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Bafauri
Steamed chana dal dumplings
Oil-free steamed chana dal dumplings (बफौरी) from Chhattisgarh, spiked with ginger, chilli and ajwain (plus 4 hours soaking)
Bafauri comes from the same Chhattisgarhi home kitchens that make fara and chila, and it is the region's answer to a fried pakora without the frying. Soaked chana dal is ground coarse with ginger, garlic and chilli, mixed with onion and herbs, then steamed into little dumplings that are firm, nubbly and high in protein. They are eaten hot at teatime with tomato chutney, and many families also toss them in a quick mustard-seed tadka. Chef's tip: grind the dal with only 2–3 tablespoons of water; a wet paste spreads flat in the steamer and loses the rough texture that makes bafauri good.
- Total time
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
- 7 oz chana dal (split Bengal gram)soaked 4 hours and drained
- ½ oz fresh ginger
- 3 tbsp water
- 1 onionfinely chopped
- ½ oz fresh corianderchopped
- ½ tsp ajwain (carom seeds)
- ½ tsp cumin seeds
- ¼ tsp ground turmeric
- ¾ tsp salt
- 1 tsp vegetable oilto grease the plate
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Put 7 oz chana dal (split Bengal gram), 2 green chillies, ½ oz fresh ginger and 3 garlic cloves in a blender with 3 tbsp water and grind in short pulses to a coarse paste, like rough breadcrumbs that hold together when squeezed. Too much water is the common mistake; it makes flat, dense bafauri.
Step 2: Tip into a bowl and mix in 1 onion, ½ oz fresh coriander, ½ tsp ajwain (carom seeds), ½ tsp cumin seeds, ¼ tsp ground turmeric and ¾ tsp salt. Beat with your hand for a minute to lighten it.
Step 3: Bring water to the boil in a steamer on high. Grease a steaming plate with 1 tsp vegetable oil. With damp hands, drop walnut-sized rough rounds of the mix onto the plate, leaving a little space between them.
Step 4: Steam, covered, on medium-high for 15–18 minutes, until the dumplings are firm, the colour turns a deeper yellow and a toothpick comes out clean.
18 minStep 5: Rest for 2 minutes, then lift off. Serve hot with tomato or coriander chutney, or toss in a mustard-seed tadka for extra crunch.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 220 kcal
- Protein
- 12 g
- Carbs
- 34 g
- Fat
- 3 g
- Fibre
- 9 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does bafauri take?
- About 40 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of fresh ginger?
- ¼ tsp ground ginger per tbsp fresh (add it with the spices).
- What can I use instead of garlic cloves?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
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