Authentic Dal Dhokli

Authentic traditional recipe of dal dhokli .

This is a popular gujrati one pot meal recipe made with toor dal and wheat dough and makes a complete delicious wholesome meal. A unique recipe made with dal and wheat dough which can be had without any accompaniment of rice or roti. Try piping hot dal dhokli on a pleasant day as a lovely dinner option .

#gujaratirecipes #dinnerrecipes #daldhokli #daldhokli #gujaratidaldhokli #gujaratirecipes #authenticrecipes #dinnerrecipes #innovativerecipes #howtomakedaldhokli #tastyrecipes #noonionnogarlicrecipes

One Pot Meal - Rice Bowl (Mexican Style)

 

A very easy to make One Pot Meal Recipe for your Lunch , Tiffin or Dinner .

This delicious Mexican Rice Bowl will surely become your most favourite meal .

Pasta Salad (Pasta chaat)

#sweetnspicyaromas

#pastarecipe #weightlossrecipe A delicious and all time kids favourite Pasta made with an Indian twist.

This yummy and healthy recipe is perfect for kids as well as weight watchers who will just crave for some more everytime you serve it .

So just indulge in your favourite dish without any guilt and enjoy .

Paneer Cheese Ghotala

 #SweetnSpicyAromas

#suratstreetfood #suratfood #paneerghotala Paneer Cheese Ghotala is one of the most popular street food from Surat Gujarat and a super duper yummy and tasty version of our very own Pavbhaaji. Also it takes much lesser time and work and so you can easily make it when you have sudden guests at home . So this winter serve this special Ghotala to your friends and relatives and see the satisfied happiness on their faces.

Bhajani Thalipith ( भाजणीचं थालीपीठ )

Bhajaniche Thalipith is a famous traditional Maharashtrian dish usually made for breakfast . But this healthy and filling dish also makes a wonderful one meal menu . 

It basically looks like a thick pancake . We can add our choice of grated vegetables , chopped onions  and alter the taste as per our liking . 

The main flavour is of roasted mix of various flours known as bhajaniche pith . This bhajani pith is readily available in Maharashtra at any grocery store or a Food mall . But some prefer to make this at home . 

So for those who are interested in making this flour at home or for them who are staying where this flour is not easily available please click on this link for the recipe of bhajani pith . 

Ingredients 

2 cups - bhajani pith 

1- onion finely chopped 

1/2 cup - grated carrot 

1/2 cup - grated cabbage 

2 - green chillies finely chopped

fistful - fresh coriander leaves finely chopped

1 tsp - chilly powder 

2 tsp - grated jaggery 

salt to taste 

oil for smearing the pan 

Method 

Mix all the above ingredients except oil . 

The mixture should be much thicker than idli or pakoda batter but much softer than chapati dough . 

Now heat the non stick tawa or a flat pan . 

Smear it nicely with oil . 

Take handful of this batter and directly spread on the tawa carefully with your hand . 

For even spreading dip your hand in water and then keep on pressing the batter on tawa on all sides in circular motion . 

Add a tsp of oil on top and sideways of thalipith and cover it with a lid . 

Cook for 3/4 minutes on slow to medium flame on one side and then flip it carefully .  

Cook the other side too without keeping the lid . 

Serve hot with homemade butter , green chutney , ketchup or onion curd raita .

Pav Bhaji ( पाव भाजी )

Ingredients : 

1/4 kg ...................... potatoes ( boiled , peeled n chopped )
1/4 kg ...................... tomatoes ( finely chopped )
1/4 kg ...................... capsicum ( finely chopped )
1 small .....................beetroot ( boiled , peeled n chopped )
2 cups .................... fresh green peas ( shelled n roughly ground )
4   ....................... onions ( chopped finely )
2 tbsp ...................... ginger garlic paste
8/10  .......................dry red chillies
2 tbsp .................... pav bhaji masala
4 to 5 tbsp ........... oil ( amul butter gives an excellent taste )
salt
3 to 4 ladi pav per person for serving

Method :


Soak the dry red chillies in 1/2 cup warm water for half an hour .

Grind the chopped beetroot in a mixer .

Also separately grind the soaked red chillies .

Now heat oil in kadhai and add onions . Saute till transparent and add ginger garlic paste and saute for 5 minutes .

Now put the ground paste of dry chillies and stir for 2 minutes .

Add chopped tomatoes and saute till raw smell evaporates .

Then add capsicum , potatoes , roughly ground peas n beet pulp .

