INSTANT BESAN RAVA UTTAPAM

INSTANT BESAN RAVA UTTAPAM

Apart from idli-dosa, we in South India have different dishes too for breakfast.  One of them is the Uttapam which is thick and dosa-like. Generally, to make idli-dosa, we need to soak, grind and ferment the ingredients for 8 hours or longer to make the batter.  In cold places, this can take even longer.  

With time being at a premium these days, dishes that can be made fast are being preferred. In this context, elsewhere in this blog you will find recipes for breakfast items which can be made relatively fast, such as:-

• Instant Rava Appo
• Instant Sooji Poha Dosa
• Instant Dosa
• Instant Rava and Atta Dosa

Today's recipe is for  "Instant Besan Rava Uttapam" which again can be made relatively fast. It is made with chickpea flour (besan) and semolina (rava/sooji). In making the topping for this, you can use vegetables of your choice such as onion, capsicum, tomato, carrot etc.

I have made small sized Utappams today and used Onion, Tomato and Carrots for the topping. This uttapam goes well with a chutney of your choice. Today I have served it with a chutney made with fried gram dal and coriander leaves. 

It tasted great! 

Ingredients:

• Besan ( Chickpea flour), 1 cup
• Rava (Semolina), medium variety, 1 cup
• Dahi ( Curds), 1 cup 
• Eno Fruit Salt, 1/2 tsp or Baking Soda
• Onion, 1
• Tomato, 1
• Carrot, 1
• Green Chillies, 1-2 
• Ginger, 1/2 " piece
• Coriander Leaves, 2 tbsp 
• Salt, to taste
• Oil, to make uttapams 

Method:-

Wash and finely chop the onion, tomato,  green chillies, and coriander leaves 

Grate the carrot and ginger

Whisk the curds

Take besan, rava, curds, and salt, in a large bowl, and mix well

Add water little by little to make a thick batter  

Mix well to ensure no lumps are formed in the batter

Cover and allow it to rest for about 15 minutes

In another bowl, mix together the chopped and grated onion, tomato, carrot, green chillies, ginger and coriander leaves, with a little salt

After 15 minutes you will find the rava has absorbed the water and the batter has become thick

Add a little water to get a batter which is thick and has dropping consistency

Just before making the uttapam, add the Eno Fruit salt or baking soda and gently stir the batter

Heat the tawa and grease it with a little oil

When the tawa is hot enough, on medium heat pour a ladle full of batter and spread it lightly to form an uttapam

Place the topping of veggies on the uttapam and lightly press it in with the spatula

Pour oil around the uttapam and cook it covered  for about 2 minutes or till one side gets done

Then flip and cook the other side adding oil as required

Serve Instant Besan Rava Uttapam with a chutney of your choice.

Tip: To enhance the visual appeal, for the plating I have sprinkled some more veggie topping. 

BOMBAY CHUTNEY

BOMBAY CHUTNEY

As the whole world and we too in India wrestle with the Covid 19 pandemic, often we are forced to make do with what we have at home. All the ingredients, vegetables etc are not easily available as before.  In these circumstances, dishes that can be made with a minimum of ingredients, that can be made fast, and can be made quite easily are in high demand.

One such dish is "Bombay Chutney" - a very tasty yet easy to make accompaniment for our breakfast items like dosas, idlis, pooris etc.  Some serve Bombay Chutney with idlis as well but I personally don't prefer this combination.

How this got the name of "Bombay Chutney" is anybody's guess.

It is possible that " Bombay Chutney" as it is commonly called in the South was modeled after the popular Maharashtrian dish made of gram flour called Pithla, and hence got the name.

Irrespective of how or why it got the name, I can say for sure that this is a very tasty dish. We usually have this with dosas. 

Ingredients:-

• Besan ( Chickpea Flour/Gram Flour), 2 heaped tbsp
• Large-sized Onion, 1
• Large-sized Tomato, 1
• Asafoetida (Hing), 1/8 tsp 
• Ginger, finely grated, 1 tsp
• Green Chillies, 3
• Curry Leaves, 6-8
• Turmeric Powder, 1/4 tsp
• Salt, to taste
• Water, 3 cups ( including 1 cup for the besan slurry)
• Coriander Leaves, finely chopped, 1 tbsp - for garnish

For Seasoning:

• Mustard Seeds, 1 tsp
• Urad Dal, (Black Gram Dal), 1/2 tsp
• Channa Dal, ( Bengal Gram Dal), 1 tsp
• Oil, 1 and 1/2 tbsp 

Method:-

Wash the onion, tomato, ginger and green chillies.

