Want to Know How To Make Puran Poli? Ganesh Chaturthi

Happy Ganesh Chaturthi; Puran Poli

It is the first day of Ganesh Chaturthi and traditional most Maharashtrian households prepare Puran Poli. Puran Poli is a type of sweet Maharashtrian bread served with a dollop of ghee. It is filled with a mixture of jaggery and chana dal. Lord Ganesha is offered a Puran Poli, Varan Bhath (Pulses and Rice), pakodi (fritters along with ghee and jaggery (gud).

Puran Poli - Serves 4

To Make Dough

Whole Wheat Flour (Atta) ¾ cup

Refined Flour (Maida) 1 ¼ cup

Water 1 ½ cup

Vegetable Oil (Tel)1 tablespoon

Salt (namak) a pinch

To Make the Filling

Chana Dal 1 cup

Jaggery (Gud), grated ½ cup

Sugar(Cheeni) ½ cup

Serve With

Jaggery (Gud) 1 tablespoon

Unsalted, clarified Butter (Ghee) 1 teaspoon

Method:

To Make the Dough

Sieve the whole wheat flour and refined flour together on a clean, flat surface.

Add in salt. Make a well in the centre and slowly add in the water. Bring the flour together, mix well. Knead the dough. Make slightly sticky dough. Apply oil on the surface of the dough and allow it to rest for thirty minutes of more.

To make the filling

Soak the chana dal for an hour and then boil it in about 2 ½ cups of water. When the chana dal is cooked, drain out the excess water.

Add the chana dal in a pan and dry heat it on medium heat. All the excess moisture in the chana dal dries out. In this thick chana dal add in the jaggery and sugar and mix well. Allow the mixture to cool down.

Blend all three together in a blender. This mixture is used as a filling.

To Make the Puran Poli

Divide the dough into equal lemon size portions, rounded up. Take one portion and flatten it. Roll it out on a flat surface in a small circle with a rolling pin(belan).

The circle should be big enough to hold two tablespoons full of the filling mixture. Place two tablespoons of the filling in the centre of the circle.

Seal the sides of the circles together. Press the together and round it up again.

Flatten the round on a flat surface. Then use your fingers to press the mixture out in the entire circle so that the filling spreads out evenly in the bread.

Roll it out into a big circle.

Heat a flat pan. Put the puran poli on the pan and cook it on low flame until it turns a little brown in a few places on the surface. Cook for two minutes on both sides.

Add a dollop of ghee in the centre and fold the puran poli to quarter. Serve with ghee and a teaspoon full of jaggery. 

Eid Mubarak; Seviyan

Seviyan - Serves 4

Ingredients


Ghee 4 tablespoon
Seviyan 3/4 cup
Milk 1 1/2 cup
Sugar 1/2 cup
Mixed Nuts (Almonds, Cashewnuts, Raisins), chopped 1/2 cup
Silver Varq for garnish

Method:


Heat ghee in a pan. Add in the Seviyan. Cook on low heat until it is golden brown.
Add Milk in the pan. Cook for five to seven minutes until the milk is thick. Keep stirring.
Add in the sugar, stir well. Cook for three to four minutes on low flame. Add a tablespoon of ghee and stir.
Turn off the heat.

Add in the mixed nuts and mix well. Garnish with silver varq.
Serve Hot or Chilled.

Meethi Eid Mubarak!

Hartaalika Teej; Delicacies of the Festival

Hartalika Teej is a festival revolves that around a story from Hindu mythology. The word ‘Har’ means kidnap and the word ‘hartaal’ means strike, this story involves both.  Goddess Parvati’s father, Himalaya arranged to get her married to Lord Vishnu. However, Goddess Parvati was devoted to Lord Shiva and would take only Lord Shiva as her husband. When she heard the news, she ran away with a friend and hid in a jungle. She fasted and prayed to Lord Shiva. After a long search, her father found Goddess Parvati and agreed to arrange her marriage with Lord Shiva. This is why, Hindu women fast for twenty four hours without food or water, as Goddess Parvati did for lord Shiva. After twenty hours they break their fast, pray to Lord Shiva and eat these goodies we will be making today. Have fun celebrating Hartalika Teej!