Mix everything properly ,  add salt ,  pav bhaji masala .

Cover the kadhai with a lid and let the bhaji cook .

Keep on stirring in between and mash the bhaji with a masher.



Tips : 

Smear ladi pav with butter on both inside and outside
Heat them on a tawa pressing both the sides .
Serve hot pavbhaji with chopped raw onion , lemon and buttered hot ladi pav .

Phodni Rice ( फोडणीचा भात )

Ingredients -  

2 cups....................left over rice
2...........................onion ( chopped)
2..........................green chillies ( slit in two)
1/2 tsp..................mustard seeds
1/2 tsp ..................cumin seeds
3-4 ...................... cloves
5/6 ......................pepper
2........................cardamom
2 .......................cinnamon
1/4 tsp..................hing ( asefoetida )
1/2 tsp................turmeric powder
1/4 tsp ...............chilly powder
1 tsp.................sugar
2 tbsp................oil
salt
1/2 lemon ...............(squeezed to juice ) (optional )
chopped coriander leaves ( for garnish) ( optional )

Method :

Heat oil and add mustard seeds.

After they splutter add hing, cloves , pepper , cardamom , cinnamon , slit chillies and chopped onions and saute till translucent.

Now add separated grains of left over rice.

Add turmeric powder, chilly powder , salt and sugar and mix well.

Cover with lid and cook for 5 minutes.

Add lemon juice and chopped corainader leaves and serve hot.

Creamy Corn & Capsicum Pan Pizza

Ingredients :

2 cups .........................tomato sauce
1 cup...........................pesto sauce
2 cups..........................creamy corn
2 .................................capsicums cubes and deseeded
6  ...................... pizza bases


For Pesto Sauce :





Grind together coriander leaves, olive oil, melon seeds, pepper powder and salt.


For Creamy corn :



Grind the corn coarsely  for few seconds till they are just crushed.
In a pan put this ground corn, milk , sugar and salt and cook till thick.

Assembling the pizza :

Apply some tomato sauce on the pizza base.
On that spread some pesto sauce.
Now apply a layer of creamy corn and spread capsicum  chunks on it.
Lastly sprinkle grated mozarella cheese and bake in an oven till the cheese melts .

Pan method : 

Heat a flat bottomed pan on a high flame.
When sufficiently hot apply oil on it and keep the pizza in the pan.
Now drizzle some water on the sides and immediately cover the pan with a lid completely.
Keep some weight on it so that the steam doesn't escape.




Lower the flame and cook for 2 to 3 minutes or till the cheese melts.
These pan pizzas are very easy to make and get ready in hardly in any time.

Hakka Noodles

After a long busy day when you are totally exhausted and hungry the first thing which comes to your mind is having something hot and refreshing .

And when that hot refreshing is none other than noodles it is enjoyed by all .... 

Maggi noodles are ideal when you really don' t have any energy to cook , but I prefer hakka noodles though it takes little more time than Maggi .... 

I always feel that adding some more vegetables does increase the nutrional value and taste too ..... 

You can use carrots , french beans , corn , mushroom , spring onions , capsicum , cabbage whichever veggies are available in your kitchen .... 

I though used only spring onions and capsicum as I did not have anything else ...... 

Ingredients : 

1 pack Hakka Noodles

1 small bunch of spring onions 

1 capsicum 

1 tbsp - soya sauce 

2/3 garlic flakes finely chopped 

1/2 tsp pepper powder

1 tsp vinegar 

1 tsp chilli sauce ( optional ) 

2 tbsp oil 

salt to taste 

Method : 

Boil water in a big vessel and cook the noodles till they are just cooked . 

Take care not to cook them too soft as they become mushy and ruin the taste . 

Drain the water and rinse the noodles in running water .

Apply little oil to prevent them from sticking . 

Heat oil in a non stick pan and add chopped garlic .

Add capsicum and spring onions too . 

Stir for 3 to 4 minutes and add all the sauces vinegar and salt . 

Finally add the rinsed noodles .

Stir well till they are well coated with oil and sauce . 

Serve hot . 

Oats n Ragi Idli ( ओट्स आणि नाचणीची इडली )

English

We all know that idli is the staple breakfast of most of the South Indian Kitchens . Soft steaming hot idlis never fail to satisfy your hunger and the taste buds too .
I usually try making different types of idlis as the variety appeals the eye and pallete .
Oats and Ragi ( nachani ) both being very nutritious make an ideal combo for the first and most important meal the day .
So why not try using them in our favourite idlis ?


