Chattisgarh Thali

This weekend we continued our Weekend Indian Thali Project by exploring the cuisine of Chattisgarh. A fairly new state, Chattisgarh was carved out of Madhya Pradesh in 2000. We went in with a bit of apprehension, wondering if we could come up with a fully unique thali since we had already created a post for the Madhya Pradesh Thali. But as always the diversity of the Indian cuisine came to our rescue. Chattisgarh had quite a few trademark dishes like Chausela and Dubki Kadhi. Some of the dishes may also be found in other state cuisines (E.g. Pancharatna Dal ) but the Chattisgarh method of preparation did still set them apart.

Steamed Bafauri (Link to recipe) and Tamatar ki chutney (Link to recipe)

There is a running joke in our home that if something tastes good it probably is not healthy for you. So when we came across this healthy lentil snack/appetizer that was not deep-fried but steamed, we had to try it out. Made out of chana dal, the batter is made similar to the batter for Masala Vada (featured in the Ganesh Chaturthi Thali), but then steamed instead of deep-fried. They were amazing!! Do eat them with the super-simple Chattisgarh Tamatar ki chutney and you will not regret it!!

Pancharatna Dal (Link to recipe)

We don’t think the Pancharatna Dal is by any means local only to Chattisgarh, but it is a very popular dish in Raipur (Capital of Chattisgarh) so we decided to feature it in the thali. Made out of five different lentils - Udad Dal, Masoor Dal, Chana Dal, Toor Dal and Moong Dal, it is a wholesome and tasty dish.

Mooli Saag Chana Dal Bhaji (Link to recipe)

This vegetable dish was very interesting. Combining Radish, Radish greens, Fenugreek greens (Methi) and chana dal, the subtle seasoning of this dish really let the earthy flavors of the vegetables shine through. Definitely one of the more tasty radish preparations, the usage of the radish greens was new to us.

Dahiwale Aloo Hara Baigan Gobi ki Sabzi (Link to recipe)

This dish was hands down the star of the thali. This vegetable curry had a spicy, tangy gravy combining sour yogurt, green chillies and spices in the customary onion and tomato base.

Dubki Kadhi (Link to recipe)

This dish will challenge all your preconceptions of “Kadhi”. It does not feature chickpea flour (besan) at all. And instead of the deep-fried pakodas, it has dumplings made out of soaked and ground Udad Dal, dropped directly into the boiling Kadhi, thereby earning the moniker of “Dubki”.

Chausela (Link to recipe)

Another trademark dish from Chattisgarh, these are pooris made out of rice flour. Rice is the primary crop grown in Chattisgarh. Chausela with the tamatar ki chutney is basically the state’s comfort food that can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Chattisgarh Country Chicken Curry (Link to recipe)

This rustic chicken recipe was set apart by the addition of freshly ground mustard (kasundi) and potatoes. It paired well both with the Chausela and the Jeera Rice.

We finally rounded up the thali with Jeera rice (cumin rice) and a simple salad comprising of carrot and radish.

Chattisgarh is the 16th Indian State Thali we have prepared since we started the Weekend Indian Thali Project. And we continue to be amazed by the plethora of dishes that each state is known for. The best part of this project, is discovering new dishes that can be added to our home’s staple menu. The ‘Dahiwale Aloo Hara Baigan Gobi ki Sabzi’ and the ‘Chattisgarh Country Chicken Curry’ are two of the dishes that we will definitely be making again.