Gujiya

To Make the Dough

Refined Flour (Maida) 2 cups

Vegetable Oil (Tel) 1 tablespoon

Water (Paani) ¾ cup

For the filling

Khoya / Mava 2 ½ cups

Dried Coconut, grated ½ cup

Mixed Nuts (Almonds, Walnuts, Cashewnuts, cuddapah almonds)(badam, akhrot, kaju, chironjee), chopped ½ cup

Raisins (Kishmish) ¼ cup

Powdered Sugar (Pissi Cheeni) 1 ½ cup

To Make Gujiya

Vegetable Oil (tel) For frying

Method:

To Make the Dough

On a flat surface, place the flour. Make a well in the centre and add oil. Mix it in with your fingers. Add in the water little by little and keep mixing it in the dough and bring the flour together. If required add in an extra ¼ cup water in the flour to bring it together.

 Knead it and make stiff dough. Cover it up with a damp cloth and set aside.

For the filling

In a pan, add in khoya and cook it on medium heat for five minutes. Keep stirring. Allow the khoya to turn light golden brown and leave the sides. Now, add in the mixed nuts, raisins and coconut. Mix well and turn off the heat.

Allow the Khoya to cool down. Once the khoya has come down to room temperature add in the powdered sugar. Mix well. The stuffing is ready, keep it aside.

To Make the Gujiya

Divide the dough into lemon size equal portions and round it up like a lemon.

Flatten it and roll it out into a thin circle (thinner than a chapatti) , half the size of you palm on a flat surface with rolling pin (belan).

Dip your finger in water and brush the water on the border of the rolled out circle.

Put two tablespoons full of the stuffing in the centre of the circle and then seal the sides into a semi circle. Press the sides together and seal them well.

With the back of a fork press the ends together along the border of the gujiya or turn and fold the ends into the rim along the border as in the picture above and seal it. Make as many gujiyas as you can with the remaining dough and the filling.

Heat oil in a deep pan or wok, once the oil is hot, add in the gujiya. Cook the gujiya on meat flame for three minutes or until the outer covering becomes crisp and the inside is cooked. This can be checked by breaking a piece and biting it from the middle to see if the inside flour tastes cooked.

Remove them and place them on absorbent paper, to remove the excess oil.

Gujiyas can be stored for a week up to ten days in an airtight container.

For the Namkeen; Mathree, Chheemi and Namak Paare

Refined Flour (Maida) 2 cups

Vegetable Oil (Tel) 1 tablespoon

Water (Paani) ¾ cup

Carom Seeds (Ajwain) 1 ½ teaspoon

Salt to taste

Vegetable Oil (tel) For frying

Method:

To Make the Dough

On a flat surface, place the flour. Make a well in the centre and add oil, salt and carom seeds. Mix it in with your fingers. Add in the water little by little and keep mixing it in the dough and bring the flour together. If required add in an extra ¼ cup water in the flour to bring it together.

 Knead it and make stiff dough.  Divide the dough into three equal parts.

For the Mathree

Use one part of the dough and roll it out into a thick circle, about 2 mm on a flat surface with a rolling pin.

Use a round pastry cutter or a Colin Glass to cut out small circles from the rolled out dough. Poke these small circles of dough with a fork a few times.

In a deep pan, heat oil, once the oil is hot, add in the mathree. Deep fry the mathree on medium heat for about three minutes until crispy.

Remove them and place them on absorbent paper, to remove the excess oil.

Mathree can be stored up to fifteen days in an air tight container.

For the Chheemi

Use one part of the dough and roll it out into a thick circle, about 2 mm on a flat surface with a rolling pin.

