Bikaneri Dal Paranth

INGREDIENTS:

Refined flour (maida) + for dusting - 1 1/2 cups

Salt - to taste

Pure ghee - 6 tablespoons

Split Bengal gram (chana dal), soaked - 1 1/4 cups

Asafoetida - 1/4 teaspoon

Coriander powder - 1 teaspoon

Red chilli powder - 1 teaspoon

Garam masala powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Oil - to shallow fry

METHOD:

Combine refined flour, salt and four tablespoons of ghee. Add sufficient water to and knead into a soft and smooth dough. Cover with a damp cloth and rest the dough for ten minutes. Pressure cook chana dal with two cups of water and salt till two to three whistles. Open lid when pressure reduces and allow to cool. Grind dal to a coarse paste. Heat remaining ghee in a kadai. Add asafoetida, coriander powder, red chilli powder and garam masala powder. Sauté for half a minute. Add the dal paste. Cook for three to four minutes or till dry. Adjust seasoning and mix well. Remove from heat and allow it to cool. Divide into eight portions and set it aside. Divide the dough into eight portions and roll into balls. Spread each dough portion in your palm to a small puri, place a portion of stuffing in the centre, gather up the edges and shape into a ball again. Press lightly on tabletop. Roll out into a thin parantha dusting with flour if needed. Make other paranthas in the similar way. The paranthas should be as thin as a papad. Heat sufficient oil in a pan. Slide the parantha gently into the oil and shallow fry till evenly golden on both the sides. Drain and place on an absorbent paper and serve hot.

Mooli Bajra Roti

INGREDIENTS:

Radishes, grated - 3 medium

Millet flour (bajre ka atta) - 2 cups + for dusting

Onion , finely chopped - 1 small

Green chillies, finely chopped - 2

Red chilli powder - 1 teaspoon

Ginger paste - 1 teaspoon

Dry mango powder (amchur) - 1 teaspoon

Garam masala powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Fresh coriander leaves, chopped - 2 tablespoons

Salt - to taste

Ghee - to fry

METHOD:

Apply salt to grated radish and set aside for half an hour. Squeeze tightly to remove moisture. In a deep bowl take radish, millet flour, onion, green chillies, red chilli powder, ginger paste, dry mango powder, garam masala powder, coriander leaves and salt and mix well. Add sufficient warm water and knead into a dough. Divide into eight equal portions and roll into balls. Lightly dust each ball with dry flour, place it on a plastic sheet and pat with your fingers into a thick roti. Heat a tawa and place the roti on it. Flip and drizzle some ghee all around. Flip again and drizzle some more ghee all round and cook till both the sides are evenly golden. Serve hot with a dollop of ghee.

Besan Ki Masala Roti

INGREDIENTS:

For roti:

Gram flour (besan) - 1 cup

Whole wheat flour (atta) - 1/2 cup

Salt - to taste

Pure ghee - 2 tablespoons

For masala filling:

Cumin powder - 1 1/2 teaspoons

Coriander powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Green chilli, chopped - 1

Salt - to taste

Dry mango powder (amchur) - 1/2 teaspoon

Red chilli powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Pure ghee - 1 1/2 tablespoons

METHOD:

Combine all the ingredients for the masala filling in a small bowl. Divide into eight portions and set aside. Combine all the ingredients for roti and knead into a soft dough using water as required. Divide the dough in eight portions and make balls. Roll out each ball into a four inch disc and place one portion of the masala filling on to it. Fold into half and thenagain in half to make a triangle. Roll out again to make a triangular roti. Repeat the same with the remaining portions. Heat a tawa and fry each roti with a little ghee till both sides are golden brown. Apply a little ghee and press it gently between your palms. Serve hot.

Moong Dal Puri

INGREDIENTS:

Split green gram skinless (dhuli moong dal) - 1/2 cup

Whole wheat flour (atta) - 1 1/2 cups

Ginger paste - 1 teaspoon

Red chilli powder - 1 teaspoon

Coriander powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Cumin powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Garam masala powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Salt - to taste

Oil - 1 tablespoon + to deep fry

METHOD:

Drain and coarsely grind the moong dal. Heat two tablespoons oil in a pan. Add ginger paste and sauté for half a minute on medium heat. Add red chilli powder, coriander powder, cumin powder and garam masala powder and sauté for half a minute. Add salt and ground moong dal and sauté for three to four minutes. Set aside to cool. Take whole wheat flour in a deep bowl. Add salt, one tablespoon oil and sufficient water and knead into a soft dough. Cover with a damp cloth and rest the dough for fifteen minutes. Divide both the dough and the stuffing into eight portions each. Take one portion of dough in your palm, spread it slightly, place a portion of stuffing and gather in the edges and roll into a ball. Roll out into a puri of three inch diameter. Similarly make the rest of the puris. Heat sufficient oil in a kadai and deep fry the puris, one by one, till lightly browned. Drain and place them on an absorbent paper. Serve hot.

Khasta Kachori

INGREDIENTS:

Refined flour (maida) - 2 cups

Salt - to taste

Soda bicarbonate - 1/2 teaspoon

Oil - 5 tablespoons + to deep fry

FOR FILLING:

Split black gram skinless (dhuli urad dal), soaked - 1/2 cup

Ghee - 3 tablespoons

Ginger, finely chopped - 1 inch piece

Green chilli, chopped - 1

Asafoetida - a pinch

Coriander powder - 1 teaspoon

Cumin powder - 1/2 teaspoon

Red chilli powder - 1 teaspoon

Fennel seed (saunf) powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Cashewnuts, roughly chopped - 6-8

Raisins - 1 tablespoon

Sugar - 1/2 teaspoon

Lemon juice - 1 tablespoon

METHOD:

Sift flour, salt and soda bicarbonate together into a bowl. Add oil and mix well. Knead into a soft dough using sufficient water. Cover with a moist cloth and set aside. Coarsely grind soaked urad dal using a little water. Heat ghee in a kadai and add ground dal, ginger, green chilli, asafoetida, coriander powder, cumin powder, red chilli powder, fennel powder, cashewnuts and raisins. Cook till all the moisture has dried up. Add sugar, salt and lemon juice. Mix well and remove off the heat, let the mixture cool. Divide into sixteen portions. Divide the flour dough into sixteen equal balls. Roll out into small puris so that they are thinner around the edges and thicker in the centre. Place a portion of stuffing in the centre and bring the edges together to form a ball. Heat sufficient oil in a kadai and deep fry kachoris on low heat for three to five minutes or until golden brown and crisp. Drain and place on an absorbent paper. Serve with tamarind chutney.