Chop the onion, and tomato,  

Finely grate the ginger and slit the green chillies

Prepare the besan slurry : In a bowl, mix the besan with a little water to make a paste, making sure that no lumps are formed. Add 1 cup of water to make the besan slurry. Keep aside. 

Heat oil in a thick-bottomed kadhai, and on medium heat add the mustard seeds, 

When the mustard seeds splutter, add the urad dal and channa dal and sauté till the dal change colour and become golden

To this add the asafoetida, grated ginger, slit green chillies and curry leaves and sauté for a few seconds

Next add the chopped onion and sauté till the onion becomes translucent

Add the turmeric powder and a little salt and mix well

Now add the chopped tomato and cook covered on medium heat till they become soft and mushy

Add 2 cups of water and bring to a boil 

Once it boils, lower the heat and add the besan slurry prepared earlier and mix well

Cook on medium heat for about 5 minutes or till the raw smell goes, stirring from time to time, so that it does not get burnt at the bottom 

Check for salt and add only if required

Switch off the gas and garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves

Transfer to a serving bowl

Serve as an accompaniment to dosas, pooris or chapatis. 

GOBHI BESAN SABZI

GOBHI BESAN SABZI

In my house, one vegetable which we like and use quite often is cauliflower, known as Gobhi in Hindi. One reason is that we make rotis every day at home and I find that most gobhi dishes go well with rotis.

In choosing cauliflower, try to get those which are tightly packed. It is also advisable to clean them thoroughly by breaking them into florets and putting them in water with a little salt and turmeric (haldi) powder, to get rid of any impurities.

Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for other cauliflower dishes such as Masala Cauliflower, in which the whole cauliflower is cooked; Cauliflower Ambat, from our Konkani cuisine, and Achari Gobhi with the Punjabi Achari masala.

Today's recipe is adapted from Gobi Besan Sabzi by Indian Food Made Easy.

Ingredients:-

• Gobhi, (Cauliflower), 1/2 kg
• Besan, (Chickpea Flour), 4 tsp 
• Onion, 1
• Tomato, 1
• Garlic Cloves, 4-5
• Long Green Chillies, 2
• Hing, (Asafoetida), 1/8 tsp 
• Jeera, (Cumin Seeds), 1/2 tsp
• Haldi, (Turmeric ) Powder, 1/2 tsp 
• Chilli Powder, 1/2 tsp
• Kitchen King Masala, 1/2 tsp
• Oil, 3 tbsp 
• Salt, to taste
• Dhania, (Coriander Leaves), finely chopped, 2 tsp

Method: 

Wash the cauliflower thoroughly, break into florets and putting the florets in water with a little salt and turmeric (haldi) powder for about 10 minutes
Rinse the florets in clean water and keep aside
Cut the onion lengthwise and chop the tomato,
Finely chop the garlic cloves and green chillies
In a thick-bottomed kadhai, heat oil and on medium heat add the asafoetida followed by jeera
When the jeera sizzles add the finely chopped garlic cloves and saute
Next add the green chillies and onions and saute
To this, add the besan and mix well and fry till the besan changes colour and gives off a good aroma
Add the tomato and salt and cook till the tomato becomes soft
Now add the haldi powder and chilli powder, mix well
Add the cauliflower florets, mix well till they are well blended with the masala
Sprinkle a little water and cook covered on medium heat stirring from time to time till the cauliflower gets cooked. (Take care they don't get overcooked)
Next add the Kitchen King Masala and mix well and cook for 1-2 minutes more
Switch off the gas and finally garnish the Gobhi Besan Sabzi with finely chopped coriander leaves
Serve hot with rotis

SPROUTED MOONG & PALAK DHOKLA

SPROUTED MOONG & PALAK DHOKLA


Dhokla, as you know, is a popular snack or farsan as they call it in Gujarat. Having lived in that state for some time, I developed a taste for Gujarati food. Elsewhere this blog, you will find recipes for Rava Dhokla, Khaman Dhokla, and Bhindi Sambhariya.

Today's recipe for dhokla makes use of two healthy ingredients: sprouted moong and spinach. The addition of spinach gives it a distinctive colour. It is best served with green coriander chutney. I have adapted this recipe from Sprouts Dhokla from the legendary Tarlaji Dalal.