Ingredients : 

1 cup - oats
1 cup - nachani flour
1/4 cup - rice flour
1/4 cup - rawa
2 tbsp - curds
१ sachet - eno
salt

Method :

Mix all the above ingredients except eno with just enough water to make thick batter .

Keep the batter aside for half an hour .

Grease the idli mould .

If the batter is very dry add little water and eno and mix well .

Add water in the cooker , keep the idli maker in cooker and cook without pressure for 15/20 minutes.

After 20 minutes take the idli maker out and sprinkle little water on the idlis .

Then remove them with the help of a spoon .

Serve hot with green chutney or any other chutney of your choice.

मराठी 

इडली डोसा हे दक्षिणात्य लोकांचे लोकप्रिय पौष्टिक नाश्त्याचे पदार्थ .
मऊ गरमागरम वाफाळत्या लुसलुशीत इडल्या बघून कुणाच्याही तोंडाला पाणि सुटते .
इडली डोसा ह्या पदार्थांचा एक फायदा म्हणजे तुम्ही त्यात आपल्या आवडीनुसार अनेक बदल करू शकता .
एखाद दुसरा जिन्नस जरी बदलला तरी पूर्णपणे नवीन चवीचा स्वादिष्ट पदार्थ तुम्ही आरामात बनवू शकता .
ओट्स आणि नाचणी दोन्ही खूपच पौष्टिक असल्याने हल्ली मधुमेह झालेले आणि वजन वाढलेले आपल्या आहारात त्यांना समाविष्ट करतातच .
पण स्वस्थ निरोगी आयुष्याचे चाहते देखील हल्ली ओट्स नाचणी इत्यादींवर भर देतात .
म्हणून आज ओट्स आणि नाचणी वापरून इडल्या बनवून पहिल्या .
दिसायला जरी थोड्या काळसर तपकिरी रंगाच्या असल्या तरी अगदी मऊ आणि चवीला अप्रतिम झाल्या होत्या .

साहित्य :

१ कप - ओट्स
१ कप - नाचणी पीठ
१/४ कप - तांदळाच पीठ
१/४ कप - रवा
२ टे स्पू - आंबट दही
१ पाकीट - इनो
मीठ चवीनुसार

कृती : 

इनो सोडून वरील इतर सर्व साहित्य एकत्र करून थोडं थोडं पाणी घालून इडली साठी करतो तसं जाडसर मिश्रण  बनवा .

अर्धा तास हे मिश्रण बाजूला झाकून ठेवा.

इडली पात्राला तेलाचा हात लावून घ्या .

मिश्रण जर सुके झाले असेल तर परत थोडे पाणी आणि इनो घालून नीट मिक्स करा .

इडली पात्रात प्रत्येक खळग्यात एक एक चमचा भरून मिश्रण घाला .

कुकर मध्ये पाणी ठेवून त्यात इडली पात्र ठेवावं आणि कुकर ला शिटी लावल्या शिवाय १५/२० मिनिटं विस्तव मोठा करून शिजवा .

२० मिनिटांनी कुकरचं झाकण उघडून इडली पात्र बाहेर काढा आणि इड्ल्यांवर अगदी थोडेसे पाणी शिंपडा .

चमच्याने अलगद इडल्या वेगळ्या करा आणि आपल्या आवडीच्या कोणत्याही चटणी बरोबर सर्व करा .

Galician Empanada

Galicia is the name of a community in Spain and the Galician Empanada is a very popular stuffed bread in Galician cuisine. This is usually had as an appetizer . But I made it in big quantity and we had it as our dinner with soup. It was quite filling and yummy. Thanks Swathi for choosing this dish for this month's . Baking Partners Challenge .

The clicks are though not upto the mark as the camera was not working properly.

Recipe source : Marisa of Thermofan.  

Ingredients :

For Dough :

2 cups....................warm water
1 tsp.......................yeast
1/2 tsp ...................sugar
250 gm ..................wheat flour
1 tbsp......................oil
1 tsp........................salt


For Filling : ( zaragallada )

2 tbsp..................oil
2 ......................onions ( chopped )
1 tsp..................garlic cloves ( finely chopped)
1....................... carrot ( scraped n chopped)
1 cup.................cauliflower ( florets)
1 cup................shelled green peas
1 cup................chopped tomatoes
1 cup................capsicum ( chopped)
1 tsp...................pepper
salt







Method :

Filling : 

In a thick bottom pan heat oil and add onions and garlic.

Saute the onions till trasparent and add all veggies except tomatoes and capsicum.

