Missi Roti (Wheat–Gram Flour Flat Breads)

It is very nutritious; rich in carbohydrates, proteins and fiber; especially good for diabetic people.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups whole-wheat flour
• 1 cup black gram flour
• 2 tbsp wheat bran
• 1 tsp salt
• Warm water to knead flour

Method:

• Mix wheat flour, gram flour, wheat bran and salt. Knead into soft and smooth dough by adding warm water. Cover with moist cloth and keep aside for at least 1 hour. Right before rolling out, punch the dough and knead again without any more water.
• Divide the dough into equal size small balls. Dip each one into dry wheat flour, and roll out into thin, 6" circles.
• Place a flat, griddle on the stove at medium-high heat. When hot, place a rolled-out chapati ‘right side’ down on the griddle. The ‘right side’ is the one facing you when you roll it. When bubbles are visible, turn over and cook until tiny brown spots appear on the side facing the griddle.
• If you have a gas stove, hold the chapati with a pair of tongs, and place it directly over the burner flame for a few seconds, with ‘right side’ facing down, until the chapati puffs up. Turn and repeat on the other side.
• If you have an electric stove, keep the chapati on the griddle. With a towel press gently all around the chapati. Flip the chapati and press gently around the other side. This procedure should make the chapati puff up.
• Remove the chapati from the heat, and butter with ghee on the ‘right side’.
  Serve hot with curry and dal of your choice.

Do You Know?

Bran is often produced as a byproduct of milling in the production of refined grains.

It is the hard outer layer of grain and consists of combined aleurone (the term is used for the outermost cell layer of the seed coat which is rich in protein ) and pericarp(outer fruit layer).

When bran is removed from grains(rice, wheat etc), they lose a portion of their nutritional value. Bran is particularly rich in dietary fiber and omegas and contains significant quantitities of starch, protein, vitamins and dietary minerals.

Masala Buttermilk

Buttermilk is flavored with ginger, green chili and mint.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups low fat yogurt
• Black salt according to taste,
• 1 green chili chopped
• Very small piece of fresh ginger
• 1 tbsp mint leaves chopped
• ½ tsp roasted cumin seeds powder
• Pinch of asafetida

Method.

• Grind ginger, green chili, mint, asafetida and black salt together to a fine paste in an electric mixture.
• Add yogurt and 4-5 cups of water and again churn for few seconds till yogurt turns into smooth buttermilk.
• djust consistency of buttermilk according to your taste by adding more water.
• Serve chilled.

Do You Know?

In India, buttermilk(widely known as "chhaachh") is known to be the liquid leftover after extracting butter from churned curd.Artificially made buttermilk, also known as cultured buttermilk, is a product where lactic acid bacteria called Streptococcus lactis have been added to milk.

Buttermilk is lower in fat and calories than regular milk because the fat from buttermilk has already been removed to make butter.

It is high in potassium, vitamin B12 and calcium.

Buttermilk is more easily digestible than whole milk.

Ghiya Ki Kheer( Bottle Guard Pudding)

Kheer is one such pudding, which is fairly easy and quick to prepare.
Grated ghiya (Bottle gourd) is cooked in milk and flavored with cardamom powder, rose water and saffron.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium ghiya (Bottle gourd)
• 6 cups warm full cream milk
• 2 green cardamoms
• 1 cup Sugar (adjust quantity according to taste)
• 1 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
• 1 tsp cardamom (elaichi) powder
• 1 tsp chironji
• A pinch of Saffron (kesar)
• 1 tbsp Rose water
• Few rose petals
• Almonds and cashew nuts finely chopped
• Few whole almonds for Garnishing

Method:

• Wash and cut the top and bottom of Bottle gourd; peel off the skin and grate it.
• Heat ghee in heavy bottom pan; add first crushed green cardamoms, when it starts changing its color add grated Bottle gourd and fry on medium heat till it is soft.
• Add warm milk and allow it to boil. Stir in chopped almonds and cashew nuts. Keep on stirring till the mixture becomes thick.
• Turn off the heat and add cardamom powder, rose water and saffron.
• Garnish with almonds, cardamom powder and rose petals.
• Serve chilled.

Do You Know:
Kheer is the most common dessert among the Indians prepared at the time of all the major festivals and celebrations.
Traditionally kheer is made with either rice or vermicelli boiled with milk and sugar; but variations are there and you can make kheer, using ingredients like ghiya, kaddu, apple, carrot, sweet potato etc., with different flavors like apricot, mango, fig, saffron and custard apple etc.
The term Kheer (used in Northern India) is derived from Sanskrit word 'Ksheer' (which means milk).

