Polya ki Chapatya? I prefer Fulkas!

* Disclaimer: This post is written for entertainment and not for any discussion, please treat it as such.

Years ago, I was sitting in the cafeteria, after a late shift and sharing my lunch ( in this case dinner) box with a friend. 

We were both super hungry and ate fast and talked fast too. As we were finishing I asked, "shevatchi chapati, you want?" ( last flat bread, you want?) and he just stopped eating... just stared at me, all wide eyed and shocked. I was surprised, I was not speaking with my mouth full, did not spit out a crumb, so what just happened? 

He  bent towards me and in a sibilant whisper said, "aga, chapati kay? apan POLI mhanto"(hey, we do not say chapati,  we say poli)

I tut-tutted and said, "eat... forget the distinction, same ingredients, different name".

That was about 8 years or so ago. I forgot about that incident until very recently.

Let me side track you all a bit. While I am not a big fan of TV serials, there are a few that I do watch and like. I do not subscribe to any Desi channels (what's the use? all we do is watch cartoons) and so I catch my share of Marathi TV Serials on apalimarathi.com.
It all started when my Mom told me (last year) about this nice family worthy serial, 'Eka lagnachi dusri goshta' and M and I were hooked!
And now, there is another serial I watch, ' Tuja majha jamena' which revolves around lives of typical 'Marathi- Brahman (ko'bra and de'bra)' families and there are scenarios (and digs) that many of us are familiar with.
It was in one of the serials that I came across the 'poli/ chapati' debate again.
It is a cultural thing. In a typical Marathi Brahmin home, the everyday humble flat bread is referred to as Poli and in a non-brahmin home it is chapati (poli is strictly- puranpoli), as you have guessed by now.
I put this question on my FB Page too. check it out!

I don't care what it is called, but I do have a preference. I like fulkas more than poli or chapati.
So what is the difference? Well, here are my 2 c. When I make a poli /chapati, I roll a bit of the dough into a small disc, brush with some oil and fold it into a triangle, dust with flour and roll into a round flat bread ( yep, roll the triangle into a round disc- and yes, it is possible, with a bit of practice) and roast it on a hot tawa, one can drizzle a few drops of oil while roasting the flat-bread or brush with home made ghee once it is done.

Whereas a fulka, is the simpler (and healthier) version, just roll a lime sized ball of dough into a round disc and roast on a hot tawa and then flame toast it. A slight variation in the cooking technique as compared to the regular poli / chapati.

The ingredients are the same, wheat flour, water, salt and oil- being optional, whether you make poli / chapati or a fulka.

Here is what you need:
* I have watched my Mother and Grandmother make these for so many years that I do not have exact measurement. The trick is to make a supple dough. Add water slowly and mix as you do. Knead, knead and knead some more, the dough should be soft and smooth ( like a baby's bottom)

(this proportion should make about 8-10 fulkas. This also depends on the size of the dough ball, I am giving an estimate)

2 Cups Wheat Flour ( I prefer Aashirwaad Brand)
Water
2 hefty pinches salt
A Drizzle of oil ( optional)

In a  mixing bowl add the wheat flour and salt and mix.
Slowly add water ( Make a well in the middle and add water) and mix flour and water to knead  the mix into a soft and pliable dough.

At first the dough is very sticky and seems un-manageable. Relax, and knead. The more you knead, the softer and smoother it will get. I dust my hands with flour and remove all the bits of dough clinging to my fingers and knead it into the big dough ball. No wastage.

Alternatively, use your food processor. Add the flour and salt and pulse. With the food processor still running, slowly add water.
This takes a bit of getting used to and getting the quantity of water right. I found that I do not estimate it well and end up using too much water and then  had to add flour, all in all ended up with twice and a bit more times the dough I wanted! but once you have the quantities in place,  it is a breeze to use !

Once the dough is ready, cover and keep it aside for at least 10-15 mins.

When you are ready to make fulkas, keep everything you need at hand.
The rolling pin ( latna) , Rolling board ( polpaat), Griddle (tawa), and if like me, you have a stove ( coil), you might want to buy 'fulka/ papad roaster' it is like a grill ( picture below). Wheat flour for dusting.

To begin, make small (lime sized) balls of the dough and keep them in the mixing bowl.
Set the griddle on medium - high

Dredge one dough ball in flour and place it on the rolling board ( see picture below)

Applying even pressure, start rolling the dough. Dust with additional flour as required to keep the dough ball from sticking to the rolling board. Since the dough ball is small, the fulka will be  a small one, 5-6" only. Ideally, the fulka should be paper thin. This is not easily manageable in the initial attempts, but it gets easier with practice.

Carefully transfer the fulka on to the hot skillet. Cook on the first side for about 20 seconds, you will see the dough bubble up ever so slightly and the fulka will be dry on the slightly cooked side ( picture below). At this point, flip it over and cook the second side. Cook this, 2nd. side, well ( until warm brown  spots appear) 

At this point, when the second side is well cooked place it- the 20 second side cooked down- on the grill and let it puff up ( if that sounds confusing, check out the picture below)

Hang on, it still has capacity to balloon up!

THERE!  This is how you want your fulka! All puffed up and balloon like!

