#1000Kitchens Recipe Drop: Dum Bater

For artist Ananya Chopra, the dish that crystallizes both her memories of her grandparent’s home and the Awadhi Ganga-Jamuni tehzeeb, the region’s syncretic culture that blends Indian and Persian influences, is Dum Bater—a rich and aromatic preparation of quail, layered with the nutty depth of poppy seeds, warm whole spices, caramelized onions, and the subtle heat of yellow chili.

Small game birds like quail (bater) and partridge (teetar) were a mainstay of royal Awadhi cuisine, in the kitchens of the erstwhile Nawabs who ruled the region after the decline of Mughal power in the 18th and 19th centuries. The royal bawarchis would cook this prized delicacy for royal banquets using dum pukht, the Nawabi innovation of sealing the pot (traditionally with dough) and cooking over a slow fire. But Chopra’s recipe has much humbler origins: her grandparents in Jaunpur cooked it to celebrate the entire family coming together for holidays like Dussehra and Diwali. 

“I remember all the men in the family building the fire and cooking the meat in the courtyard under a beautiful neem tree, while the women prepared the masalas in the kitchen. One or two designated adults would taste test the dish in a little ceremony before it was served. We’d eat under the wintry night sky full of stars, with my cousins playing together, the adults chatting, with the smell of ginger, garlic, and onions in the air. The collective experience of it was very beautiful,” she said. 

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ANANYA CHOPRA’S RECIPE FOR DUM BATER

Serves: 2–4
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

4 whole quails, cleaned and patted dry
1 tbsp ghee
1 large red onion, thinly sliced
1 tbsp ginger paste
1 tbsp garlic paste
1/4 cup white poppy seeds
1/4 cup plain yogurt
Salt, to taste

For the Dry Spice Blend
4 green cardamom pods
3 cloves
2 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp cumin seeds
1 tbsp yellow chili powder (substitute with red chili powder if unavailable)
1 tsp black peppercorns

Method

Prepare the Spice Blend: Dry roast the cardamom, cloves, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, chili powder, and peppercorns in a dry pan over medium heat until aromatic (2–3 minutes). Allow to cool, then grind to a coarse powder using a mortar and pestle or spice grinder. Set aside.
Grind the Poppy Seeds: Dry roast the poppy seeds until fragrant and lightly golden. Cool, then grind to a fine paste using a spice grinder or small food processor. Set aside.
Sear the Quails: Heat the ghee in a wide, heavy-bottomed pan. Place the quails skin-side down and sear for 3 minutes. Flip and cook the other side for 2 minutes. Remove and set aside. (Quail cooks quickly—this step is just for browning.)
Prepare the Onion Base: In the same pan, add the sliced onions and fry until golden brown. Add the ginger and garlic pastes and cook for about 3 minutes, until the raw smell disappears and the mixture is fragrant.
Make the Masala: Blend the cooked onions with yogurt until smooth. Mix this with the ground poppy seeds and the prepared spice blend. Return the masala mixture to the pan. Cook on medium-low heat for 2 minutes, stirring to prevent sticking.
Braise the Quail: Gently return the seared quails to the pan, nestling them in the masala. Cover with a lid and simmer on very low heat for 15 minutes, until the quail is tender and fully infused with the masala.
Final Seasoning: Check and adjust salt to taste.
Serve: Serve hot, garnished with thin slices of fresh ginger, green chilies, and a wedge of lemon on the side. Best enjoyed with warm flatbreads or plain rice

Words by Sneha Mehta. Photographs by Shravya Kag. Art by Reem Madooh.
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