Gatte ki Sabziगट्टे की सब्ज़ी
⏱ Prep 20m🍳 Cook 35m🍽 Serves 4🌿 Vegetarian
Video: Hebbars Kitchen (YouTube)
Gatte ki Sabzi is the soul of Rajasthani home cooking — besan dumplings simmered in a tart, spiced yogurt gravy that warms you through desert-cold evenings. In a land where fresh vegetables were once a rarity, cooks turned chickpea flour into something magnificent. Every Marwari grandmother has her own touch, but the satisfaction is always the same.
📍 Make it in Plano
This recipe is the same everywhere — but where you buy the ingredients and eat the dish is local to you.
Finding Desi spots near Plano…
Ingredients
- ▪Besan (chickpea flour)1½ cups
- ▪Ajwain (carom seeds)½ tsp
- ▪Saunf (fennel seeds)½ tsp
- ▪Red chilli powder1 tsp (divided)
- ▪Turmeric powder (haldi)½ tsp (divided)
- ▪Saltto taste
- ▪Oil2 tbsp (for dough) + 1 tbsp (for frying)
- For the yogurt gravy
- ▪Dahi (plain yogurt), whisked smooth1 cup
- ▪Ghee2 tbsp
- ▪Jeera (cumin seeds)1 tsp
- ▪Tej patta (bay leaf)1
- ▪Dhania powder (coriander powder)1½ tsp
- ▪Garam masala½ tsp
- ▪Fresh coriander (dhania), choppedhandful
🌍 Cooking abroad? Substitutions
- Besan is sold as chickpea flour or gram flour in South Asian stores abroad; Bob's Red Mill also makes a version. Sift it once to avoid lumps in the dough.
- Replace desi ghee with a neutral vegetable oil if ghee is hard to find — the gravy will still work, though you'll miss the nutty Rajasthani richness.
- Fresh dahi is the non-negotiable here; don't substitute with sour cream, as the fat ratio changes the gravy's texture. Full-fat Greek yogurt thinned with a splash of water is the best stand-in outside India.
Method
- 1Make the gatte dough: combine besan, ajwain, saunf, ½ tsp red chilli powder, ¼ tsp turmeric, salt, and 2 tbsp oil. Add just enough water to bring it together into a stiff dough — stiffer than roti dough, so the gatte hold their shape.
- 2Divide into 4–5 portions and roll each into a smooth cylinder about ¾ inch thick. Bring a pot of salted water to a rolling boil and slip in the cylinders. Cook for 10–12 minutes until they float and feel firm. Reserve 1½ cups of the cooking water.
- 3Let the gatte cool for 5 minutes, then slice into 1-inch rounds. Optional: shallow-fry in 1 tbsp oil until lightly golden on the cut sides for extra texture.
- 4Whisk the yogurt very smooth — no lumps. Heat ghee in a heavy kadhai over medium heat. Add jeera and tej patta; let them crackle for 30 seconds.
- 5Add the whisked yogurt carefully — it will sputter. Stir constantly and cook on medium-low heat. Add the remaining red chilli powder, turmeric, dhania powder, and salt. Keep stirring so the yogurt does not split.
- 6Cook the gravy for 8–10 minutes, stirring often, until the ghee visibly separates and the raw smell of spices is gone.
- 7Pour in the reserved gatte water and bring to a gentle simmer. Add the sliced gatte and let them absorb the gravy for 5–6 minutes on low heat.
- 8Finish with garam masala and a generous handful of fresh coriander. Serve hot with bajra ki roti, steamed rice, or dal baati.
A Desi.Net original recipe · part of our Indian Cuisine library. Confirm details and adjust to taste.