Remove from the grill / roaster and smear with ghee (calorie conscious people will tut-tut, but I assure you, that smidgen of ghee takes the fulka to a new high and also keeps it soft, longer) and serve with a vegetable side of our choice or even sweet.

* Notes:
Roll the flat bread using even and gentle pressure

Toast on medium high ( I use number 7 or 8 on my stove)

Adding salt to the flour is optional, but I always do, IMO, it enhances the taste.

I keep the fulkas wrapped in tissue paper, this absorbs the steam and keeps the fulkas soft, longer. Alternatively, use cheesecloth or an old but washed handkerchief.

To re-heat any left over fulkas, pat a tissue paper / handkerchief with water and make it damp. Place the fulkas in it and close on all sides and nuke it in the microwave for 20-25 seconds. 

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Mommy, I want a Cheese Burger Cake!

I have questioned, I have doubted, I have spent sleepless nights, shed tears  and laughed out loud, loved with all my heart and soul... for 5 years, I  have been up and down this roller coaster, every day and loved it.

The young 'un turned 5, so very quickly. From butter ball to a smart and handsome boy with a merry twinkle in his eye.

We celebrated his birthday in a quiet way at home as it was a weekday and the poor baby was unwell, a day earlier, he had 'water and sand day' in school and he caught the bug there. The nurse called me  from her office saying that he had thrown up and was running a temperature. I rushed to school, full of anxiety, he was sleeping in the nurse's office, curled up, looking tiny and his backpack on his shoulders and a paper crown on his head ( he distributed treat bags on that day as it was a holiday on his birthday and the teacher fitted him with the usual paper birthday boy crown and everyone sang the birthday song). 

I felt a stab of pain, looking at him, laying down on his side, the nurse could have had some sense and taken his backpack off his back! I gently lifted him in my arms and he hugged me  and lay his hot, fevered brow  against my neck and said,  "it was the Popsicles Mommy, they made me eku (throw up)".

A day later, on his birthday, he was better, but weak and no appetite. but he wanted to cut a cake! 

So when he was napping, I made a small cake, no fuss, and quick (we had planned a party over the weekend with his little friends and their families)

This was a simple layered Vanilla cake layered with whipped and cream cheese frosting and strawberry jam/ jelly, the chocolate words were made by melting candy melts, putting the melted chocolate in a piping bag and tracing the letters.

By the day of the party, he was fine and up to his usual antics! For once, I did not complain, well, not too much and only once threatened to 'cancel the party if you do not stop jumping from chair to sofa'. What can I say in my defense? I had a lot on my hands, with his illness, the party planning, prepping....

This year, he wanted a Cheese Burger Cake. Unlike most 5 year olds, who want a super hero cake, my sonny boy had cheese burger on his mind. we took inspiration from youtube- Rosanna Pansino, a video that my son watched, repeatedly, fascinated, first because of the cat and later for the cake.

The idea of the cheese burger had taken firm hold. I was happy, this is an easy cake to make!
Here is a look at the cake, just as I finished it, right in time for the party (minutes before the party, actually!)

I used 2 Butter cake (box) mixes.

The bottom of the 'bun' was baked in a 9 inch round pan as was the brownie 'meat patty'
The top of the Burger bun posed a challenge, the 2 quart Pyrex bowl was not big enough, so I used a 'Kadhai'(Indian wok) that I have. It was a perfect fit (whew!)

The cakes and the brownie patty were cooled. The cakes had to be leveled. The Frosting was my usual,whipped and cream cheese frosting.
The frosting is perfect for us, it has slight tanginess that is not unwelcome, it is mildly sweet and light and airy, unlike butter cream frosting that uses a high ratio of butter to sugar ratio (1:4), yikes!
The cream cheese gives it sturdiness and the frosting did not melt or misbehave in any way, despite the heat.

I used Wilton's Brown color and added it slowly to the cream to get a tan shade to resemble a bun.
I skipped the 'sesame seeds' on the bun as I could not find any candy coated sunflower seeds and felt no inclination to make any at home.

The 'lettuce, tomato and cheese' slices were fruit roll ups ( found in any grocery store), I used a leaf pattern cutter (from my Wilton kit) and pulled the leaf a bit to give it a lettuce-y look and round cutter (use any cookie cutter) to cut out the tomato slices.

Notes:

1. Bake the cakes and brownie a day ahead. chill in the fridge and then level. this reduces the crumbs
2. Brush the cakes (leveled side) with a simple sugar-water mix, to seal in the crumbs and keep the cake moist. don't overdo it.
3. Chill the mixer bowl and beaters in the freezer until you are ready to frost.
4. Pull out the heavy cream and cream cheese at the last moment.
5. Frost the round cake ( bottom part of the burger bun)  and place the brownie 'patty' on top. make sure the patty and cake are aligned perfectly.
6. Gently, place the 'lettuce leaves' under the brownie patty .
7. Alternate the 'tomato' and 'cheese' on the brownie and press the corners to make them stick ( they will stick as the fruit roll ups are - well, sticky)
8. Frost the top Bun, separately and use a big, flat spatula ( pancake spatula) to pick up the bun and VERY carefully place it on the brownie patty, aligning it perfectly, you get one chance to get it right! 
9. Top with candy coated sunflower seeds, this is optional.

The cake was a hit and most importantly, the Birthday Boy was thrilled! His eyes reflected the  happiness and I felt like I had won a billion dollar lottery!