Ingredients:-

• Sprouted Moong (Sprouted Green Gram), 1 cup
• Spinach ( Palak), roughly chopped, 1/2 cup
• Green Chillies, roughly chopped, 3
• Besan ( Bengal Gram Flour)  2 tbsp
• Salt, to taste
• Eno Fruit Salt, 1 tsp
• Oil, for greasing the thali 

For Tempering :-

• Oil, 1 tbsp
• Sesame Seeds, (Til), 1 tsp
• Asafoetida Powder (Hing), 1/4 tsp
• Curry Leaves (Kari Patta), 6-8
• Green Chillies, slit, 2

Preparation :

Since Sprouted Moong is an integral ingredient in this dish, here's how you would sprout the moong in advance. Soak the moong overnight for 8-10 hours. Drain the water fully the next day, wash and tie the moong beans in a wet muslin cloth and keep it to sprout. You will find them fully sprouted as in the picture below after a day or so.

                                                          Sprouted Moong 

Method: 

Grease a thali and keep it ready to make the dhokla
In a mixer jar, grind together the sprouted moong, chopped spinach and roughly chopped green chillies, using very little water, to a smooth paste.

Transfer the ground paste to a bowl and add salt, and besan along with 1/4 cup of water.
Mix well to ensure that there are no lumps and that the batter is of pouring consistency but not too dilute.

On the batter add 1 tsp of Eno Fruit Salt and 2 tsp of water and mix gently when bubbles begin to form
Next, pour the batter into the thali which you have greased and spread the batter evenly
Add water to the steamer and keep it ready for steaming on a low flame
Keep the thali in a steamer and steam it for about for 10-12 minutes or till the dhoklas are cooked

To make the tempering:
Heat oil in a tadka pan and on medium flame add the sesame seeds. When they sizzle add the  asafoetida, curry leaves and slit green chillies. Saute for a few seconds

Lastly, pour this tempering over the dhokla and spread it evenly
Allow the dhokla to cool slightly and cut it into equal diamond shaped pieces

Serve immediately with green chutney

PATICHYA KANDYACHI ZUNKA

PATICHYA KANDYACHI ZUNKA

 There is something cute about spring onions which I like, apart from the taste of course. There are many dishes you can make using spring onions. Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes such as Sweet Corn & Spring Onion Soup, Spring Onion & Chilli Fried Rice, from Indian-Chinese cuisine and Spring Onion Bhuthi from our own Konkani cuisine.

Today's dish is from Maharashtrian cusine. Patichya Kanda means spring onions in Marathi while Zunka is a popular besan ( gram flour) based dish. This dish is served with phulkas or rotis.  I have adpated this recipe from "Patichya Kandyachi Zunka" by Swapna Sunil in Better Butter.

Ingredients:-

• Patichya Kanda ( Spring Onions), finely chopped, 2 cups
• Besan ( Gram Flour), 1 cup
• Green Chillies, chopped, 3, or to taste 
• Turmeric Powder, 1/4 tsp
• Chilli Powder, 1 tsp
• Mustard Seeds, 1 tsp
• Cumin Seeds, 1 tsp
• Curry Leaves, a few
• Oil, 2 tbsp
• Salt, to taste

Method:

Wash and clean the spring onions. Separate the bulbs from the greens, finely chop both the bulbs and the greens and keep aside
In a thick-bottomed kadhai, dry roast the besan on medium heat, stirring continuously till it gives off a good aroma. Keep aside. 

Heat oil in the same kadhai and on medium heat add the mustard seeds and when they splutter add the cumin seeds. When the cumin seeds change colour add the curry leaves and saute for a few seconds

Now add the chopped green chillies and saute for half a minute
To this add the chopped spring onion whites  (bulbs) and saute till translucent
Next add the spring onion greens and salt. Mix well and cook on medium flame till the spring onions get done  

Add the turmeric powder, chilli powder and the dry roasted besan, little by little, and mix well
Sprinkle a little water and cook covered on medium flame, stirring from time to time, till the besan gets fully cooked ( about 8-10 minutes)
Typically, the texture of the zunka should be crumbly.
Transfer the zunka to a serving bowl and serve hot with phulkas or rotis

BESAN BREAD TOAST

BESAN BREAD TOAST

If you are in a hurry to make some snacks, you don't have to look beyond bread! You can make sandwiches or other snacks quite easily. Elsewhere in this blog you will find recipes for Oats Moong Toast, Palak and Corn Cutlets, and Masala Bread Toast. 

