MASTERCHEFMOM: Jodhpuri Kabuli | Homestyle Jodhpuri Kabuli with Baked Kaccha Kele Ki Gatte | Rajasthani Style Rice with Baked Raw Banana Dumplings

Sunday, October 13, 2019

Jodhpuri Kabuli | Homestyle Jodhpuri Kabuli with Baked Kaccha Kele Ki Gatte | Rajasthani Style Rice with Baked Raw Banana Dumplings | Gluten Free Recipe

Hi Supermoms,

Cooking interesting and delicious dishes always gives me so much excitement. Knowing the origin of dishes and history behind it fascinates me. Recently I came across a dish called 'Jodhpuri Kabuli' . When Chef Ashish Bhasin shared the recipe with me, I was so tempted to try it at the earliest.

I visited my parents last weekend and my parents had packed loads of garden fresh raw plantain (raw banana) from our garden. I had so many requests to make Bajji, chips, varuval, Dosai Kuzhambu using these fresh raw plantain. That's when it struck me, why don't I make the Jodhpuri Kabuli using the raw plantain. Family anyways love Biryani. So it was like hitting two mangoes with one stone! Well it came out so well and everyone enjoyed it.

I must now share this enjoyment with all of you. Well before I start explaining about this dish and how to make it, I need to first thank Chef Ashish Bhasin for sharing the history behind this dish and of course the recipe.

He shares that " Kabuli is a traditional dish from Jodhpur, Rajasthan. It is made by layering rice with bread and vegetable gravy. This is a vegetarian adaptation of dish from Afghanistan. I think because of the relationship between Marwar and Mughals, the dish managed to reach the royal courts of Marwar . As per history, this was Aurangzeb's favourite rice dish. There is documented proof of a letter from Shahjahan to Aurangzeb where he mentions that the Qubooli he had at Aurangzeb's palace cooked by Suleman was the best and he had requested to let Suleman come and work for him. Aurangzeb refused. The difference between the Kabuli and Biryani according to the Chef is the ratio of rice: vegetable gravy. The vegetable gravy is more in Kabuli.

Chef Ashish Bhasin has twenty one years of experience in the Culinary World. He is currently the Executive Chef of Leela Palace and Hotels, Gurgaon . When you meet him, you will be amazed by his humility and his passion for food. His zest to share his culinary knowledge is so inspiring . So much to learn from him.

Coming to the recipe, I made a few healthy additions . First of all I added boiled and mashed raw banana/plantain to the chickpea flour to make Gatta/Gatte ( Rajasthani Chickpea flour Dumplings ). Secondly, I baked the bread and also the Gatte instead of deep frying them. I also omitted fried potatoes . Since my rice was clumped together while layering, I added the rice and mixed them with the gravy in a wide wok/kadai. It tasted delicious.

This Royal Rice dish was such a hit at home. Easy to make , the Kabuli has become a favourite. I am confident that if you try this recipe, you will love it too.

Jodhpuri Kabuli :

Recipe Adapted from Chef Ashish Bhasin

Preparation time : 15 minutes

Cooking time : 45 minutes - 1 hour

Serves : 4

1 cup = 250 ml cup

Ingredients :

To cook rice :

1 cup basmati rice ( washed twice and soaked in 1 cup water for 30 minutes)

1 clove

1 bay leaf

1/2" cinnamon stick

1-2 green cardamom ( whole)

1 black cardamon

pinch of nutmeg powder

1-2 teaspoons ghee/clarified butter ( optional)

To make the Baked Kacche Kele Ki Gatte:

2-3 raw banana/plantain ( mine were small, so used 3 raw banana)

1/2 cup chickpea flour/besan

1/8 teaspoon turmeric powder

1/4 teaspoon Kashmiri Chilli powder ( adjust according to your spice preference)

1/4 teaspoon roasted cumin powder/jeera powder

1/2 teaspoon ginger juice OR pinch of asafoetida

1 tablespoon oil to grease ( I used sesame oil)

salt to taste

To make Baked crispy bread toasts:

2-3 bread slices

1 tablespoon salted butter

For tempering :

1 tablespoon ghee/clarified butter

1/2 " ginger ( grated)

2-3 garlic cloves ( finely chopped)

2-3 green chillies ( finely chopped)( add more chillies if you like the Kabuli more spicy)

Other ingredients :

2 tomatoes ( ground, puree'd)

1 onion ( cut into roundels)

2 tablespoons curd

1/8 teaspoon turmeric powder

1/4 teaspoon Kashmiri chilli powder ( optional)

1/2 teaspoon garam masala powder

10-15 almonds

10-15 cashews

10-15 raisins

1 tablespoon ghee/clarified butter

1/4 cup fresh cilantro/coriander leaves ( finely chopped)

salt to taste

Method :

1. Peel the raw bananas and steam them till they are soft.

2. Transfer them to a wide bowl and while they are hot, mash them well .

3. To this mashed raw banana, add chilli powder, jeera powder, salt and besan/chickpea flour.

4. Mix well , grease your hands and pinch smaller portions. Roll them into thin cylinders.
5. Steam them for 8-9 minutes.

6. Line a baking tray with parchment paper or butter paper , spread butter on both sides of the bread .
7. Pre-heat the oven at 200 degrees C for 10 minutes.

8. While the oven is pre-heating, grease your hands with oil and grease each cylinder.

9. Cut them into approximately 1" pieces.

10. Spread them on the parchment paper along with bread and bake them in the pre-heated oven at 200 degrees C for 15 minutes.
11. The bread will get fully toasted by that time. Remove the bread and continue baking the Gatte for another 10-12 minutes or until they are lightly crisp on the outside.

Chef tip : You can cut the bread slices into 6 pieces each and bake rather than cut them after baking.

12. While they are baking, you can prepare the rice and the gravy. Add all the ingredients given under 'To cook rice' in a pressure cooker or an open pot , which ever is convenient to you. If you are pressure cooking, cook upto just one whistle and switch off.