Gol Gappe - Indian Cooking Challenge, May' 2010

Gol Gappe, a popular street snack / chaat is known by different names in different regions, the most popular ones being Panipuri (Western India), Gupchup (Orissa, Jharkhand, Bihar) and Phuchka (West Bengal). It generally comprises of a round & fried crisp puri, filled with a mixture of potato, onion & chickpeas dipped in tamarind water

The name Gol gappe (as known in Northern India) refers to the fact that crisp sphere (Gol) is placed in the mouth and eaten (Gappa) at one time, without biting. Pani means water in Hindi and Puri is the name of a type of Indian bread, prepared by frying dough in oil.

Gol gappes are served in varied ways across different locations. They are dipped in various types of flavoured water, like imli ka pani (tamarind in water), nimbu ka pani (lemon juice in water), pudine ka pani (mint in water) and even khajur ka pani (dates mixed in water) and served by folding a saal leaf in triangular cup sized plate made from dry saal leaves or pre-made small bowl of saal leaves.

Here in Kolkata, Gol gappe it is better known as �Phuchka� and you are sure to have your favourite Phuchkawala in every para / locality.

Phuchka, the very mention of which makes me reminisce my childhood years. I still relish those memories, customers holding the small plate and standing around the phuchkawala�s cart. He starts making one golgappa at a time and serving one to each individual.

He even remembered each customer's preferences & choice like choice of fillings, tamarind water�s consistency, etc. Even now, I don�t know how the phuchkawala kept the count of how many phuchkas were served even during serving an entire crowd.

I still remember, on my way back home from school, how I used to order my Phuchka Kaku to prepare that special filling of boiled potato, sprouts & masalas with extra red chili powder; the crisp phuchkas dipped in an earthern pot of spicy tamarind water (tentul-er jol) and served in a small plate made of saal leaves and finishing in a gulp, heavenly�Even as I am writing, my mouth is drooling with those thoughts�

Moreover it was fun when we were in a group and would compete amongst ourselves who will eat the most number of phuchkas.

Over the years, gol gappe / pani puri / phuchka which was a roadside treat, have found a place in the menu of restaurants, malls and even wedding ceremonies. These days there are several innovative ways of serving them, like in plates and the tamarind water in cups. They are even served with curd, chopped onions with sev sprinkled on top.

Thanks to Srivalli for choosing Golgappa as the Indian Cooking Challenge recipe for May� 2010.
A little effort of preparing Golgappa myself at home was a wonderful and fun experience.

Here is the recipe of Pani Puri / Gol Gappe

For making Gol Gappe

• Sooji / Semolina: 1/2 cup
• Maida / Plain Refined Flour: 1/2 tbsp
• Cooking Soda: 1/2 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Oil for frying

For Spicy Pani / Spicy Water

• Chopped Mint Leaves: 1 1/2 cups
• Chopped Coriander Leaves: 1 tbsp
• Tamarind: 1/3 cup
• Ginger: 1"
• Green Chillies: 4 - 5
• Ground Cumin Seed (roasted): 1 tsp
• Kala Namak/ Black Salt: 1 1/2 tsp
• Salt to taste

For Filling

Potato Filling
Boiled Potato, finely chopped /mashed and mixed with salt and red chilli.

Lentil Filling

• Cooked Kabuli Channa / Peas: 1 cup
• Salt to taste
• Chili powder: 1/2 tsp
• Turmeric powder: � tsp
• Garam masala powder: 1/4 tsp

Cook the channa or peas till tender. Then drain and cook with the masala till aroma comes out.

For Red Tamarind Chutney

• Tamarind: 1 cup
• Jaggery: 1/2 cup
• Sugar: 2 tbsp
• Red chilli powder: 1/2 tsp
• Dry Roasted cumin powder: 1 tsp
• Kali Mirch / Black pepper powder: 1/4 tsp.
• Cloves: 2
• Warm water: 2 cups
• Oil: 1 tsp
• Salt to tast

Method to prepare:

For Gol Gappe / Puri:

1. In a bowl, take semolina, plain flour & cooking soda; add salt and 2 tbsp of oil; mix and knead well to make a stiff dough (A bit stiffer than normal) .
2. Cover it with a wet muslin cloth and let it rest for 15 mins.
3. Pinch out very small balls and roll them into small circles and put the rolled out circles back under the muslin cloth for some time before frying.
4. Heat oil in a thick bottomed pan / kadhai, release the rolled out dough, press the puffed puri a little with the back of a slotted spoon and deep fry the puris till golden brown (If rolled evenly, the puris will puff up as soon as they are released in the oil).
5. Drain oil and take the puris out from the pan / kadhai and put them on kitchen paper towel to get rid of the extra oil.

