Gatte ki Sabzi

B esan or Gatte ki Sabzi is a Rajasthani speciality. Made out of gram flour dumplings placed in a thick gravy, the dish has a simple history. Since the state of Rajasthan is essentially a desert region, availability of vegetables is scarce. As a result, the food habits of the people developed around spices, pulses and grains. This dish is a direct consequence of such traditions. Much like kadhi, the Rajasthani Gatte ki Sabzi is paired with a steaming bowl of rice or parathas.

KT Achaya, in his historical documentation of Indian foods (titled A Historical Dictionary of Indian Food), stated, “Moong and besan flour form the foundation of numerous crisp, fried savouries like the mangodi, gatti, papadi and methi. Many vegetables are sun dried throughout the year before being used as gattey.” 

Rajasthani women were known to prepare the gatte much in advance. They would grind the gram flour and mix them well with dried spices. The blend would then be steamed and cut into small, bite-sized dumplings. Besan is generally mixed with oil, red chilli powder, cumin seeds and carom seeds (ajwain). This blend is then steamed and cut into small medium-sized pieces and quickly added to the thick curry where it boils for about three to four minutes. Besan has the advantage of being a flavour sponge. Gradually, the gatte become softer and mushier with flavours from the curry it is dunked in. Since most Rajasthani foods are made with little or no amounts of water, Gatte ki Sabzi fits right into the mould, as this one is a semi-dry dish.

Since Gatte travel well, require very few ingredients to prepare (buttermilk/curd, salt, turmeric, chillies and garlic paste), and could be boiled or fried, food historians say that it was the food item that accompanied "Mewaris and Mawaris (wherever they) went, whether warriors, traders or tribal people". Their origin is traced to the reign of Bappa Rawal, the 8th century ruler of Mewar, and a member of the clan of Guhila Rajputs. Cooks who were proficient in the art of preparing Gatte and related dishes would be recruited as parts of caravans, serais and even in the homes of the wealthy.

It would be tempting to paint all Gatte from Rajasthan with the same brush, but expert chefs note that every region has a different way of preparing this ubiquitous dish. Jodhpur's Gatte are larger-sized and heavy on the spices; you'll find that these dumplings are often fried before being immersed in a curry with a curd and onion base. Chickpea leaves, when in season, are added for flavour. On the other hand, Mewari recipes for Gatte incorporate lots of fresh herbs; and the dumplings themselves are boiled and used in rice-based dishes (like pulao) or in a curry. Bikaneri Gatte make use of fenugreek, while in Jaipur, khoya is the surprising addition to the curry ingredients.