Hard wheat balls boiled then baked and dunked in ghee, served with a five-lentil dal — the village version of the dal baati tradition specific to Madhya Pradesh.
Ingredients
For bafle:
2 cups whole wheat flour (atta)
1/4 cup ghee
1/2 tsp carom seeds
1/2 tsp salt
Water — to form a medium-stiff dough
Ghee — generous amount for dunking
For dal:
1/4 cup each: toor, chana, moong and masoor dal
3 cups water
1/2 tsp turmeric
For tadka: 2 tbsp ghee, 1 tsp cumin, 4 garlic cloves sliced, 1/4 tsp asafoetida, 2 dried red chillies, 1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1 tomato — finely chopped
Salt
Method
Make bafle dough: combine atta, ghee and carom seeds.
Rub ghee in until crumbly. Add salt. Add water gradually and knead into a medium-stiff smooth dough. Divide into 8 balls.
Boil bafle: bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Drop bafle balls in. Boil on medium for 20 to 22 minutes until cooked through — test by inserting a toothpick.
Drain. Bake the boiled bafle on a tray at 200°C for 15 to 18 minutes until the exterior dries and develops a golden crust.
Alternatively finish on a tawa or directly over a flame.
Immediately dunk hot bafle in ghee.
Make dal: cook all four lentils with water, turmeric and tomato until soft.
Whisk lightly. Season with salt. Make tadka with ghee, cumin, garlic, asafoetida, dried red chillies and red chilli powder. Pour over dal.
Serve bafle broken into a bowl with dal poured over generously.