Notes: Allow the puris to cool properly before storing them in an airtight container or else they will become soggy.

Spicy Tamarind water / Pani

1. Extract pulp from the tamarind. Add mint leaves, coriander, ginger, chillies and dry roasted cumin seed to the tamarind pulp. Add little water and blend to a smooth paste.
2. Add salt and black rock salt to taste. Add water as required. Put it in the fridge to cool down.

Red Tamarind Chutney

1. In a pan, dry roast the cumin seeds and cloves and pound them into a coarse powder.
2. Extract the pulp from tamarind. To the tamarind pulp, add jaggery, sugar, red chilli powder, black pepper powder, roasted powder of cumin & cloves and salt.
3. Put the mixture in a pan and heat for 5 minutes on medium heat. Remove from heat and let it cool down.
4. Add warm water and adjust consistency, if the chutney becomes too thick.
5. Once the chutney cools thoroughly, blend in a blender to form a smooth paste.

Assembling & serving the Golgappe / Pani Puri / Phuchka

1. Poke a small hole in the center of the Gole Gappe and add a little portion of the filling (Remember not to stuff too much, or else the puri may break).
2. Add a little of the red tamarind chutney, dip the golgappa in the spicy water and gulp it down.

Notes: Alternatively you can mix small quantity of tamarind chutney & spicy water and pour over the stuffed puris and gulp down.

I like to experiment with the fillings. The whole idea of preparing this kind of chaat at home is that, you can mix your choice of ingredients or add anything which suits you best.

I used a filling of boiled potatoes & kabuli chana, mixed with chopped coriander leaves, grated coconut and masalas.

I added some home made dhokla, sprinkled chopped onions & sev on top and served with home made curd, spicy tamarind water and red tamarind chutney so that everybody can take their pick.

Enjoy!!!!!!!!

Rasmalai - Indian Cooking Challenge (Apr 2010)

Srivalli selected Rasmalai as our next challenge for the month of April 2010 in Indian Cooking Challenge.

Rasmalai is a delicious dessert consisting of sugary balls of cottage cheese (chhana in Bengali) soaked in sweetened and thickened milk, flavored with cardamom, saffron and garnished with dry fruits. It tastes best, when served chilled.

The original recipe was provided by Lavi. As always, I followed the recipe as stated by Srivalli and the Rasmalai turned out perfect.

Here is the recipe



Ingredients:

• Milk: 3 litres (2 ltr for making paneer and 1 ltr for making rasa / milk syrup)
• Maida (plain flour): 1 tsp
• Vinegar: 3 tbsp
• Water: 5 cups
• Sugar: 16 tbsp (8 for sugar syrup and 8 for rasa / milk syrup)
• Saffron: 3-4 strands
• Pista: 10 finely chopped
• Cardamon, crushed: 2 -3

Method:

1. Boil 2 litres of milk and let it cool thoroughly and rfrigerate the milk for 12 hours. Remove the thick layer of skin formed over the milk the next day (after 12 hours).
2. Boil the milk, when the milk starts to boil, add vinegar. The milk will curdle and paneer will start floating on top and the whey water will stay on the bottom of the vessel. Place a muslin / cotton cloth over a bowl, filter the paneer.
3. Pour 2 cups of water (to remove the sourness of vinegar), tie it well and let it hang for one hour until the paneer is completely drained of whey water.
4. Remove the paneer from the muslin, knead well for 5-10 minutes. Add maida to the paneer and make small balls.
5. In a pressure cooker, add 3 cups of water and sugar, bring it boil, add the paneer balls one by one and close the lid, simmer and let it cook for 15 minutes (until the balls become double in size). Press the paneer balls gently to drain the excess sugar syrup.
6. Prepare the thick and creamy milk syrup by boiling the milk and reducing to half of the original quantity. Add sugar, saffron strands and crushed cardamom to the milk and mix thoroughly.
7. Slowly release the paneer balls to the milk syrup. Pour the rasmalai in a serving bowl, cool and refrigerate. Garnish with pistas and serve chilled.

Sagu Biyyam Murukku / Sago Murukku - ICC for Mar' 2010

Sago /Sabudhana Murukku (a tasty savory snack prepared with sago, rice flour, besan flour and fried gram flour) was chosen by Srivalli for Indian Cooking Challenge for the month of March.

As Sri already challenged us to prepare murukku before, this was a little easy, though I have never prepared murukku with sago before. Stated below is the recipe by Srivalli.

