Chana Masala Snack

Ingredients

1. Bengalgram dal – 1 Cup

2. Peanuts – 1/3 Cup

3. Chilli powder – 1 Teaspoon

4. Turmeric powder – 1/2 Teaspoon

5. Pepper powder – 1/2 Teaspoon

6. Black salt powder – 1/4 Teaspoon

7. Curry leaves – A few

Method

1.     Wash and soak Bengalgram/chana dal in water over night. Drain and dry it for about an hour on a dry cloth or in a colander shaking every now and then. While soaking, I usually place a spoonful of saunf packed in a cloth along with the soaking chana dal. The saunf seeds enhance the crispiness of the dal and lend a special aroma.

2.    Dry roast curry leaves in a skillet till crispy, but make sure it does not change colour. When cooled, crush/powder a few curry leaves.

3.    Place a skillet with one cup cooking oil on medium flame. When hot, place a holed-spatula in it and fry the soaked chana dal in spatula till crispy. Repeat the process in batches for the remaining dal too. Adjusting the flame of your burner to ensure that the dal isn’t over-fried/burnt. Transfer to a colander to allow excess oil to drain out.

4.    In the same oil and spatula, fry peanuts too till crispy and transfer it to the same colander.

5.    Transfer fried chana dal, peanuts to a skillet and add chilli powder, turmeric powder, white pepper powder, black salt powder, salt and few roasted curry leaves and and curry leaves powder from step-2 to it. Fry over simmering flame and stir for a few seconds. Enjoy with with upma, bhel or even as a snack by itself !

6.    Transfer it to an air tight container – it will remain fresh and crispy for more than a week.

Makhane Paag

by Nishamadhulika

Ingredients for Makhane ka Pag

·         Makhane - 100 gms.

·         Ghee - 200 gms.

·         Sugar - 500 gms.

·         Milk - 1 table spoon.

Method 

Cut Makhane into four parts. Take a pan and heat ghee into it. Fry the makahne, till they turn light pink in colour. Fry all the Makhane in the same manner.

Take a pan and grease it with ghee.

To make sweet syrup (chashni) take sugar and 1/3 water of the quantity of sugar. Boil it till the sugar dissolves completely, and then add milk into it. You will see a brown colour foam forming at the top of the pan, take it out with the help of a ladle. Prepare a 3 string syrup. 3 string syrup is extremely thick and freezes instantly on the spoon.

Now add fried makhane into the syrup and stir it continuously with the ladle. Put this mixture into the greased pan. Within half n hour the mixture will settle down.

Makhane Pag is ready. Break the makhane into small pieces and store it in an air-tight container. Makhane Pag can be stored in the refrigerator for 20 days. Take it out from the refrigerator and eat it whenever you like.

Bhakarwadi

from Nishamadhulika

Ingredients for Bhakarwadi

Ingredients to knead the flour

·         Gram flour - 100 gms. (1/2 cup)

·         Maida - 100 gms. (1/2 cup)

·         Oil - 50 gms. (1/4 cup)

·         Salt - 1/2 tea spoon.

·         Turmeric powder - 1/4 tea spoon.

·         Carom seeds - 1/2 tea spoon.

·         Oil - to fry

Ingredients to make the filler.

·         Sesame - 1 table spoon.

·         Coconut - 1 table spoon. (grated)

·         Khaskhas - 1/2 table spoon.

·         Ginger powder - 1/2 tea spoon.

·         Red chilli powder - 1/4 tea spoon.

·         Garam masala - 1/2 tea spoon.

·         Cumin seeds - 1 tea spoon.

·         Coriander powder - 1 tea spoon.

·         Salt - 3/4 tea spoon (or according to the taste)

·         Sugar powder - 2 tea spoon (or according to the taste)

·         Coriander leaves - 1 table spoon (chopped)

·         Imli water or lemon juice - 1 table spoon.

Method - How to make Bhakarwadi

Sieve the maida and gram flour in a bowl. Put salt, turmeric powder, carom seeds and oil into the flour. Mix the ingredients well and knead the flour. Make sure that the flour is hard and tight. Cover the dough and leave it for half an hour.

How to prepare the filling for the Bhakarwadi. Tamper the sesame and khaskhas in a small pan. Roast them well and then add grated coconut to it, roast it also. Put the roasted masala into the mixture and grind it. Take out all the spices in a plate and mix them well and divide it into 4 parts.

Press the dough with hands and divide it into 4 parts making 4 round balls of each. Now take one ball and roll it like a chapati into a flat disc of 8-9 inches. apply imli water over the roll and put 1 part of the masala on it. Spread the masala evenly and start folding it into a roll. Stick the corners with the help of little water.

Cut the roll into pieces of 1/2 inch and keep them on a plate. Prepare the other rolls in the same manner and cut them into pieces.

Heat oil in a pan and put the cut pieces into it. Put as many as you can in one go. Fry the pieces on medium or low flame until they turn brown. Now take them out on a plate ans fry rest of the pieces in the same manner.