Our guests made the party really special with their wholehearted participation and the love and good wishes they showered on the birthday boy (and the generous gifts they gave made him one happy boy!)

Here are a few pictures of the party I'd like to share with you all and a small flashback ( thanks to my Mom!)

The Venue ( left) and our little guests ready to play games (right)

Flashback! 

Enjoy the rest of the week! See you soon.

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Rajgira Thalipeeth ( Amaranth Flour Flat bread)

I am not particularly devout, I do not pray everyday though I do know chants and stories and the lot.

This is childhood conditioning. I have seen my Mother and Grand-mother (Ajji) as well as my Great Grand Mother (Panji)  praying, everyday. As a child, whenever I visited my Ajji would call us or the evening prayers and we (cousins) would sit near her, hands folded and chant after her, looking at the soft glow of the 'diva' that burned steadily, strong, like her faith in God.

it always felt very peaceful after praying. 

Maybe that was the real and only purpose of those rhythmic chants, to make you feel good.  

Panji used to tell us wonderful tales of Gods and demons and how good always won over evil. At the end of the story, she would hand out small chunks of 'khadi sakhar' (rock candy). 

My Aaji always had 'Rajgira Ladoo or chikki ' at home, for the days she fasted, this was a quick snack apart from the usual khichadi or thalipeeth. That was the only form of Rajgira I ever knew, until I came to the USA. Amaranth flour has gained popularity. 

It is a gluten free flour, making it a good option for those who are sensitive to gluten or avoid it as a part of their diet.

These days we hear a lot about going gluten free. I wonder if I would be able to do it. It is a life style change and I admit, I am not quite ready for it. But like many of you, I too have my share in trying recipes that are gluten free, and  I have been doing so for ages, before I knew about gluten or pseudo grains with high- protein.

To me Amaranth was a mystery. The first time I heard someone mention it ( and they called it Amarnath) which  reminded me of this.

I do not fast, much, I used to, back when I was a teen and a young adult,  I believe that along with religious conditioning, a large part of the charm was the food made for 'fasting', feasting, as I liked to call it! 

But I do not remember having tasted these. 

The last time I went to the Indian store I wandered around a bit, as I usually do (I have started avoiding the Indian stores on weekends, it is madness!) and found myself in the 'Puja items' aisle. 

and at the end of the rack, with a medley of Pooja books, I saw Rajgaro flour. Of course I had to pick it up.

Making this thalipeeth is very easy. If you have all the ingredients  and it uses  what is mostly available in a Maharashtrian household)

You need:

1 cup Rajgira/ Amaranth flour

1 Potato, grated ( I used 1/2 sweet Potato)

1 Green chili, finely minced 

2-3 tbsp of Roasted Peanut powder ( daney koot)

Salt to taste

2 Tbsp Chopped Cilantro

Water 

Ghee

Ziploc bag- large size

In a mixing bowl, mix all the listed ingredients, except water.

Add water by the teaspoon, very little is needed to bind the dough.you will probably require 1/4 cup, max. But do not add it all at one go. 

Once you are ready to make the thalipeeth, set the griddle on the stove

place the Ziploc on the counter top and add a small drop of ghee and smear it, alternatively, use oil spray.

Pinch off a small portion of the dough and make a ball  and place it on the ziplock and pat it into a small circle.

Once done, carefully lift off the thalipeeth from the Ziploc and place it on the hot griddle.

Drizzle a few drops of ghee and cook till one side is golden brown and with some spots on it.

Carefully flip and cook on the other side.

Serve with yogurt or can be enjoyed as is.

Notes:

Be careful when patting the dough on the Ziploc as well as transferring it to the hot griddle.

Traditionally potato is used, but I quite liked the taste of sweet potato here. I am also thinking of using a mashed potato the next time, that might give it enough binding to make it easier to pat and transfer etc.

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A cake for a Birthday Princess

Every little girl is a princess, don't you think? And more so on her birthday. 

My son calls her Tai (meaning elder sister) and she turned 7, Sujata's little Princess is one year older.

A few weeks ago, our little Princess and I looked at several cake pictures on Pinterest and made 'expert comments' and she and I both liked one cake, instantly. We decided that I was going to make it for her birthday. 

I promised her, but I was a bit unsure... I mean, it is one thing to want to make a cake and another to nail it. you don't want a disappointed 7 year old on her special day.

Daunting as it was, I stuck to my plan and set out to make a Princess Doll Cake for our little Princess.

Barbie Doll Cake

The Prep:

I opted for a regular Barbie Doll from the store (The Dancing Shoes Barbie), instead of a doll insert. that way the birthday girl gets a new doll to add to her collection.

I used box mix for the cake, while I do have a very dependable Vanilla cake recipe, I was not willing to risk anything and 'better safe than sorry', right?

The frosting was Whipped cream and Cream cheese ( recipe below)

I made some Gum Paste Flowers and bought the decorating 'pearls'  to accent the cake.

For the Doll's skirt, I used round cake pans and a Pyrex bowl ( all 8 inch diameter) and a mini angel cake bundt pan.

Making the Princess Doll Cake:

Since I used the doll, and she is tall, the cake had to accordingly to be tall too, at least 8.5 inches.