Again stir till the veggies are half cooked .

Add tomatoes and capsicum.

Adjust salt and pepper and cook till done.

The vegetables dish should be completely dry or strain out the liquid formed.



Dough :

In a bowl add yeast, 1/4 cup warm water and sugar and keep for 10 minutes.

Now add 2 tbsp oil, flour and salt and mix well.

Now gradually add remaing oil and flour and knead a soft elastic sticky dough.

Knead the dough well for 10 / 15 minutes.

Wrap it and keep aside for 1 hour for the dough to rise.

Now take a baking tray and grease it.

Take half of the dough and roll it as thin as possible.

Now carefully transfer it on the greased tray.

Spread the prepared veggied evenly on it leaving a border of 1 inch on all sides.

Roll out the remaing dough similarly and lay it on top of the filling.

Seal the borders on all sides and make a slit at the centre for steam to come out.escape.

If some dough remains you can make some design the way I made on top.

Brush the top with milk.

Bake in a preheated oven at 180 degrees for 30/ 40 minutes.

Rassa Bhaji ( Maharashtrian Dish )

Come winter and you have a big list of dishes to prepare for the season . Markets are full of green peas, carrots,  fresh mustard leaves ( sarson ), vegetables used for making Oondhiyu ( Popular Gujarati Dish ) and the list goes on .

 So this year first on my list was Oondhiyu which I made last week and will soon be posting the recipe.

 But for today I am posting this very easy and tasty Maharashtrian dish Rassa Bhaji . This tastes awesome when had hot with a chunk of butter and with simple laadi pav .

Ingredients :

1 cup...................cauliflower florets
1 cup...................fresh green peas ( shelled)
1 cup..................potatoes ( peeled and cubed )
1 n 1/2 cup..........onions ( chopped )
1 n 1/2 cup .........tomatoes ( chopped )
2 tbsp or more .....dhana jeera powder ( cumin corainder seeds powder )
1 tsp ....................chilly powder
1/2 tsp.................turmeric powder
4 tbsp..................oil
salt
Amul butter ( to serve)


Method :


Heat oil in a non stick vessel and saute onions till golden.

Add chopped tomatoes and stir fry till oil separates.

Now add all the other vegetables and stir fry further for 5 minutes.

Add all dry powders and salt and stir for 2 more minutes.

Add 2 to 3 cups water and make the gravy watery.

Cover and cook till vegetables are well cooked.

Serve hot topped with amul butter and with laadi paav.

Green Vegatable Pulav - need new photo n marathi rcp

Want to make something filling , nutritious and tasty ?  Then try this easy to make one meal dish. I have added carrots, sweet corn, french beans and cauliflower in this pulav . But you can surely add or omit the vegetables as per what is available in your kitchen . Serve this pulav hot with papad or boondi ka raita .

Ingredients :


1 cup....................fresh sweet corn / green peas
1 cup....................carrots ( washed and cubed)
1 cup....................french beans ( washed stringed and chopped)
1 cup....................cauliflower florets
1 cup....................onion ( chopped )
3 cups ................basmati or pulav rice ( washed and drained )
3 to 4 tbsp...........oil
salt

For the Green Masala :


fistful ......................fresh coriander leaves
6 to 8 .....................green chillies
5 to 6 ....................garlic cloves
1 inch....................ginger piece
2 to 3 ...................cloves
1/2 inch.................cinnamon
2 .........................cardamoms
7 to 8 ................pepper
1/2 tsp.................cumin seeds

Method :


Grind all the ingredients given under green masala without adding water and keep aside

Heat oil directly in the pressure cooker and add chopped onions.

Saute the onions till translucent and add all the vegetables one by one.

Saute them all till they are semi soft.

Now add the ground masala and saute till oil separates.

Finally add drained rice and again saute till rice is well coated with masala ( for 5 minutes)

Now add 5 cups hot water in the cooker and pressure cook the pulav to just 2 whistles.

Switch off the flames and let the rice be inside till the pressure goes down on its own.

This ensures that each rice grain separates and cooks properly.

Serve with pickle, papad and raita of your choice.

Tofu Pad Thai Noodles

For this month's  International Food Challenge  we made some very yummy Thai dishes . This group is started by two bloggers Saras and Shobana

Yesterday I posted the recipe of kluai-nam-wa ( bananas-in-coconut-milk ) and today I am posting these delicious Tofu Pad Thai Noodles.

I loved the tangy tamarind sauce used in this and the sesame seeds and peanuts added a fantastic crunchiness to the noodles.

