Puran Poli

Puran Poli step by step instructions:

Puran poli is a Marathi delicacy. The puran is prepared from chana dal (split yellow gram) and jaggery as its main ingredient. The poli can be prepared from wheat flour, all-purpose flour (maida) or even rice flour.
In Gujarat the puran is prepared from toor dal.

Puran poli is easy to prepare. The method of preparation is similar to that of making stuffed parathas. So in just one or two tries you will accomplish the perfect puran polis.

The first time I had the puran poli at one of my friend’s house in Mumbai. She is a Marathi and undoubtedly she had prepared the best puran poli. At first I wondered how to eat a plain paratha with ghee but after having a bite of it I realized that it tastes wonderful with ghee. Other accompaniments to it can be curd, aloo ki rasedar sabji, etc.

Let us start cooking!!!

Ingredients:
For the puran (stuffing)
Chana dal: ½ cup (washed and soaked for an hour)
Jaggery: ¼ cup + 1 tbsp
Cardamom: 4 (skin removed and powdered)
Saffron: few strands (powdered)
Dried ginger powder (Saunth): 1 tsp
Nutmeg (Jaiphal): ¼ tsp  (powdered)
Mace (Javitri): an inch (powdered)
Fennel seeds powder (saunf): 1-2 tsp
Ghee: 2 tbsp
For the poli (dough)
Whole wheat flour: 1 cup
Water: ½ cup less 1 tbsp
Ghee: 1 tbsp
Salt: 1 tsp
Ghee for making the puran polis

Method:
1. Wash the soaked dal again and pressure cook for 4-5 whistles with half cup of water.

2. Meanwhile, knead dough. Take whole wheat flour, salt and ghee on a plate and mix well. Add water and knead into soft dough. Cover and keep aside for half an hour.

3. When the pressure releases, strain the dal. Do not throw the water as it can be used to make dals or you can knead dough from it.

4. In a pan heat ghee. Add Cardamom, Saffron, Dried ginger powder, Nutmeg, Mace, Fennel seeds powder. Roast for a few seconds.

5. Add strained chana dal and jaggery. Cook for 12-13 minutes (or until the mixture have turned dry) stirring occasionally. Try to mash the dal while stirring.

6. Take out on a plate and let it cool. If big pieces of dal are there then mash those with the help of a potato masher.

7. Make small balls from the dough.
8. Take one ball of dough and roll it a little.

9. Place 2 tbsp of puran upon it and fold the rolled dough and pinch it tight from the center.

10. Flatten it with the help of your hands.

11. Dust some flour and roll the dough into a circle.

12. Heat tawa and apply ghee over it.
13. Put the puran poli on it and let cook from one side for a minute. Flip it and let it cook. Apply ghee on both the sides.

14. Delicious Puran Poli is ready.

15. Serve it hot with ghee.

Tips:
1. The cooking time of dal varies as per the time of soaking the dal.
2. I made the poli from whole wheat flour. You can take maida, or atta+maida or any ratio of your choice.
3. Do not overcook the dal. It should not be very mushy.
4. You can replace jaggery with sugar.
5. The jaggery should be grated before use.

See you soon with a new recipe till then Happy Cooking!!!

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Rajasthani Masala Makkai Bati

Masala Makkai atta baati step by step instructions:

Rajasthan is famous for dal bati. I know many of you must have had whole wheat dal baati at least once. But have you ever tried masala bati made out of makkai atta? If not, then you must try it at least once. You will start loving batis even more.

Papad khar is an important ingredient of makkai bati just like it is important for making papad. Adding papad khar makes the bati flaky.

You can check my dal bati and sweet corn masala bati.

Let us start cooking!!!

Ingredients:
Makkai Atta (Maize flour): 2 cups
Red chili powder: 1 tbsp
Papad Khar: 1 tbsp
Water: 1 ¾ cup
Cumin seeds: ½ tbp
Carom seeds (ajwain): 1 tbsp
Asafetida: 2 pinches
Salt as per taste
Cooking Oil as required

Method:
1. In a big plate mix together makkai atta, asafetida, salt, papad khar, cumin seeds, and ajwain.

2. Add water and knead semi-soft dough. Cover it and keep aside for half hour.
3. Divide the dough into 8 equal parts.
4. Make smooth balls and flatten them. Press a little bit in the center.

5. In a big kadai boil water. Put the prepared batis into the water and let them boil on medium flame for about 10-12 minutes stirring occasionally.