Cut the circle lengthwise into three or four equal parts, broad strips. Now, use a sharp knife to cut thin strips along the length of the each part but leave out the ½ inch borders of each part, do not cut  till the borders. The strips are attached together with common borders on all four sides.  

Now, roll each of the broad strips along its length. Bring the ends and press them together.

In a deep pan, heat oil, once the oil is hot, add in the chheemi. Deep fry the chheemi on medium heat for about three minutes until crispy.

Remove them and place them on absorbent paper, to remove the excess oil.

Chheemi can be stored up to fifteen days in an air tight container.

Namak Parey

Use one part of the dough and roll it out into a thick circle, about 2 mm on a flat surface with a rolling pin.

Cut the circle lengthwise into thin strips and then cut them diagonally into thin strips to get diamond shapes. Separate all the diamond shaped pieces of dough.

In a deep pan, heat oil, once the oil is hot, add in the Namak Parey. Deep fry the Namak parey on medium heat for about three minutes until crispy.

Remove them and place them on absorbent paper, to remove the excess oil.

Namak Parey can be stored up to fifteen days in an air tight container.

Get Me Through This Day; Tuesday Rob Roy

It is not easy to get through a Tuesday. The work pressure is building, hold your nerves because there are still three full working days before the weekend. I need a stronger spirit, I need whisky.

Rob Roy

Ice Cube 1
Scotch Whisky 30ml
Dry Vermouth 15ml
Angostura Bitters a dash
Lemon Rind Spiral, for Garnish

Method:

Put the Ice cube, whisky, vermouth and angostura bitters in a mixing glass. Stir and strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish on the rim with a spiral of lemon rind.

Enjoy your Tuesday evening!

The Myth About Mondays; Gimlet

The Myth about Monday is the Monday Blues. The Truth is that Monday is very, very blue. Deeper than ocean blue. So, to get over the troubles of Monday, I need a drink. But I have four more days of going early to work to do. So, I am going for Just-a-Gimlet.

Gimlet is two parts gin and one part lime cordial. You will have to buy a bottle of lime cordial to get it right. First, it is important to know what is lime cordial?

Lime Cordial is often confused for a simple lime juice and sugar mixture. Bartenders and a real drinking enthusiast will tell you there is a big difference in the flavour of the two. The quality of lime cordial decides how good your gimlet will turn out.

Lime Cordial was invented by Lauchlin Rose as a method to preserve lime juice. In the mid-1800s the British Governement would give all sailors a daily ration of of lime juice and rum to keep them from contracting scurvy. Lauchlin Rose found the famous company that’s sell Rose’s Lime juice.

If you don’t wish to buy or manage to find real lime cordial nearby, you can replace it with sugar syrup and lime juice.

Gimlet  

Ice cubes 4
Lime Cordial 30 ml
Gin 60ml
Slice of lime, for garnish

Method:

Put the ice into an old fashioned glass. Pour in the lime cordial and stir.
Add the gin on top, stir and garnish by place the slice of lime on the rim of the glass.

Try to Stop at One Gimlet. I know, it is really tough. But it is Monday dahlins!

Have you ever been Really Confused about a Restaurant?

Name: The Place

Location: Before Main Street, MG road, Next to West End

Have you ever been really confused about a restaurant? Friends say it’s the best place for sizzlers in Pune, family exclaims ‘The Place’ is a big no, no. My brother says ‘The Place’ was his most memorable sizzler date. I trust his taste. Why did it take me this long to gather courage to try it out? The answer to that question dates back to 1993. The first time I visited ‘The Place’ was with my parents, when I was five. I have no recollection of that meal but since 1993 I have never been to ‘The Place’ again, until today. Why? I was told by them that the food here was, to quote them, ‘it was horribbble’. It has been almost two decades since. So, after mixed reviews, a lot of discouragement, many good reviews, I finally decided to find out for myself. Can you imagine the anticipation associated with this sizzler?