Make the cake as per the instructions. I made these 3 ( 2 round cakes and one round, baked in a Pyrex 2 quart bowl)  as you can see in the picture below and a small angel cake bundt (not in picture).

Prep for the Doll's skirt

I made the cakes one day in advance. Once the cakes are cooled, level them, using a cake leveler or a serrated knife and take off the dome.

Alternately, you can use a strip of cloth ( an old thick kitchen towel) soaked in water and wrapped around on the outside of the cake pan while baking or buy Bake Even strips at any craft store, this will help bake the cakes with an even flat-top.

Prep the Doll, wrap the doll  waist down in cling wrap.This will keep her clean.

To make the Frosting:

To me,this was my real challenge. I like butter cream frosting for it's sturdiness and how easy it makes decorating. What I dislike, is how sweet it is.  even for a sweet lover that I am, I  clench my teeth at how-very-sweet it is.

I like whipped cream frosting because it is mildly sweet, feels light ( if you are eating cake, you are not counting calories!).

My concern is, whipped cream is not sturdy, it just does not hold shape as well and makes decorating a tad difficult and not so well defined.

My job therefore was to find a way to make the frosting sturdy.

Search revealed that gelatin is an ideal stabilizer, however, many of the party were vegetarians and so using this option was ruled out.

The other option was using pudding powder, but I was still on the look out and my search was well rewarded!

Prep the doll, level the cake and  make the whipped cream frosting

Source: Here 

1 (8 oz.) packet Cream Cheese (regular)

1/2 cup Confectioners sugar  I used a little more than the recommended 1/2 cup, I added about 2-3 tbsp extra)

1 tsp. vanilla Flavor ( Almond will work well too)

2 cups Heavy Whipping Cream

Food coloring ( I used McCormick Neon colors, a few drops of the blue)

Chill the bowl and the beaters in the freezer for about 10-15 mins before you want to make the frosting.

Once ready, pull out the cream cheese from the fridge and add it to the chilled bowl and add sugar. Cream the two until smooth.

Add the vanilla extract and mix it. With the beaters still going, slowly add the whipping cream and then the food color and beat on medium speed  till soft peaks form.

I doubled the recipe as my cake had to be about 8.5 inches tall

Cake decoration Work-in-Progress. Piping rosettes and  Gum paste flowers to accent the doll's skirt

To start working on the cake:

Using the leveler or a serrated knife, cut the dome cake in 2; horizontally.

Use a round cookie / biscuit cutter and punch out holes in the middle of the dome shaped cake, the bundt and one round cake. 

Leave one round cake as is for the bottom layer.

To keep the cake moist, I use a very mild sugar water solution. Using a pastry brush, apply the sugar water all over the leveled part, this also helps in locking any crumbs.

Place one 8 inch round cake as the bottom layer and 'paint' all over with the sugar- water solution, add a generous dollop of the frosting and spread it out evenly using an offset spatula.

Brush the second round cake with the sugar water and gently place it over the base cake. Apply a generous dollop of the frosting. 

Follow the same steps to place all layers of the cake.

The next step is to crumb coat the cake.Spread a thin layer of the  frosting all over the cake and place it in the fridge for a few minutes ( about 15 -20 mins)

All Done! 

To Decorate the cake:

Fit a decorating bag with Wilton's Tip # 18 (for slightly bigger rosettes, use tip # 21).

Fill the pastry bag with the frosting and pipe rosettes, beginning at the bottom and go around.

If there are any gaps between the rosettes,  cover them up, later, with stars ( using the same tip) 

Use decorations of your choice, I used  gum paste apple blossom flowers ( the bright green ones) that I made a few days ago and CakeMate-Perfect Pearls. 

These can be found in the Baking Supplies aisle.Use your imagination ! 

Keep the cake in the fridge until ready to cut. 

NOTES:

This is definitely my choice for frosting  on cakes, beats butter-cream frosting hands down!

It is very important to chill the bowl and beaters in the freezer before you set out to making the frosting. 

Alternately, you can take a big bowl, fill it half way ( or a bit less) with ice cubes and place another bowl on top and make the frosting.

You can also use fresh seasonal fruit to layer in the cake with the frosting.

The birthday girl and all the guests were very happy with the cake!  I am SO glad I tried it and it was a success!


I am sending this post to Cucina di Barbara (Barbara's Kitchen) and participating in the fabulous giveaway!

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Left over magic: Jazzing up the humble Policha Ladoo

I woke up in the morning with a dreadful pounding in my head. Red hot hammers were working over time. 

Letting out a miserable groan, I dragged my feet to the bathroom to brush and swallowed a migraine tablet and stumbled back in bed.What a terrible way to start the day! How I wished someone would soothe my forehead or make me a cup of tea....

Through the haze in my mind, I remembered a figure, long forgotten........ Sonu Bai. 

Sonu Bai was our maid, when I was a school going girl. She was a tall and had square shoulders and very strong, a booming voice and  I swear, at times, she breathed fire.. but above all, she adored me.

Every morning, she would come to work but first, she would come to the bedroom, wake me, brushing the hair out of my eyes she would  run her rough hands from my temples to my chin and then crack her fingers against her temples, it was to ward off any 'evil eye'. She would run the bath water for me, pick up and wash my tea cup and also make my bed. I was her 'RaNi MaNi'. 

