Sudha's Veggie & Vegan Flavours

Mastering The Art Of Soft And Fluffy Chapati

I recently cracked the secret of making soft,fluffy chapati on tawa. I thought of sharing this step- by- step method.Now I relish tender,fluffy and airy chapatis at home every day.Always use good quality wheat flour,as this is key ingredient for achieving perfect chapati.Because some brands adulterate it with maida flour,which makes the chapati chewy.

PROCEDURE

1. In a bowl take wheat flour,salt and sprinkle water and mix to bread crumble consistency.

2. Now sprinkle water slowly and knead to soft dough consistency.Press your finger on the dough to ensure the softness.

3.Cover the dough and set it aside for twenty-thirty minutes.

4.Now pinch the dough and make a ball out of it.Flatten it on the chapati stone and dust some flour and flatten it using a rolling pin.

5.Apply oil on the surface evenly. Now close the rolled chapati to a shape of semi circle.

6.Apply oil again on the surface and fold it to a shape of triangle.

7.Dust some flour on the triangle shaped dough and roll it gently to a perfect circle.

8. Heat tawa and when it is very hot transfer the rolled chapati to it .Now gradually reduce the heat and apply pressure on the chapati using ladle or a cloth.The pressure will make the chapati fluff.

9. This step is vital for the fluffy texture.

10. Now arrange the chapatis on a plate.You don't have to apply oil again on the cooked chapatis.

RAW ONION TOMATO CHUTNEY

Wheat dosa is my go-to breakfast dish. I mostly resort to this dish on daily basis.I always prepare different kinds of chutneys for the same.I prefer simple and easy chutney as it makes my job easier.I viewed this chutney on a cookery show this morning and immediately tried it.Of course it tastes yum.Since the ingredients is ground in raw form,you should add generous amount of oil in seasoning.

INGREDIENTS

ONION- 2 NOS

TOMATOES- 2 NOS

RED CHILLIES- 2 NOS

CURRY LEAVES- 1 SPRIG

CORIANDER LEAVES CHOPPED- 1 TBSP

SALT AS REQUIRED

SEASONING

SESAME OIL- 3 TSP

MUSTARD- 3/4 TSP

CURRY LEAVES- 1 SPRIG

PROCEDURE

1. Chop tomatoes,onions and keep it aside.

2. In a blender take chopped veggies along with red chillies ,curry leaves,coriander leaves and salt.

3. Blend to little coarse paste using little water.

4. Prepare the seasoning and add it to the chutney.

INSTANT SEMOLINA PANIYARAM

If you are craving for an instant crispy evening snack,then you can certainly try this paniyaram.I haven't used cooking soda or eno for the soft texture.Curd is enough to impart the soft and fluffy texture.

INGREDIENTS :

SEMOLINA- 2 CUPS

CURD- 1 CUP

RICE FLOUR- 1 TBSP

SALT AS REQUIRED

OIL FOR FRYING

CHOPPED CORIANDER LEAVES- 1/4 CUP

SEASONING :

OIL- 3 TSP

MUSTARD- 1/2 TSP

ASAFOETIDA- 1/4 TSP

CUMIN SEEDS- 1/2 TSP

URAD DAL- 1/2 TSP

GRAM DAL- 1/2 TSP

CURRY LEAVES- 2 SPRIGS

CHOPPED GREEN CHILLIES- 2 NOS

GINGER CHOPPED- 3/4 TSP

ONION CHOPPED- 2 NOS

PROCEDURE :

1. In a wide bowl take semolina,half the amount of salt and curd and whisk together and keep it aside.

2.Allow the contents to rest for twenty minutes.

3.In a pan add oil and when its hot splutter mustard,cumin seeds,asafoetida and the lentils.

4.Add chopped onions,salt and saute till translucent.Then throw curry leaves,chopped green chillies,chopped ginger and saute well.

5. Now transfer the sauteed ingredients,rice flour over the semolina mixture and blend well.Add water to adjust the consistency to that of idli batter. Now add in the chopped coriander leaves and mix well.

6. Brush the paniyaram pan with oil and fill the cavities with oil and heat it.Fill only half the cavity with oil.

7. Using a small ladle or spoon fill the cavities with the prepared batter. When one side is cooked flip it to other side and cook till it turns golden brown in colour.

TOMATO THOKKU

As the prices of tomatoes is plummeting,I decided to prepare this tasty thokku.There are different recipes available for this thokku,but I have followed my mom's recipe.But she incorporates ground paste of tomatoes.But I prefer the chunks in this recipe,hence I added the same.With this tasty thokku on hand,you can whip up tasty tomato rice in a jiffy.

INGREDIENTS

RIPE TOMATOES-- 500 GRAMS

CHILLI POWDER- 2 TSP

MUSTARD- 3/4 TSP

FENUGREEK SEEDS- 3/4 TSP

SALT TO TASTE

SESAME OIL- 1 TBSP

CURRY LEAVES- 2 SPRIGS

TURMERIC POWDER- 1/4 TSP

CUMIN SEEDS- 3/4 TSP

TAMARIND- MARBLE SIZE

ASAFOETIDA- 1 TSP

PROCEDURE :

1.Wash wipe and chopped tomatoes and keep it aside.Dry roast mustard and fenugreek seeds and powder it.

2. Heat sesame oil in pan,splutter mustard seeds,cumin seeds,curry leaves and add asafoetida

3. Transfer the chopped pieces over the seasoning and saute well. Now pour the tamarind syrup,salt and allow it boil.

4. Add turmeric powder,chilli powder and the ground powder and boil till the oil starts to leave the sides and switch off .

CHAMMANTHI ( KERALA DISH)

Chammanthi is a chutney prepared in Kerala.I would liken it to thogayal,owing to thick consistency.I loved the flavour of this dish with plain rice and ghee.Actually shallots is used in the authentic recipe,but I was running out of the same and hence substituted it with onions.It tastes best when ground on rolling stone.But since I don't possess one,I used mixer jar.It was bit difficult to replicate firm consistency in a mixer jar.

INGREDIENTS:

COCONUT OIL- 3 TSP

BIG ONION- 1

RED CHILLIES -3

RED CHILLI POWDER -3/4 TSP

COCONUT GRATED- 2 TBSP

TAMARIND - GOOSEBERRY SIZE

CUMIN SEEDS - 3/4 TSP

CURRY LEAVES --2 SPRIGS

GINGER CHOPPED--1 TSP

SALT TO TASTE

PROCEDURE :

1. Heat coconut oil in a pan.Saute onions,red chillies,cumin seeds,curry leaves,chopped ginger,tamarind.

2. When the ingredients are completely sauteed,add chilli powder and turmeric powder and saute for a second and switch off else the spice powders will get burnt.

3.Allow the ingredients to cool and transfer the same to a mixer jar along with salt and grind to thick paste without adding water,instead you can add a few drops of coconut oil.

4. The best method to get the right consistency of chammanthi is grinding it on roller stone.

KADAGU YORE

Kadagu yore,doesn't it rhyme with puliyogare? Yes,this is yet another rice variant offered as Prasadam in Temples.I came to know about this dish from a cookery show.Kadagu implies mustard in Tamil.As there is predominance of mustard,it is aptly named as Kadagu yore. It prepared with cooked rice.Since I made this for breakfast,I used flattened rice in place of rice.