While you can use any type of bread to make Besan Bread Toast, I prefer to use Brown Bread. For best results, the batter should be of the right consistency and the bread slices should be evenly coated. Needless to say, the onion and tomato which goes into the batter should be finely chopped.

Ingredients:-

• Besan, (Chickpea Flour), 1 cup
• Brown Bread Slices, 6-8, cut diagonally
• Medium-sized Onion, finely chopped, 1/2
• Medium-sized Tomato, finely chopped, 1/2
• Ginger, finely grated, 1/4 tsp
• Green Chilli, finely chopped, 1
• Hing (Asafoetida), 1/8 tsp 
• Chilli Powder, 1/4 to 1/2 tsp
• Haldi (Turmeric) Powder, 1/4 tsp
• Coriander Leaves, finely chopped, 1 tbsp 
• Water, as required to make the batter
• Salt, to taste
• Butter/ Oil, as required to shallow fry the toasts

Method:

In a bowl mix together finely chopped onion, tomato, ginger, green chilli,  and coriander leaves and salt
Next add besan, chilli powder, turmeric powder, asafoetida and mix well
Add water and mix well again to get a batter of medium consistency, without any lumps in it. The batter should not be too thin or too thick. It should be thick enough to coat the bread slices
Transfer the batter to a flat plate so that it becomes easier to coat the bread slices

Heat butter/oil in a tawa
Dip the bread slices one by one in the prepared batter
Coat both sides of the bread slices evenly with the batter
Using your fingers, place the finely chopped onion and tomato on the bread slices
On medium heat, toast the bread slices on the tawa
When one side is toasted flip and toast the other side
Make sure both sides of the bread slices are evenly toasted
Serve hot with tomato ketchup

SHIMLA MIRCH ZHUNKA

SHIMLA MIRCH ZHUNKA

I am fond of some dishes from Maharashtrian cuisine and make them once in a while. You will therefore find elsewhere in this blog recipes for Jhunka Vadi, Kothimbir Vadi, and Hirwi Mirchi cha Thecha. 

Today's recipe is for an easy to make side dish which can be had with rotis or rice called Shimla Mirch Zhunka (also called Jhunka) made with capsicum/bellpepper and besan ( chickpea flour). This is also commonly made in North Karnataka.

I particularly like it if the capsicum stays crunchy without being overcooked.

Ingredients:-

• Shimla Mirch (Capsicum/Bellpepper), large sized, 2 or about 500 gms
• Besan ( Chickpea Flour), 3 tbsp
• Onion, finely chopped, 1
• Garlic Pods, chopped, 3-4
• Green Chilli, ( long variety), chopped, 1
• Turmeric Powder, 1/4 tsp
• Chilli Powder, 1 tsp
• Coriander Powder, 1 tbsp 
• Mustard Seeds, 1/2 tsp
• Cumin Seeds, 1/2 tsp
• Hing, (Asafoetida), 1/8 tsp
• Curry Leaves, a sprig
• Salt, to taste
• Oil, 2 tbsp
• Coriander Leaves, finely chopped, for garnish

Method:- 

Wash the capsicum, de-seed them and chop them into 1/2 inch cubes

Heat a thick bottomed, non-stick kadhai and dry roast the besan over medium/low flame stirring continuously till it gives off a nice aroma or for about 2-3 minutes. Keep aside

Heat oil in the kadhai and when it gets hot, on medium heat add the mustard seeds and when they splutter add the cumin seeds
When the cumin seeds sizzle add the asafoetida and curry leaves and saute for 10 seconds

Next add the green chilli, onion, garlic and a pinch of salt and saute for a couple of minutes till the onion becomes translucent 

Add the cubed capsicum, salt to taste and cook for about 5 minutes

Add the spice powders (turmeric powder, chilli powder, and coriander powder) and mix well, and cook on medium flame till the capsicum gets done. Take care that the capsicum does not get overcooked or mushy. It should be cooked yet retain its crunchiness.
Now sprinkle the dry roasted besan, little by little and mix well so that it does not form any lumps
Cook, partially covered, over medium flame till the dry roasted besan gets well blended with the capsicum and spice powders
Finally garnish with finely chopped coriander leaves
Serve hot as a side dish with rice or rotis

JHUNKA VADI

JHUNKA VADI

One of my friends who is originally from Belagavi in North Karnataka sent us some delicious jowar bhakri and the accompanying side dish of brinjal a couple of days ago. This motivated me to look out for new recipes from that region.

