My Culinary Blog

Ingredients For Channa

1 cup kabuli channa soaked overnight
1 large tomato
2 large onions
1 1/2 tbsp. chopped coriander
1 tsp. ginger grated
1 tsp. garlic crushed
1 lemon (juice extracted)
2 tbsp. oil, 1 tbsp. ghee
1 tsp. tea leaves (tied into a pouch in a
small piece of clean muslin cloth)
4 green chillies slit
2 bay leaves
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. cumin seeds

Dry masalas :

1 tsp. red chilli powder
1/2 tsp. each cinnamon - clove powder,
turmeric powder
1/4 tsp. each garam masala, pepper
powder
salt to taste

For Bhatura

2 cups plain flour (maida) 2 tbsp. curds
2 tbsp. butter or oil
1/2 tsp. soda bicarb
salt to taste
Milk to knead dough
oil to deep fry

Method:

Sieve together flour, salt and soda.
Add and mix in curds and oil.
Add enough milk to knead into a soft pliable dough.
Cover with a wet cloth.
Keep aside for 5-6 hours. Make sure the cloth does not dry up, or wet again.
Knead dough again. Take fistful of dough. Roll into 1/4″ thick 5″ diameter round. Fry in hot oil.
Turning only once. Till very light golden in colour. Repeat for all. Serve hot with hot channa and
slices of onions and lemon.

Method for Channa

Put the soaked, washed channa in a cooked with enough water, teapouch and bay leaves.
Pressure cook till done. (approx. 6-7 whistles).
Cool about 5 tbsp. channa for grinding.
In a mixie, blend together 1/2 tomato, 1 onion, cooled channa and 1/2 tbsp. coriander. Keep aside.
Chop remaining tomatoes and onions fine.
Heat oil in a large skillet.
Add cumin seeds to splutter.
Add ginger-garlic and fry for a minute.
Add chopped tomatoes, onion and fry till tender.
Add channa-paste, fry further 3-4 minutes.
Add all dry masala except cinnamon-clove powder.
Stir and fry till oil separates. Add drained channa and 2 cup water which was drained from channa.
Stir and bring to boil.
Simmer for 7-8 minutes till gravy thickens.
Take in serving dish.
Heat ghee in a small sauce pan.
Add the chillies and cinnamon-clove powder.
Add chopped coriander and pour hot over the channa.
Squeeze lemon over channa.
Stir in seasoning gently.

Making time :- 30 mins (excluding pressure cooking)
Serves - 5

1/2 cup grated coconut 4 red chillies or 1 tsp. red chilli powder
1 long bean tamarind
2 flakes garlic
1 tbsp. groundnuts
salt to taste
Grind all ingredients together to form a firm chutney. Use very little water.

Ingredients:

1 cup plain rice.
1 cup parboiled rice.
1/4 cup white udad dal.
1/2 tsp. methi (fenugreek) seeds
1 /2 tsp soda bi carbonate
1/2 cup curds the batter.
10-12 tsps. ghee or oil as preferred
water for grinding

Method:

Wash the rices and dal together.
Add plenty of water and methi seeds.
Allow to soak for 7-8 hours or overnight.
Rewash the rice by draining the water 2-3 times.
Grind to a paste. Rawa -like grains should be felt in
Add soda bicarb and salt and mix well.
Keep aside in a warm place for 8-10 hours. Beat the curds well.
Add to the batter, add more water if required.
The consistency of the batter should be
enough to thickly coat on a spoon when dipped.
Heat the iron griddle or non-stick tawa well.
Pour a spoonful of batter in the centre, spread
with the back of the spoon to a thin round.
Pour a tsp. of ghee or oil over it.
Spread chutney spread over dosa.
Place a tbsp. masala in the centre.
Fold into triangle to cover masala.
Remove with spatula when crisp.
Serve hot with chutney and/or sambar.

For masala:

Ingredients

2 large onions in vertical slices
2 large potatoes boiled and peedled
4-5 green chillies
1 tbsp. chopped coriander
8-10 cashews halved
1/2 tsp. each udad dal, cumin & mustard seeds
2 tbsp. oil
1/4 tsp. turmeric
salt to taste
Chop potatoes coarsely. Chop green chillies.
Heat oil, add cashews and brown lightly.
Add dal, seeds and splutter.
Add chillies and onions. Fry till tender.
Add turmeric, salt, potatoes, coriander.
Mix well.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup rice
1/3 cup each yellow moong, channa, udad dal
2 tbsp. curds
1/2 tsp. soda bicsarb
2 tbsp. oil
salt to taste
oil to shallow fry

Method:

Wash rice separately and dals toghether.
Soak in plenty of water and keep aside for 5-6 hours.
Wet grind the rice till semolina type grain can be felt
Wet grind rice till fine.Mix both batters.
Add the curds, salt, soda and oil.
Mix well till fluffy and light.
Keep aside for 3-4 hours before making dosas.
Heat griddle, pour batter and make as for plain dosas.
Serve hot with chutney.
Make thin or thick as desired.

Makes: 8-10 medium sized dosas
Shelflife: 1 day refrigerated.
Texture: Light and thin, foldable but crisp.

Ingredients:

1 cup fine soji (semolina)
1/2 cup rice flour or plain flour
1 tbsp. oil
1/8 tsp. soda bicarb
2-2 ½ cups buttermilk
1 tsp. coriander chopped fine
2 green chillies chopped fine

Method:

Blend all the ingredients together.
Add more buttermilk if necessary.
ginger grated Roll the dosa in a three-fold cylinder.
oil to shallow fry Serve hot with onion and/or coconut chutneys.
The batter should be relatively thin. salt to taste Keep aside for 20 - 30 minutes.
Heat griddle and pour 1 large spoon of batter on it.
Spread by gently rotating the griddle.
Put some oil (1/2 tsp.) over dosa.
Lift with a spatula as for basic dosa.