Sonu Bai also used to get some medicated leaves that would ease the severe pain in my father's joints, because of arthritis. 

She would take the whole wheat (grain) to be milled and bring it back, it helped my Mother. Simple things that made life one tiny bit easy for us and beyond her 'job description'. Simple things, that we relied on her for... She was dedicated to our family. 

If she  were here today, she would have told me, "Rani, dokyat ghalte vati bhar tel, thambul dukaycha." ("Let me pour a cup of oil on your head, it will stop the pain"), she would have done it too, making sure my Father was nowhere in the vicinity (she knew how he hates hair oil).

I smiled at the memory and the fact that the pain was down a notch.

I longed to eat something comforting and sweet but nothing that  involved a lot of time and effort.

All I had was bread and 3 left over rotis from last night.

I settled on the roti / chapati /Poli and decided to make Policha ladoo.

For those who do not know, this is one simple ( and tasty) way to finish left over rotis. Children like it as do adults. I used to like taking these in my lunch box! 

The simplest version has just 3 ingredients, leftover roti, jaggery and some ghee. 

My version today is  slightly jazzed up.

You need:
(I used) 3 Left over rotis
A lemon sized ball of soft Jaggery
3/4 tsp khus-khus ( poppy seeds)
1-2 tsp Shredded, un-sweetened coconut
1 Cardamom, powdered
1 tsp Ghee

Tear the roti into small pieces, I run them thru the food processor.
Heat the ghee in a wok. You do not want it to smoke.
Add the poppy seeds and stir  until the poppy seeds are slightly brown, add the coconut and  coat it well in the ghee and poppy seeds mixture.
Once the coconut is slightly brown, add the jaggery ( I crumble it and add it in the ghee).
After the ghee melts, add the shredded roti and mix well to make a slightly sticky mass.
Switch off the heat and add the powdered cardamom.
Once the mixture is cool enough to handle, roll into balls.
Enjoy!

Notes:

- There are no set measurements, the size of a roti is a personal choice, a fulka is small and thin, whereas a poli / chapati is slightly bigger and not as thin as a fulka. In this case, use jaggery as required.

- I used fresh ( frozen) coconut instead of shredded, Substitute one for the other or omit if you do not like it or do not have either on hand.


I also wanted to share with you the picture of a cake I made for a dear friend, as a surprise for her Birthday.
Clearly, my frosting skills can use a lot of practice, but everyone liked the cake!
Flavor: Orange Creamsicle ( box mix)
Frosting: Whipped cream ( 1 cup heavy whipping cream : 1/2 cup Confectioners sugar and a dash of Vanilla extract)

I like whipped cream frosting, it is not so easy to work with ( butter cream frosting has that advantage, controlling the consistency, you can make a variety of decorations, where as whipped cream does not stand up to that test, it makes up in taste, that it does!)

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Handhwo

I used to be very excited about April Fool's day. I would actually spend time thinking about how I would like to fool  my parents.

Maybe it was all those Enid Blyton books I was addicted to. Reading all about how those school going girls tricked their friends and family and teachers would make me yearn to pull one on my near ones too.

Of course I realized that there was no store that sold jokes or trick packs in India and had to 'compromise'.

I would do silly things like, when my parents were getting ready for work, I'd quietly open the main door, ring the bell and close the door ( very quietly, of course) and scuttle off. My Mother or Dad would go to open the door and find no one and I'd shoot out from my hiding place singing, "April fool banaya...". The other trick I had up my sleeve was, during those days ( 80's) MTNL ( the phone company) had a 3 digit number, which when dialed (and after you have hung up) will send a ring back to your telephone. I have no idea behind the logic here, but it was useful in pulling a prank.

I'd dial the number, and scuttle, my parents would come to answer the phone and I'd spring out singing the song, or I would pretend to answer the phone, and call out to my Mom or Dad and inform them that one of their friends was on the phone or my Ajji was on the phone to talk to Mom- here I would pretend that I was asking polite questions etc. and then holler for mom,  they would rush and I would wait till the first "hello" and  start singing the annoying song, again! 

I have no idea if they knew what I was doing, but they played along or they really fell for it. but whatever it was, today it is a sweet memory, one I will always cherish! 

This year, like the last few years, April Fools day was like any other day, wake up, breakfast  school bus, meals, study time, dinner, bed........... 

Maybe one day, my little boy will play a harmless prank and make me laugh out loud, again.

Innocent fun! How I miss those moments.

Not that the recipe I have for you today has anything to do with pranks or April Fool's day. 

I have another Gujarati Classic for you. A wonderful tea-time snack, Ondhwo / handhwo is a savory cake. I guess one can call it that...

It has vegetable content, so it is healthy! Do you need any further persuasion?

Recipe source: Kamini aunty 

You Need:

1 cup Rice

1/4 cup Chana dal

1/4 cup Toor daal 

1 tbsp Urad dal 

1/2 cup Plain, thick Yogurt 

1 inch Ginger piece

2-3 cloves Garlic

1-2 Green chilies ( + / - to suit your taste buds)

2 tsp Sugar ( can substitute with jaggery)

1 tsp Ajwain (Bishops weed)

1/2 tsp Pickle Masala

1 Medium Lauki / Dudhi/ Bottle Gourd, grated

Salt to taste

Few curry Leaves

1-2 Dry Red chilies ( optional)

1 tsp Mustard seeds

~2 tsp ( I did not really measure these, just sprinkled generously) Sesame Seeds

1 tsp Eno/ fruit salt, regular flavor

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

Pinch Red chili powder

Wash the rice and daals and soak it for a minimum of 6 to 7 hrs.