I came across this recipe for a dish,  made out of besan, which is common in North Karnataka, Goa,  and Maharashtra. This recipe has been adapted from Jhunka Vadi by Bhavana in Indian Veggie Delight.

The jhunka ( also known as Zunka) can be served with the traditional bhakri ( a flattened roti-like Indian bread made out of flour, rice or millet) during a meal or as Jhunka Vadi, a snack after it is cut into shapes and shallow fried.

We had this as a snack and enjoyed it immensely.

Ingredients:-

• Besan (Gram Flour) , 1 cup
• Medium-sized Onion, finely chopped, 1
• Garlic Cloves, finely chopped, 2
• Green Chillies, finely chopped, 3
• Mustard Seeds, 1/2 tsp 
• Cumin Seeds, 1/2 tsp 
• Turmeric Powder, 1/2 tsp 
• Hing (Asafoetida), 1/4 tsp 
• Curry Leaves, a few
• Tamarind Extract, 1 tbsp
• Jaggery, 1/2 tsp or to taste
• Coconut Gratings, freshly grated, 2 tbsp
• Oil, 3 tbsp
• Salt, to taste
• Water, 1 and 1/2 cups
• Coriander Leaves, finely chopped, 2 tbsp for garnish

Method:

Finely chop the onion, garlic cloves and green chillies
Soak a small ball of tamarind in warm water for 10-15 minutes and extract the tamarind pulp. Keep aside.
Grease a thali/plate and keep it ready to set the jhunka vadis

In a bowl, combine together the besan and 1 and 1/2 cups of water to make a smooth paste taking care that no lumps are formed. Keep aside

Heat oil in a thick-bottomed pan and on medium heat add mustard seeds and once they splutter add cumin seeds and allow them to sizzle

Add, one after the other, the chopped garlic, green chillies, curry leaves, asafoetida and saute for 30 seconds

Now add the finely chopped onions and fry till they become translucent
Next add the turmeric powder, tamarind extract and jaggery and cook for a couple of minutes

To this, add the besan mixture prepared earlier and salt to taste and cook on medium/low heat stirring continuously so that it does not get burnt at the bottom
Cook till the mixture thickens and leaves the sides of the pan 

Switch off the gas and transfer the mixture to the greased thali/plate
Spread the mixture evenly using the back of the ladle or spoon
Once it cools fully, cut the jhunka into desired shapes like square or diamond 

Serve garnished with fresh coconut gratings and finely chopped coriander leaves

RAJASTHANI KADHI

RAJASTHANI KADHI

We just returned from a short vacation in Udaipur in Rajasthan. We had the famous Rajasthani kadhi there and I wanted to try it out for myself. The kadhi is a versatile curd/yogurt based dish made with besan (Bengal Gram Flour) and spices.

I am of course used to the Gujarati Kadhi whose recipe you will find elsewhere in this blog.

Today's recipe has been adapted from Rajasthani Pakoda Kadhi by the famous cookery expert, Tarlaji Dalal. I didn't make pakodas since they need to be deep fried. Instead I made just the kadhi which we enjoyed with peas pulao.

The curds/yogurt used for this dish should preferably be slightly sour rather than sweet.

Ingredients:

• Curds/Yogurt (Dahi), 2 cups
• Bengal Gram Flour, (Besan), 2 tbsp
• Turmeric Powder, (Haldi), 1/4 tsp
• Cinnamon, (Dalchini) 1 stick
• Cloves ( Lavang) 2
• Whole Dry Kashmiri Red Chillies, 2
• Fennel Seeds (Saunf), 1/2 tsp
• Coriander Seeds (Dhania), 1/2 tsp
• Cumin Seeds (Jeera), 1/2 tsp
• Fenugreek Seeds (Methi), 1/4 tsp
• Grated Ginger (Adrak), 1/2 tsp
• Chilli Powder, 1/2 tsp
• Water, 2 and 1/2 cups
• Oil, 1 tbsp
• Salt, to taste

Method:

