Chappathi

Chappathi is the most common North Indian dish like the rice in south India. Many of us might have struggled eating hard chappathis some times, when it had gone wrong. Though it is easy to make, I believe that my recipe may add some useful tips for a perfect soft chappathi.

Ingredients:

• Wheat flour-3 cups
• Wheat flour for dusting the chappathi board and roller-half cup
• Water-1 1/4 cup(approximately)
• Salt
• Oil-1 tablespoon

Methods:

• Heat the water and dissolve the required amount of salt in it.
• Add the warmed water to the wheat flour, little by little.
• Take care that too much of water is not added.
• Knead it into semi-hard dough.
• The dough should neither stick to the hands nor very hard to press.
• Add oil to the dough and knead it for 5 -10 minutes.
• Allow it covered with a wet cloth for 20-30 minutes
• Make it into small lemon sized balls.
• Dust the chappathi balls, the board, and the roller with dry wheat flour.
• Roll into a round thin chappathis.
• Dust the chappathi with dry flour whenever you feel it sticks to the board.
• Heat the dosa tawa.
• When the tawa is hot, put the chappathis.
• Turn the chappathi after 10 seconds and apply oil evenly (slightly more than that required for dosa).
• Now turn the chapathi again and apply oil to the other side.
• When the chappathi puffs up, press it slightly with a flat spoon.
• Turn every 3 -4 seconds and remove it from flame when it is cooked well on both sides.
• Reduce the heat 2-3 before taking off the cooked chapathi from the tawa and increase when putting a new one.

Only after writing this post, I really wonder myself, about the things that has to be followed in doing a simple chappathi.

Pattani kuruma - Green Peas kuruma

I do this kuruma in many ways. One method which I do commonly is here. This method can be done with other varieties of peas like kidney beans, white beans, etc..

Ingredients:

• Green Peas-1 cup
• Onion- 1
• Grated coconut-1 1/2 tablespoon
• Cumin seeds-1/2 teaspoon
• Turmeric powder-1/4 teaspoon
• Chilli powder-1/2 teaspoon
• Coriander powder-1/2 teaspoon
• Cinnamon- a small piece
• Cloves-2
• Oil-3 teaspoon
• Salt

Method:

• Wash the green peas and cook it with enough water seperately.
• Grind onion, grated coconut and cumin seeds into fine paste.
• Heat oil in pan and add the cinnamon and cloves.
• Add the paste and fry it for 2-3 minutes.
• Add the turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder and salt to the paste.
• Add little water and then allow it to cook well with the lid closed.
• When the masala is ready, add the cooked peas to it and allow it to boil for 2 minutes.
• A perfect side dish for all kind of rices and chappathi.

Tip: Add 1 tomato if desired, which gives a different taste.

Bombay sambar

This is done similar to the roasted gram sambar(previous post) with slight differences in the ingredients.

Ingredients:

Onion-2
Tomatoes-2
Oil-3 teaspoons
Salt

For grinding:

Toor dal-1 1/2 tablespoons
Coconut grated-1 1/2 tablespoons
Red chilli-3

For seasoning:

Mustard, Cumin seeds.

Method:

Same method as that of Pottukadalai sambar.
See previous post.

Pottukadalai(roasted gram) Sambar

This is an instant sambar made with roasted gram. This is really a variant of Bombay sambar.

Ingredients:

• Onion(Large)-2
• Tomato-2 small
• Roasted gram (Pottukadalai)-3 tablespoons
• Coconut (grated)-1 1/2 tablespoons
• Red chillies-3
• Garlic-2 or 3
• Cumin seeds-1/2 teaspoon
• Asafoetida- pinch
• Oil-2 teaspoon
• Salt
• For seasoning: Mustard, Cumin seeds

Methods:

• Heat oil in pan and add the seasoning items.
• When it starts to splutter add the asafoetida and onions and fry it till it becomes transparent.
• Add the tomatoes and cook it well.
• Grind coconut, roasted grams, red chillies, garlic and cumin seeds into a coarse paste.
• Mix the paste with enough water to avoid getting any clumps.
  
• Add the liquid to the pan along with required salt.
  
• Allow it to cook with the lid closed for 5-7 minutes.
• Suits well with idlis and dosas.

Thakali - Puthina Chutney / Tomato - Mint leaves chutney

Many people do not like the flavour of mint chutney, when mint is used alone. So for those people, to supress the flavour and to add up a new recipe, they can try in this way.

Ingredients:

• Tomato-2
• Onion-2
• Mint leaves-3 tablespoons
• Red chilli-2 or 3
• Urad dal-1/2 tablespoon
• Coriander seeds-1 tablespoon
• Asafoetida- a pinch
  
• Oil-1 tablespoon
• Salt
• For seasoning:Mustard, Urad dal, Curry leaves.

Method:

• Cut onions and tomatoes into large pieces.
• Heat little oil in pan and add the urad dal, cumin seeds, red chillies, and the asafoetida.
• When it starts spluttering, add cut onions.
• When the onion is half cooked add the tomatoes.
• After 3 -4 mins, add the mint leaves and allow it to cook well.
• After allowing sufficient time to cool, grind it into a coarse paste.
• Heat little oil in a pan seperately and add the seasoning as usual (see previous posts for details) and add the paste.
• Cook it for few more minutes and serve it with hot idlis and dosas.