Thursday, October 20, 2011

Chola Batura - Punjabi Fried Bread with Garbanzo Beans


 Last weekend Shoj left to work and he will be away from home for two weeks. So I thought of making his favorite food and thought of this recipe for saturday's breakfast. He loves to eat this which is quite filling recipe, so I usually make it for brunch...as we get up late during the weekends. This recipe is a delectable dish for Punjabi's and in general North Indians. These batura's all puffed up perfectly which made me very happy.

This post is mainly for Batura recipe, and I am posting the link to my old recipe for Chole. You can find the Chole recipe HERE.

Batura Recipe:
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Ingredients:
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1 cup All Purpose Flour
2 cups Wheat Flour/ Atta
1 pinch Baking Soda
2/3 cup Yogurt
2 tbsp Sugar
1 tsp Salt or as needed
1 tbsp Butter (room temperature)
Oil for Frying

Method:
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1. In a large mixing bowl add both the flours (all purpose flour and wheat flour) and mix in the butter, salt and sugar  and mix well.
2. Now add the baking soda and yogurt and mix until you are able to knead, when the flour absorbs all the yogurt, add little water now and then to knead the dough to make a firm dough. Make sure that you add the water little by little.


3. Now knead the dough for more 5-6 mins, until you get a smooth surfaced big ball of dough.
4. Cover the bowl with the dough with a wet paper towel or kitchen towel in a warm place for about min 2 hrs.Actually it will be better if you let it sit overnight for about 7-8 hrs. Since I didn't plan it earlier...I had to do it the same day and kept if for 2 hrs, still all the batura's puffed up perfectly.


5. Now remove the dough and knead it again for a min. Divide the dough into medium size/ lime size balls.
6. Meanwhile heat the oil in a kadai on a medium high heat.
7. Now take one ball of dough, dip the tip of the ball into the hot oil, then place it on the counter so that each side is coated with oil, then roll the dough into any desired shape, I made oval shape. The rolled dough should be not too thin or too thick.


8. Now place the batura carefully into the oil and slide the spoon slightly over the batura to help it puff up perfectly on one side, it might take about few seconds.
9. Now flip the batura and cook the other side for few more seconds.
10. Remove the batura, making sure to strain out all the oil and place it in a plate lined with paper towel, to absorb the excess oil.
(Note: I noticed that this batura recipe didn't absorb oil at all, still it was soft and puffy).


11. Now make all the batura's repeating the steps 7 through 10.
12. Serve this with chole and n'joy!

You Might Also Like:
Punjabi Chole Masala
Corn Broccoli Paratha
Aloo Paratha

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

All-Purpose Tomato Thokku/Pickle/Chutney | Side Dish for Idli Dosa


I had been recently trying to make jams and chutneys to preserve and to come in handy for that very-hungry-want-food-immediately days. After my successful attempt at the Dates and Figs jam, I made this Tomato thokku from Denny's site. This all-purpose thokku is a great side to idli/dosa/upma/Adai and also to bread/chapathi/parathas/rotis/curd rice. The below proportions lasted for a couple of

Tomato Pulav - Blog Hop Wednesdays

It is Week 7 of Blog Hop Wednesdays. This Week i m paired with Saraswathi of Saras's Kitchen. She has a Lovely Blog!!!! I wanted to try her Pasta vadai too, but couldnt make it for the Hop, But would definitely make it some other day!!! This Tomato Pulav recipe, got my mind, coz i had a similar recipe given by my Co-sister. My FIL was all praises for her after trying this Pulav at her place, so i called her up and got the recipe, But still didnt try it out. When i was browsing thru  Saras Kitchen, i remembered that and bookmarked this immediately for the Blog Hop!!!!!

Ingredients

1/2 Cup Brown Basmati Rice
1 cup tomato juice (Juice of 1 Large Tomato)
1 Cup Thin Coconut Milk ( i used Store-bought Powder)
1 Green Chillie, slited lengthwise
1/2 tsp ginger-garlic paste
1 tsp Red chilli powder
1/2 tsp Kitchen King Masala
1 Medium Size Onion, thinly Sliced
1 Pod of Cardamom
2 Cloves
1 bay leaf
Salt to taste

Method
  • Soak the rice in water for 20 minutes.
  • Heat oil in a pan, add bay leaf, cloves, cardamom and saute.
  • Add onions and green chilli, ginger-garlic paste and saute till onion turns translucent
  • Add tomato juice, coconut milk and the masala powders and mix well.
  • Let the Mixture boil well, add the drained rice.
  • Cover and cook, until done.
  • Serve hot with Crips or Some raita. We enjoyed with Plain yogurt and chips.