In a large bowl, using a whisk combine together the curds, besan, turmeric powder, and salt with 2 and 1/2 cups of water to form a mixture. Make sure they are well combined and the besan does not form lumps. Keep aside.
Heat oil in a deep non-stick pan, on medium heat add the cinnamon, followed by cloves, red chillies, fennel seeds, coriander seeds, cumin seeds, fenugreek seeds, grated ginger, curry leaves and lastly the chilli powder. Saute for a few seconds making sure the spices don't get burnt.
To this add the mixture of curds and besan prepared earlier.
Mix well and cook on medium flame for about 5- 8 minutes stirring from time to time. It is essential that you stir from time to time to avoid the kadhi getting burnt at the bottom.
Serve hot with rice, pulao, or rotis

SHEVGYACHYA SHENGANCHE PITHLA ( DRUMSTICKS PITHLA)

SHEVGYACHYA SHENGANCHE PITHLA (DRUMSTICKS PITHLA)

We are fond of Maharashtrian dishes and elsewhere in this blog you will find recipes for some of our favourites like Barli Vaangi , Sabudana Khichdi and Shengdana Kadhi..

 Pithla which is made of chickpea flour (besan) is a popular dish in Maharashtra. Today's recipe is of  pithla made using drumsticks which are called "Shevgyacha Shenga" in Marathi.

Hence, this variety of pithla is called, "Shevgyachya Shenganche Pithla." What I made is adapted from the recipe by Aruna Panangipally in Ahaaramonline.

Ingredients:

• Shevgyacha Shenga (Drumsticks) , 2
• Besan (Chickpea Flour), 1/2 cup
• Water, 1 and 1/2 cups to 2 cups
• Large-sized Onion, chopped, 1
• Green Chillies, slit, 3
• Mustard Seeds, 1/2 tsp
• Cumin Seeds, 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric Powder, 1/8 tsp
• Hing (Asafoetida) , a small pinch
• Curry Leaves, a few
• Salt, to taste
• Oil, 1 tbsp
• Coriander leaves, chopped, 2 tbsp, for garnish

Method:

Wash the drumsticks and snip off the two ends. Cut the drumsticks into 2 " pieces
In a vessel, cook the drumstick pieces in water with a little bit of salt till they become tender
(Take care that the drumsticks do not get overcooked)
 Drain the water and keep aside the cooked drumsticks
In a kadhai, dry roast the besan for a few minutes till the raw smell goes and the besan begins to change colour
Remove from the flame and allow it to cool
To this add the turmeric powder and mix well
Gradually add 1 and 1/2 cups of water and stir till you get a smooth batter without any lumps
Heat oil in the kadhai and when it gets hot add the mustard seeds, when they splutter add the cumin seeds and wait till they sizzle and change colour
Now add the hing, slit green chillies and curry leaves. Saute for a few seconds
Next add the chopped onion. Fry till it changes colour and turns pink
To this add the cooked drumsticks and mix well
Lower the flame and add the besan batter stirring continuously to avoid it forming lumps
Cook on medium/low flame till the batter thickens
Add some water if required to get the consistency you desire
Finally, garnish with chopped coriander leaves
Serve hot with rice, rotis or bhakri.

MAHARASHTRIAN PITLA

MAHARASHTRIAN PITLA

I am fond of Maharashtrian cuisine to which we were first exposed when we lived in Pune. Elsewhere in this blog, you will find recipes for some favourites like Hirwi Mirchi Cha Thecha, Kothimbir Vadi, and Peanut & Garlic Chutney.

Pitla is an easy to make and popular side dish in Maharashtra which is primarily made of "besan" or gram flour. It is served with rice or with rotis. The pitla served with rice tends to be more watery while the one served with bhakri or jowar roti is far more thick. The consistency which is based on one's taste is determined by the amount of water that you would add.

Nowadays, I make pitla as an accompaniment for rotis that we have for dinner.

Ingredients:

• Besan (Gram Flour) , 1 cup
• Water, 3 cups
• Green Chillies, 5-6
• Garlic Cloves, 4
• Mustard Seeds, 1 tsp
• Cumin Seeds, 1 tsp
• Onion, chopped, 1
• Oil, 1 tbsp
• Turmeric Powder, 1/2 tsp
• Salt, to taste
• Coriander Leaves, chopped, for garnishing, 2 tbsp

Method:

Mix the besan with some of the water in a bowl. Take care that no lumps are formed. Keep aside.