After an eighteen year long wait, I tried the sizzler at ‘The Place’. This is a small, in-room dining place with simple furniture and a practical setting, located in the heart of the city. Although the restaurant was full, it wasn’t noisy or chaotic, although, we did hear the occasional chittering-chattering of the sizzlers. Don’t you love that about sizzlers? They are so animated, such a happy, lively dish! When I look at menus, I get really excited, there is just so much food on that card, and it makes me want to eat everything. That’s why, I usually choose from the specials of the house or recommendations.

I was meeting two of my school friends, Roshan and Arjun, who frequent this restaurant and always order the same sizzler, ‘Piri Piri Chicken Shaslik’, they announced it like a song. It sounded very exciting. The best part, it was not long before my vibrant, Piri Piri Chicken Shaslik sizzler was brought to my table. The worst part about sizzlers, it is so hot, I either end up scorching my tongue a little or go crazy waiting for it to cool down a little. It smelled, well, alright. It was a safe first bite, since I had the fries without the sauce. Finally, I tried some chicken and the rice. My first reaction was, ‘Roshan was smart to have opted out of the rice’ because the rice was bland. But when the spicy chicken hit my tongue, I said, ‘thank God I have the bland rice to get me through this’, because the chicken was really, very hot and spicy.

I am an Indian and a true spice queen at that, believe me, I can eat very spicy food. Yet, the Piri Piri chicken in this place was something else. Piri piri is a type of chilli, it comes from South America and it is meant to be very spicy. I have eaten Piri Piri before but there were no fireworks in my mouth, I could not take it, this was exceptional and not in a good way. Arjun and Roshan were surprised too, they said, ‘It’s never so spicy!’ I could not even eat the last piece of chicken because the chilli had gotten into my head by then. The veggies were bland with no sauce but crispy, so they helped my palate in a way. The French fries, they were as good as any other French fries. The sizzler was filling and reasonably priced. In the end, I will not go with any of the reviews I had heard about ‘The Place’. It is not the best sizzler place in Pune city and neither is it the worst thing to do to your palate, well, at least not the worst if you don’t order the ‘Kill me with Chilli’ Sizzler.

Six Guidelines for the Next Time You Eat At Barbeque Nation.

Name: Barbeque Nation

Location : Sayaji Hotel, Hinjewadi, Pune

Contact Number: 020 - 42121212

Barbeque Nation, the World on a Grill. A Non-vegetarian Buffet for Five Fifty Rupees (as on date) and vegetarian for five hundred is a steal. That is the weekday price inclusive of all taxes. I bet you cannot get a better deal for such a wide selection of good quality and great tasting grills, main course items and desserts. This is probably why there is a long queue of patrons waiting patiently for a table in the Hinjewadi BBQ Nation, all seven days of the week. So, keep that in mind, which leads us to the first tip.

First : If you are planning an evening at BBQ Nation, for two or for twenty, make a reservation. Even for a weekday booking at BBQ Nation, Hinjewadi it is important to make a reservation at least a day or two prior to get a confirmed reservation. If you don’t make a reservation, be ready with a picnic basket and crosswords to pass a couple of hours outside the restaurant. If you call early on the same day for a reservation, especially on a weekend, more often than not, you will not get a confirmed reservation.

I am telling you, because I have spoiled an evening. I called on Saturday morning to book a table for the same evening, did not get a confirmed table, got there at seven ten that evening and the restaurant was full with a long queue of people waiting outside. It seemed as though they were distributing free food. This time I was smart enough to make a confirmed reservation for my father’s birthday, two days prior to the occasion. They book in two slots only, 7:30pm and 10:15pm, confirm a bunch of times and nearly threaten you to get there in time if you want a table. Believe me, it all seemed pretty rude, pricey almost insulting to be told that many times to be in time, like a teacher would threaten primary school children.