Thanks  Sangeetha Priya once again for introducing us to this lovely cuisine.

Ingredients :

1 pack .........................Hakka Noodles
1 cup...........................Moong sprouts ( I used homemade sprouted moong )
2 cups .......................chopped veggies ( I used carrots, capsicum, cabbage )
200 gm.......................tofu
2 tbsp.......................cornflour
4 tbsp.......................thick tamarind juice
2 tbsp......................red chilli powder
2 tbsp......................sugar
2 tbsp......................soya sauce
1 tbsp....................sesame seeds
4 tbsp...................peanuts
2 tbsp...................chopped mint leaves
2 tbsp...................oil
1 tsp.....................pepper powder
salt to taste


Method :

In a bowl add tamarind juice, red chilli sauce , sugar, soya sauce and salt.

Take half of this mixture and add cornflour to it.

Marinate tofu pieces with this cornflour mixture for atleast half an hour.

On a non stick pan shallow fry the marinated tofu pieces till golden brown .

Boil water in a big vessel and cook the hakka noodles for 5 minutes.

Keep the noodles firm and don't overcook them.,

Drain out the hot water and wash the noodles under cold water .

Add 1 tsp oil to noodles and mix them well and keep aside . ( this prevents them from sticking )

Now in a pan heat oil and add sesame seeds and peanuts and stir for 2 minutes.

Then add carrots and cabbage and saute them for 2 minutes on high flame.

Then add sprouts and capsicum and again saute for 2 minutes on high flame.

Now add the remaing half tamarind mixture and noodles and mix everything well.

In the end add half tofu pieces , pepper powder and half the chopped mint leaves.

Mix well and serve garnished with remaining tofu and mint leaves.

Lebanese - Falafel with Hummus & Tahini

Since long this lebanese falafel was on  my to do list , but the use of lot of oil in both hummus and tahini made me hesitant to make this dish. But then this month  Rachana of secondhelpinginservice  made this dish for the  potluck-party  where  I too am a member  and  I got paired with her for this month .

So as per our party rule it was my turn to recreate this dish. I was actually happy that finally I got an excuse to make the dish which I so much wanted to make. But I also thought to go the healthy way. Rachana in her post had already given the option to either fry the falafels or make them in the paniyaram maker which I did. 

Then I took some more liberty for making hummus and tahini. As both these spreads are oil rich , I made them with water and added very little olive oil . So here is my healthy falafel  without any compromis in taste .

It tasted just as delicious as it was in a popular Lebanese Joint at Andheri ( Mumbai ) where I had had it previously. So off to my  falafel recipe with hummus and tahini. And once again a big thanks to Rachana .

Ingredients : 

For the Falafel :

2 cup....................chickpeas ( soak overnight and boil for 4 to 5 whistles )
3.........................green chillies ( crushed )
5 to 6 ................garlic cloves ( crushed )
1 tsp..................roasted cumin seeds ( crushed )
1 ......................onion ( finely chopped )
fistful.................coriander leaves ( chopped)
2 to 3 tbsp............maida
2 tbsp.................tahini sauce ( see the recipe down )
salt



Method :

Drain out the water from boiled chickpeas and reserve for making hummus.

Keep 1/2 cup chickpeas aside to make hummus .

Mash the remaining chick peas with a masher till soft without adding water.





Add all the other ingredients and make the falafel balls.






Cook them on slow flame in Erappe ( paniyaram ) maker.





This way you get to eat healthy and tasty oil free falafel.

You may deep fry the falafel balls in oil if you wish.



For the Hummus :

1/2 cup....................boiled chickpeas
3 tbsp  .................olive oil
2 to 3 ...................black olives
1/2 tsp..................roasted cumin seeds
3 to 4 .................garlic cloves.





Method :

Grind everything to a smooth paste.

Add the above reserved water if the hummus is too thick.


For the Tahini :

3 to 4 tbsp..............sesame seeds
1/2 cup .................water
2 tbsp ..................olive oil
5 to 6 ...................garlic cloves
5 to 6 .................pepper corns ( optional )





Method :

Grind everything to a smooth paste and add water if necessary .



Assembling the Meal :

2 ..................onions ( finely chopped )
2 ................tomatoes ( finely chopped )
1 dozen ......laadi paav ( use pita bread if available )
4 to 5 tbsp....garlic chutney (recipe here)





Method :

Apply hummus, tahini and garlic chutney to the paav.

Spread some chopped onions and tomatoes .

