Gatte Ki Sabzee | Raam Saalan

There are days when one doesn’t have enough green veggies in the pantry and then the struggle to put together a hot and fresh meal is real. In times like these Chickpea flour recipes are a saviour.

This recipe for Gatte Ki Sabzee/Raam Saalan for example requires minimal prep and can be put together in no time with basic pantry ingredients. There are various versions of this dish that are popular across India, one of them being Rajasthani Gatte Ka Sabzee which has a yogurt base gravy.Paneer Stuffed Gatte is also quite popular and a slightly more indulgent version of the dish.

While one has a host of versions to pick from, the recipe which I am sharing here today remains a childhood favourite. And the best part? It is great for the waistline too as it uses minimal oil- gattas( chickpea dough dumplings)are steamed and not fried and then dunked in a delicious gravy. And did I mention it is also gluten-free? Win-Win!

Helpful Tips to Make Gatte Ki Sabzee

1. Kneading the dough well is key. Make sure there are no lumps in the dough and it is smooth
2. Steam the dumplings on a high flame keeping it covered so it cooks through; stir once in between for even cooking
3. For the gravy I used shallow fried onion paste. This enhances flavours. You could also use raw onion paste but you would need to cook it longer to make sure the raw smell disappears

Ingredients to Make Gatte Ki Sabzee

1. Besan: 1 cup
2. Coriander powder: 1/2 tsp
3. Cumin powder: 1/2 tsp
4. Red chilli powder: 1/2 tsp
5. Turmeric powder:1/2 tsp
6. Ajwain, crushed coarsely: 1 tsp
7. Ginger-Garlic-Onion paste: Made with 1 small onion+3 inch ginger piece+4-6 garlic pods
8. Water to knead the besan dough
9. Dried Bay leaves: 2
10. Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
11. Cumin powder: 1/2 tsp
12. Coriander powder: 1/2 tsp
13. Garam Masla: 1/2 tsp
14. Red Chili Powder: 1 tsp
15. Onion paste:1 cup
16. Tomato Puree: 1/2 cup
17. Green Chilies, slit lengthwise: 2 (optional)
18. Salt: To taste
19. Oil
20. Chopped coriander for garnish

Methods to Make Gatte Ki Sabzee

1. In a wide dish bring together besan, coriander powder, cumin powder, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, ajwain, salt and ginger-garlic-onion paste, and adding a little water at a time start to knead till a soft dough comes together
2. Grease your palms with half a tablespoon oil and using both hands knead the oil into the dough; cover and set aside for 15 minutes
3. In the meantime, bring water to boil in a wide and deep skillet. Once it comes to boil, add a tablespoon oil. This water will be used to steam the gattas and the oil prevents the gattas from sticking together
4. After 15 minutes, make small balls with the prepared dough and roll it between your palms to make approximately 2 centimetre thick “snakes (refer the below video for details)”
5. Add the prepared dumplings into boiling hot water and cover. Keep the flame high, stir intermittently and continue to steam. Once the gattas are steamed they would start to float on the surface. It takes approximately 12-14 minutes on a high flame
6. While the gattas are cooking you can start to cook the gravy ; heat oil in a heavy bottomed skillet and add cumin seeds and bay leaf; once the seeds start to splutter add all the powdered masalas and cook on a low flame for a minute or two
7. Then add onion paste; if using raw onion paste cook it well till oil starts to release and are smell disappears and then add tomato ; if using shallow fired onion paste add tomato puree right after and continue to cook till masalas are well incorporated ,add slit green chilies if using and some hot water as per the desired consistency of gravy and let it simmer
8. In the meantime drain the steamed gattas on a plate. Do not worry if you see small bubbles on the gattas, it is perfectly normal as the recipe does not use baking soda. It however doesn’t effect the final taste and texture and they disappear when added to gravy
9. Once cool to touch cut them into 2 centimetre discs and add to the prepared gravy, bring to boil, lower the flame , cover and let it simmer for 3-4 minutes
10. As it cooks, the gravy thickens because the gattas absorb water, so dilute accordingly
11. Once done garnish with coriander and serve hot with chapatis or steamed rice