We were on time, and considering the huge crowd waiting outside, the restaurant policy seemed reasonable. I would still prefer if they had toned it down a little though.

Second: Be sure to starve yourself for a meal or two prior to stuffing yourself at BBQ Nation. Take my advice you will thank me for this even if you are a big eater. This place is heaven for foodies and you will be full just trying all the items on the menu.

Third: This one is for the ladies only or at least I hope it is. Do not wear a tight dress to this dinner. I know we all love, to pull out those LBDs for a fancy dinner date, but choose one that is loose and forgiving. So that, while you are looking pretty perfect, you can down lots of those kebabs too since we both know we don’t want to miss out on the yummy food. As for the gentlemen, well, try not going for the tight trousers, buttons popping is not forbidden but frowned upon, like peeing while swimming in the sea.

Fourth: Moving on, the crab claws in the seafood curry were gorgeous. Remember to ask for crab hammer or cutter to be brought to your table. They do not bring them on their own and you don’t want to be in my shoes and wound your mouth or break your teeth while breaking the crab claws with them.

Fifth Tip: Don’t fill yourself up with the kebabs because the main course is worth a binge. Don’t fill yourself up with the main course because the dessert is worth a binge.

Sixth Tip: Vegetarians, on your own or accompanied by non-vegetarians, let not the word grill misguide you. BBQ Nation has a great selection of grills and main course for vegetarians as well. There is a wide variety of vegetarian items, marked efficiently apart from the non-vegetarian items, with great taste and quality. You don’t want to miss this.

Mutton seekh kebabs, were juicy and delicious in particular. The chicken grills, tangdi and the chicken main course, murgh lazeez were average in taste and quality. The chicken kebabs as well as curry made me believe that the standard of taste and quality has gone down at BBQ Nation. Apart from the chicken preparations, the buffet and grills were very good, in terms of variety, quality and taste. The service made the experience very special. There was a crispy corn, not mentioned on the menu but served on that day, it was crispy and amazing, taste-wise, the best among the rest. The gulabjamuns and white forest pudding were stood out in taste among the other desserts. The service was great. Value for money, awesome! It was an evening well spent and certainly worth the prior planning. My take, a little work on the chicken preparations, would work wonders.

Rating: Great Service +Good Ambience + Very Good Food + Great Value for Money = Excellent

             8 on 10

Hidden Secrets of TV Cooking; How Practical are TV recipes?

Would you say your recipes turn out exactly the same as they are on TV? Two years ago, I had gone to visit a friend during the shoot of a Television cookery show. I was surprised to see that the producers had ordered dishes from a restaurant for the final presentation. Recipes that were being prepared on the show did not always looked perfect and so they would cheat a little. I was very disappointed. Some of our Television hosts are experts with immense knowledge about food and how it should be prepared. Then there are those who are great hosts but may or may not be trained chefs. I wanted to find out whether or not my favourite lifestyle channel recipes are practical and feasible.

So, I watched a show and noted down the recipe with the exact proportions from the official channel website. I prepared the almond based chicken as per the TV recipe.  There was a little problem. Many of the cookery show producers assume that their viewers know the basics. The recipe was feasible but I realised that the proportions given on the channel website were vague. For example, the recipe called for one ginger. It is hard to assume whether that is one 4 inch piece of ginger or a 2 inch piece of ginger. Similarly, it said grated nutmeg but the quantity was not mentioned. How to prevent the yogurt from curdling? The cooking time and how do you test whether the chicken is cooked was not specified. So, using my favourite lifestyle channel as a guide to cooking involves a lot of guess work, especially for an amateur chef. The recipe was gorgeous, with a little more detail, it will turn out perfect.