Keep two to three falafels and press the paav.

Enjoy this healthy , filling lebanese meal at the leisure of your home.

Linking this entry to  Jagruti's Potluck Party

Green Peas Kachori With Dum Aloo

This month for the south-vs-north-challenge  an event started by Divya Pramil   it was decided that the members will post any of the previous recipes which they had missed out .

So I chose this yummy Kachori with Dum Aloo recipe which was challenge by a dear blogger friend  Sanoli Ghosh   for the month of february and at that time I had not joined the group .

 I am so glad that I tried it as  turned out to be one hit recipe .The kachoris were simply delicious and combined with Dum Aloo they were simply irresistible.

This was really a wonderful dish Sanoli . Glad that I got a chance to make it.

Ingredients :

For the outer cover :

 2 cups .....................maida
4 tbsp........................oil
1 tsp........................salt
oil for deep frying

Knead a soft but firm dough using water and keep aside covered with a wet muslin cloth
till further use.



For  the filling :

2 cups ..................shelled green peas
2 tbsp...................ginger chilly and coriander ( roughly ground )
1 tsp....................cumin seeds ( roughly crushed)
1 tsp....................fennel seeds ( roughly crushed)
1/2 tsp....................cumin - coriander powder
1/2 tsp...................turmeric powder
2 tbsp....................oil
salt

Method :

Par boil the green peas and when cold grind them coarsely in the grinder without water.





In a non stick pan heat oil and add cumin seeds.

Then add ginger chilly coriander paste and saute till it gives out nice aroma.

Now add roughly ground peas and saute till the rawness disappears.

Add all masalas and salt and stir for 5 minutes.

The filling for kachoris is ready.


To make kachoris :

Make 15 to 16 balls of the dough .

Also make same number of balls of the filling.

Roll the balls into puri shape.



Put the filling and cover from all sides.



Press and roll the puri taking care that the filling doesn't come out.

Deep fry in hot oil till golden and crisp.

Serve hot with dum aloo.

For Dum Aloo :

5 to 6 .....................potatoes ( boiled)
2 to 3 ....................tomatoes (finely chopped)
1/2 tsp..................cumin seeds ( roughly crushed )
1/2 tsp .................fennel seeds ( roughly crushed)
2..........................bay leaves
2 to 3 .................cinnamon pieces
3 to 4 ................cloves
1 tsp....................ginger and chilly ( finely chopped)
1 tsp..................cumin coriander powder
1/2 tsp...............garam masala
1 tsp...................red chilly powder
1/2 tsp..............turmeric powder
1 cup................sour yogurt
4 tbsp...............oil
oil for deep frying potatoes
chopped coriander leaves ( for garnishing)
salt

Method :

Peel and cube the boiled potatoes.

Deep fry them till golden and keep aside.




Heat oil in a pan and add cumin , fennel , cloves , cinnamon and bay leaf.

Now add tomatoes and saute till oil separates.

Add all the masala powders and saute till it gives out nice aroma.

Add whipped yogurt and saute for 5 minutes.

Add fried potatoes and stir for 2 minutes.

If too thick add little water .

Garnish with coriander leaves and serve hot with peas kachori.

Litti Chokha ( For SNC )

For this month's Divya's south-vs-north-challenge  we were challenged by   Nupur of uk-rasoi  to make a Bihari dish called Litti Chokha which was a totally new name for me. Then when I read how to make this dish it almost sounded as if I had to recreate a dish like Rajasthani Daal Baati. But when I actually made and tasted them they were very very different and had a unique taste.

Litti Chokha is a traditional Bihari dish and I wonder how come I hadn't come across this till now. This dish was an instant hit with my family and the taste of Chokha ( Bihari Potato Bharta) was divine.  I have however fried the Littis though I personally would have preferred to oven bake them but then unfortunately my oven is giving me some problems and had no choice but to fry them. Though they tasted yummy I kept on feeling guilty eating these fried liitis.

 The Littis or the stuffed wheat balls are in themselves a treat and can be had with pickle for breakfast. Though the dish sounds complicated it is very easy to make provided you get ready made Sattu ka Atta at your grocery shop.

Thanks to Nupur for suggesting such a wonderful dish and introducing us to the unknown wonders of Bihari cuisine.

Ingredients :

( For the Littis cover ) :

2 cups ..................wheat flour
1/2 tsp..................owa ( ajwain seeds)
2 tbsp....................ghee
1/2 cup .................warm water
1/4 tsp..................baking soda
salt

Mix wheat flour and ajwain with soda and ghee and knead a smooth and firm dough and keep aside.


