Shahi Gatte, also popular as Govind Gatta, is a very royal dish of Rajasthan, which was often served in royal meals. Yet it is not very popular compared to other versions of Rajasthani gatte recipes. For those unfamiliar with this royal recipe, Shahi Gatte is Stuffed Chickpea Flour Dumplings in Rich Tomato Nut Gravy.
I experienced it for the first time about 10 years ago, at a restaurant in Udaipur’s City Palace Museum. Totally fell in love with this dish. Even after so many years, I am not able to forget the taste of that recipe and try to replicate it in my kitchen. Hence, I cannot claim that this is original, but this replication is totally my creation based on my familiarity with Marwari food due to my family heritage. One day when I go back there, I will compare it again.
There are some days we don’t care and just want to indulge ourselves in something that would enhance our palate. This recipe is perfect for those special occasions.
This recipe is a little long but when you will have it with your family and friends, it will be all worth it. Before you start gather all the ingredients:
Gather all the ingredients and let's get started...
Recipe
Shahi Gatte - Govind Gatta
Ingredients
For Dumplings (Gatte) Dough:
- 1 cup Chickpea Flour Besan
- 2 tablespoon Oil
- ½ cup Water to knead
- ¼ teaspoon Turmeric powder
- ¼ teaspoon Red chili powder
- ½ teaspoon Caraway seeds Shahi Jeera
- ½ teaspoon Carom seeds Ajwain
- ¼ teaspoon Nigella sativa Kalonji
- 1 teaspoon Salt as per your taste
Filling for Dumplings (Gatte):
- ½ cup Indian Cottage Cheese Paneer
- ¼ cup Cashews broken or chopped
- 1 tablespoon Ginger grated
- ½ tablespoon Green chilies finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon Coriander seeds crushed
- 1 teaspoon Black pepper crushed
- 1 teaspoon Cloves 6-8 piece crushed
- 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds
- ½ teaspoon Red chili flakes
- 1 teaspoon Salt to taste
For Gravy (Sauce):
- 600 g Tomatos pureed or blended
- 2 tablespoon Hung curd or khoya
- ⅓ cup Heavy whipped cream ¼ cup + 1 tbs for topping
- 1 tablespoon Ginger paste
- 1 teaspoon Green chilies
- ¼ cu Cilantro Handful of chopped
- 1 tablespoon Oil
- 2 tablespoon Broken Cashews
- 1 tablespoon White Poppy Seeds
- ¼ cup Milk
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder
- 1 teaspoon Coriander powder
- ½ teaspoon Red chili powder
- ¼ teaspoon Black pepper
- 1 tablespoon Kasoori Methi Roasted
- ¼ teaspoon Garam masala
- ½ teaspoon Dry mango powder
- 1 teaspoon Salt as per your taste
Instructions
For Dumplings (Gatte):
- In a mixing bowl, mix all the ingredients of dumpling and knead it into a stiffer than roti/chapatti dough.1 cup Chickpea Flour, 2 tablespoon Oil, ½ cup Water, ¼ teaspoon Turmeric powder, ¼ teaspoon Red chili powder, ½ teaspoon Caraway seeds, ½ teaspoon Carom seeds, ¼ teaspoon Nigella sativa, 1 teaspoon Salt
- When the dough is done, keep it aside for 10-15 minutes.½ cup Indian Cottage Cheese, ¼ cup Cashews, 1 tablespoon Ginger, ½ tablespoon Green chilies, 1 tablespoon Coriander seeds, 1 teaspoon Black pepper, 1 teaspoon Cloves, 1 teaspoon Cumin seeds, ½ teaspoon Red chili flakes, 1 teaspoon Salt
- While the dough is resting, mix all the ingredients of filling in a separate bowl.
- Now divide the dough and filling into equal small balls. The above quantity will give you around 14-15 pieces.
- Now take each ball of chickpea flour and press it with your thumb and fingers and flatten into a flat disc.
- Place one ball of filling onto this flatten dough and cover it and make a round again, covering the filling properly with the dough.
- Repeat the process until done with all.
- Meanwhile heat some water in a pan for boiling these dumplings.
- Add these stuffed dumpling to the rolling boil water and let them boil for 10 minutes or until they start floating on surface.
- Once done, strain these dumpling and keep the water aside.
- Now heat oil in a pan (kadahi) for deep frying these boiled dumplings. Deep fry them on medium heat.
- Keep the fried dumplings aside and start working on gravy for these dumplings.
For Gravy:
- I have used my already homemade prepared tomato paste and nut paste, most of the time these pastes are available in my fridge to keep my work easy. But if you don't have these already prepared follow the sub-steps below to make both pastes.
- Tomato paste: Heat oil in a pan add ginger paste, green chilies and tomato puree of 6-7 tomatoes and cook until all the water of tomatoes are gone and puree start separating oil.1 tablespoon Ginger paste, 1 teaspoon Green chilies, 1 tablespoon Oil, 600 g Tomatos
- Cashew and poppy seed paste: Make paste of cashews and poppy seeds with some milk in a blender and cook until mixture start separating oil.2 tablespoon Broken Cashews, 1 tablespoon White Poppy Seeds, ¼ cup Milk
- Now add both the paste in a pan and mix and cook for few minutes.
- This is how paste would look after cooking for a few minutes.
- When the tomato and nut mixture is cooked and roasted nicely add hung curd or mawa/khoya to it.2 tablespoon Hung curd
- Give it a good mix.
- Now add around 1-2 cups of water, which you kept aside after boiling the dumplings, little by little and stir vigorously until you get your desired consistency.
- Add all the spices except garam masala, dry mango powder and kasuri methi and stir the gravy well to mix spices uniformly.1 teaspoon Coriander powder, ½ teaspoon Red chili powder, ¼ teaspoon Black pepper, ½ teaspoon Dry mango powder, 1 teaspoon Salt, ½ teaspoon Turmeric powder
- Add some more water or milk if you feel that the consistency of gravy is still too thick and let it simmer for few minutes.¼ cup Milk
- Now add deep fried stuffed dumplings and ¼ cup of heavy cream to the gravy and let it simmer further.⅓ cup Heavy whipped cream
- While gravy is simmering roast kasuri methi a little, roasting will further enhance the flavor of kasuri methi.1 tablespoon Kasoori Methi
- Sprinkle some garam masala, dry mango powder and roasted crushed kasuri methi.¼ teaspoon Garam masala
- Now, transfer the dish into a serving bowl.
- Before serving garnish it with little heavy cream, grated paneer and cilantro to give that royal look what this dish deserve and enjoy.¼ cu Cilantro
This recipe is long and difficult, but when you have it with your family and friends, it will be all worth it...
Poonam Khandelwal says
Hi Rupali,
Can we make the dumplings 1 or 2 days before the party and on the day of party dip it in the gravy?
Thank you for the amazing recipe!
Thanks,
Poonam
himani says
Wow....I wish I had the patience to make something like this..my mouth waters at just seeing the pic
Rupali Agarwal says
Come to visit us. I will make it for you. - Rupali