Balfa with Dal
Submitted by Dreamcatcher
Bafla are Rajasthani wheat dough balls boiled in spiced moong dal, then baked until cracked and golden. Break them open, drizzle with ghee, and pour the aromatic dal right over top for a soul-warming vegetarian meal.
YIELD
10 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
40 minREADY
60 minIf you haven’t explored Rajasthani cuisine, bafla with dal is where you start.
These sturdy wheat dough balls get boiled right in a pot of simmering moong dal spiced with turmeric, green chilies, bay leaves, and cinnamon.
Once they’re cooked through, into the oven they go until the surface cracks and turns golden brown.
Then you break each one open with your thumb, drizzle in a spoonful of warm ghee, and drown the whole thing in that fragrant dal.
It’s street food, festival food, and family food all in one.
Chef Tips
- Knead the dough until it’s completely smooth. Rough dough leads to bafla that crack apart in the boiling dal.
- Don’t crowd the pot. The dough balls need room to float and cook evenly in the dal.
- Bake until you see cracks forming on the surface. That’s your sign they’re ready.
- The thumb-press in the center isn’t just for looks. It creates a well that catches the ghee and dal beautifully.
- Serve with a sharp green chutney on the side to cut through the richness of the ghee.
Ingredients
Directions
1 x Rajasthani bread Put split mung beans (moong dal) with water in a heavy pan over high heat.
Add half of the chopped onion, salt, sugar, green chilies, bay leaves, cinnamon sticks.
Sift flour with salt; rub in ghee or oil.
Knead to a smooth dough.
Divide the dough into 10 parts and shape them into round balls.
Drop these balls in the boiling dal, reduce heat.
Cook for 25 minutes then remove the cooked flour balls one by one from the dal.
Place the cooked flour flour balls in a greased baking dish .
Bake in a preheat oven 375℉ (190℃) (190 C/ gas mark 5) until the skin of the balls begins to crack and the colour turns light brown.
Place them in a dish and press each of them in the centre with your thumb.
Break lightly and put 1 or 2 teaspoon ghee in each bafla.
Can be eaten without ghee too.
Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a pan.
Fry remaining half of onions until lightly browned.
Pour cooked dal. Stir well. Let it boil 2 to 3 times.
Remove from heat and sprinkle with chopped coriander.
Serve baflas with dal.
Note: Dal (beans) should be poured over the baflas, breaking them completely.
Other vegetable dishes or chutney can be served with it also.
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