Puris on the go!

Its been a looong time since I have blogged and I am sure no excuse is as bad as being super busy and leading a hectic life here in Chicago... While I started my Technical blog site today  .. My passion for food blogging finally took over and here I am in the wee hours of my 11th Anniv.. blogging about my all time favorite Poori..

When we travel ( specially in trains) in India with family, home made Puri with Alloo ki Sabji and pickles are the hot items in the train we as kids used to look forward to. So here we go with the exteremely simple recipe of Puris...

Pooris or Puris are most commonly served at breakfast. It is also served at special or ceremonial functions as part of ceremonial rituals in India.

I have often made these puris special by kneading the dough with the below to get healthy and colorful puri
1. Finely Chopped / Pureed spinach
2. Finely Crushed Greenpeas
3. Finely Grated Carrots
4. Finely grated Beetroot
5. Finely chopped Spring Onions

Puri is prepared generally with wheat flour, Maida (refined wheat flour / all purpose flour),  optionally mixed with Rava (coarse wheat flour)

Ingredients :
1. Wheat four - 1 cup
2. Maida - 1/4 cup
3. Soy granules - 3-4 Tablespoons  ( optional - this will make it crispy and healthy )
4. Rava - 3-4 Tablespoons ( optional - this will make it crispy )
5. Water - 1/2 cup
6. Salt - to taste
7. Vegetable Oil - 2-3 Tablespoons
8. 1-2 teaspoons of Ajwain (also known as carom, ajowan, or bishop's weed) - this is extremely good for digestion

A dough of all the above is made sas shown . Then it is rolled out in a small circle or rolled out and cut out in small circles and deep fried in vegetable oil.

The dough is rolled in flat circles using a pin roller or a belan popularly found in every Indian household.



Immerse the Puris in hot oil, it puffs up like a round ball because moisture in the dough changes into steam which expands in all directions.





Remove when golden-brown in color. This may be served hot or saved for later use The rolled puri may be pricked with a fork before deep frying to get a flat puri.

YUM YUM...
Will Blog at least biweekly... thats a promise to myself!
Chao.....
Take Care all!

Holi Special - Dahi Bhalle..

Dahi Bhalle is an extremely popular dish of North India. Made of Yogurt(curd) and Urad Dal salty doughnuts.They are also called as Dahi Wade in some parts of India.

I learnt how to make these from my mom, she makes the best dahi bhalle ever ;-)



India is known for its mouth watering recipes. On our colorful festival Holi, people just wait for delightful home made delicacies. Especially during this time, we indulge in coloring each other, teasing our loved ones and enjoying recipes like Gujia, Namak Pare, Kheer, Malpue and Dahi Bhalle.

Dahi Bhalle Recipe

Ingredients for Bhallas

• 1 Cup Urad daal ( Black gram without the skin)
• Vegetable Oil- to Deep Fry
• Salt to taste
• Ginger - Finely grated 2 tablespoons
• Finely chopped coriander leaves
• 2 chopped green chillies
• 4-5 teaspoons of dry Urad flour
• 4-5 teaspoons of dry Rice flour 
• Baking powder - 1 teaspoon

Garnish

• Salt to taste
• 2 tsp Cumin (Jeera) powder, roasted
• 2 tablespoon Coriander(Dhania) powder, roasted
• Red Chili Powder, to taste 
• Tamarind Paste / Chutney - to taste
• Chat Masala / aamchur powder - to taste
• Finely chopped coriander leaves

Method

For Bhallas

• Clean, wash and soak the urad daal overnight.
• Grind it into smooth paste.Be careful for the blender/Mixie - the daal tends to be sticky
• Tip - Pour some extra water to get a smooth paste, if it becomes too watery to make the pakodas, have dry urad powder handy to mix it in the paste to get the right consistency.
• Add the rice flour and the baking powder for the extra crispness.
• Add salt to taste. 
• Add the cut green chillies, ginger and finely chopped coriander's and mix well
• Tip : someties I add the market bought Coriander/desi green chutney for the right tang!

