Gatta Curry

Re-publishing the post for Sri's Curry Mela

My interest in cooking started with this dish. I was watching 'Khaana Khazana' a popular cookery show presented by always smiling Chef Sanjeev Kapoor. I was in my early teens and had never even made tea. But I really liked this recipe and the way he showed it. This was the first dish, I ever cooked in my life. 'Gatta Curry' is a traditional Rajasthani dish, cuisines of Rajasthan are greatly influenced by the climatic condition of this state. Because of inadequate water, lack of green vegetables, Rajasthani cuisine developed a style of its own. Gatta's are besan (Bengal gram flour) dumplings cooked in simple tomato and yogurt gravy. This dish like other Rajasthani food has very limited and basic vegetables. Whenever there are unexpected guests at my place this recipe is my last resort as you need minimum ingredients like onions, tomatoes, curd and besan which are always available in the house. So here's your chance to impress your unexpected guest.

Ingredients:
For Gatta
1 Cup of Besan (Bengal gram flour)
2 Tablespoon of Curd
1 Teaspoon of Red Chilly Powder
1 Teaspoon of Coriander Powder
1 Teaspoon of Saunf (Fennel Seed/ Ani seed)
1 Teaspoon of Turmeric Powder
Pinch of Asafoedita
1 Teaspoon of Garam Masala
1 Teaspoon of Oil
Salt to taste

For Curry
1 Large Chopped Onion
1 Large Chopped Tomato
1 Tablespoon of Ginger-Garlic paste
1 Teaspoon of Cumin Seeds
1 Teaspoon of Coriander powder
1 Teaspoon of Red Chilly Powder
1 Teaspoon of Turmeric powder
3 - 4 Curry Leaves
2 Tablespoon of Curd
2 Teaspoon of Garam Masala powder
Salt to Taste
1 Tablespoon of Oil

Method:
1. Mix all the ingredients for Gatta and make a dough. Take small portion of this dough and make thin strips by rolling the small portion of dough in between your two hands as shown below:

2. Now boil the Gatta strips in water by adding few drops of oil in water so that besan strips should not stick to each other.
3. Once the Gatta strips are cooked remove them from the boiling water and cut in to small Gattas as shown below and keep aside.

4. Now take a vessel, add oil and cumin seeds, once they start spluttering add curry leaves, Onions and Ginger-Garlic paste. Saute the Onions till they are transparent.
5. Add Tomatoes, Coriander powder, Asafoedita, Red Chilly Powder, Turmeric Powder and cook them till oil starts leaving the vessel.
6. Add Curd, salt and garam masala powder and water if required and let it cook for 1 Minute.
7. Once the curry starts boiling add cooked Gattas and let it simmer for few minutes.
Once the Gatta curry is ready you can serve it with plain rotis or parathas