Dal Bafla

Make the bafla dough: combine whole wheat flour, semolina, 3 tablespoons of ghee, and salt. Rub the ghee into the flour. Add water gradually and knead into a firm, stiff dough — stiffer than roti dough. Divide into 8 equal balls and shape into smooth, round baflas.

Boil a large pot of water. Drop the bafla balls into the boiling water and cook for 15–20 minutes until they float and are cooked through. This boiling step is what distinguishes bafla from baati — it makes the inside softer.

Remove the boiled baflas and drain. Brush generously with ghee on all sides.

Bake the ghee-coated baflas in a preheated oven at 200°C for 20–25 minutes, turning halfway, until they develop a golden-brown crust. Alternatively, cook on a charcoal grill or tawa.

While the baflas bake, prepare the dal: wash and pressure cook toor dal and chana dal together with turmeric and salt for 3–4 whistles until very soft. Mash lightly.

Heat 2 tablespoons of ghee in a pan. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and asafoetida. Let them splutter.

Add finely chopped onions and sauté until golden brown, about 8 minutes. Add ginger-garlic paste and cook for 2 minutes.

Add chopped tomatoes and cook until the oil separates. Add red chilli powder and coriander powder. Cook for 2 minutes.

Add the mashed dal to the tempering. Add water to adjust consistency to a medium-thick soup. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add garam masala and adjust salt.

Remove the baked baflas from the oven. Break each one open and pour a generous amount of hot ghee inside. Serve the baflas alongside the hot dal, with extra ghee on the side and fresh coriander garnish.