In a small mixer jar, coarsely grind the green chillies and the garlic to make a paste. Keep aside

Heat oil in a kadhai and when it gets hot add mustard seeds, when they splutter add cumin seeds and when the cumin seeds sizzle add the chopped onion. Saute till the onion becomes translucent 

Add turmeric powder,  and the garlic and green chilli paste

Mix well and fry for a minute or two till the raw smell of the garlic goes

Now add the mixture of besan and water, add salt, mix well and cook covered on medium flame for about 5 minutes
As the mixture thickens, add the remaining water, a little by little to get the consistency you desire

Finally, garnish with chopped coriander leaves
Serve hot with rotis, bhakris etc

KHANDVI

KHANDVI

While living in Gujarat many years ago, I was struck by the large number of snacks they had which was popularly called, "Farsan." Elsewhere in this blog you will find the recipe for Khaman Dhokla and Rava Dhokla.

Another favourite which I enjoy even now is Khandvi, a savoury snack made of besan. This recipe has been adapted from the YouTube video for Khandvi ( Gujrati Snack) by Master Chef Tarlaji Dalal. You can vary the quantity of green chilli-ginger paste, using from 1/2 tsp to 2 tsp, depending on your preference.

Making a tightly rolled khandvi, I must confess, is not that easy but the skill to make a perfect roll comes through practice. A basic but important step is to spread the batter as thinly as you can while it is still hot, before you make the rolls.

Ingredients:

• Bengal Gram Flour, (Besan), 3/4 cup
• Fresh Curds, 3/4 cup
• Green Chilli Ginger Paste, 2 tsp
• Turmeric Powder, 1/4 tsp
• Asafoetida, a pinch
• Salt, to taste

For Seasoning:

• Mustard Seeds, 1/2 tsp
• Sesame seeds (Til), 1/2 tsp
• Asafoetida, 1/2 tsp
• Curry Leaves, 3-4
• Dry Red Chillies, 2
• Oil, 1-2 tbsp

For the Garnish

• Coconut, freshly grated, 2 tbsp
• Coriander Leaves, finely chopped, 2 tbsp

Method:

In a large bowl, combine the besan with the fresh curds, green chilli-garlic paste, turmeric powder, asafoetida and salt. Add 1 cup of water, mix well using your fingers and make a smooth batter.

Heat a non-stick pan and transfer the batter  to it. Heat on low flame and stir constantly for about 7-10 minutes until the batter thickens. Take care to see that the batter remains smooth and does not form lumps.
Grease the reverse side of 3 thalis (stainless steel plates) and using your hands or the back of the ladle or rubber spatula spread the batter on these as thinly as possible, while the batter is still hot.

After the batter has been spread on all the 3 thalis, start with the first thali, and with the help of a knife make markings for strips of about 2 " width on the spread batter.
Then roll each strip of batter as tightly as you can. Do this for the batter on the other two thalis too.
Cut the rolls made out of the strips of batter into bite-sized pieces, roughly about 1 inch size and keep them aside.
In a pan, heat oil and when it gets hot add the mustard seeds. When they splutter add the sesame seeds, then the asafoetida, curry leaves and dry red chillies and saute for 20 seconds.
Pour this seasoning over the khandvi and finally garnish with coconut gratings and finely chopped coriander leaves.

TOMATO CURRY WITH DUMPLINGS

TOMATO CURRY WITH DUMPLINGS


I frequently use tomatoes to make a variety of dishes. Elsewhere in this blog, you may like to see recipes for Tomato Thokku and Kara Chutney.

This recipe was pointed out to me by my friend, Shobha Kumar. It was easy to make and turned out to be a delicious accompaniment for chappatis.

Ingredients:

• Tomatoes, chopped, 4
• Oil, 2 tsp
• Mustard Seeds, 1/2 tsp 
• Asafoetida, a pinch
• Curry Leaves, a few
• Water, 3 cups
• Coriander Powder, 1 tsp
• Chilli Powder, 1 tsp
• Turmeric Powder, 1/4 tsp
• Sugar, 1 tsp
• Salt, to taste
• Coriander Leaves, chopped, for garnishing

For The Batter for the Dumplings: 

• Gram Flour, (Besan), 3/4 cup
• Coriander Leaves, chopped, 1/4 cup 
• Green Chilli, chopped, 1
• Asafoetida, a pinch
• Turmeric Powder, a pinch
• Water, as required
• Oil, 1 tsp
• Salt, to taste

Method:

In a bowl, mix together all the ingredients specified above to form a semi-thick batter. This is to make the dumplings. Keep aside.

Heat oil in a kadhai and when it gets hot, add the mustard seeds, when they splutter add asafoetida and curry leaves and saute

Add the chopped tomatoes and saute for 2-3 minutes, then add 3 cups of water,
Once the tomatoes are nearly cooked, add the turmeric powder, chilli powder, and coriander powder, chilli powder, followed by sugar and salt. 

