Chattisgarh is known as the rice bowl of India hence most of the Chattisgarhi cuisine makes use of rice . Chausela is one such dish which can be made for breakfast or as a snack . It can be served with a spicy chutney or a curry of choice.
Ingredients:
1 cup rice flour
Salt
1/4 tsp cumin seeds.
Oil to fry.
Method:
Boil about one cup of water . Keep aside. In a bowl tip in the rice flour, salt and cumin seeds. Add half cup of the boiling water and carefully mix it with a spoon . Cover and rest it for five minutes. Add the remaining water only if needed and knead a smooth but tight dough. Pinch out small balls and roll into pooris. Heat oil in a pan. Drop in the poori and fry till they fluff up. Serve it with chutney or curry of your choice.
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Lesu is a flat bread from the Uttarakhand cuisine which uses Ragi flour as a stuffing. The outer dough is made of wheat flour and after being stuffed with Ragi dough it is roasted just as one does a paratha. It is served drizzled with ghee. I preferred to serve it with a spicy tomato chutney.
Ingredients:
250 gms wheat flour
100 gms ragi flour
A large pinch of Carom seeds
Salt.
Method:
Tip the ragi flour, salt and carom seeds into a bowl. Add water little by little and knead into a smooth dough. Keep aside. Tip the wheat flour and a little salt into a bowl. Adding hot water knead into a dough as for chapati. Add a tsp of oil and knead well. Keep aside to rest for about fifteen minutes. Pinch equal balls of the wheat and ragi dough. Roll out the wheat dough to the size of a small poori and place a ball of ragi dough on it. Cover the ragi ball from all sides with the wheat dough and roll out a six to seven inch sized disc. Similarly finish off with the rest of the dough. Heat a tava/ skillet. Place the Lesu on it. Drizzle with ghee or oil and roast till done. Flip. Roast the other side as well. Serve Lesu hot with ghee or with a subzi or chutney of your choice.
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Besan paratha is an Indian flatbread prepared with Besan as the main flour. A little whole-wheat flour is also used. Parathas are the staple of North Indians and Besan or gram flour being high in protein, makes for a super healthy breakfast.
Ingredients for the dough:
250 gms besan/ gram flour
100 gms whole wheat flour
1 medium onion finely chopped
2 green chillies minced
5 garlic cloves grated fine
A small bunch of coriander leaves finely chopped
1/2 tsp red chilly powder
1/2 tsp ajwain
1 tsp kasuri methi
1/2 tsp amchur
1 tbsp oil
Salt
Water as required.
Method:
Tip all the ingredients except water in a bowl. Mix until well combined. Now add water little by little and mix until a sticky dough is formed. Grease your hands with a teaspoon of oil and knead the dough well. Cover with a damp cloth and let it rest for ten to fifteen minutes. Knead it lightly again. Divide into as many portions as you would prefer. Take one portion and roll it into a ball. Dust it with dry flour. Roll it out into a medium-thick paratha. Grease a preheated tava/ griddle with a little oil or ghee and place the paratha on it. Drizzle with oil or ghee and let it roast for a few seconds. Flip it over and let the other side roast as well. Keep flipping the paratha frequently and cook until it is crisp and golden on both sides. Prepare the other parathas similarly. Serve the parathas with mango pickle and curds/ yoghurt.
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Khamiri Roti is a traditional Indian bread that was a staple during the Mughal era. It is made with whole wheat flour, milk and yeast and is extremely soft and spongy. Yeast is called Khamir and thus the name. Khamiri Roti can be paired with any subzi of your choice or with just a blob of butter.
Ingredients :
1 Tbsp Dry Yeast
1 tsp Sugar
1 tsp salt
1/3 cup Water
2 cups wheat flour
2 tbsp Milk
1 tsp Oil
1 tsp black Sesame seeds
1 tsp Kalonji seeds
2 tbsp finely chopped Coriander leaves.
Method:
Take dry yeast in a bowl, add sugar and warm water to it. Mix well and leave the mixture aside for twenty minutes for it to rise.. Take flour in a large bowl and add the yeast mixture to it. Add salt and milk, mix thoroughly and begin to knead the dough adding a little water at a time. Add oil, knead thoroughly and leave it covered for about two hours. After two hours give a quick knead and roll out into poori sized discs. Sprinkle sesame seeds, kalonji and coriander leaves on these discs and roll it further into desired shape. Heat a tava/ griddle. Place the roti gently on the tava and roast till it turns a golden brown. Flip and roast the other side as well. Brush with butter and serve the Khamiri roti with a dish of your choice.
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Kashmir famous for its scenic beauty and the variety of dried fruits is also a food lover’s paradise.