• Heat vegetable oil in a flat base pan and drop a spoonful of batter and fry till golden brown. Flip it on alternate sides after 2-3 min on medium flame.
• Mix lukewarm water with 1/2 cup of yogurt and mix it well with little salt. It should be a little thick than water consistency.
• Take the hot Bhallas and put in above yogurt mix.

For Dahi 

• Blend the curd (yogurt) and little water until it is smooth.
• Keep in refrigerator for an hour to get chilled.
• Add salt

Serve

• In a deep dish arrange bhallas and pour dahi over them.
• Now add red chili powder and cumin powder. 
• Add the tamarind chutney, Chat Masala/Aamchur powder for the sweet and sour tanginess
• Garnish with finely chopped coriander.

Enjoy with Holi ke raang!! Happy HOLI!!!

Shahi Matar Paneer - A treat for your loved ones for Holi..

Khao and Khilao Holi hai !!

Another North Indian dish on popular demand. My Love for paneer is deep rooted, as a kid I used to love Paneer and was not into other dairy products i.e. milk, curd etc. 

well.. my love for paneer dishes has only grown with time due to its great taste and nutrition value.
 
Easy to make home made paneer :
Heat milk till it is reduced by 1/4th part. To break the milk add a couple of tablespoons of either lemon juice, vinegar, sour curd, citric acid. My take is to use lemon juice for the flavour. This seperates the curd and whey. Now you need to tie the curd in a muslin cloth leave overnight with heavy weight on top of it to flatten it. After the milk concentrate is out of moisture , further flatten it with the help of a rolling pin and and cut into paneer cubes.

Main Ingredients

1. 500 gms of Paneer cut into small cubes
2. 2 medim size Onions thinly sliced
3. 1/3 cup Tomato Puree
4. 1 small tomoato finely cut
5. 1 cup green peas
6. 3 tablespoons of sunflower oil

Spice Mix:

1. 2 teaspoons Garam Masala
2. 2 teaspoons Coriander Powder
3. 2 teaspoons Salt
4. 1 teaspoons kashmiri red chilly powder
5. 1 tablespoon ginger garlic paste

Cut the paneer in small cubes and finely chop the onion and tomato.
Saute the paneer in little oil so that they develop a golden brown crust. Keep them aside.

In a pan, saute the onions in oil till golden brown. Add the ginger garlic paste and fry for another 2-3 minutes. Add the finely chopped tomoatos and mix for another 5 minutes.










Add the tomoato puree and soaked green peas in the mix.





 

Add the masala mix. Fry for another 3-4 minutes till they start sweating out.

Add about 2 cups of water and paneer cubes and simmer on low heat for another 5-7 minutes.


 

Garnish with coriander leaves and grated paneer.......

Serve with Indian Roti or poori...

Khao and Khilao Holi hai....ENJOY  !!

Holi ke rang Malpue ke sang ......

HOLI Hai!!!! Malpua is a popular sweet to make on the occasion of Holi.They are deep fried pancakes that are commonly served as a dessert.

I tried my hand at this awesome preparation with a slight twist to my mom's recipe at my friend Neha's place today and it came out really good. The Bihari version of this dish has sugar added to the batter prior to frying, while the method prevalent in Orissa has the fritters dipped in syrup after they are fried. Below I have both the recipes explained.

 
Dry Ingrediets:

• All purpose flour (Maida) – 250 g
• Sugar – 100g
• Cardamon powder - 1 tablespoon
• Casews - a small handful cut in small pieces
• Raisins - a small handful
• Grated coconut - 1 table spoons
• Almonds - finely chopped
• Oil - 2 tablespoons
• Baking powder - one pinch

To prepare the batter

• Thickened Milk (Half and Half) - 1 cup / Can use water instead if you are health conscience for less richness, well during Holi.. forget everything and enjoy...once in a while to set your sweet tooth free is good!!

