Extra-marital relationships (Part 1): Gatte ki Sabji

This is a food post, I swear.

Being a Bengali, the food-fetish is ingrained in me since I first knew how to eat probably. From Dhokaar Dalna to Bhapa Ilish, everyday at a Bengali household is a feast. It starts with teto (bitter like shukto, ucche bhaja) and ends with a mishti (like rosogolla). Today, however I write about a cuisine that I learnt to explore over time and eventually became my favourite.

I discovered Rajasthani cuisine when I was 13. I had moved to Tezpur from Dhubri (I stayed there for 3 years) and got called in for breakfast by Bharti (my best friend) on the day of Navami as her mother was celebrating Kumari Puja (A Hindu ritual carried out on Navratri to celebrate young girls as a form of Goddess Durga). I remember vividly Aunty serving me Puri, Aloo chola ki sabji, kadhi and boondiya. The Kadhi was so good that I kept licking my spoon asking for more. That is how I developed my favouritism for Rajasthani cuisine.

Aunty belongs to Mising tribe in Assam but she got married to a Rajasthani and that’s how she learnt to look Marwari food. During my engineering days, when I used to return to college post vacations, aunty used to make sure I take a dabba back to college full of gatte ki sabji so matter how busy she was. As embarrassed as this might sound, I used to finish it in Kolkata airport waiting for my connecting flight to Bhubaneswar.

Aunty’s way of making gatte ki sabji was very simple. Minimal masalas, a watery gravy (best served piping hot) and a distinct taste came from Asafoetida (hing) and pre-boiled potatoes crumbled with hands and dropping it into the gravy. Over time, my mother learnt how to make it from Bharti’r Maa (as she likes to call her), but Aunty’s gatte ki sabji was so subtle yet so nostalgic.

I make Gatte ki Sabji for the first time today. A tsunami of nostalgia kick in; how my Navami meant going to Bharti’s house for a hearty brunch after Durga Puja’r Anjali, Uncle’s (who is no more with us) last words to me, “Acche se rehna beta. Tum aur Bharti aise hi dosti rakhna apna!” never knowing that this would be his last words to me, Aunty’s innocent smile sitting and listening to our stories and me licking my fingers for more puri sabji.

… And that’s why friends, Rajasthani cuisine will always be my extra-marital relationship.

I served my Gatte ki Sabji with steamed rice, Kataa chocchori (A Bengali delicacy with fish head and vegetables) and Kachumber Salad (A Parsi salad with cucumber). Please note that I made my Gatta with a Dhokla mix as I ran out of Besan at home. It has baking soda in it and hence it turned out to be bigger in size. I would, however give you the exact proportions with besan as well.

Ingredients:

For making gatta:

1. Besan/Gram flour: 300 gms
2. Water
3. Salt to taste
4. Red chilly powder: 1 tsp
5. Coriander powder: 1 tsp
6. Cumin powder: 1 tsp
7. Turmeric powder: 1 tsp
8. Ajwain: 1 tbsp
9. Curd: 50 gms

For making gravy:

1. Cumin seeds: 2 tbsp
2. Dried red chilly: 2 nos
3. Hing: 1 tsp
4. Onion: 1 nos. (Chopped)
5. Tomato: 1/2 (Chopped)
6. Green Chilly: 2 nos.
7. Red chilly powder: 1 tsp
8. Coriander powder: 1 tsp
9. Cumin powder: 1 tsp
10. Turmeric powder: 1 tsp
11. Curd: 200 gms
12. Salt to taste
13. Mustard oil: 3 tbsp

Recipe:

1. Mix all the ingredients for the gatte and make a stiff dough.
2. Make thin cylindrical rolls from the dough and cut it into pieces.
3. Boil them in water until the gatte float on top and are thoroughly cooked.
4. In a kadhai, put mustard oil, cumin seeds, red chilly and hing.
5. Fry the tomatoes and put salt and mix it properly. Wait for the tomatoes to get soft and mushy.
6. Make a paste of all the masalas with water and add it into the kadhai.
7. After it is fried and the raw smell is gone, add beaten curd into the masala.
8. Wait for the oil to release and then add warm water into the kadhai.
9. Lastly, add green chilies and gatta and cook it for 10 mins.
10. Serve hot with steamed rice or roti.

If you liked this recipe and want to see more of this mother-daughter duo, don’t forget to reach out to us at rannabaati00@gmail.com and our Instagram Handle @rannabaati by Oliva Das. We look forward to your requests and feedback!