Chana Dal Palak (Split Bengal Gram with Spinach)

Chopped seasoned spinach is folded in cooked Chana dal (split Bengal gram).

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Chana dal, washed
• 1 bunch fresh spinach
• 1 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp ginger grated
• 1 tsp garlic chopped
• 3- 4 green chilies, chopped
• 1 medium tomato chopped
• 1 tbsp cooking oil
• Salt to taste

Seasoning:

• 4-5 cloves
• ½” cinnamon stick
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tbsp ghee
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• ½ tsp mustard seeds

Garnishing:

• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp chat masala (available in Indian grocery stores)
• 1 tbsp cilantro leaves chopped

Method:

• Clean spinach, remove stems and chop it fine.
• Thoroughly wash the Chana dal and put into a pressure cooker. Add 3 cups of water to it. Add all ingredients (except spinach). Stir well.
• Cover the pressure cooker and set on the stove at a high flame. After the first pressure release, reduce the flame to simmer and cook for two more pressure release or cook it till the dal is soft. Turn off the fire and open the pressure cooker when it is cool.
• Stir it well; add some warm water if dal is too thick.
• Heat ghee in a pan. Add bay leaf, cloves, cinnamon, cumin and mustard seeds and fry till spluttering stops. Quickly add chopped spinach and fry for 2-3 minutes.
• Add dal and fold the spinach in it gently. Cook until all the spinach is blended in with the dal.
• Remove from heat and add lemon juice, chat masala and chopped cilantro.
• Garnish with little ‘tadka’ (ghee with little red chili powder).
• Serve with Roti (Indian flat bread ) or rice.

Do You Know?
Bengal gram is also known as Black Chickpea, from which Chana dal and Besan (chickpea flour) are made.
Bengal gram is very rich in proteins and fiber. It has very low glycemic index which makes it suitable for people with blood sugar problems.

Tamaate Ka Kut (Hyderabadi Tomato Curry)

This particular curry is an accompaniment to Biryani or Baghara Khana or Khubooli.

I have here simplified traditional recipe of making Tomato Ka Kut.
It is very simple to cook; it can be made anytime and can be eaten with plain rice also.

Ingredients:

• 10 medium red and ripe Tomatoes, washed and quartered
• 2 tbsp Besan/Gram Flour
• 2 tsp Ginger Garlic paste
• 2 tsp Red Chili Powder
• 1 tsp Dry Roasted Coriander Seed Powder
• 1 tsp Dry Roasted Cumin Powder
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp Fresh Cilantro finely chopped
• 2 tbsp Fresh Mint finely chopped
• 4 Hard boiled Eggs
• 2 tbsp Tamarind pulp (soak in 1 cup water for 1/2 hr and remove seeds)
• ½ tsp Fenugreek seeds (methi)
• 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
• 1 tsp Mustard seeds
• 2 Dried Red Chilies each split into two
• 7-8 Curry Leaves
• 4 tbsp Cooking oil

Method:

• Put the quartered tomato pieces in a large non-stick saucepan on medium low heat.
• Add a cup of water to it, and cover with the lid. Let it cook till the tomatoes are mushy and soft. Keep giving it a stir every once in a while.
• Let it cool. Once cooled, pour into a blender container and add the gram flour.
• Blend till pureed. Strain this mixture through a wire mesh strainer back into the saucepan. Throw away the left over seeds and skin in the strainer.
• Add 3 cups water to it and let it cook on simmer.
• Heat 4 tbsp oil into a small frying pan at medium heat and add the fenugreek seeds, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, whole red chilies, and curry leaves. As they start to splutter, add ginger garlic paste and fry for 2 minutes.
• Now remove from heat and add this to the Sauce being cooked in the saucepan.
• Add the cumin and coriander seed powder, red chili powder, tamarind pulp and salt to the sauce and mix well.
• Bring it to a boil, and let it cook at medium low heat until the raw aroma of gram flour is gone. You can add a little water to it if required. Pour it into a serving bowl.
• Cut boiled eggs into pieces and add these to the tomato sauce before serving.
• Garnish with chopped cilantro and mint.
• Serve it with Biryani or Baghara Khana and Dahi Ki Chutney.

