghee, baking powder, cumin seed, carom seed and salt. Mix.
- Using little water at a time knead the flour mixture to a stiff but pliable dough.
- Cover and set aside for half an hour.
- Make medium sized balls from the dough. Press and make flat disks.
- In a deep pan boil 2 litres of water.
- When the water comes to a rolling boil add the dough balls one at a time.
- Let the water boil and them time it for 16 minutes. As the dough cooks, they start floating. Gently toss the water on the dough and stir.
- Transfer the boiled balls in a plate.
- Bake them in the oven at 200°C till they turn brown. Or like me shallow fry on low-medium flame till golden brown
How to make Dal:
- Wash and soak the dal in water.
- Cook in the cooker with sufficient water for 3 whistles.
- Switch off the gas and let the pressure come down naturally.
- Meanwhile, grind the tomatoes, green chilli and one inch piece of ginger, fine.
- Heat 1 ½ tablespoon ghee in a kadhai/wok.
- Crackle the jeera add the hing/asafoetida.
- Stir in turmeric powder and coriander seed powder.
- Add the tomato mixture, red chili powder.
- Fry stirring until the oil starts floating on top of the mixture.
- Add the mix to the cooker along with ½ the dhania/ coriander
- Bring to a boil and switch off the Dal.
- Transfer to a bowl and garnish with the balance dhania/ coriander leaves. Add ghee too if you wish I did not.
To Serve:
- Crumble the ball; add piping hot dal, ghee and some green dhania/ coriander chutney on top.
- Enjoy!!!
Linking to Renu's MLLA announcement page, Lisa’s MLLA page and Susan’s blog.
Mayuri Patel says
Wow, such a filling dish and am glad your family enjoyed it. Definitely on my list to try. Awesome share for the theme Archana.
Prathima says
Such a yummy dish I got to know.. Must try version for me... Thnq for such lovely words about my blog I felt privileged dear.. Means a lot for me.. Need to improve my captures n have to regular in blogging..
Renu says
This looks absolutely yum and love your detail description. It is similar to Dal baati but yet so different. Awesome share.
The Girl Next Door says
These look so perfect, absolutely scrumptious! Great share for the theme. 🙂
Vanitha Bhat says
Wow!!! Love this traditional dal bat dish! I have not yet had the honor to taste this but will try to using your recipe! Lengthy process, but am sure it tastes awesome!
Vidya Narayan says
A very elaborate recipe and I liked the idea of making the bafla on a skillet! For most people who are baking averse or dont have the resources, can opt for this. Loved it, I am pretty sure this is very filling too like the dal baati.
Lathiya says
This dal bafla looks scrumptious..a the dal bafla looks a wholesome dish...glad to know such dishes from various regions
Shobha Keshwani says
Dal Baffla looks so ttasty and light. I will surely make them.
Rafeeda - The Big Sweet Tooth says
The way you have served up that dal bafla did make me salivate!
Seema Sriram says
I love the elaborate recipe. In fact the details you have explained makes this dal bafle so much easier to make.
ArchanaPotdar says
😀 thanks, Seema.
Priya Suresh says
Dal bafla is literally inviting me, how delicious and satisfying this dish will be na.., Tempting to the core.
Jagruti Dhanecha says
One of my winter comfort food, such a rich and delicious meal to enjoy.
Mildly Indian says
I love the way you have double cooked the bafla. the tender crispiness is so visible in the crumble. the dal looks so comforting.
Sasmita Sahoo Samanta says
Dal Baffla looks so tasty !!! glad to know such dishes from various regions. In a skillet baking this is also interesting 🙂
Anu says
Just a filling and comfort dish it is. They look prefect and absolutely delicious.
Ashima Goyal Siraj says
I loved feasting on food at Chappan! My sister lived in Indore for 2 years and every time I went there, I just went crazy for food at Chappan and sarafa bazaar at the night! Thanks for rekindling those memories with this delicious recipe! 🙂
Priya says
delicious recipe..should try this sometime soon
Priya satheesh says
Such a delicious and filling dish.. Absolutely perfect comfort meal.
ArchanaPotdar says
thanks
Sujata Roy says
Dal bafla looks mouthwatering. Loved your well explained recipe. Never tried this dish. But now you are tempted me to try soon. Lovely share.
Kalyani says
Guess Veena and you have the same dish, Archana ! I loved the elaborate process coz its so worth the labour of love 🙂
Jayashree says
This is such a delicious treat and you have made it well Archana. Love this !
Veena Krishnakumar says
Arch we both have cooked the same dish. This looks very tempting and lovely clicks!!
code2cook says
wow Archana, dal bafla with all items looking perfect and absolutely tempting. I feel like inviting myself and finish this platter. Such a droolworthy platter you have. This recipe is in my to do list. You rocked it.
Poonam Bachhav says
Dal Bafla is a comfort food for sure though it is a bit labourous, but I do not mind putting in that extra effort for such a delicious treat. Lovely share di !
Sujata Shukla says
Like most people, I like dal baati but have never attempted to make it at home. The Dal Bafla recipe is different but as the instructions are so clear, I think I can try it out first and then tackle dal baati too!
ArchanaPotdar says
Thanks, Sujata.
Nayna Kanabar says
This looks and sounds delicious I would love to try the recipe.I did try dal batti when I went to Rajasthan. Is there a difference in taste betwen the batti thats baked and this one which is boiled then baked or is it just a regional different way of cooking it??
ArchanaPotdar says
I cannot answer that one for I have not eaten the original ones but I am sure it is a regional difference and of course, there will be a taste difference.
Swati says
I love Dal Baati, and Dal Bafla is so much similar to Bati, except we bake baatis directly without boiling. Baflas look so well cooked and baked, I am sure these must have been a scrumptious treat
ArchanaPotdar says
Thanks.
Mayuri Patel says
I tried dal bafla and it turned out so tasty. For the dal I used mixed dal. And the bafla brushed with ghee and baked was simply delicious.
ArchanaPotdar says
Thanks, Mayuri. We love the baked ones too.
Neha says
This Dal Bafla seems so ravishing. I have tried out the dal a couple of times but never the bafla. Let me use your recipe for the bafla. The imagery of crumbled bafla dunked with dal and some ghee is so invigorating. Will try it out soonest.
ArchanaPotdar says
😀 thanks, Neha.
Priya Vj says
Dal bafla sounds interesting and there is so much similarity in between dal baafla , daal Baati and dal dhokli but yet diverse recipes . Love the way you have served it ..dal bafla indeed is a wonderful brunch option when planning for one .
ArchanaPotdar says
😀 thank you.
Kalyani says
this is surely a wholesome meal by itself and truly a labour of love !