Mix well and cook till it gets a gravy-like consistency

When this comes to a boil, using a spoon drop the batter into the gravy to form the dumplings
Cover with a lid and cook on medium flame for about 5-6 minutes

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with chappatis

Tip * Remember to make the batter semi-thick. It should not be too runny or too thick, for that matter.

KOTHIMBIR VADI

KOTHIMBIR VADI

This is a tasty tea time snack from Maharashtra made of coriander leaves and besan. "Kothimbir" is what coriander leaves are called in Marathi and hence the name. We in Konkani call coriander "Kothambari."

It can also serve as an accompaniment with the main meal, if you so prefer. The advantage of this is that it can also be shallow fried for people like us who generally don't deep fry our dishes, primarily to reduce our intake of oil. I must admit though that it probably tastes better when it is deep fried.

Ingredients:

• Coriander Leaves ( Dhania Patti), 2 tightly packed cups
• Besan (Gram flour), 2 cups
• Green chillies,3- 4
• Lehsun (Garlic cloves), 4
• Jeera (Cumin seeds), 1 tsp
• Haldi , (Turmeric powder), 1/4 tsp
• Til, (Sesame seeds), 1 tbsp
• Baking soda, a pinch
• Salt, to taste
• Oil, for frying

Method:
Remove the coriander leaves from their stems
Next, wash the coriander leaves in several changes of water and pat them dry.
Chop the coriander leaves fine once they are fully dried and keep aside
Grind together green chillies, garlic cloves, cumin seeds and salt to a coarse paste. Keep aside.
Add besan, baking soda, the ground chilli paste, turmeric powder and sesame seeds to the chopped coriander leaves. Mix them well.
Add water in small quantities to make this into a soft dough
Now divide the dough into two equal parts and make them into rolls of cylindrical shape
Steam these rolls in a steamer/pressure cooker for about 20 minutes without putting the weight
Remember these rolls will swell to beyond their original size as they get cooked
Check that the rolls have been fully cooked by piercing a toothpick or skewer. It should come out clean when fully cooked.
Remove the rolls and let them cool.
Slice the rolls into 1/4 inch pieces
Heat oil in a kadhai and deep fry them.
As an alternative, you can shallow fry them on a tawa as I have done,
Serve hot with ketchup or chutney

KHAMAN DHOKLA

KHAMAN DHOKLA


If you are looking for a light snack which is relatively easy to make, you need look no further than Khaman Dhokla, the popular snack from Gujarat.

This dish is made using besan (Chickpea Flour).  I know this can be made in different ways with some people adding curds too. I have used lemon flavoured Eno fruit salt in place of the conventional sodium bicarbonate.

I must thank my friend Mallika Nanda for this recipe. We found this version easy to make. It was perfect for our requirement for an evening snack that was relatively light yet very tasty.

This snack is best served with freshly made Mint and Coriander Chutney.

Ingredients:

• Besan, ( Chickpea flour) 1 cup
• Medium Rava, (Semolina) 1 tsp
• Green Chilly and Ginger Paste, 1 tsp
• Sugar, 1 tsp or more as per taste
• Salt, to taste
• Haldi, (Turmeric powder), 1/4 tsp
• Fruit Salt, 1 tsp
• Coriander Leaves, chopped, 1 tbsp
• Fresh Coconut Gratings, 1 tbsp
• Oil, for greasing the thali

For seasoning:

• Mustard 1/2 tsp
• Sesame seeds (Til) 1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves, a few
• Green Chillies, slit, 1-2
• Hing ( Asafoetida), a pinch
• Oil, 2 tsp

Method:

Mix the besan, rava, chilly ginger paste, sugar, haldi and salt in a bowl.
Add the required water to get a batter of dosa-like consistency.
Keep the pressure cooker/steamer ready by heating up water.
Add the fruit salt to the batter to help it ferment
Immediately pour the batter on to a greased thali
When the water boils, place the greased thali in the cooker
Steam this for about 20 minutes without the weight
Remove the thali from the cooker and allow it to cool
Season it with mustard seeds, til, hing, slit green chillies and curry leaves
Pour the seasoning on the khaman dhokla in the thali
Garnish with fresh coconut gratings and chopped coriander leaves
Cut into pieces of desired shape
Serve with mint and coriander chutney