Puran Poli

Sweet Poli looks like a stuffed paratha, but it is sweet in taste. Most of the time Poli is prepared during festivals like Holi. There are different types of Poli and they vary from each other by the presence of stuffing inside it. The recipe shown is prepared using roasted channa dal instead of using plain channa dal. If plain channa dal is used, it has to be soaked, cooked and ground. Hence roasted channa dal is chosen over plain channa dal.



You may wonder why I have prepared Puran Poli now when there is no Holi or Ugathi? Well, I thought of posting some sweet  recipe for my blog's 50th post and idea of preparing Poli struck to me. Also, I would like to dedicate this recipe for my friend Shylu, on her first wedding anniversary.

Ingredients:



For dough:



Maida - 1 cup

Turmeric powder - 1/4 teaspoon

Salt - to taste

Oil - 3 teaspoon

Food Wrapper - As required



For Stuffing:



Roasted Bengal gram/Pottu Kadalai - 1 cup

Dessicated coconut - 2 tablespoon (Optional)

Jaggery - 1/2 cup

Cardamom - 3



For Shallow Frying:



Butter/Ghee/Oil - 3 teaspoon (as required)



Method:



For Dough:



1) In a mixing bowl, add maida, salt and turmeric powder. Add adding water slowly, possibly at short intervals and knead the flour well using bare hands.

2) Knead it well and make into a soft dough such that the dough doesn't feel sticky.

3) Finally apply a teaspoon of oil to the surface of the dough. Cover and keep it aside for 3 hours.

For Stuffing:



1) In a blender / food processor / mixer, add roasted Bengal gram, dessicated coconut and cardamon.Grind these to a fine powder. You can also add little water and make a fine thick paste.

2) Take a kadai / frying pan. Add jaggery and 1/4 cup of water.

3) Jaggery starts to melt. When it has fully melted, add the ground powder (step 1) and stir it well till it becomes a smooth thick texture.(such that it resembles the texture of kneading prepared using one's hands)



For Poli and Shallow Fry:



1) Take the dough and divide it generously into lemon size balls.

2) According to the count of dough balls, divide the stuffing and shape them to form slightly bigger balls than the originally taken dough balls.(Usually I prepare 3/4 size dough ball for 1 stuffing ball size)

3) Now, clean the working area of kitchen and cover it using a Food wrapper / polythene cover / Aluminum Foil.

4) Coat it with oil and also apply oil to your fingers to avoid stickiness.

5) Keep one dough ball in center and using your fingers and flat it to a small disc shape.

6) Keep one stuffing ball in center of the dough disc and cover it

7) Coat with very little oil. Using your finger, press the stuffed dough gently to a thin round shape. I used rolling pin for this.

8) Heat Skillet / flat Pan and when it is hot, place the poli (as shown in the above picture) on the pan.

9) Sprinkle butter and cook well on both the sides till they become slightly brown.

10) Repeat this procedure for the remaining dough and poli stuffing's.

11) Hot and sweet Poli is ready.

Bitter Gourd Deep Fry

To my knowledge, only few people like the taste of Bitter gourd. People have a concern about its bitterness. You can try this deep fry recipe and you would definitely like it. It reduces the bitterness to some extent. Everyone in my family likes bitter gourd and we usually have it once a week. We cook bitter gourd in many ways among which I have posted my most favorite recipe here.

Ingredients:

Bitter gourd - 3 nos, large size

Oil - For deep frying

Salt - to taste

Red chilli powder - 1 teaspoon or to taste



Method:



1) Wash bitter gourd and wipe using the clean kitchen towel.

2) Cut them into 2 inch length slices and remove the seeds.

3) Cut again into thin slices as shown in picture.(cutting method shown in clockwise direction)

4) After cutting is done, heat oil in a pan.

5) Drop a slice into oil to check the heat of oil.

6) When oil is hot enough, deep fry all the slices in batches.

7) When the colour of turns to darker, take away from oil and put them in a plate covered with paper towel to absorb the excess oil.

8) When excess oil drains, transfer to bowl.

9) Sprinkle salt and red chilli powder and mix well.

10) Bitter gourd fry is ready to eat. Bitter gourd lovers can eat this like chips or serve with rice.

Egg Biryani

There are many different recipes for Egg Biryani.  To my knowledge, different states prepares this dish in different ways thus adding a touch of local flavor and authenticity. I have presented a simple method of preparation which is based on the preparation guidelines of my vegetable biryani with few alterations.

Ingredients:



Egg - 3, hard boiled and outer skin removed

Rice - 2 cups

Onion - 1 large size, chopped

Tomato - 2 medium size, chopped

Ginger - 1 inch, chopped

Garlic - 3 cloves, chopped

Green chilli - 1 no

Red chilli powder - 1 teaspoon

Coriander powder - 1 tablespoon

Coriander leaves - 3 strings

Bay leaves - 1 no

Cardamom  - 3 nos

Poppy seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Fennel seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

Curd - 2 tablespoons

Salt - to taste

Oil/Ghee/Butter - 3 teaspoons

Method:



1) In a blender, add ginger, garlic, coriander leaves, green chilli, cardamom, fennel seeds, poppy seeds and coriander leaves. Grind them to a fine paste and keep it aside.

2) Wash the rice thoroughly twice or thrice and soak it for half an hour.

3) In a kadai / pan, heat a teaspoon of oil and roast the rice. Once roasted, transfer the rice to the bowl and keep it aside.

4) In the pressure cooker, add 3 teaspoons of oil, add cumin seeds and allow them to splutter. Add bay leaves.

5) Add onions and saute them well.

6) When onions are translucent in colour, add tomato and saute them till they are completely mashed.

7) Add the ground paste as said in step 1 and keep cooking until you don't sense the the raw smell.

8) Add red chilli powder, coriander powder, salt and quickly mix the contents.

9) Split the egg in a lengthwise fashion without breaking them and place them in the pressure cooker. Make sure the masala mixes well with the eggs.

10) Add rice and 3.5 cups of water. Also add 2 tablespoons of curd and mix well. Taste for salt and spice and adjust them as it suits your taste.

11) Close the cooker using a lid and wait for 3 whistles.

12) When steam from cooker subsides, stir the cooked rice gently using fork and serve the biryani with raita.

Notes:

1) If you are using basmati rice, follow the instructions given in the pack for water quantity.