Rice Rotla – Dal with a sprinkle of spice, honest tribal meal spread

A Dangi meal reminiscent of a bygone way of life, of life that still prevails in this (and some) nook of Gujarat. Food blogging and talking about foods of my region and heritage is teaching me aspects and nuances not just about the food on our plates and the way we cook and eat it, but also about the way it reaches us and the pleasures and perils of bringing that food on to our kadais and dining tables. The learnings are from a classroom I would love to attend every day (never liked attending the real class room 😉). The spread here is a basic everyday meal for most communities of Dangs, a district right at the end of South Gujarat. The food like its people here is pure and simple yet so soulful and tasty that I would love to eat it every day. The grains are heirloom varieties that contain rich flavour and texture profile. The flavours come from the way food has been grown rather than spices or oils added to liven it up. No oil was used to create this spread here, neither is it used in their everyday meals. Urad is a widely cultivated crop and Urad dal is a staple. A mix of freshly pounded red chilli, garlic, salt is offered to flavour the dal to taste. The dal either Urad or Arahar is to be scooped up with a rice flour rotla/bread. As much as we may appreciate the meal for its honesty and simplicity, it is not a meal they/ young Daangi aspire. Very soon as urbanisation catches up these foods shall be lost here as well… Just as it is the case with every other region, it is either the fast and street foods that hold value and attention or the ones that urban population eats!!! Swipe to see the ingredients that went in to create this meal. Both the dals are desi/heirloom/folk varieties and so is the rice flour.