To Fry:

Ghee/vegatable oil for deep frying ( I use a combination of both)

How to make malpua:

Take the half and half milk or Boil the milk till it reduces to 1/2 its quantity 
Pour the milk or water slowly into the mixture , while stirring. 
Add the dry ingredients and mix it well so that there are no lumps.
It should be a smooth pouring consistency.

 

Pour ghee in a pan and heat it on a low flame. Take a full spoon of the mixture and flatten in a round shape in the pan. if it does not come in a circular shape, pour in circular movements into the ghee to form a small pan cake. Turn over. Take care that it does not become crisp and hard. Fry the malpua on low and medium flame.

When the malpua starts turning golden, take it out on a plate with tissues to absorb the extra oil.  Dipping syrup: (Optional)

• Make a sugar syrup by boiling 2 cups of water with 1 cup of sugar 
• Put a few drops of rosewater
• Dip the malpura in the syrup and lay out on a plate.

Serve hot or cold to your dear ones... this will surely bring a smile on their faces!

Happy HOLI...!!

Chole - Bature ( Ria's B'day Special)

Chole Bhature is a very very popular menu of north India.

A yummy delight awaits to be enjoyed .. recipe at popular requests from some of my friends...

This was my special for my daughter's 7th B'day.. and she loved it...

For the Bhature

 1. All purpose Flour (Maida) - 1 cup

 2. Yogurt ( Dahi) - 1/4 cup

 3. Yeast ( if you do not have 4-5 hours to let the dough sit and rise)

Main Ingredients :

 1. Kabuli channa ( white chick peas ) - Soaked overnight - 1 cup

 2. Baking soda - 1 pinch

For the Masala:

 1. Onion - 2 medium finely chopped

 2. Tomato - 1 medium, finely chopped

 3. Tomoto puree - 2 tablespoons

 4. Ginger garlic paste - 2 teaspoons

 5. Tamarind paste - 1 teaspoons

Spice mix :

 1. Cummin seeds - 1 table spoon

 2. Bay leaves - 2-3

 3. Currey leaves - 2-3

 4. Black Cardamom - 1

 5. Cloves - 4

 6. Whole Black pepper - 1 teaspoon

 7. Garam Masala - 2 tablespoons

 8. Coriander powder  2 table spoon

 9. Punjabi Chole Masala - 1 tablespoon( optional) / Kitchen King Masala

 10. Salt to taste

 11. Chilly powder & 2-3 dry red chilly

 12. Salt - 1 teaspoon ( to taste)

 13. Tamarind paste - 1 tablespoon

 14. Grated paneer, coriander leaves for garnish

For Chole:

Soak the chick peas overnight. Boil the chick peas till they are soft and crumble in your fingers.To get the brown color you can place a dip tea bag in the water.

  

In a skillet heat oil and fry the finely shopped onions till goden brown.

Then add the tomoato, Puree, and Ginger garlic paste. Fry for another 3-4 minutes. Add the spice mix from above and fry till the mixture starts sweating oil. this should take another 5-6 minutes.

Add the boiled chick peas the mix and and pour water to the level of chick peas and mix well. Let it simmer on low heat for another 5 minutes and it's all done!




For the Bhature:

Pour the yeast in the water and mix it up and leave it for five minutes

Mix the dough with this mixture and Knead the dough into a ball. Leave it aside for 5-6 hours.

Make small balls of it for the Bhature. Heat oil in a skillet for deep frying. Roll out the dough ball with the help of a rolling pin into small circular shapes.

Fry the Bhatures in the oil till light golden brown, flipping it









Before serving, soak out the bhature on a tissue paper/newspaper to soak the extra oil. Garnish the chole with some coriander, grated paneer and  finely cut onions and serve it. Per my Favourite foodie's suggestion you can garnish it with finely chopped onions and a lemon wedge....

See you soon with some more recipes...
PALLAVI :-)

Chinese Hakka Noodles.......