Makes: 10 - 12 thin dosas
Shelflife: Fresh only.
Texture: Thin with polka sized holes, not too crisp, foldable.

Ingredients:

1 cup plain rice
1 cup parboiled rice
1/4 cup white udad dal
1/2 tsp. methi (fenugreek) seeds
1 /2 tsp soda bi carbonate
1/2 cup curds
10-12 tsps. ghee or oil as preferred
water for grinding

Method

Wash the rices and dal together.
Add plenty of water and methi seeds.
Allow to soak for 7-8 hours or overnight.
Rewash the rice by draining the water 2-3 times.
Grind to a paste. Rawa -like grains should be felt in the batter. Add soda bicarb and salt and mix well.
Keep aside in a warm place for 8-10 hours.
Beat the curds well.
Add to the batter, add more water if required.
The consistency of the batter should be thick enough to thickly coat on a spoon when dipped.
Heat the iron griddle or non-stick tawa well.
Pour a spoonful of batter in the centre, spread with the back of the spoon to a thin round.
Pour a tsp. of ghee or oil over it.
Remove with spatula when crisp.
Serve hot with chutney and / or sambar.

Ingredients

1 cup gram flour
1/2 cups sugar
1 cup water
1/4 tsp. cardamom powder
6-8 chopped almonds
ghee to deep fry
perforated flat spoon about 5″ diameter

Method

1.Boil the sugar and water together. Add a tbsp. of milk to bring up the scum.
2.Remove scum and boil liquid till the syrup is sticky between the fingers.
3.Keep aide, but keep warm for use.
4.Make batter with gram flour, which should not be too thin.
5.The batter should evenly coat the back of a spoon when dipped in it.
6.Heat ghee, hold perforated spoon a little above the hot ghee, pour some batter on the spoon.
7.Tap very lightly at edge of spoon to allow small droplets to fall in the ghee.
8.Pour back remaining batter and wipe spoon.
9.Stir the boondis in the ghee gently and fry till crisp but not brown.
10.Drain and put into the syrup. Keep for 3-4 minutes before draining from the syrup.
11.Spread on a wide plate, add cardamom powder, almonds and mix gently.
12.Cool completely and loosen the boondi with finger till each droplet separates.
13.Store in airtight container.

Note: Take great care while dropping the boondi in the hot ghee so as not to burn yourself. A little practice and it is
very easy.
Making time: 30 minutes.
Makes: 3 cups approx.

Ingredients

For cover :

1 cup plain flour (maida)
1 tbsp. ghee
water to knead

For filling:

1/2 cup coconut flakes fine
1/2 cup khoya
1 tbsp. poppy seeds (khuskhus)
1 tsp. cardamon powder
1 tbsp. crushed almond
1/4 cup sugar ground
10 to 15 raisins

Method

For cover:

1.Roast khoya to a light pink by stirring continuously over low heat.
2.Cool and break in fine crumbs with fingers.
3.Mix flour and ghee well.
4.Add enough water to make soft pliable dough.
5.Keep aside.

For filling :

1.Roast coconut flakes lightly. Cool.
2.Mix all other ingredients.
3.Check for sweetness.
1.Make small (4 “) rounds, not too thin not too thick .
2.Place 1 tsp. filling in one half of round .
3.Fold over the other half, sealing in the mixture.
4.Seal edges by twisting or pressing together .
5.Make all in t he same way.
6.Dry on clean cloth for 30 minutes.
7.Deep fry in hot ghee on low till light brown on both sides.
8.Drain and cool completely before storing.

Note: You may use a karanjia mould for filling them if available.
Making time: 1 hour.
Makes: 13 to 15 pieces.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cup maida (plain flour)
1/2 cup jaggery
1 cup water
1/4 tsp. cardamom powder
1 tbsp. ghee
ghee to deep fry

Method

1.Heat the water and jaggery till all of it dissolves in the water.
2.Strain and cool a bit.
3.Mix the cardamom powder and ghee in the flour.
4.Knead the flour with the jaggery water.
5.The dough should be stiff but pliable.
6.Break into approx. 20 parts.
7.Knead each with palm and roll into 4″ rounds.
8.Make many tiny slits with knife or fork on each on both sides.
9.Keep them aside on a clean cloth for an hour or so to dry a bit.
10.Deep fry in hot ghee on low flame till light golden in colour.
11.Drain and cool for a while.
12.The khajas will become crisper and harder as they cool.
13.Store in airtight container after cooling completely.

Making time: 45 minutes
Makes: 20-25 pieces

Ingredients

1 cup water
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup ghee
1 1/2 cup maida (plain flour)
ghee to deep fry

Method

1.Warm the water, sugar and ghee together till sugar dissolves.
2.Add maida and knead into a soft pliable dough.
3.Divide dough into 4 parts.
4.Roll into chappatis 1/3″ thick.
5.Cut with a cookie cutter or knife into small diamond shapes.
6.Lift with spatula and loosen. Keep aside on a dry cloth for 1 hour.
7.Deep fry in hot ghee over slow flame till light golden brown.
8.Drain well and keep aside till cool.
9.Store in clean, dry containers.

Making time: 45 minutes.
Makes: 2 1/2 cups.