Drain all the water the grain was soaked in and coarsely grind using  yogurt- no water. Do not use any water when grinding the rice and daals. 

Then take above mixture in a bowl and add ginger, garlic and green chillies paste and salt, mix thoroughly. Leave it over night.

Next morning add turmeric powder, sugar/ jaggery, ajwain , pickle masal and grated bottle gourd / lauki . 

Mix well . Taste it and adjust seasoning, if needed. 

Heat a small skillet, add 1 tsp oil, once the oil is hot ( not smoking) and add few curry leaves and little red chilli powder . Pour  into the batter.

At this stage, prepare a baking dish, grease it or spray it with oil. Preheat the oven (350 F)

Then add 1 tsp eno to the batter and mix well. Pour the mixture in an oven safe dish/ bakeware 

In the same skillet, make a tadka ( oil , mustard seeds, hing, sesame seeds and 1 or two whole red chillis -if using ). Pour this on the batter.

Now cover the baking dish with aluminium foil and put into preheated oven . Bake for 30 to 40 min until bottom layer is light brown in color. 

Then uncover and broil for 8 to 10 min. Watch  this broiling stage like a hawk.
The top can go from golden brown to charcoal very quickly! 

Cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then on a cooling rack. 

Slice in wedges and serve with a cup of tea.

Notes:

Traditionally, bottle gourd is used, however you can add different vegetables, to up the nutritive value. Add petite green peas, grated carrot or corn kernels.

If you have a lump of jaggery that is hard to crumble / grate,  place the lump in a microwave safe bowl, add a tsp water and microwave it for 20-30 seconds.  Add the melted jaggery to the mix.

My friend, Ashwini, has a recipe for Ondhwo that uses Quinoa and flax seed.

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Spritz Cookies- Bite size treats!

Spring break is over. there is an audible sigh in the vicinity.. I join in.

It has been a hectic week with  an active child at home. Thank God for perfect weather! 

While many of you are still wearing thick jackets or cranking up the heat in your homes, we have flung open our windows to let the gentle breeze in, packed all the winter woollies and pulled on the flip-flops! We have donned soft tees, and Capri and for  those who can carry it off, shorts and go for evening walks.

Welcome Spring! 

Spring Break from school also means play dates! We had arranged a play date for my son and his little friends and he wanted me to make cookies for them. Of course, I had to agree! 

Sometime last year, I gave in to my urge to buy a cookie press. 

At $10, I thought it was a steal! 

When I made the cookies last year, it took me a while to get the hang of it and when I was fumbling, I kind of  thought it wasn't 'such a good idea, after all'. The whole thing got shoved to the very back of the cabinet.

I tentatively pulled it out, looked at it long and hard and finally decided to use it. What's the worst that can happen?  It won't spritz, hah! I'll roll and cut and bake. I'll make cookies. There! 

I followed the recipe from Joy of Baking. I wish I had taken time to go to the store and get some garnish, my son wanted m & m's, I kept putting it off  and then it was time to bake.

When you try these, plan ahead and get something to decorate the cookies, m & m's, dried fruit, nuts, the cookies will look so pretty with that added something!
I will the next time I make these, I will drizzle them with some chocolate! yum!

Notes:
The cookies are light and flaky and mildly sweet.  Because these are piped/ spritzed, they are small, 2-bite cookies.
They are very brittle too, of course.
The recipe calls for 6-9 minutes of baking, until the edges are barely brown. It could be my oven, but 6-9 mins. did not cut it for me. I baked my cookies for 10 mins. I like to see a honey brown edge to my cookies.
The barely-brown-edges makes it doughy and floury under done and I don't like it.

Must remember:

Use a cookie sheet or a jelly roll pan

Pipe/ Spritz cookies directly onto the cookie sheet, do not use any butter / oil to grease the cookie sheet. Do not use any parchment paper or base under the cookies. This is important. This was one of the mistakes I made when I first made the cookies, I used parchment paper. The cookie dough sticks to the press and lifts the parchment paper and it's just a mess! 

Be patient, if it does not click the first time, don't give up. just try again. 

A treat after a tall glass of milk! 

Serve with a tall glass of milk. Give a surprise by adding some in your child's lunch box, share a plate with your girlfriends at tea-time!
Enjoy! 

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Cooking with friends : Dhebra

This is the third part of the Sonali Trilogy. 

Every Tuesday,  when Sonali has  a day off from work, she works on the home front.  All working women out there know what I am talking about.

In top gear, she whizzes around the house, cleaning, tidying up, laundry, running errands and  as pre-arranged, we meet at her apartment and she has some nice Gujarati dish for me to taste!

For a while now, I have been pestering her for a hands-on session at making something. 

Since methi (fenugreek) is in season (psssst- we get a big bunch as low as .50 cents! I had discovered that when we first moved here. I actually did the ridiculous Dharmendra dance at getting Methi leaves that cheap! ) We decided on Dhebra. 

For someone who claims that she is not fond of  Gujarati food, Sonali does a fantastic job of cooking all things Guju in her kitchen. 

