for the love of Authentic food
As soon as I mentioned about my blog to my friend, she told me about her mother in law who was a passionate cook and no sooner I was invited to taste her amazing Gujrati delights.
I have never tasted these delights before and I was looking forward to our little cooking demo.
The first was Bajra no Khato Lot . Also known as Khichu , this is a very traditonal village breakfast which can be prepared very easily and can be made with jowar(milo), bajra (millet)or makki(corn).
Then came the Patuda made of Handvo ka atta (mix of tur daal, channa daal , urad , green moong daal, rice). This flour can be easily bought from Indian grocery stores.(it is available at Al Adil supermarket, Dubai).It is another gujrati snack that is easy and quick to make and can be savoured at any meal.
Next was the Handvo . This was my favourite! Its a traditional Gurjati savoury cake , a nutritious meal served with green chutney and butter milk.
And last but not the least was the Muthiya. " Muthi " means fist in Hindi and Gujrati and is called thus because it is made into cylindrical rolls using the fist and then steamed .
Bajra no Khato Lot
Handvo and Bajra flours
Ingredients:
2 ½ cups Bajra (millet) flour
3 cups buttermilk, add water to make 3 cups
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp garlic paste
1 tsp green chilles paste
1 tsp cumin seeds, jeera
Salt to taste
To prepare:
1.In a big pot boil the mixture of butter milk and water with ginger, garlic and green chillie paste.
2.After a boil, take out 1 cup and keep aside. In the rest of the boiled buttermilk add the Bajra flour . Don’t stir it . Leave ot for 5-10 minutes on a low flame.
3.Then take it off the gas and stir it with a wooden spoon and add the remaining water to it so that no lumps are formed.
4. Mix very well and again put it on slow flame for 5 minutes or put the pot on a tawa so that it cooks very slowly.
Serve hot with a dollop of ghee.
Boiling the buttermilk
Mixing the khata lot no Bajra
Serve hot with a dollop of ghee
Patuda
Ingredients:
1 cup Handve ka atta (Handvo flour)
3 cups buttermilk, add water to make 3 cups
1 tsp ginger paste
1 tsp garlic paste
Salt to taste
Tempering(Vagar):
1 tsp rai seeds, sarson
1 tsp sesame seeds, til
To prepare:
1. In a big pot boil the mixture of butter milk and water with ginger, garlic and green chillie paste.
2. After a boil, take out 1 cup and keep aside. In the rest of the boiled buttermilk add the Handvo flour . Don’t stir it . Leave it for 5-10 minutes on a low flame.
3.Then take it off the gas and stir it with a wooden spoon and add the remaining water to it so that no lumps are formed.
4. Mix very well and again put it on slow flame for 5 minutes or put the pot on a tawa so that it cooks very slowly.
5. Heat oil , add the rye and sesame seeds . When they crackle add, on top of the Patuda.
Drizzle oil on to and serve hot.
Handvo
Handvo batter
In the pan...
Ingredients
1/4 cup toovar (arhar) dal
1 tbsp urad dal (split black lentils)
1 tbsp green moong dal (split green gram)
1 tbsp chana dal (split bengal gram)
1/2 cup rice (chawal)
1 tbsp whole wheat (gehun) (optional)
Or
1 cup Handvo flour
1/4 cup sour curds (khatta dahi)
3/4 cup grated bottle gourd (doodhi / lauki)
3 tsp oil
2 tsp lemon juice
a pinch of soda bi-carb
1 1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp chilli powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
1 tsp ginger-green chilli paste
salt to taste
1/2 tsp mustard seeds ( rai / sarson)
1/2 tsp sesame seeds (til)
1/2 tsp carom seeds (ajwain)
1/4 tsp asafoetida (hing)
For Serving
green chutney
Butter milk
To Prepare:
1. Clean, wash and soak the dals, rice and whole wheat together in enough water for atleast 4 to 5 hours. Drain and keep aside.Blend the dals, rice and whole wheat in a mixer to a smooth mixture.If using Handvo flour then skip step 1.
2. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, add the curds and mix well. Cover and keep aside to ferment overnight.
3. Add the bottle gourd, 1 tsp oil, lemon juice, soda bi-carb, sugar, chilli powder, turmeric powder, ginger-green chilli paste and salt and mix well. Keep aside.
4. Heat the remaining 2 tsp of oil in a non-stick kadhai and add the mustard seeds.
5. When the seeds crackle, add the sesame seeds, carom seeds and asafoetida and sauté on a medium flame for a few seconds.
6. Pour half the batter evenly to make a thick layer.
7. Cover and cook on a slow flame 9 minutes or till the base turns golden brown in colour and crisp.
8. Lift the handvo gently using 2 large flat spoons and turn it over to the other side.
9. Cover and cook on a slow flame for another 7 minutes or till it turns golden brown in colour.
10. Cool slightly and cut into square pieces.
11. Repeat the steps 7 to 11 to make one more handvo.
Serve immediately.
In the pan...cooking with sesame seeds
Handvo
Muthiya
Mixing the flours and making the dough
Ingredients:
1 ¼ cup semolina, suji
1 cup gramfour, besan
1 cup rice flour
2 tsp ginger, garlic green chill paste
1 tsp carom seeds, ajwain
1 tsp oil, groundnut or any prefered
1 tsp turmeric, haldi
A pinch of bicarbonate of soda
½ cup yoghurt
2 tblsps of cooked rice
1 tblsp of chopped green coriander
Salt to taste
For Tempering:
1 tsp chopped garlic
1 tsp mustard seeds, rai
1 tsp sesame seeds, til
1 tsp carom seeds, ajwain
½ tsp asafoetida, hing
To prepare:
1. Make a dough with all the ingredients as above with water.
2. Make cylindrical rolls and place them in the steamer.
3. Check when done by putting a knife through the roll. It should come out clean.
4. Cool and cut it into pices.
5. Heat oil in a wok and add the ingredients for tempering. When they begin to crackle then add the pieces of Muthiya and sauté for a few minutes.
6. Serve hot.
Tip: You can add vegetables like marrow, fenugreek etc to make it extra nutritious.
Steaming and finally....enjoy the delicious savoury snack!
My Treats..
Unplanned , I got to see how Bajra roti is made on a spectacular unique clay tawa...and generously was gifted one to take home! Very simple dough of Bajra flour, water and salt ...and cooked on the clay tawa.
Home made Semolina ladoo(shaped in a mould)..with a promise to be back to try out her delicious sweets.....
For ref: All italics are either to explain the ingredient or the hindi word that can be used to purchase it in the supermarket