Ingredients

• Rice flour: 2 cups
• Besan flour: 1/2 cup
• Fried gram flour: 1/2 cup
• Sago: 1/2 cup
• Oil: 50 gms
• Salt to taste
• Curd: 50 gms (half of half cup)
• Chilli powder: 1/2 tsp or as per taste
• Oil for frying murukku

Special Utensil: Muruku Achu

Method

1. Soak sago in buttermilk for 3 hrs (please ensure that you soak the sago well or else sago may burst while frying the murukkus).
2. Mix all the flour together, add salt and chilli powder. Heat 50 gms oil and mix to the flour.
3. Gradually add the buttermilk soaked sago and knead to a chapati dough consistency.
4. Heat oil in a kadhai for deep frying. Add the dough in the muruku achu. When the oil is hot, press down the dough directly in the oil as murukus.
5. Cook the murukkus on medium flame. Drain oil and store the murukkus in airtight container.

A few points to remember: Ensure that the sago soaked in buttermilk is soft or else it will burst while frying the murukus and also to cook on medium flame to ensure even cooking.

I didn�t make the usual round shape. The murukkus turned out real crispy, a perfect accompaniment for evening tea / coffee.


A little late in posting due to machine problem....Better late than never...

Plagiarism - Once Again

Another case of plagiarism. As these days, I am not very regular in posting and also cannot check the site regularly. But surely this is not the post I intended to write about. Just today, I happen to update some posts, found a comment left by an anonymous visitor that my post on Calcutta Chicken Roll has been copied in a Pakistani recipe site, pakistanifoodrecipes.com launched on Monday, June 22, 2009.

My post on Calcutta Chicken Roll (post on Mar 8 2009), has been copied verbatim in the site with the post name as Calcutta Kati Roll � Kolkata Chicken Roll

Even the picture has been copied. Though they have carefully erased the mark on the picture, one can still understand that it�s my picture. My site name has been written but no credit / linking has been provided.

After some more browsing, I found 2 more of my posts have been copied:

1. Honey, Lime and Mint Iced Tea as Honey Lime Mint Iced Tea
2. Stuffed Dahi Wada, copied as Stuffed bread dahi baray

The picture of Stuffed Dahi Was even shows my site name. Though in the post, my site name is mentioned but no linking is provided.

I happen to check some more pictures and came across posts copied from Srivalli's site, Cooking 4 all Seasons and another site, Tasty Indian Food.

• Srivalli's Stuffed Aloo Parathas as Aallo ka Parantha
• Kesar Rasgulla from tastyindianfood.com as Zafrani Rasgulla

I have left a message at the site. I have asked them to either credit with my site link or remove these posts altogether.

Some days back Ivy�s work was copied, check her post on Plagiarism.

Fellow bloggers, pl check if any of your posts have been copied in this site.
Hope these people stop copying our work once and for all.

Khasta Kachori, ICC for Jan' 2010

The Indian Cooking Challenge for Jan 2010 is Khasta Kachori, an all time favouroite savoury snack. Srivalli came up with this snack after discussing with Medhaa who suggested to prepare tasty Kachoris and provided authentic recipe combining that of her aunt and Tarla Dalal.

Kachoris are a speciality in Northern and Western India (including Punjab, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Uttar Pradesh), but even then they occupy heart of every Indian. Kachoris are often served with a chutney, made from tamarind, mint / coriander and sometimes accompanied with a curry made of spicy potatoes and chickpeas (chana / chhole)....

Sri stated three different fillings: Moong Dal Filling, Peas Filling and Onion Filling. I prepared kachori with all the filling and all of them were perfect. The dough is same for all the fillings.

You can catch the step by step procedures below. I could manage to take the photos with the green peas filling only...

Recipe:
Resting time for the dough: 1/2 hour - 1 hour approx
Frying time for the Kachoris: 20 mins for each batch approx
Soaking time for the filling: 1 hour approx
Cooking time for the filling: 15 minutes approx
Yields - 15

For the Dough
Ingredients:

• All purpose flour / Maida: 2 cups
• White Oil / Ghee: 1/4 cup
• Salt: 1/2 tsp
• Water for kneading

Method:

1. Mix the flour and salt, add oil / ghee and mix till you get a bread crumbs texture.
2. Slowly add water and knead thoroughly to make a soft and smooth dough. Knead well for about 8 minutes.
3. Cover with a moist cloth and keep aside to rest for atleast half hour (or else it will dry up and not puff up when frying)

Fillings:

Khasta Kachori - Moong Dal Kachori
Ingredients:

• Split Moong Dal (yellow): 1/2 cup
• Cumin Seeds / Jeera: 1 tsp
• Hing / Asafoetida: a pinch
• Curry Leaves, finely chopped: 2 tsp
• Green Chilli & Ginger paste: 1 tsp
• Sauf / Fennel seeds powder: 1 tsp
• Garam Masala: 1/2 tsp
• Red Chilli powder: 1/2 tsp
• Mango powder / Amchur: 1 tsp
• Oil: 1 tsp
• Salt to taste

Method:

1. Wash and Soak dal in water for 1 - 4 hours. Drain water and grind the dal to a coarsely mixture.
2. Heat oil in a pan. Add the hing and cumin seeds. Once the seeds splutter, add the curry leaves and then add the dal.
3. Lower the heat and keep stirring for 5 minutes till the dal stops sticking to the pan.
4. Cook for another 10 minutes on low till the dal turns slightly brown. Add all the masalas.
5. Cook for few minutes till the aroma of the spices hit you. Add Salt.
6. Remove from heat and keep aside to cool.

Special Tips / Notes for the filling:

• The fillings have to be really dry if not when rolling they will ooze out when rolling.
• Adjust the masalas as per your taste.
• If you try to press out using a rolling pin, the filling may come out and make holes in the kachori. So it will have to be just pressed out using your palm.
• Fry the kachoris on medium low to get a crisp outer layer.

Mattar Ki Kachori from Tarla Dalal:
Green Peas filling - Ingredients:

• Green peas, shelled: 2 cups
• Green chillies, chopped: 1 tsp
• Ginger, grated: 1 tsp
• Nigella seeds / Kalonji: 1/2 tsp
• Fennel seeds / Saunf: 2 tsp Bay Leaves: 2
• Red Chilli powder: 1 gtsp
• Garam Masala: 1 tsp
• Coriander leaves finely chopped: 4 tbsp
• Oil: 2
• Salt to taste

Method:

1. Coarsely grind the green peas,green chillies and ginger in a blender without using any water. Keep aside.
2. Heat the oil in a pan,add the nigella seeds, fennel seeds, bay leaves and ground green pea mixture and saute over a very slow flame for 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Add the chilli powder, garam masala, coriander and salt and saute for 2 more minutes.
4. Remove the bay leaves and discard. Divide into 12 equal portions.

Pyaz ki Kachori
Onion filling - Ingredients:

• 2 cups onions, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon nigella seeds (kalonji)
• 2 teaspoons fennel seeds (saunf)
• 2 bay leaves
• 1� teaspoons green chillies, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons Bengal gram flour (besan)
• 2 teaspoons coriander (dhania) powder
• 2 teaspoons chilli powder
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• 3 tablespoons chopped coriander
• 2 tablespoons oil
• Salt to taste

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a pan. Add the nigella seeds, fennel seeds, bay leaves, green chillies and onions and saut� till the onions turn light brown in colour.
2. Add the gram flour, coriander powder, chilli powder, garam masala and salt and saut� for 2 to 3 minutes.
3. Add the chopped coriander and mix well. Remove the bay leaves and discard. Allow the mixture to cool completely. Divide into 12 equal portions and keep aside.
   

Method to make Kachoris:

1. Make a small ball from the dough. Roll out into a 2 inch diameter circle or flatten the ball using your fingers having the center thick and sides little thin. Place about 1.5 tsp of the filling in the center of the rolled dough.
2. Cover the filling with the dough by slowly stretching it over the filling. Seal the ends and remove excess dough. Repeat with all the balls and keep aside for 5 -7 mins.
3. Flatten the balls by lightly pressing it with your palm. Cover and keep aside. Repeat with the remaining dough.
4. Heat oil for deep frying. (The oil should not become smoking hot. Test to see if the temperature is right by dropping a tiny ball of dough and see if it is rising slowly to the top).
5. Drop the kachoris in batches of 3-4 gently into the oil. It should rise up slowly. After they rise up, turn them over. Cook till the side down gets a golden brown color.
6. Turn again and cook the other side till the kachoris are golden brown in color. (The whole process requires 18-20 mins atleast). Remove from fire and soak the excess oil in a tissue paper. Cool and store in an airtight container.
7. Serve with coriander chutney and tamarind chutney. Enjoy!!!!

Penne Pasta with Chicken and Red Pesto Sauce

As I mentioned earlier, my kid loves pasta and I try to search new recipes besides cooking pasta with white sauce and tomato & garlic sauce including pasta salad.