For the Pitti (or filling ) :

1 cup .......................sattu ka atta
1 tbsp......................finely chopped ginger
1 tbsp....................finely chopped green chilly
1/2 cup..................finely chopped coriander leaves
1 tsp.......................cumin seeds
1 tsp.......................ajwain seeds
2 tbsp.....................lemon juice
1 tbsp.....................vegetable oil
salt

Add all the ingredients together and mix well.

Add little water if necessary and mix gently with fingers to resemble bread crumbs.

To make the Littis :

Make 10 to 12 equal sized balls of the dough.

Press these balls on your palms to the size of a small puri.

Put 1 to 2 tsp pitti on this and close the dough from all sides.

Make a ball and press it a little to resemble the shape of a big pedha.

When all the littis and filled in such a way deep fry them in oil on a slow flame till golden in colour.

You can also bake them in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes by applying oil on surface.

Take care to turn them once or twice while baking to ensure even baking on both sides.

These are the littis or the stuffed balls.

For the Chokha :

4 to 5 .....................boiled potatoes ( skin peeled and mashed)
2 ............................onions finely chopped
2 ............................tomatoes
5 to 6 ....................garlic cloves
2............................green chillies finely chopped
1 tbsp....................grated ginger
2 tbsp....................finely chopped coriander leaves
2 tbps....................mustard oil
salt

Roast the tomato and garlic on the gas on direct flame till almost burnt.

When the tomato cools remove the black roasted skin.

Now mash the tomato and garlic with your hands .

Add all the other ingredients well and keep aside.

This is called chokha and is to be served with Littis.

How to serve :

Place some chokha in a bowl.

Break the littis and add a spoon full of ghee on top of them.

Serve these hot ghee dipped littis with chokha.

Vermicelii Upma Pulav

If you are a Maharashtrian or are familiar with maharashtrian cooking  then you have to know about this cookbook called " Annapoorna" written by a well known writer Mangala Barve. This book is a must in every maharashtrian household as it has almost all types of typical maharashtrian dishes.

 My today's post for Srivalli's  CCC ( Cooking from Cookbook Challenge ) for November 4th week has been taken from the same book.

This upma is very simple and when made with addition of various veggies of your choice becomes a perfect one meal dish. On the days when you are not in a mood to make a full meal and yet want to have a light but healthy and balanced diet this is the dish you ought to make.

 It is delicious and can be made in a matter of few minutes. Even children who otherwise don't like eating veggies are all crazy about this upma as the vermicellis look like noodles and taste yummy. So now off to the recipe.

Ingredients :

2 cups ........................vermicelli ( I used wheat variety)
1 onion.......................sliced finely
1/2 cup.....................carrot ( cut into long sticks)
1/2 cup......................french beans ( cut into long slanting sticks)
1/2 cup....................capsicum ( cut thin vertically )
1/2 cup....................spring onion ( chopped )
1/2 tsp.....................green chillies ( finely chopped)
1/2 tsp.....................ginger ( finely chopped)
1/2 tsp....................mustard seeds
1/4 tsp.....................hing
salt ...................as per your taste
1 tsp..................sugar
1 tbsp....................oil for tadka




Method :

In a pan heat oil and when hot add the mustard seeds.

When the mustard splutters add hing, ginger , chillies and onions and saute till soft.

Now add the vermicelli and stir it for some time till it turns light golden.

Now add the carrots and french beans and stir for few minutes.

Then add capsicum and spring onion and saute for 2 minutes.

Finally add salt, sugar and add 4 cups hot water and cover the pan with a lid.

Cook till all the water is absorbed and the vermicelli swells wp to almost double the size.

Serve hot as it is or with any salad if you want.




also linking it to :

Raj Kachori ( For Indian Cooking Challenge)

Raj Kachori is a very popular Rajasthani Chaat food. In Mumbai I usually have it at Tiwari's Juhu . Its one of the most delcious chaat item I have had . This month Srivalli challenged all the members of  Indian-Cooking-Challenge with this Raj Kachori and thus I got an opportunity to try out my favorite chaat at home. This was the yummiest treat I have made so far.

This Raj Kachori is actually a big Puri filled with pulses and chutneys and finally topped with curds and sev. This crunchy snack was a super hit and was very filling . Actually no one can have more than one as it is almost like a healthy and filling meal. But still we all let ourselves go for the second helping.