Ingredients:
All Purpose Flour/Maida - 1 cup
Chickpea Flour/Gram Flour/Besan - 1/4 cup
Turmeric/Haldi - 1/4 tsp
Cayenne Pepper/Red Chilli Powder - 1/2 tsp
Cumin/Jeera Powder - 1/2 tsp
Oil - 2 tbsp

Cilantro/Coriander Leaves/Kothimbir - about 3/4 cup
Shev - 2 tsp
Dessicated (Dry) Coconut/Sukka Khobra - 2 tsp
Sesame Seeds/Til - 1 tsp
Poppy Seeds/Khuskhus - 1 tsp
Fennel Seeds/Badishep/Saunf - 1 tsp
Ginger/Ala/Adrak - 1 tsp
Green Chillies - 1 tsp
Chat Masala - 1/2 tsp
Sugar - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/4 tsp

Salt
Oil for deep frying

How to prepare Bakarwadi:
Preparing Dough:

• In a mixing bowl, add all purpose flour, chickpea flour, turmeric, cayenne pepper, cumin powder and salt.  Mix well.
• Heat 2 tbsp oil in a small pan.  Add this extremely hot oil to the mixing bowl.  Mix all the ingredients well with a spoon.  When it turns cool enough to handle, add lukewarm water, little at a time and knead to form a firm dough.  Cover the bowl with food wrap and let it rest for about 30 minutes.

Preparing Stuffing:

• Pat the washed cilantro leaves dry.  I used about half a bunch of cilantro leaves and I added tender stems too.
• Heat a pan and dry roast sesame seeds, poppy seeds and fennel seeds.  Roast at low flame until it turns aromatic.  Keep them aside.  In the same pan, roast dry coconut at low flame until it turns slightly brown.  Let the roasted ingredients cool.
• In a dry blender jar, add the roasted ingredients, cilantro leaves, ginger, green chillies, chat masala, salt, sugar and shev.  I used Batata/Potato Shev.  Blend all the ingredients to a coarse powder. 
• Taste this stuffing and add more sugar, chat masala to suit your taste.  I used Chat Masala for a slight tanginess.  You can use Aamchur/Mango Powder or tamarind/imli/chinch as well.

• Knead the dough well again and divide it into 3 round balls.  Apply few drops of oil and roll each one evenly, as thin as a chapati.
• Spread 1/3 rd of the stuffing evenly on the rolled chapati.  Roll it as tightly as possible.  Slightly press the stuffed roll, so that the stuffing sticks to the dough.  Cut off the edges where there is no stuffing.  Using a sharp knife, cut the roll into about one inch pieces.
• Deep fry them in medium hot oil until they turn golden brown and crisp.  After cooling completely, the rolls will turn more crisp.
• Repeat the same for the other 2 dough balls.
• Totally, you'll get around about 25 pieces.

Enjoy crunchy munchy Bakarwadi fresh or store them in an airtight container after cooling completely.

Ingredients

• Wheat flour 120 Gram 
• Coriander leaves100 Gram, chopped
• Grated coconut100 Gram 
• Gram flour240 Gram 
• Poppy seeds60 Gram 
• Sesame seeds60 Gram 
• Sugar1 Pinch 
• SaltTo Taste 
• Oil2 Cup (32 tbs) (For frying) 
• Asafoetida1 Pinch 
• Black masala powder1 Teaspoon 
• Red chilli powder1 Teaspoon 
• Tamarind1 Small (soaked in lillte water)

Mix together Gram Flour and Wheat Flour. Add salt, asafoetida, 60 ml hot oil and enough water to it.
Knead it to a stiff dough and keep it aside. Roast the grated coconut, sesame seeds and poppy seeds and
grind them to a powder. Add sugar,salt,red chilli powder,finely chopped coriander leaves to the masala powder to prepare the filling for bhakarwadi.
Add tamarind pulp and black masala powder and mix well. Divide the dough into small portions and roll each portion into a thin rectangular shaped chappati.
Now spread the filling all over the chappati and roll up the dough with the filling into a tight cylindrical shape. Seal the edges with a little water. Cut it into 3 cm long pieces and deep fry in hot oil till they are brown and crisp. Remove them from oil and store them in a airtight container.

Shakkarpare

from NishaMadhulika

Shakarpare coated with sugar are very delicious, these can be prepared for any festival or occasion or any other time you want and have them whenever you crave for something time.

-  Ingredients for Sweet Shakarpara

·         Flour(maida) - 200 grams (2 cup)

·         Ghee - 50 grams (1/4 cup) to put in flour

·         Sugar - 200 grams (1 cup)

·         Ghee - for frying

- How to make Suger Coated Shakarpara

Filter the flour and keep in any utensil, put Ghee in it and mix the flour properly with your hand.

Knead a hard dough(little more hard than Puri dough) using water. Cover the dough and keep aside for 20 minutes allowing it to ferment.

Break the dough into 2 pieces. Take 1 piece and roll it into a ball then flatten it with a rolling pin into a 1/4 cm thick Puri that is 10-11 inches in diameter. Cut this Puri with a knife leaving 1/2 inch gaps, similarly cut from the other side making square shape Shakarpare's. Also roll the other piece and cut Puri into desired shapes of Shakarpare.