I arrived, armed with my camera and the desire to learn.

These Dhebras are a great  tea-time snack. I loved rolling up one and nibbling on it with my cup of chai.These  are also good picnic food or lunch-box option.

You Need:

2 cups Wheat flour ( gehun ka atta)

1 cup Bajra flour (pearl millet flour)

1 bunch Methi / Fresh Fenugreek (leaves only)

1 Tbsp. each,  grated Ginger and Garlic

2-3 Green Chilies paste (+/- to taste)

Salt to taste

2-3 Tbsp of chopped Cilantro

Jaggery, a small lump, about the size of a key lime ( traditionally, sugar is used, but  jaggery being a healthier option, I prefer that)

1 Tbsp, Toasted Sesame Seeds

1/2 tsp. Turmeric powder

1/2 tsp. Red chili powder

1 tsp.Ajwain / bishops weed

3 Tbsp oil

Yogurt, whisked-  approx 1 cup, use this measurement as a guide only

Wash the methi/ fenugreek leaves and chop them.

Mix the flours and add all the above  listed ingredients, except the yougurt.

Mix with your hands  to ensure that the chopped methi as well as the spices are well incorporated (see notes)

Now slowly add the whisked yogurt and start making the dough. Be careful when adding the yogurt,the dough has to be a bit stiff. 

Cover and let the dough rest for 10-15 minutes.

When you are ready to start making the dhebras,  heat a skillet on med- high and pinch off a small portion of the dough about the size of a lime.

Dredge it  in wheat flour and roll it, uniformly, into a disk, about 6-7 inches in diameter.

Carefully transfer the flat-bread onto the hot skillet.

As the underside bubbles,turn and flip over to the other side and drizzle a few drops of oil  on top.

Flip and cook the oil smeared side, if you have it, use the 'fulka press' ( the wooden flat headed hammer thingy, as shown in the pictures below). By gently pressing with the 'press', till brown spots form on the underside. 

Drizzle some more oil on top and flip, press and cook till brown spots appear. take off the heat and place on a tissue. 

In the same manner, make dhebras from the remaining dough.

Serve hot off the skillet with a bit of pickle. 

Umm- ummm! 

If you wish to freeze  some dhebras, once cool, place them between sheets of parchment paper and tuck them in a freezer safe bag or container. 

**NOTES:

- If you have hard jaggery, you might want to grate it and then add it or add a teaspoon of water to the grated jaggery and nuke it in the microwave for about 25-30 seconds to soften it

- Alternately, just add the grated jaggery to the whisked yogurt and leave it in there for a few minutes to soften.'

- If you have white sesame seeds, just add them to a small sauce pan and toss over medium heat to toast them to a light brown. 

-Because of the  bajra content, these dhebras tend to harden up if kept for long. To soften them, just before eating, place a dhebra between 2 sheets of tissue, dampen the tissue with a wet palm and microwave for 15-20 seconds and serve.

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Puranpoli and a fight against plagiarism, come join us..

She would stand and roll these to perfection, year after year. She stood alone and I mean, as a person as well as, when making puranpoli. 

Aaji, my dear Aaji. Her small, gentle hands  had surprising strength, she would knead the puranpoli dough, no food processor. It was hard work, making dough for 50-60 puranpolis. 

Every Ganpati, we would go to Aaji's. The night before and help my Mama (maternal uncle) put up the decoration for the next day.

Then late into the night, with a zero watt bulb glowing softly, we would lie down on mattresses on the floor and listen to old film songs, Hindi and sometimes Marathi. we would hum along with Lata Mangeshkar or Kishore Kumar, sometimes Suman Kalyanpur would sing in her melodious voice  and sometimes it was Pt. Bhimsen Joshi who mesmerized us with his classical singing!

The next day, we would wake up very early, get ready and wait at the door, for the priest, "Aaji, aga guruji ale" we would yell, announcing his arrival and rush into the kitchen to see what Aaji was doing and  eat sabudana khichadi, the objective was, keep us out of the way, so Mama and the priest could go ahead with the puja! Once the  puja was underway, Aaji assisted by her daughters and daughter in law would start lunch preparation. The menu was mostly fixed, Varan-bhat, batata bhaji, katachi amti, koshimbir, chutney, ukdiche modak and the star, puranpoli! 

We would watch her  make the dough, we called it chewing gum dough, it was that elastic. We would  wash our hands (naivedyachi ahe puranpoli, mulinno, hath dhuvun ghya, Aaji would warn us, but never restricted us) and touch the dough, pulling it and stretching it and giggling.

We could hardly wait for  lunch. 

Sometimes we  would grumble... the priest would eat before we did and we would watch with fascinated horror at how  they devoured puranpolis and worried if there were any left for us! 

Aaji would just smile gently and reassure us, there were plenty, don't worry.

Perhaps, her perfect puranpolis were the reason why none of her (3) daughters or daughter-in-law ever tried making puranpolis, ever. 

The only person who comes close to her level of expertise or perfection is my Mother in Law. 

When my in laws visited us, I took lessons from her. It is not easy to learn in two lessons, but she is a good teacher and I was a very willing student.

Over the last 3 years I have made puranpolis sparingly, just on M's birthday or  Diwali. It is time consuming.

