Kachaudi---Chane ke Daal ki

There are many kinds of Kachaudies which are very popular in nearly all parts of India--as a snack in breakfast or in meals. Chane ke daal ki Kachaudi is more tasty and in demand.

 

      Ingredients:

• Bengal gram       1 cup
  [chane ki daal]
• Wheat flour         2 cup
• Green chilli  3-4 pieces
• Ginger     1 small piece
• Green coriander leaves  1small bunch
• Cumin seed                 1/2 tsp
• Black pepper corn  7-8pieces
•  Black cardamom      2 pieces       
• Green cardamom   2-4 pieces
• Cloves                   5-6 pieces
• Red chilli powder       1/4 tsp
• Ghee                             3tbsp
• Oil  for fry                    2cup                            
• Salt to taste

         Preparation:

• Chop finely green chilly,coriander leaves and ginger.

  For filling--

• Soak the chana daal for 6 -7 hours. Wash thoroughly and grind soaked chana daal along with ginger,cumin seeds, black & green cardamom, black pepper and cloves to get a smooth paste.
• Heat 1 tsp oil in a pan. Add channa daal paste, chopped green chilly & red chilli,   salt, chopped green coriander leaves. Mix thoroughly. Saute for 5-6 minutes. When paste gets dried,close the flame.
• Filling paste is ready.

For Kachaudi--

•  Add warm ghee and salt to the wheat flour, mix well.Knead to a smooth,soft and little loose dough as is made for chapati.

 

Method:

• Make small balls of wheat flour dough of equal sizes. 
• Take one ball, place it on a rolling board,press with palm and roll out a little. 
• Take it in one palm, place one spoon of daal paste in middle and close from all sides.

• Now put it back on rolling board and roll it lightly with rolling pin so that daal does not breach.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Meanwhile heat oil in a deep fry pan on high flame. 
• When steaming hot, deep fry the roll till light brown.Fry on both sides.

 

• Repeat the process with other balls.

Kachaudi is ready.

Serve hot.

Eat it as snack with green coriander chutney or pickle at tea time,or,in meals.

Eastern Kadhi [कढ़ी]

        

 The Kadhi is a very popular dish,basically a product of curd and gram flour,with varying cooking methods prevailing in different parts of India.Each has its own unique taste and flavour.

Ingredients

• Gram flour for pakoda       1cup
• Gram flour for kadhi      1/4 cup
• Turmeric powder               1 tsp
• Asafoetida.                     1/4 tsp
• Fenugreek                       1/2 tsp
• Whole red chilly                 3-4 
• Garlic                        5-6 flakes
• Green chilly              5-6 pieces
• Onion                        2 medium
• Cumin seeds                   1/4 tsp
• Garam masala                 1/4 tsp
• Red chilli powder              1 tsp
• Green coriander leaves   1bunch
• Sour curd                          4 cup
• Salt to taste
• Mustard oil for fry       5-6 tbsp
• Pure ghee for sprinkle      2tbsp
• Water                            3-4 cup

Preparation

• Crush green chilly and garlic. 

For the pakodas,

•   Take 1 cup gram flour in a separate bowl,add 1/2 cup of water gradually in small quantities at a time,keep on beating.The batter should be thick.Add salt,turmeric powder,1/4 tsp red chilly powder &1 pinch asafoetida [hing].

•   To judge whether the batter is fit for fluffy pakodas,take it in a spoon and drop a bit in water taken in a cup.If the batter floats,then it is ok and no more beating is required.Batter is ready to make pakodas.

 

 Method: 

 A.For Pakodas: 

• Heat oil in a deep pan on high flame.
• Once piping hot,drop small balls of gram flour batter in oil with help of a spoon.
• Deep fry till golden brown.
• Make 5-6 pakodas at a time.
• Keep pakodas aside.

