LT COL NOEL ELLIS
13/V/2025
Enough of Indo-Pak dhishoom-dhishoom
for the time being. Thoughts kept flashing in the mind but now after a pause in
the battle there is peace. We made enough “Choorma” of the enemy. Time now is
to ‘chew the stew’.
That reminded me of what I have
just finished doing. Making ‘Choorma’ for my birdie friends. Each day, they
wait for me desperately to enjoy the roti morsels I serve to them. These days
we have set a signal to indicate “Bhojan Prastut hai Shirman” as our Mess
Havildar used to report when food was laid for the officers to proceed for a
meal.
Pieces of roti are spread on a
tin sheet. Birds come to feed/rest & take a break. We have shade, food, and
water, plus security from cats. It is a nice perch for them to spread their
wings for a while.
Though they are alert and waiting
but moment I spread their “dastarkhwaan”, I bang the plate on the tin sheet.
Boy, you have to hear the ‘chirpy excitement’ as if Kalender has served Khana
for them. Even before I leave, they are zipping past me. It is like in
kindergarten, the teacher left a bowl of toffees & told us to take as many
as we could. Can you imagine the chaos? These girls are civilised.
Thinking of Choorma, it reminded
me of a Dhaba on the highway, just opposite our colony. Dal, Bati and Choorma
is a delicacy in this part of Rajasthan. That is what they serve and nothing
else. The turn over was visible with the crowd. We knew that the food would be
delicious.
Prices are exorbitant, for four
batis and unlimited dal. Believe you me ‘seventy bucks’ for a thali. An ‘urban
senior citizen’ like me at best can eat two batis, but for the local folk,
sky's the limit. In case they ‘bet’, you can imagine.
The art of serving the Bati is
unique. One has to have a “jiggra” to watch it and then eat. Bati is served
piping hot, straight from a ‘cow dung cake’ fired ‘tandoor’. ‘Kande/Chaane’ as
they are called.
If made in bulk, the Dhaba chap
will put them in a gunny bag and make them run around the length and breadth of
the bag, like a baby in a ‘plana’ (cradle), till all dust gets separated. Then
he blows air from his mouth to clear any residue of ash sticking to it before
stowing/serving them.
When the Bati cracks open, it is
considered fully cooked. There would be burnt black patches on its sides
depending on how close to the ambers the Bati was kept. The crispiness adds to
the rustic and smoky flavoured wheat roundel.
Then comes the real thing, when
he puts it on your plate and gives the Bati a twist to break it into smaller
pieces. Two or three twists are enough. It is followed by a golden liquid
called ‘shudh desi ghee’. Depending on your “paachan shakti” (digestive
capacity) you may indulge at your own risk. But frankly, no Bati can be eaten
without being soaked in ghee. You are supposed to pour the Dal over it and then
make a mix of it.
Dal-Bati is best eaten with bare
hands. Though hotels now use gloves to serve and give it a hygienic kind of
look, the real ‘swad (taste) will never come.
At the end comes the pudding
called Choorma. It is the same Bati crushed into small pieces again, soaked in
over flowing ghee. Melted gur or jaggery is poured over it. This concoction is
rubbed together with bare hands again till it is a homogeneous mixture. Some
have it like that, others make ‘laddus’ to enjoy later. Mind you, it is a whole
meal in itself.
Batis are made of ‘coarse grain’.
The dal is a mix of “pachmail dal” (five kinds of dals mixed) or “Chana dal
with Chilke wali Hari Moong dal”. It is best served with ‘Mirchi ka Koota’, a
recipe of fried green chillies as an accompaniment plus my favourite “Lassan ki
Chutney”. On the sides “finely diced Pyaz” and half a nimbu to be squeezed over
the dal-bati mix. It sends signals to your taste buds to activate and salivate.
The culmination to all this is a
chilled glass of ‘Masala Chaach’ or salted butter milk, which comes with very
finely julienned ginger strands, black salt and jeera or roasted cumin seed
powder. All this washes down the meal smoothly.
The feeling of ‘Tripti’ or bliss comes
when you lie down for your afternoon siesta and sleep like a log for the next
two hours devouring Bati after Bati in your dreams.
Larai-Larai maaf karo, Dal Bati
Choorma ke sath Insaaf karo.
Would you guys like to “Padharo”
to ‘Jeemo” sa? I wonder!!!!!!
JAI HIND
©® NOEL ELLIS
Hi Noel, looking forward to joining you for such a delicious treat. Incidentally, I stay near Choki Dhani. So padharo mhare desh
ReplyDeleteThank you Sharad, next time we go there
DeleteMouthwatering and finger licking good article.. Makes me want to run back to Rajasthan to eat this again..
ReplyDeleteThank you, most welcome
DeleteLoved it. Coming to your place for dinner :). Dipy
ReplyDeleteThank you Dipy, most welcome
DeleteThank you, most welcome Dipy
Delete