I had some old pictures I had taken when my in laws were visiting and never got to posting about these.

A week or two ago, I made puranpoli, no reason, I just felt like it.And for the first time, my puranpolis were, great! 

I was so excited!  for one moment, as I stood in my kitchen, I felt like my late Aaji was standing behind me, smiling, proud of me.

I had some old pictures, step wise, detailing the process. 

Here is what you need to make the puranpolis:

For the outer cover:
2 Cups Atta / wheat flour
1/4 cup oil ( yes you need it!)
Water to bind the dough
Pinch of salt

For the puran (filling):

2/3 cup Chana daal
2/3 Cup Jaggery ( I use soft jaggery)
4 Cardamoms, powdered
1/4 tsp. Nutmeg powder (Jaiphal powder)

Prepare the Puran (filling). This can be made ahead of time.
Wash the  Chana Daal in changes of water. Till the water runs clear.

Traditionally, the daal is cooked n stove top with plenty of water (which is later used in making 'katachi amti') But I use my pressure cooker to save time and energy.
Place the chana daal  (with double amount of water)and pressure cook it for 3 whistles.
After the pressure subsides, transfer the daal to a non-stick pan, add the jaggery and cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally.
While the filling is still semi solid, use an immersion blender and blend the puran to a smooth pasty consistency.
Alternately or traditionally, the puran is cooked and run thru a food mill to get a smooth, lumpfree filling. If you have a food mill (also called puran yantra), you can use it later, to mill the filling.

You need to cook the filling till it is dry, have patience, it takes a while. The filling has to come together into a stiff ball. Place a spoon ( with a long handle)  directly into the puran, if the spoon stands straight, as you inserted it, the puran is ready. if the spoon slides sideways, keep cooking and drying it out.
Cool and add the powdered cardamom and nutmeg powder, mix and keep aside.

In a large mixing bowl, place the flour and make sprinkle the salt and stir to incorporate it in, make a well in the center. slowly add half the oil and mix, add water very carefully and mix into a smooth and soft dough.
You need to be careful with the liquids and add them carefully and gradually to make a smooth and pliable dough. Once done, cover and let it rest for a while. After about 10 minutes, sprinkle some water and a tsp of oil over the dough and knead it in. Repeat after another 10-15 mins and cover and let the dough rest. If you pull out a bit of the dough, it should be soft and elastic.
Once you are ready to make the puranpolis, Keep everything handy, the dough, the filling and heat the skillet on medium high.
Traditionally, rice flour is used for dusting. You can use regular wheat flour too.

Pinch off a small ball of dough and  flatten it in your palm, make a well and stuff a good portion of the filling in it. Look at the picture above (R2, C1), it has to be a generous amount of filling, you don't want doughy puranpolis, they have to be sweet!

Slowly pull the edges over and seal to form a ball. Pinch off the excess dough and pat it into a... patty .

Dust with flour (rice flour or atta) and roll out. Be gentle, use pressure evenly but do not press hard on the patty.
The rice flour will help the patty slide about in a way that makes it easy to roll it out.

Roll the poli thin and gently lift and lay on the hot skillet. Let it cook and brown , keep an eye but do not flip, this will cause it to break in the middle and all the filling will spill out.

Turn and cook on the other side, fold in half and remove from the skillet and place it on a tissue.
Repeat with the rest of the filling and dough.

When serving, smear a generous amount of toop / ghee. Do NOT skip the toop/ghee part, it helps with digesting the puran/ filling of chana daal. ( No ghee= tooting, mind it! ;) )

Puranpoli can also be served with ghee smeared inside ( mandatory) and some milk with a bit of kesar/ saffron infused to give it an extra oomph! for dipping the poli in.

*NOTES
- Some people make these with 100% All Purpose Flour
- You can mix 50% APF and 50% Atta, if you wish. I always prefer  100 wheat flour.
-Do not skimp on the oil. You will make these once in  while, go all the way :)
- These store well and freeze well.
-If you wish to freeze  the puranpolis, layer the polis ( I cook them and then freeze) between sheets of waxed paper and store in a freezer safe ziplock or container.
- Do NOT omit the ghee.
























Now picture this, I slaved in my kitchen, hours at a time to make a 'special something' for my family. I rush to take pictures in failing light and a hungry family waiting.
I fuss with angles, and click my tongue in exasperation. Settle for less than fab pictures and  run to the table to sit down for my meal.
Later, on a full tummy and resembling and feeling like a python after a full meal, I waddle off to clean up and then after all the work is done, my son tucked up for the night, I sit down to write a post.
It takes time, energy and effort to put it all down on the  blog. It is love and labor.
It cuts like a knife when someone copies the recipe and the pictures and passes them off as their 'own recipe'. It happens all the time. It's sad, heartbreaking even.
It happened recently to Anjali.
It happened to me too, on a Face book page,' chavdaar ani chatakdaar' where this was picture stolen.
Complaints, arguments, frustration over how brazen some people are to thieve, like it comes naturally to them.
Raise your hands if you are against such people.

Thank you.

Lets all come together to try and stop this outright thievery. Preeti is doing just that and invites us all to join in. She also has a giveaway, the 'assal Marathi' cook book 'Ruchira', a book that many mothers and daughters have relied on.

I am participating and I hope you will too. Spread the word for the fight against plagiarism.

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