Badami Murgi (Chicken in Almond Gravy)- Serves 4

Ingredients

Chicken Joints, halved (murgi) 6 pieces

Salt (namak)to taste

Yogurt (Dahi)1 cup

Red Chilli Flakes(Kutti Lal Mirch) ½ teaspoon

Garlic (Lehsun), 4 cloves, minced

Ginger(Adrak), 1 inch, minced

Unsalted, clarified Butter (Ghee) 2 +1 tablespoon

Onion(Pyaz), large 1, minced

Cinnamon (Dal Chini)½ inch piece

Coriander seeds (Sabut Dhaniya) 1 teaspoon

Black cardamom (Badi Elaichi)2

Green Cardamom(Chhoti Elaichi) 4 + 4

Cloves(laung) 6

Nutmeg(jaiphal), grated ¼ teaspoon

Almond Paste (badam paste) Dip 20 almonds in boiling water, remove the skin and grind it into a fine paste

Dried Red Chilli (Sukhi Lal Mirch) 2

Method:

Wash and cut the chicken joints into half.

In a mixing bowl, whisk yogurt, salt, red chilli flakes and two cloves of garlic, minced and half the minced ginger.

Add the chicken to the yogurt mixture. Allow it to stand till the other ingredients are prepared.

In a pan, dry roast cinnamon, black cardamom, green cardamom, coriander seeds, cloves and nutmeg on medium heat. Till they turn a shade darker. Grind or crush them together into a coarse powder.

In a pan, heat two tablespoons of ghee. Add in the minced onion, stir and cook till it turns light pink. Do not brown.

Now, add in the remaining ginger and garlic mince, stir and allow it to cook for a minutes.

Add in the mixture of the roasted spices, stir.

Strain the chicken and keep aside. Whisk the flavoured yogurt. Lower the heat and add in the yogurt to the pan. Make sure the pan is not too hot.

Allow the curry to simmer, do not increase the heat, this could cause the yogurt to curdle. Stir and allow the yogurt to simmer for three to four minutes.

Now, add in the almond paste. Stir and allow the gravy to cook on low heat for ten minutes. The gravy should become thick and creamy.

Now, add in the chicken. Add the leg pieces first and allow it to cook on medium heat for five minutes.

Now, add in the chicken breast pieces, stir and cook for five minutes on medium heat.

To check if the leg pieces are cooked, see if the flesh begins to separate from the bone. If you break the chicken the pinkish flesh should have turned completely white from the inside.

Turn off the heat. The chicken will release its own juices in the thick gravy, making the consistency right, so there is no need to add in extra water.

The chicken will cook a little more even after you turn off the heat.

Take a separate pan, heat a tablespoon of ghee once the ghee is hot then add in the dried red chilli and green cardamom pods. When they turn a shade darker, add them on top of the chicken curry for garnish and flavour.

Serve hot with Rotis. See http://foodietryingstein.blogspot.com/2011/08/how-to-make-roti-step-by-step-procedure.html

Note: You can add dried apricots when the gravy is cooking to add in a sweetish tinge.

You can strain the gravy for presentation, however, this will thin down your gravy.

Janmashtami Delights. This is What Makes it A Happy Janmashtami

Janmashtami is the birth of Lord Krishna in Hindu culture. This festival is celebrated around the month of August and September. The date is not for Janmashtami is not specific; it changes each year according to the Hindu calendar. The celebration begins at midnight when the idol of Lord Krishna is removed from a vessel full of ‘Charnamrit’, bathe it in Holy water and then dress the idol in new clothes. This festival is celebrated with a selection of sweets which are served as ‘Prasad’. Yesterday, we celebrated Janmashtami and my aunt had made ‘Charnamrit’ along with three types of sweets. The sweets were yummy. The best part, now I know how to make them, so I don’t need to wait until next year to eat them.