Put Ghee in a frying pan(kadhai), put as many Shakarpare that can fit in hot Ghee. Fry these till they turn brown on all sides and take them out. Always fry Shakarpare on a low flame. Similarly fry the remaining Shakarpare.

- How to make Chashni

Put sugar in a pan then add 1/2 cup water to it, place pan on the gas to boil. Cook Chashni till sugar is dissolved completely. Pour 1 drop of Chashni in a bowl, try sticking it between your thumb and index finger. A thread like substance should be visible when the 2 fingers are separated. Prepare Chashni with 2 threads then turn off the gas.

Put the fried Shakarpare in this Chashni and mix rigourously with a spoon till the Shakarpare are coated all over with Chashni. Then allow Shakarpare to cool off properly. Fill them in an air-tight container and have these Sugar coated Shakarpare whenever you want to for 2 months..!!

Focaccia

Recipe source: divyascookbook.com

Ingredients

• • Sugar - 1 tsp
  • Warm water - 1/2 cup
  • Active dry yeast - 1 tbsp
  • Flour - 3 cups
  • Wheat Gluten - 3 tbsp(optional)
  • Salt - 1 tsp
  • Dried Parsley - 1/2 tsp
  • Dried rosemary - 1/2 tsp 
  • Dried basil - 1/2 tsp
  • Olive oil - 2 tbsp
  • Lukewarm water - 3/4 cup
  
  
  For the topping
  • Olive oil - 2 tbsp
  • Basil,Parsley,Thyme to taste
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  
  
  
  
  Method
  
  
  In a liquid measuring cup dissolve the sugar in the warm water. 
  
  
  
  
  Sprinkle the yeast over top and let it stand for 8 – 10 minutes until it's foamy. Meanwhile in a food processor with a dough blade combine the flour, gluten,salt,parsley,rosemary,basil and oil.Give a quick whir for 10-15 seconds to combine the dry ingredients.
  
  
  Stir the foamy yeast to dissolve it and blend it into the flour mixture through the feed tube.While the machine is running gradually add the lukewarm water then mix it until the dough gathers in a solid mass around the blades. 
  
  
  
  
  Let the machine knead the dough 30 – 40 seconds longer then turn it onto a floured surface to knead it by hand another 1 – 2 minutes until the dough is smooth and elastic.
  Place the dough in a large greased bowl turning it to ensure all surfaces are greased. Cover it with plastic wrap and let it rise undisturbed for 1 – 1 1/2 hours until it's doubled in size.
  
  
  
  
  Once it's doubled punch it down then transfer it to a parchment lined baking sheet. Pat it into a large rectangle about 1/2 inch thick. Cover it with a damp dish towel and let it rise another 45 minutes until it's doubled again. 
  
  
  Poke your fingers into the surface of the dough to give it a dimpled appearance then brush the top with the garlic oil. Sprinkle your desired amount of herbs, salt and pepper. 
  
  
  Let it rise uncovered for a few more moments while the oven is preheating to 375 degrees. Bake it for 25 – 30 minutes until the top is crisp and golden brown. Let it cool slightly before slicing it into manageable pieces.
  
  
  
  

Singhade ki barfi 2

Ingredients 

1/2 Cup Waterchestnut (Shingoda) Flour
2 Tbsp Ghee
1/2 Cup Mava (Khoya)
3/4 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup Water
1/2 Tsp Cardamom (Elaichi) Powder 

Method:

Stir-fry atta in ghee in a heavy pan, over low flame, to a light pink. 

Transfer immediately to another vessel. 

Stir-fry the khoya in in pan till it becomes of uniform consistency and looks a bit fried. 

Mix the atta and elaichi and leave to cool. 

Make syrup with water and sugar, till syrup forms a soft ball on dropping into a plate of cold water. 

Remove pan from flame. 

Mix immediately into cooled khoya mixture, stirring vigorously and quickly, to blend well. 

Transfer onto greased plate, pat to level and leave to cool. 

When cool and set, cut into pieces, using a sharp knife. 

Arrange on a serving dish and serve.

Singhade ki barfi

Ingredients

1/2 Cup MilkPowder/ Khoya

3/4 Cup Powdered Sugar

1/2 cup Singhara flour (Water chestnut flour)

3-4 Tbsp Ghee

1/4 Cup Milk

1/2 Tsp Cardamom Powder

Method

1. Stir-fry flour in ghee in a heavy pan to a light pink color over low flame.

2. Next stir in milk powder / khoya and roast it too for a while along with the flour.

3. Now add the powdered sugar and milk and mix it well. Also mix in cardamom powder. Let the mixture get cooked completely. When the mixture starts to leave the sides of the pan that is when it is completely cooked. The mixture will look brownish in colour.

4. Transfer the mixture into the greased tray. Level it, decorate it with chopped cashewnuts/almonds.

5. When cool and set, cut into pieces, using a sharp knife.The Barfi is ready to serve.