Though the making of this dish was very time consuming it is worth all the efforts as when the final dish comes in front of you, its just irresistible . This dish needs lot of advance planning like making the dahi wadas, soaking and sprouting the moong and finally boiling them, then making of papdi, boiling potatoes , making chutneys etc. So plan the dish well in advance.

For Kachoris  :

1 cup ...................maida
2 tbsp..................rawa ( semolina)
2 pinch ...............baking soda
1/4 tsp................salt
2 tbsp.................oil

Method :

Mix every thing well.

Knead a firm dough with just enough water and keep aside for half an hour.

Make balls and roll into a big size puri.

Heat oil in a kadhai and deep fry till they puff up.

Fry on low heat till crisp and remove and cool.

For the Papdis :

2 tbsp...............besan
2 tbsp...............maida
1/2 tbsp............oil
1/4 tsp..............jeera
salt

Method :

Mix all the things and knead a semi soft dough.

Roll out small puries ( the size of sev puri).

Prick them with a fork ( to ensure that they don't puff up while frying).

Deep fry in oil till crisp and keep aside to cool.

For the Dahiwadas :

1/2 cup .................urad dal
2 cups...................thick curds
2 tbsp...................sugar

Method :

Wash and soak the urad dal for 4 to 5 hours.

Whip the curd and sugar till smooth and chill.

Grind it in the mixer with as little water as possible.

Heat oil and drop small wada in it and deep fry.

Soak the wadas in water for 10 minutes.

Now squeeze out the water and dip them in whipped curd and chill till further use.

Other Fillings :

2 ....................potatoes ( boiled , peeled and cubed)
1 cup.............moong ( sprouted and half boiled)
1 cup............khara boondi

Chutneys :

3 to 4  cups...............thick curd ( sweetened , whipped and  chilled )
1 cup........................tamarind dates chutney  ( see the recipe here )
1 cup.......................green chutney ( see the recipe here )

To sprinkle :

Cumin - coriander powder
Kala Namak
Chilly powder
Pepper Powder
Sev ( the yellow variety used in bhel puri)
Pomegranate seeds ( optional)
Chopped coriander leaves (oprional)

How to Assemble the Kachori :

Tap on the top of the kachori so that it opens up and slowly widen the opening.

Now one by one add 2 to 3 small dahiwadas, 2 papdis crumbled, potatoes, boondi and moong.

Now add a tbsp each of tamarind and green chutney.

Finally fill the puri with whipped curd.

Now sprinkle the masalas and powders as per your liking.

Finally sprinkle some sev., pomegranate seeds and garnish with coriander leaves.

Serve immedietely.

Tarte Flambee ( A French Tarte for IFC - 2)

IFC  or (International Food Challenge ) is an event started by  Sara  & Shobana  where every month we get to post recipes from a specific country .

For this month we were given some recipes from France . This Tarte that I have made is a French Alsacian dish. It is very easy to make though the process may look  a bit complicated and time consuming.

 This is a delicious savory tarte which was enjoyed by all of us .

Ingredients For the base : 

2 cups ...................wheat flour
2 tbsp.....................Maida
2 tbsp....................olive oil
salt
ice cold water


Method  for the base

Mix all ingredients except water very well.

Now add ice cold water and knead a  soft but stiff dough.

Plastic wrap the dough and keep it in fridge for an hour.


Ingredients For the sauce : 

4 tbsp ....................crumbles paneer
4 tbsp.....................sour cream ( or fresh cream)
4 tbsp....................cream cheese ( chenna in hindi)
4 tbsp....................milk
1/2 tsp..................pepper powder
1/2 tsp.................nutmeg powder

Make a sauce by grinding all the ingredients to form a smooth paste for 15 seconds .


To be spread on the top :

1 .........................large onion sliced
6 to 8 ....................mushrooms thinly sliced
200 gm ..................paneer ( cottage cheese ) sliced
1 cup....................shredded cheddar cheese

Saute the onions and mushrooms in 1 tbsp oil till raw smell disappears.




Assembling the Tarte :

Preheat the oven and grease the baking sheet.

Now take out the chilled and wrapped dough and keep it on the baking sheet.

Press the dough with your hands till it fills the greased sheet .



Form a slight border by pinching the edges upwards.

This ensures that the sauces do not spill out while baking.

You can also roll it in a thin rectangular shape.

Spread the sauce evenly on the base .



Sprinkle the sliced onions, mushrooms , sliced paneer and top with grated cheese.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes till the top becomes golden brown.

Cut in pieces and serve warm with ketchup.