Baati Chokha

India is a land of diversity. “Diversity” - even the scope of the word becomes limited, when we think of the variety it has. Be it anything. The Culture, the language, the landscape, the dress, and ............... even the food that the people here so deliciously relish upon.

It is so diverse, that even a common dish which you would find at each dining table would be having a different taste if you are sitting at your neighbour’s place. Out of this gigantic dish basket, let me throw some light on the regional cuisines. I am moving towards the east on the borders of the twin state UP and Bihar. A common staple food – very healthy and filling indeed – the common “Baati Chokha” or Floor Balls stuffed with sattu baked in Cow-dung cakes.

Baati:

Ingredients:

Wheat Floor: 250 gms.

Roasted Gram Floor (Sattu): 100 gms.

Salt: As per taste

Garlic: 10 – 15 cloves (finely chopped)

Green Chilly: 2 finely chopped

Dried Mango Powder: As per taste

Green Coriander: Finely chopped for garnishing

Preparation of Stuffing:

Add the finely chopped garlic, green chillies, green coriander to the roasted gram floor. Add salt and dried mango powder as per taste. Sprinkle a few drops of water and mix it as a loosely bound stuffing.

Preparation of Baati:

Knead the wheat floor into a semi hard loaf, adding small amount of water. Divide this in 12 balls. Make each ball into a cup shape pressing at the center of the ball with your thumb. Fill 2 to 3 spoons of the sattu stuffing in this and close the ball tightly. Prepare all the twelve balls like this.

Roasting of Batti in Cow-dung cake:

Cow- dung cakes are very common fuel in this part of country. 5 to 6 cakes are sorted and arranged to form like a pyramid, with one or two pieces forming the base. It is then ignited. Once the whole pyramid is in flame leave it for a  3-4 minutes. The flames would recede and the cakes would now appear red. Turn the cakes that form the peak of the pyramid with a tong and place the Baati balls on the red hot base of the pyramid. Put the cakes that were removed on these balls again. Let it roast for a few mins.( 4-5). Once it starts appearing pink again remove the cakes from the top, and turn the ball with tongs to have all the parts roasted equally. It would appear light brown. Remove it from the fire and rub all of them with a clean cloth to remove the burnt portion of the balls and the ashes. Your Baati is ready to be served. Serve it after dipping it thoroughly in Pure Ghee with Chokha.

(Alternatively it can be roasted in a OTG)

Chokha:

Ingredients:

Brinjal : Two round brinjals

Potato :  Three (boiled and peeled)

Tomato: Three red

Green Chillies: One

Coriander leaves : finely chopped for garnishing.

Garlic Cloves: 10 – 12 cloves.

Preparation:

Roast the Brinjal and tomato on direct flame till it is fully cooked on a gas stove. (it can also be cooked on the cow dung cake fire already prepared for baati). Remove the burnt cover of the roasted vegetables. Let it cool down a little. After that crush the brinjal, tomato and potatoes together into a fine mix. Add chopped chillies and garlic cloves and salt as per taste. Garnish it with chopped coriander leaves and Coriander chatni.

Green Coriander chatni :

Make a fine paste of coriander leaves (50gms) with a pinch of salt, one or two pieces of green chilly and lemon juice.

Serve hot : Two peices of Baati dipped in Desi Ghee, along with Chokha and chatni.

 RELISH