Round whole-wheat baati come out of the oven lightly browned and cracked on top, then go straight into ghee. Four of them are crushed into coarse crumbs, tossed in ghee with fennel and cardamom, and sweetened to become churma. Beside them sits a dal made from five kinds of lentils, finished with a tadka of hing, mustard seeds, cumin, ginger, garlic, onion and tomato. This is dal bati churma, a three-part meal from Rajasthan, sometimes shortened to "daal baati." Aim for ghee-soaked baati, a dal whose lentils still have a little bite, and a churma that stays loose instead of being rolled into balls.
Dal Bati Churma, a Rajasthani Meal in Three Parts
Dal, baati (round wheat bread) and churma are served together as one meal in Rajasthan, where it is among the state's traditional dishes. Baati is dipped in ghee and eaten with the dal. For more dishes and context, see the India country page.
Origin stories
There are several stories about where the dish came from. One links baati to soldiers and to dough cooked in hot sand. Others involve Jodha, the Mughal court and bafla. These are tales rather than verified history. In this version the baati are simply baked in the oven.
How it differs from churma ladoo
Churma ladoo is a different sweet, made from fried dough shaped into balls. The churma here is crushed baked baati, warmed in spiced ghee, mixed with powdered sugar and served as loose crumbs. Baati served with ghee on its own also exists, but here it is one of three components.
Timing
The recipe serves 4 and lists a cook time of 1 hour 45 minutes. That figure may not cover the 30-minute dough rest or the 2–3 hour lentil soak, so plan for both.
Ingredients for Baati, Churma and Five-Lentil Dal
Ghee, salt and cumin each appear more than once, for different parts of the meal, so keep each portion separate.
Choosing Lentils and Ghee for Dal Bati Churma
The five lentils. Toor, chana, green moong, skin-on urad and skinless urad go in, in equal parts. You'll find them under these general names at shops that carry South Asian pulses.
Ghee in the dough. The dough uses ghee, and you can swap in refined oil if you prefer.
Some amounts aren't fixed: the water for the dough, the ghee for dipping and for the churma, the final salt, the fresh coriander and the finishing ghee. Add water a little at a time, and judge the rest by the texture described in each step or by taste.
Equipment
- Mixing bowl
- Clean cloth or cover for resting the dough
- Oven and baking tray
- Bowl for dipping the baati in ghee
- Mortar and pestle
- Frying pan
- Serving bowl for mixing the churma
- Pressure cooker
- Small separate pan for the tadka
- Lid for the dal pot
Method: Baati, Then Churma, Then Dal
The steps follow the order baati, churma, then dal and tadka. Four of the baked baati are needed for the churma, so bake the baati first.
Common Dal Bati Churma Mistakes
| What to watch | What to do |
|---|---|
| Soft, sticky baati dough | Add the lukewarm water a little at a time and stop once the dough is tight and firm. |
| Mushy dal | Cook the lentils only to 1 whistle so they keep a little bite. Whistle timing depends on the cooker. |
| Sugar melting or clumping in the churma | Move the crumbs to a bowl first, then mix in the powdered sugar away from the heat. |
| Churma turning into balls | Leave it as loose crumbs. |
| Running out of baati | Four baati go into the churma, so keep that in mind when you divide and shape the dough. |
Serving and Variations
Serve the baati dipped in ghee alongside the dal, with the churma on the side. A red chilli and garlic chutney is the usual accompaniment. Some cooks add garam masala to the dal at the end.
Other dal baati recipes vary quite a bit. Some make the dough with semolina, besan and milk and boil the baati before baking. Their dal may use a different mix of lentils, its own pressure-cooking and mashing method, and souring ingredients such as tamarind and amchur.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many baati does the dough make?
Four go into the churma, and the rest are dipped in ghee and served with the dal. Divide the dough into equal portions and shape them into smooth, firm balls.
How many minutes is one whistle?
It depends on your cooker, so count whistles, not minutes. Follow your cooker's instructions for use and for opening it, and aim for lentils that still have a little bite.
How much water goes into the baati dough?
Add lukewarm water a little at a time until the dough is tight and firm. For the lentils, use as much water as you need for soaking; the 4 cups are for pressure-cooking.