Chinese stalls on the Indian streets have always been my favorites. However, after staying in Chicago for a couple of years now, I miss the super spicy hakka noodles from the streets of India... In Bhavesh's absence ( Since he is off to Mumbai for his business trip for 2 weeks) I have a bit of time to spare for my experimental kitchen recipes ...



Pragya has honored me with her presence to accompany me. We had it for dinner today ... She surely should vote for the taste of my take on Chinese hakka noodles...Isn't it Pragya?

Sharing this on my blog so that you all can try this easy and simple recipe at your home anytime when you miss street side Indian chinese ........

Base Ingredients

1. Vegetable oil - 3 table spoon
2. Salt - to taste
3. Hakka Noodles - 1 pack

 Veggie Ingredients

1. Cabbage - Cut in long thin slices 1 cup
2. Green Pepper - Cut in Long thin slices 1/2 cup
3. Onion - Cut in Long thin slices 2 medium
4. Carrots - Cut in Long thin slices 1/2 cup
5. Spring onions - cut finely - 1/2 cup 

Chinese Sauce Base

1. Soy Sauce - 2 teaspoon
2. Tomotao Ketchup - 2 table spoons
3. Green chilly sauce - to taste
4. Red Chilly sauce - to taste
5. Knorr's Hot and Sour Sauce - 2 table spoon

Method:

Cut all the veggies in thin long slices so that they are uniform, this is what makes the hakka noodles healthy treat for kids...!

Boil the hakka noodles in hot water, make sure that the water level is about 2-3 inches above the level of the noddles in the pan. Put 1 tablespoon of salt and 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in the water to avoid sticky hakka noodles.

After boiling for 5-6 min, check the noodles ( if the noodles crumbles in your fingers its done).


Strain it out and leave it for cooling. Try to separate it with a fork so that it does not stick together.

   
In a wok ( if this is not available any Indian kadai will do!) pour 3 tablesoon of vegetable oil. Put all the veggie ingredients and saute on high flame for 5-7 min.
Then put the mix of Chinese Sauce Base and saute for some around 1 min.

Add the Hakka noodles and mix it well. Yummy chinese hakka noodles is available for your devouring....


See you all with my next recipe pretty soon...
-Pallavi

Remembering Mom's Aaloo (Potato) ki sookhi sabji...

Aaloo is such a common ingredient back in India... even though India is so diversified in its culture, they say you will get Aaloo's everywhere... This dish is a favorite of all mom's as a lunch menu for kids with paratha ( Indian Bread). I made this the sometime back when some of my friends had come over and they just remembered their mom's food...and childhood times...


Ingredients :

1. 6 medium size potatoes - peeled and washed, cut in thin slices
2. Onion - 1 medium finely chopped
3. Vegetable Oil - 3 tablespoons
4. Cummin seeds
5. A pinch of Hing ( astafotedia)
6. Turmeric - 1 tablespoon
7. Garam Masala - 2-3 tablespoon
8. Red chilly powder - 2 teaspoon
9. Salt - 1 tablespoon ( to taste)
10. Finely chopped Coriander leaves for garnish
11. Lemon for garnish

 Heat oil in a skillet and crackle the cummin seeds and hing,then add the chopped onions and fry them till translucent. Put the sliced potatoes and mix it well. Add chilli powder and turmeric and  cover it with a lid.

Let it cook for 10 min on low heat, keep mixing it in between so that it does not get charred in bottom.

After 10 min remove the lid and increase the heat to medium-high, add garam masala, and keep stirring it regularly so that it does not stick in bottom, but at the same time does not start breaking into smaller pieces, soon it will start developing a brown crust.

 Mix salt, add coriander leaves and cut lemon wedges for garnish. 

-ENJOY with Poori / Paratha / Roti...
Love to all
Pallavi

Idli - From my kitchen to yours....

