FARARI ONDHWO

FARARI ONDHWO

In India and for Indians round the world, fasting is a common practice.  There is always some festival which requires fasting.  Some people fast on certain days of the week.

Fasting takes a whole new meaning during certain festivals.  It does not mean completely abstaining from food.  It just means not eating certain types of foods (mainly grain, rice, meat, fish, egg, garlic, onions, chives etc). During the fasting period, Indians can consume Falahar – Fal means fruit.  As it happens, falahar is not strictly restricted to fruits or nuts but there is an awesome range of ingredients that are considered falahari (or acceptable for fasting).  I sometimes wonder if we give a whole new meaning to fasting…It should be called “gorging” or pigging out on starchy carbohydrate laden yummy foods.  Fasting days for my family do not strengthen our will power to keep away from the daily daal bhat but it provides a welcome change and the opportunity to indulge in some terribly mouth watering food.

My friend Trusha who lives in UK sent me this recipe for falahari Ondhwo a baked dish made from samo seed rice, a kind of wild grass seed.  The samo seeds are also known as Morio seeds.  So here is my friend’s recipe for falahari ondhwo.  I hope that you try to make this easy yet spicy and tangy baked dish.

1 cup samo

1/2 cup yogurt

1 cup grated dudhi

1 small potato (small cubes)

1 tea sp salt

1 tea sp ginger

2 tea sp crushed chili

pinch eno (fruit salt)

1 tea sp oil

for tempering

1 tab sp oil

1/2 tea sp jeeru

2/3 curry leaves

1 tab sp seasame seed sprinkle on the ondhwa before backing

bake for appx 30 min.

soak samo in yogurt over night. Churn little, Combine samo ,dudhi,potatoes,Ginger paste,chili paste,oil,salt and eno in a bowl and mix well. Heat more oil in a pot,add jeeru and curry leaves pour the better in the pot,sprinkle seasame seeds on top and bake in the preheated oven .

KHAJLI

KHAJLI

This is a snack that can be either sweet or savoury or a subtle combination of both as I tend to make.  The layers of buttery soft light pastry that melt in the mouth make the khajli incredibly moreish.    Dunked in a cup of tea this mouthwatering pastry is simply irresistible.  This version is fairly easy to prepare as opposed to the traditional flaky type of Khajli that is generally available at the desi sweetmarts.

2 cups white flour

1 tea sp salt

4 tab sp butter

5 tab sp custard powder

4 tab sp ghee

1/2 cup water

Oil for deep frying

Mix custard powder and ghee together to form a slurry that will be used to coat the rolled out dough.  This is what creates the flaky spiral layers in the khajli.

Bind the flour ,first mix butter, salt and water to make pliable dough.

All you have to do now is, divide it into several pieces and then roll out each portion into a thin flat disc.  You then brush the ghee and custard powder slurry onto one disc, place another rolled disc on top of the previously ghee coated disc and apply more slurry to the second disc.  Continue layering of the rolled out dough and slurry and then roll the layered discs into a tight swiss roll/sausage.  Divide this roll into small equal pieces by slicing through with a knife and roll each portion out into a very thin disc.  You will see the layers of pastry swirling about gently.  Once you have rolled out all the portions, you can start to deep fry these until golden brown.

MIX DAAL

MIX DAAL

This is a healthy soupy dal that is easy to make and goes well with roti or parathas. In our house, it is generally eaten with white parathas.  The daal is gently infused with garlic, ginger and spices including cinnamon and garam masala.    In Inda this daal would be laced with pure ghee but I have opted for sunflower oil instead.  The daal can be as mild or as spicy as one likes but it is best served piping hot.

1 cup mix daal

chora daal

chana daal

moong daal

tuwer daal

Mix all daal and 2 to 3 hrs

1 stick cinnamon

2/3 clove

1 tea sp garlic

1 tea sp ginger

1 tea sp chili paste

1 1/2 tea sp salt

1/2 tea sp turmeric powder

1/8 tea sp garam masala

3 tab sp crushed tomatoes

1 onion

1  3/4 cup water

4 tab sp oil

hand full cilantro

Wash and drain water from soaked daal

Put oil in the pressure cooker,  once the oil is hot add cinnamon and clove,add chopped onions. Saute onions when half done (pinkish) add garlic ,ginger and chili paste. Cook stirring often until the onions are golden brown. Add lentils and all the above ingredients and add water.

Naan Khatai

NAAN KHATAI

The Nan Khatai is the Indian version of Scottish shortbread,  It is a delicate melt in the mouth cookie. The dough can be mixed in minutes as it does not call for too much kneading. There are many variations of the Nan Khatai and one can use nuts, spices such as elaichi and saffon etc and even if you are not a confident baker, this Nan Khatai is easy to make.. almost baby steps to cookie baking.

In Dar-es-Salaam, our Ismaeli neighours used to bake these for Eid and special events at the Jamat Khanna.  My love for this crumbly cookie stems from tasting the wonderful creations that she often rushed round to our home, urging us to try some variation this versatile cookie.  I have to say, I was and still am fascinated by the colorful dots that adorn the Nan Khatai.  To me, the dot makes the cookie that little bit more special (and somehow tastes better too…)

2 cups wheat flour

1 cup white flour

1 cup oil

2 sticks butter (melted)

1/2 cup dried coconut

1/2 cup nuts (chopped)

1 cup sugar

melt the butter,add oil in the melted butter,add sugar and combine all toghter.Add flour mix well.Dived in to appx 60 balls. Pre heat the oven and back for appx 15 min.