I came across the recipe for pesto and decided to try it out. I combined tomatoes with fresh basil leaves to prepare red pesto sauce.

This is an easy pasta recipe with penne pasta, shredded chicken & red pesto sauce and can be served in the main course with a tossed salad. You can also serve pesto on the pasta of your choice, use it as a dip and you can even serve it over fresh boiled vegetables.

Pesto (a paste of basil, garlic, pine nuts and cheese) is prepared in a marble mortar with a wooden pestle. Fresh basil leaves are washed, dried, placed in the mortar with garlic and coarse salt, and crushed to a creamy consistency. The pine nuts are added and crushed together with grated cheese and olive oil.

This sauce can be kep in a tight jar / air-tight plastic container for later use.

Click here to get the recipe of Penne Pasta with Chicken and Red Pesto Sauce.....

Moong Dal Halwa, ICC Challenge for Dec' 2009

Moong dal ka halwa / Moong daal ka seera is a traditional Rajasthani (Marwari) / North Indian delicacy, made from split yellow lentils (moong dal). It is relished during the winter months and special occasions (Holi and Diwali) including wedding & other celebrations.

I first had this delicious halwa in the afternoon buffets in Angeethi, a terrace restaurant in the style of an authentic North Indian dhaba in Museum Road, off church Street, Bangalore.

As I never had this halwa before, I was curious to know the recipe. After coming back home, I searched my recipe books and found one. I prepared moong dal halwa for the first time and it was simply great though a little calorie laden. (By the time I finished preparing the sweet dish, my right hand was aching from stirring the halwa).

So when Srivalli decided this recipe for ICC � December challenge, I had the opportunity to prepare this halwa once again. She stated 2 recipes, I chose her second recipe (moong dal with milk), though I first sauted / dry roasted the dal (I used a 200 gms cup measure and other ingredients accordingly) & soaked overnight and also used crushed black cardamom while serving.

Both the recipes are stated below:

Moong Dal Halwa
Soaking Time : Overnight
Preparation Time : 15 minutes
Cooking Time : 30 - 45 mins

Recipe with moong dal and milk

Ingredients:

• Split Moong dal (yellow lentils): 1 cup / 200 gms
• Ghee: 1/2 cup
• Sugar: 3/4 cups to 1 cup (as required) / 150-200 gms
• Milk: 1/2 cup
• Cashews / raisins (roasted in ghee) for garnishing

Method:

1. Soak moong dal overnight. Next morning, grind to a paste.
2. Heat a heavy / deep bottomed kadai, take only 1/2 of the ghee and heat it.
3. Add the dal and stir continuously (ensure that no lumps are formed as the dal cooks really fast, irrespective of the ghee).
4. Keep the heat at the lowest and keep stirring even after the dal becomes thick.
5. Add the rest of the ghee intermittently, cook the dal until aromatic and the ghee starts oozing out.
6. Meanwhile mix the sugar with water/ milk in a pan and bring to a boil. Add this slowly to the cooking dal.
7. Keep the fire low at all times and break lumps if formed while adding the sugar and water / milk mix.
8. Cook until the ghee surfaces. Garnish with cashews and raisins.

Recipe with moong dal and khoya

Ingredients:

• Split (Yellow) Moong dal: 1 cup
• Sugar: 3/4 cup - 1 cup (as required)
• Clarified Butter / Ghee: 1/2 cup
• Khoya: 1/2 cup
• Cashew nuts and raisins for garnishing

You can make any quantity with this as long as you keep this ratio constant : equal amounts of dal and sugar, half the ghee and khoya.

Method:

1. Lightly roast the 1 cup of moong dal, wash, soak overnight and be ground to a fine paste adding very little water.
2. Take a thick bottom pan, heat 1/2 cup ghee and fry the moong dal paste till it turns brownish and releases the ghee. Add sugar and khoya.
3. Stir fry until both the sugar and khoya are well absorbed. Turn off the heat, then mix in cashew nuts and raisins.

Also special thank you wish to Lathaji and Simran�s Mom for the recipe inputs.

Notes :

1. Use a thick bottom pan /nonstick pan.
2. Don't leave the halwa unattended. The dal can stick to the pan and get burnt, keep stirring continuously to prevent dhal from sticking irrespective of the ghee added. (The halwa will thicken as it cools).
3. Cook until ghee surfaces on the sides and the halwa attains a very nice shine.
4. Initially, it may appear that all the ghee is being used up. But as the dal cooks the ghee separates. So the ghee measure is sufficient.
5. In both recipes depending on how you got the moong dal paste, you may require slightly more ghee to get the texture.