Amidst the love for the famous ultimate banquet wazwan, the Kashmiris also have a special place in their heart for bakery items. . Kashmiri cuisine also known as “Kashur Kyon” in the native language has a heavy influence from the Central Asian and Persian cuisine. The custom of having these breads for breakfast and dinner was adapted from them. In the local language, Tsot is a bread which is enjoyed with fresh apricot jam.. Out of the many, most sought out are the Katlamas, Sheermal, Lavas, Tsot and Tsotchovru. These are either had for breakfast tea or had as snack.
Ingredients:
250 ml Warm milk
2 tsps Sugar
1 tsp Saffron
300 gms Maida
1/2 tsp yeast
1/2 tsp Salt
100 gms melted Ghee
Dried fruits of choice slivered to garnish the Sheermal
1 tsp Ghee to apply on each Sheermal.
Method:
Dissolve saffron in a quarter cup of milk . Keep it aside. Dissolve the sugar and yeast in the remaining milk. Allow the yeast to rise for about five minutes. Tip the flour and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the center and pour in the milk sugar mixture, two teaspoons of saffron milk, and the melted ghee. Start mixing gently and knead to make a soft dough. Cover with a damp kitchen towel and set aside for about an hour. In colder climates you would need to rest it for about two hours or till the dough doubles in size. Divide the dough into eight equal-sized portions. Shape them into balls. Cover with a damp kitchen towel for a further fifteen minutes. Preheat the oven to 180C. Grease a baking tray or line with parchment paper. Working with one ball at a time, roll it out into a disc about 5 inches in diameter. These should be rolled thick . Place the discs on the prepared tray and bake for 5 minutes. Take the tray out, brush the flatbreads with saffron-infused milk. Immediately return to the oven for another 7 minutes or until the breads are golden and done. Smear with ghee as soon as you take them out of the oven, top it with the slivered dried fruits and serve warm.
Alternatively, you may roast the Sheermal on a tava/ griddle as I have. Roast it till the side turns light golden yellow. Flip. Roast the other side as well. Brush both sides with the saffron milk and roast to a golden brown.
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Bhura Ghee Roti is a sweet, savory dish made with bhura (powdered sugar), ghee and leftover rotis. Haryanvis often indulge in this dish after a meal as dessert.
It took me back to my childhood days when Amma would roast chapati with ghee and top it with sugar…. We would tuck into it before the sugar could melt…. The slight crunch of sugar, the fragrance of home made ghee ……Nirvana!
In Bhura ghee roti, a generous amount of ghee is applied over the leftover Roti and it is sprinkled with powdered sugar.
Posting the link to the roti/ chapati. Just sprinkle powdered sugar on it and enjoy it.
North India is known for its variety of flat breads. Naan, kulcha, roti, paratha and a variety of stuffed kulchas and parathas. Posting an Aloo kulcha today that is extremely popular. It is served with a dollop of butter, curds and pickle though it honestly doesn’t need any accompaniment as it is so flavourful.
Ingredients for the Kucha dough:
500 gms Maida
5 tbsps curds
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
Salt
1/2 tsp sugar
3 tsps oil.
Ingredients for the potato filling:
4 medium sized boiled, peeled and mashed potatoes
1 large onion finely chopped
2 green chillies chopped
2 inch piece of ginger chopped
3 tbsps Coriander leaves finely chopped
1 tsp chilly powder
1/2 tsp pepper powder
1 heaped tsp Amchur powder
1 tsp coriander cumin powder
Salt
To garnish:
Black sesame seeds
Finely chopped coriander leaves
Butter.
Method:
Prepare the dough for the kulcha first and allow it to rest for three hours so that the kulchas turn out really soft.
Take the maida in a bowl. Add salt, baking powder, baking soda and oil. Crumble well and then add the curds. Add enough water to bind a soft and pliable dough. Knead it well for about five minutes. Cover with a damp cloth and keep it aside for about two to three hours.
Take the mashed potatoes in a bowl. Make a coarse paste of ginger and green chillies and tip it into the potatoes along with the finely chopped coriander leaves and onion. Add salt, Amchur powder, chilly powder, coriander cumin powder and pepper powder. Mix well and divide it 12 balls. Keep aside.
Knead the dough again for a couple of minutes. Divide it into 12 equal portions. Take a portion and roll it into a ball. Dust it with a little flour and roll it into a three inch sized circle. Place the potato filling in the centre and cover it from all sides with the dough. Dust with flour and roll it into an oblong shaped Kulcha. Sprinkle some sesame seeds and coriander leaves as you roll it out. You can roll it into a circle if you wish to.