6. Take them out on a plate.

7. Heat bati oven or tandoor.
8. Keep the batis inside the oven and cover the oven.
9. Let the batis cook for 40-42 minutes on medium to high flame. Check the batis during cooking and flip them when cooked from one side.
10. Take out the batis. Break the batis slightly from the center.

11. Put oil in the batis.
12. Perfect “Rajasthani Masala Bati” is ready.
13. Serve hot with oil, curd, green chutney.

Tips:
1. Do not overcook the batis in water. The bati will not be flaky.
2. If the batis are cooked on low flame, the outer crust of batis will be soft and not crisp.
3. While cooking the batis in water make sure you stir properly as they tend to stick to the kadai base.

See you soon with a new recipe till then Happy Cooking!!!

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Moong Dal Khasta Kachori

Khasta Kachori step by step instructions:

Moong dal kachori is one among my favorite dish. A number of stuffings can be prepared for kachori like aloo ki kachori, pyaaz ki kachori, matar kachori and the list just continues.

I always add some gram flour to the dal as the dal tends to quickly absorb water and make the stuffing dry. If the stuffing is wet then it will be very difficult for you to make the kachoris.

We are often scared to make kachoris because they tend to burst in the oil. But if you follow my below-mentioned steps I am sure you will get the kachoris first time right.

Let us start cooking!!!

Ingredients:
For stuffing
Moong Dal: 1 cup (washed and drained)
Water: 2 cups
Cooking oil: 4 tbsp
Asafoetida: a pinch
Mustard seeds: ½ tsp
Cumin seeds: 1 tsp
Black peppercorns: 16-18 (crushed)
Cloves: 6-7 (crushed)
Fennel seeds powder: 2 tsp
Gram flour (besan): 2 tbsp
Red chili powder: 4 tsp
Coriander powder: 4 tsp
Turmeric Powder: 1 tsp
Salt as per taste

For kachori covering
Maida (All purpose flour): 2 cup
Water: 3/4 cup
Cooking Oil: 3-4 tbsp
Salt as per taste

For frying:
Cooking oil as required

Method:
For covering:
1. Mix together maida, oil, and salt.

2. The mixture should resemble that of bread crumbs.

3. Now slowly add water and knead into semi-soft dough.
4. Cover with a wet muslin cloth and keep aside.
5. Take one tablespoon of maida in a bowl and add 2 tablespoons of water to it. Mix well. Make sure no lumps remain. Keep aside.

For stuffing:
1. Take dal in a pan and add water. Boil it. Let it cook until it gets done or for around 13-15 minutes.

2. In another pan heat oil.
3. Add asafetida and mustard seeds.
4. Let the seeds crackle. Add cumin seeds, crushed black peppercorns and cloves, fennel seeds powder, coriander powder, red chili powder, turmeric powder, salt, and gram flour. Mix well.

5. Add the cooked dal to it and give a gentle mix to it.

6. Let it get cooked for other 4-5 minutes. The stuffing for kachori is ready. Let it cool.

To make kachoris
1. Make equal sized balls from the dough. I usually make 2-3 cm diameter balls.

2. Similarly, make small balls from the stuffing.
3. Take one dough ball and roll it.

4. Take the stuffing ball and keep it in the center of the rolled ball.

5. Fold it from all the sides and press firmly. Evenly roll it once with the help of your fingertips.

6. Now roll it once with the rolling pin and apply a layer of the liquid maida mixture which we prepared above. This technique guarantees that the kachoris won’t slit open while frying. The kachori is ready to be fried.

7. Heat oil in a pan. The oil should be moderately hot. Put the kachori inside the oil. Let it cook for a few seconds and then gently flip it. You will see the kachoris puffing up. This time, let it cook for few minutes and then again flip it.

8. The kachoris are done when they change their color to light brown. Always cook the kachoris on slow flame.
9. Hot kachoris are ready.
10. Serve with tamarind chutney, green chutney or make kachori chaat by adding asafetida water, curd, tamarind chutney, green chutney, pomegranate seeds, red chili powder, and cumin seeds powder.

Tips:
1. I did not soak the dal. If you have soaked dal then the water quantity and time of cooking will change accordingly.
2. While cooking the dal do not stir it too much.
3. You can add finely chopped coriander leaves for taste.
4. Make sure the stuffing is completely before making the kachoris.
5. Do not over stuff the kachoris otherwise, they will burst while frying.
6. Do not add too much oil while kneading maida, otherwise, the kachori will absorb too much oil while frying.
7. If you prepare all the kachori and then fry them at a later time, this technique will also result in oily kachoris. So in this case you can semi fry the kachoris and then fry them completely when required.

See you soon with a new recipe till then Happy Cooking!!!

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