Do You Know?

Bagara Khana is a rice delicacy prepared in Hyderabad, India. The long grain rice, along with spices and green chilies, is used to prepare Bagara Khana.

The side dish for it can be either Bagara Baigan or Dalcha.
The dish makes up for the vegetarians who miss out on the Hyderabadi Biryani.

Kaleji Seenkhs (Goat Liver Kebabs)

This simple dish can be made ahead of time and grilled quickly when you're ready to eat. It makes a great appetizer.

Ingredients:

• 20 Fresh Kaleji (Goat Liver) pieces cut into cubes
• 8-10 Raspberries or cherry tomatoes
• 3 medium onions (scale leaves separated and cut into 1" square pieces)
• 3 large capsicum cut into 1” square pieces
• 3-4 medium hard red tomatoes cut into 1”square pieces
• 1 cup yogurt
• 1 tsp garlic paste
• 1 tsp ginger paste
• 1 tbsp green chili paste
• ½ tsp red chili powder
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• Salt to taste
• 1 tbsp cooking oil
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

Method:

• Mix the yogurt with the chili powder, turmeric powder, green chili paste, ginger paste, garlic paste and salt. Whisk to get a smooth paste.
• Add the cubes of Kaleji (Liver) to this paste and coat well. Allow marinating for 4-5 hours.
• In a non-stick pan add 1 tbsp of oil and add only marinated Kaleji pieces (without marinade). Cook covered till Kaleji pieces are almost tender.
• On wooden barbecue skewers, alternate cubes of Kaleji with the onion squares, tomato squares and green bell peppers squares in a combination of your choice.
• Use raspberries or cherry tomatoes for the tips of the barbecue skewers.
• Grill on a barbecue or in the oven until the vegetables are soft as per your liking. I like crunchy half cooked vegetables.
• Garnish with lemon juice and serve.

Do You Know?
Animal livers are rich in iron and Vitamin A.
Cod liver oil is commonly used as a dietary supplement.

Kanji Vaday Ki

It is not only a tasty drink but also a digestive. It is usually prepared during Holi festival. During this season the vadas are fermented well and give a tangy taste.

Ingredients:

For Vadas:

• 1 cup Urad dal (Split Skinned Black Gram)
• Salt as per taste
• Oil for deep-frying

For Kanji:

• 2 tsp mustard powder
• 2 tsp red chili powder
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 2 pinch of asafetida
• 1½ liters of water boiled and cooled
• 1 earthen pot (if not available take any other clay pot)

Method

For Vada:

• Wash and soak dal for 4-5 hours.
• Grind to a smooth thick paste with minimum water.
• Add salt and a pinch of asafetida. Whisk the mixture to make it fluffy.
• Heat oil in a frying pan and make dumplings of the size of ping-pong balls.
• Fry till golden brown on medium heat.
• Drain and keep aside.

For Kanji:

• Heat griddle and put a pinch of hing on it.
• Take an earthenware pot, wash it nicely. As soon as the hing starts emitting aroma (smoke), turn the pot upside down on the griddle to soak up the smell.
• There is another method of smoke seasoning- Take a glowing charcoal and put a pinch of hing on it, as soon as the hing starts emitting smoke, put it in the earthen pot. Close it by a lid.
• After 10 minutes take out the charcoal and fill the pot with water and mix mustard powder, salt, turmeric powder and chili powder. Mix well.
• Put the vadas in water. Cover the earthen pot with muslin cloth and tie it.
• Keep the covered pot in sun for 3-4 days. When it tastes sour it is ready to be served.
• Serve the vadas with the kanji.

Note:

Earthen pot provides typical flavor to Kanji. But if it is not available, you can take any other clay pot, which is used to make pickles.
The aroma of asafetida produced by Smoke seasoning is imbibed by the pot, which enhances the taste and flavor of Kanji.

Do you know?

Asafetida is used in Indian cuisines, mainly in vegetarian curries or lentil dishes.
It is a very powerful seasoning; use only a pinch, the tiniest quantities, at one time; otherwise, it has a bitter aftertaste. Asafetida is extremely unpleasant if tasted on its own.
Asafoetida has certain medicinal uses and most commonly is used as a digestive aid. It is reputed to lessen flatulence. It is also said to be helpful in cases of asthma and bronchitis.
In Thailand and even in some parts of India, it is used to aid baby’s digestion and is smeared on the child's stomach.