   B. For the kadhi:

•  Take curd in a separate bowl and beat well.
• Add 1/4cup gram flour.Whisk thoroughly till batter is smooth and no lumps are there.
• Add turmeric powder,1/4tsp red chilly powder 1/4tsp garam masala and 3-4 cup of water.
• Whisk well again.

Mixture of curd & gram flour

•  Heat oil in a bigger deep pan on high flame.
• Add  asafoetida, methi and whole red chilly.
• When these begin to sputter,add both grated garlic & green chilli.Mix and fry for 5-6 seconds.
• Add mixture of gram flour & curd.Mix.Stir well and bring to boil.
• Lower the flame and simmer for about 15 minutes.
• Add salt to taste.Stir occasionally.
• Kadhi solution should not be thick.To check its rightness,follow the illustration.

Checking solution

Kadhi solution

• Now add pakodas and simmer again on low flame for about 5 minutes.Be careful pakodas may not be broken.

Pakodas dipped in Kadhi solution 

•  For seasoning,heat a small steel bowl on medium flame.

• Add 2 tbsp of pure deshi ghee, then cumin seeds .

• When  cumin seeds  pop up, add curry leaves,whole red chilly & 1/4 tsp red chilly powder at the same time.Saute for 2-3 seconds.

• Close flame.

• Add it at the time of serving.

• Serve hot,garnished with finely chopped coriander leaves.

Garnished Kadhi with seasoning

Ideal companions include roti and rice.Onion [optional] adds to taste.

With roti,rice & onion

Sambhar [सांभर]

A southern food, healthy, tasty and spicy !

Ingredients:

• Toor [arhar] ki daal  1/2 cup
• *Carrot  2 piece
• *Greenpeas1/2 cup
• *Drumstick  2
• *Bottle gourd [lauki]  1/4
• *Green beans.   5-6
• *Potato  2 medium
• *Brinjal      1small
• Green chilli     5-6
• *[ Note: 3-4 kinds of seasonal vegetables can be used]
• Onion  2 medium
• Tamarind [imli ka guda]  2 tbsp
• Mustard seeds  1/2 tbsp
• Black gram[urad dal]        1tsp ?
• Bengal gram  [chana dal]      1tsp ?
• Turmeric powder  1/2 tsp
• Curry leaves   5-6 leaves
• Hole red chilli   2-3
• Garam masala  1/2 tsp
• Sambhar masala powder  2tbsp
• Red chilli powder   1/4tsp
• Salt to taste
• Oil  1-2 tbsp

Preparation:

•  Sambhar masala powder : 

Take following spices in a plate-

 Black gram & bengal gram 

 [ Urad &Chana dal].  3-4tbsp
 Coriander   2tbsp
 Cumin seeds.   1tsp
 Black pepper  1tsp

Whole red chilli    5-6 pieces
 Fenugreek seeds 1tsp
     [Methi ke daane] 

     Roast every spice separately and then grind together

• Wash the toor daal,soak in water for ...minjutes,drain water.Keep aside.
• Soak the tamarind in 1 cup of water for 1/2 hour. Once soft,mash tamarind to separate paste from seeds & fibre and get juice.
•  Chop vegetables in small sizes.

Method: 

• Heat 1tsp oil in the cooker, add black gram  & bengal gram.Fry till turned light brown. Add mustard seed turmeric powder chilli powder.
• Add vegetables,drum stick.Cook with lid on.
• When vegetables are cooked,add soaked toor daal in pressure cooker,add 4 cup of fresh water and salt and cook it. Close the flame.When pressure is released,add tamarind juice and sambhar masala powder.
• Boil for 1-2 minutes.
• For seasoning,heat a small steel bowl on medium flame, add 2 tbsp of oil, then add mustard seeds and hole red chilli.When mustard seeds pop up, add curry leaves and at the same time, close flame.
• Add it immediately to sambhar.Mix well. 
•  Sambhar is ready.

 
Serve hot with Idli, Uttapam, plain rice,rice or dosa,vada etc.