Ghatte ki subji / Marwari chickpea dumplings in curd gravy

Rajasthan is the desert area of India. The people there rely a lot on dry goods like powders and seeds. Fresh vegetables are not available, but curd and other milk products are, so the curries have a very different flavor.

I was allowed into the kitchen of my Rajasthani neighbor when she made their speciality - ghatte ki subzi.
It reminded me a lot of Italian Gnocchi, where boiled potato is poached in water and then used in various dishes.

The taste is really acquired. It will be a long time before I retry this dish at home.
The following photos were all taken in my neighbor - Mrs.Monica's house and she is a VERY fast cook. So excuse the photographs!

Ingredients:
Chick pea flour / besan - 1 cup
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp + 1/2 tsp
Salt
Chilly Powder - 1/2 tsp + 1/2 tsp
Coriander powder - 1 tsp + 1 tsp
Oil - 2 tbsp
Ghee - 2 tbsp
Jeera - 1/2 tsp
Curd - 1 cup
Wheat flour - 1 tbsp
Dry mango powder / aamchoor powder - 1 tsp*
*Used only if curd is not sour

Method:
Keep 1 glass of water for boiling.
Mix together the besan, 1/2 tsp turmeric powder, 1/2 tsp chilly powder, 1/2 tsp coriander powder, salt.
Add in 2 tbsp oil and mix it in well.

Add luke-warm water and make a stiff dough.

The kneading  is a tough process and this stiff dough when I kneaded the first time, looked like this!

Ghatte when I kneaded.;)

Divide the dough into small balls and roll into thin cylinders.

Add this to boiling water and cook covered on low flame for 10 minutes.

Once it cooks and expands, transfer to a plate and dice into small pieces.

Do not throw away the water you used for cooking.
In the same kadai, heat the ghee and splutter the jeera.
Add the cut ghatte, and fry for 1 minute.

Add the rest of the salt, turmeric powder, coriander powder and chilly powder.

Taste your curd and if it is not sour, add in the aamchoor powder too.
Mix well and add the curd.

Mix the wheat flour with leftover water inside the curd vessel and stir to remove all lumps.

Add this to the gravy and cook till ghee floats on top.

Serve hot with chappathy / rice.