This recipe comes from Cooking Delights of the Maharajas by the Maharaja of Sailana. It was created for hunters in the wild, where only a few basic ingredients could be carried or found. True to its name, the Stranded Hunter’s recipe uses just five or six essentials, such as meat, ghee, salt, whole red chillies, water, garlic, and onion, yet delivers a surprisingly rich flavour. These ingredients are commonly found even in the most remote villages of India, making it a versatile dish that can be prepared with meat, game, poultry or even potatoes.
Bati is a rustic Rajasthani roasted bread that was traditionally baked by burying it in the ground, while daal simmered over the same fire. This method was commonly used by pilgrims, travellers, warriors and campers as a way to conserve fuel. In the process, they discovered an unexpectedly clever method for making bread.
Most Indians might not imagine that papad, typically a savoury snack, can be transformed into a flavourful curry. Yet this unexpected dish pairs beautifully with batia, a traditional Rajasthani-style paratha.