Most often eaten at breakfast or as a snack in South India, idlis are usually served in pairs with Sambhar and Chutney. A favourite of all Indian kids and grown ups alike, I couldn't help myself from posting this to share with all...
Steamed Rice cakes or popularly called as Idlis in India are super healty and deliiiicious.........



Ingredients:

1. 1 cup skinless Urad dal soaked in water for 2 hours and then finely grind
2. Half teaspoon methi seeds
3. 1 cup Idli rawa
4. 3 cups of Rice flour
5. Tangy Yogurt for fermentation / 1 teaspoon of Yeast

Soak the urad dal in water for 2-3 hours and then finely grind it with the methi seeds. Mix the Idli rawa and rice flour and stir it well. Add some more water to get the consistency such that when you pour it from a spatula there is a little elasticity to it. It should be watery. Add the yogurt/yeast and stir it well.

Cover it with a lid and set it aside to raise up for about 8-9 hrs at a warm spot in your kitchen. I generally put the light on of my grill oven and put it there for the night.

Method :


Be sure that you have an idli maker which looks like the one on the side! you can get it in any Indian grocery store here in Chicago. In India - go to any utensil shop and you can get it...
Lightly oil the base of the idli stand so that it is easy for the idlies to come out when cooked.

Alternate is to use the Idli Microwave maker.

Pour the batter in the idli stand indentations as shown in the picture. Stack the plates one on top of other, make sure that you start with the last stand and stack on top. Also, be careful not to fill the idli batter till the brim - on steaming the idli's expand.






Place it in a pressure cooker or Idli maker. Pour 2 cups of water in the idli maker/pressure cooker so that the steam from the water will help cook the idlis. If using the pressure cooker remove the whistle.

Once the pressure build up, let it cook for 15 min. Then open the idli maker/pressure cooker and let the idli cool for 5 min or so. With a spoon washed with cold water carefully scoop the idlis out.
If using Microwave Idli maker then set it on high power for 10-12min.

Enjoy with the Sambhar and Chutney....!!!

 - Enjoy these and stay warm in snow jammed Chicago weather!!
    Pallavi

Masala Dosa ... one of my personal favourites...

Masala dosa is my all time personal favourite. So, how could I not share this amazing and simple recipe with you all...

Please visit my blog for Dosa to get details on how to make a plain dosa. All we need additionally is now the masala and a few additional steps to make it a masala dosa.

Tadka:

1. Oil - 3-4 tablespoon
2. 7-8 Currey leaves 
3. 1 green chilly slit along length
4. 1 teapoon of black mustard
5. Chopped Ginger - 1 teaspoon
6. Chopped Garlic - 1 teaspoon

 Main Ingredients :

1. 4 medium sized Potato - boiled and peeled and semi-mashed
2. 2 medium sized Onions - chopped length wise
3. 2 medium sized tomatoes
4. A handful of crushed roasted peanuts
5. A handful of green peas

 The masala spices:

1. Turmeric powder - 1 teasoon
2. Coriander powder - 3 teaspoons
3. Cumin powder - 1 teaspoon
4. Red chilly powder - 1 teaspoon

Get the main ingredients all ready for what will follow!

In a skillet with the oil, crackle the black mustard in oil and the curry leaves, put the slit green chilly.Then put the ginger, garlic and let it sizzle for a minute.

Then put the onions and fry till golden brown over medium heat. Add the green peas and mix the chopped tomato and keep stirring for another 5 min. Then come the masala time...mix the cumin, red chilly and coriander powder and stir fry rill another 3-4 min.
 

 Now the masala is ready to be mixed to the main ingredient - poatoes... so carefully mix the potatoes which are semi-mashed ( for the texture!!) and stir it for about 5 min.  Add the roasted peanuts and the masala to be put on the dosa is ready...






When the dosa batter is poured on the Tawa and made into a circular shape by spreading it evenly - when the batter starts to cook a little






Add a scoop of the masala and spread it along one side of the dosa as shown above. Serve it with Sambhar or Tangy Chutney....







 Have Fun... enjoy Super Bowl........

 Pallavi