Charnamrit Also Known As Panchamrit

Ingredients

Milk (Doodh)2 cups

Yogurt (Dahi) 2 tablespoons

Holy Basil (Tulsi) a few leaves

Holy Water (GangaJal) 2 tabelspoons

Water (Paani) 1 cup

Sugar (Cheeni) 1 ½ cup

Honey (Shahad) 1 teaspoon

Puffed Kernel of Foxnut (Makhana) a handful

Cuddapah almonds (Chironjee) 1 tablespoons

Method:

Mix the given ingredients together in a deep bowl. Stir until the sugar dissolves. This is a drink served as Prasad on Janmashtami. The Idol of Lord Krishna is dipped in this drink and removed to signify the birth of Lord Krishna at Midnight.

Posta

Ingredients

Poppy Seeds (KhusKhus or Posta) 1 ½ cup

Sugar (Cheeni) 1 cup

Water (Paani)¼ cup

Garnish:

Chopped Almonds

Silver Varq

Method:

Soak the poppy seeds in water for thirty minutes.

Drain out the excess water. Spread out the Poppy seeds on an absorbent paper and dry them completely.

Once the Poppy seeds are dry, put them in a pan and dry roast them until golden brown.
Roast them on medium heat and stir continuously so the poppy seeds do not give out a burnt smell.

Turn off the heat and stir until the poppy seeds cool down. Grind it into a coarse mixture.

To make the sugar syrup, mix the sugar with ¼ cup water, in a deep pan.

Place this pan on medium heat and stir continuously until the sugar dissolves.

Continue to cook the sugar syrup until it thickens to two string consistency.

Mix in the poppy seeds with the thick sugar syrup.

Grease a deep round plate with sides or a round cake tin.

Pour in the mixture in the greased vessel and spread it completely with your palm.

Flatten it evenly with your palm.

Sprinkle the chopped almonds on top.

Allow the sweet to cool in the refrigerator and set for five hours to overnight.

Once the sweet is set, cut it into diamond shaped; bite size pieces with a sharp knife.

Garnish with Silver varq.

Gari

Ingredients

Dried grated coconut 2 cups

Sugar 1 cup

Water ¼ cup

Method:

To make the sugar syrup, mix the sugar with ¼ cup water, in a deep pan.

Place this pan on medium heat and stir continuously until the sugar dissolves.

Continue to cook the sugar syrup until it thickens to two string consistency.

Mix in the grated coconut with the sugar syrup.

Grease a deep round plate with sides or a round cake tin.

Pour in the mixture in the greased vessel and spread it completely with your palm.

Flatten it evenly with your palm.

Allow the sweet to cool in the refrigerator and set for five hours to overnight.

Once the sweet is set, cut it into diamond shaped; bite size pieces with a sharp knife.

Garnish with Silver varq.

Chironjee

Ingredients

Cuddapah almonds (Chironjee) 1 cup

Sugar (Cheeni) 1 cup

Water (Paani) ¼ cup

Garnish:

Chopped Almonds

Silver Varq

Method:

Dry roast the chironjee in a pan and grind it into a coarse mixture.

To make the sugar syrup, mix the sugar with ¼ cup water, in a deep pan.

Place this pan on medium heat and stir continuously until the sugar dissolves.

Continue to cook the sugar syrup until it thickens to two string consistency.

Mix in the chironjee with the sugar syrup.

Grease a deep round plate with sides or a round cake tin.

Pour in the mixture in the greased vessel and spread it completely with your palm.

Flatten it evenly with your palm.

Allow the sweet to cool in the refrigerator and set for five hours to overnight.

Once the sweet is set, cut it into diamond shaped; bite size pieces with a sharp knife.

Garnish with chopped almonds and silver varq.

Makhana(Puffed Kernel of Foxnut) are deep fried and dipped in sugar syrup and also served as ‘Prasad’. 

Why Do Indians Love Ragda Chaat?