Heat the tava/ griddle. Gently place the kulcha on it and roast on either side till done. Place it on a plate and brush it with butter. Serve hot.
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Try this pull apart Bun when in a hurry to make a quick and delicious snack. This can double up for dinner as well with a bowl of hot soup. The ingredients used are all those which one finds in most households.. I prefer buying fresh ready made burger buns for a quick snack.
Ingredients:
Burger buns
Tomato, onion, green bell pepper finely chopped (all in equal quantities)
Boiled sweet corn as per requirement
Grated mozzarella or processed cheese
Amul or any salted butter
Finely grated garlic
Mixed herbs, oregano, chilly flakes and salt
Finely chopped coriander leaves.
Method:
Make cuts on the burger bun horizontally and vertically keeping a distance of 3/4 of an inch taking care to keep the base intact.
Melt the butter and add the grated garlic, a sprinkling of mixed herbs, oregano and chilly flakes to it. Tip in the chopped coriander leaves, mix and keep aside. Your garlic butter is ready.
Drop the finely chopped vegetables in a bowl. Add the sweet corn, grated cheese, chilly flakes, oregano, mixed herbs and a pinch of salt. Mix and keep aside.
Brush the melted butter generously in between the slits made in the burger bun. Fill it up with the vegetable mixture and again brush the bun with the garlic butter on top.
Bake in a pre heated oven at 180 degrees for five to six minutes or till you see the cheese melt. Alternatively you can even bake it in an aluminium kadhai/pan or pressure cooker. Just line the base with salt. Heat the cooker or kadhai for five minutes. Place a trivet. On it place the bun on a baking dish or any aluminium plate. Cover with lid and bake on medium flame for seven minutes or till you see the cheese melt. Remove and serve hot with tomato ketchup or a cheesy dip.
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The veg burger that I had posted earlier was a cheat one with veggies sauteed and piled on to the burger. It was just to get the children to eat their veggies.. Here is the regular one with vegetable Pattie, lettuce, tomato and onions. The Pattie is made in a simple and easy way. No corn flour slurry, no dipping in bread crumbs. You may use any number of vegetables of your choice. Children and adults will both enjoy it.
Ingredients:
5 Burger buns sliced into half
2 large potatoes pressure cooked
1 carrot grated
15 French beans chopped fine
1 medium sized onion chopped fine
1 inch piece of ginger
7 cloves of garlic
2 green chillies
1 tsp Kashmiri chilly powder
Salt
4 slices of bread
Rava/ semolina to coat the patties
Oil to fry
Butter
5 Cheese singles
Mayonnaise
Tomato ketchup
Tomato sliced thinly
Onion sliced thinly
Lettuce
Method:
Peel the cooked potatoes and grate them. Steam cook the beans and carrot. Make a paste of the green chillies, garlic and ginger. Heat oil in a pan and drop in the onions. Allow them to turn translucent. Drop in the ginger, garlic and green chilly paste. Roast till the raw smell disappears and then add the steamed veggies and salt. Mash with a masher and then add the potatoes. Mix and heat thoroughly. Wet the slices of bread, squeeze out well and add them to the mixture. Continue mixing till it leaves the sides of the pan. Tip it into a bowl. Cover and keep aside to cool. After it has cooled refrigerate the mixture for around half an hour. Pinch five equal sized balls of the mixture and pat it into the shape of a Pattie. Dust with semolina and deep fry in medium hot oil till it turns golden yellow and crisp. Do remember the Pattie continues to cook even after being removed from the hot oil so it is absolutely essential to see that it is removed from the oil once it turns a deep golden yellow.
Assembling:
Apply butter on the inside of the two slices of the bun. Gently roast it till it turns a golden brown. Spread Mayonnaise and sprinkle with pepper. Place a lettuce and top it with a slice of cheese, slices of tomato and onion. Drizzle with tomato ketchup. Place the Pattie and the other half of the burger bun. Serve with more mayonnaise and ketchup as required.
This vegetable and cheese grilled sandwich is one of the most popular amongst the variety of sandwiches in Mumbai.
Every nook and corner of Mumbai has a handcart selling these and the regular vegetable sandwiches, with a spicy green chutney slathered on for good measure. Loaded with a variety of vegetables and toasted to perfection, it will remain the Mumbaikars favourite street food.
It is the fragrant coriander and mint chutney which adds flavour to this sandwich. Recipe given in the link below.
Apply butter on both sides of two slices of bread. Spread chutney on one side of the buttered slices. Top one of them with the slices of vegetables mentioned above. Sprinkle with Chat masala and place a cheese single over them. Cover this with the other slice. Place this sandwich in a grill or in a hand held toaster and grill to a deep golden brown. Serve with tomato ketchup.