This is a North Indian vegetarian delicacy. Best eaten on its own or with a spicy potato patty. Dried White peas are also referred to as Safed matar or Vatana in some parts of India. I like to eat it with bread and lots of butter. A variety of Indian snack items are referred to as chaat, which includes samosas, aloo tikkis, paani puri, dahi badas and ragda patty. I am sure I have missed a couple in the rainbow of chaat items. These Chaat items are accompanied by lemon and fresh mint chutney, tamarind chutney and flavoured yogurt. Why Do Indians Love Ragda Chaat? It is spicy, it is tangy with crisps sprinkled on top, need I say more? Well, you have to try this ragda to really know why.

Ragda

Serves 4

Ingredients

Dried White Peas (Safed Matar/ Vatana) 1 cup (or 2 cans, processed)

Salt to taste

Unsalted, clarified Butter (Ghee) 1 tablespoon

Asafoetida (Hing) ¼ teaspoon

Cumin (Jeera) 1 teaspoon

Ginger (Adrak) ½ inch piece, grated

Coriander Powder (Dhaniya powder) 1 teaspoon

Red Chilli Powder (lal Mirch Powder) ½ teaspoon

Garam Masala Powder 1 teaspoon

Dried Mango Powder (Amchur) 1 ½ teaspoon

For Garnish:

Green chilli 2, chopped

Coriander leaves a few, chopped

Dried Crispy Savoury (Papdi or Pani Puri Puris)

Lemon 1, cut into wedges

Method:

Soak the dried white peas five hours or overnight.

Boil them in 2 ½ cups of water and some salt. You can pressure cook them for two whistles or in a deep pan on medium heat for thirty minutes covered with a lid.

If you are using the processed canned white peas, you can use them directly.

In a pan, heat the clarified butter (Ghee), add in cumin and asafoetida. Once the cumin turns a shade darker in colour, add in the grated ginger and stir.

Drain out the excess water from the boiled white peas and add in the peas and stir. Save the cooking liquid to use it later.

Add in salt, coriander powder, red chilli powder and stir. Add in ½ cup of the cooking liquid. Cook on medium heat for three to five minutes.

Now, add in garam masala powder and dried mango powder and stir. Add in a little cooking liquid if the white peas seem too dry. Simmer for two minutes, stir and turn off the heat.

Garnish with crushed puris or papdis with green Chilli and coriander leaves. Squeeze a wedge of lemon on top. Serve Hot.

How To Make Roti? Step By Step Procedure To Make Phulka, Paratha and Chapatti

How To Knead the Dough?

For 10 Rotis

Ingredients

Whole Wheat Flour 2 cups

Water 1 1/4 Cup

Salt 1/2 teaspoon

Vegetable Oil 1 teaspoon

Method:

Take two cups of whole wheat flour in a flat, deep plate.

Make a well in the middle and add salt.

Add all the water in the well.

Sprinkle oil and Knead the Dough. Round it up.

Let the Dough rest for thirty minutes.

Divide the Dough into ten equal portions.

Round it up into the size of lemons.

How To Make a Phulka?

You Will Need 1/2 cup Whole Wheat Flour For Dusting

Flatten the Dough.

Roll it out evenly on all sides. Make a Circle the Size of your Palm. Dust away the excess flour.

Cook it on a Flat griddle till it gets little dark browns spots.

Cook it Directly over the Flame.

How To Make a Paratha?

You Will Need 1/2 Cup Whole Wheat Flour For Dusting

2 teaspoons Vegetable Oil Or Butter to Cook Each of the Parathas

Roll it evenly on all sides into a triangle. Dust the excess the flour off.

Cook it on both sides with some oil on a flat griddle. Allow it to cook on both sides. Cook on medium flame until crisp. 

How To Make A Chapatti?

You Will Need 1/2 Cup Whole Wheat Flour for Dusting

1 teaspoon vegetable oil to cook each of the Chapattis,

Roll it evenly into a large and thin circle. Dust off the excess flour.

Cook with a little oil on a griddle on low heat. Let it brown slightly on both sides. Chapatti should be soft. Do not Shallow fry until crisp.