sakarpara

SAKARPARA

 

 

1 cup white flour

1/3 cup  milk

1/4 cup sugar

2 table spoons ghee

 

 

 

in a large bowl combine flour and ghee mix together . In a sauce pan mix  sugar and milk , let it simmer till the sugar dissolves . Turn the heat off and let it cool. Pour the milk over the flour   and knead into stiff dough, divide into 2 equal balls and roll each ball in to big circle  cut into diamond shapes .Deep fry on medium heat  till becomes golden color on both sides. Drain on the kitchen towel and cool completely. Store in an air tight container.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

KHICHI PAPDI

 

Khichi papdi

I am posting this a bit late but I still want to share with you my recipe for one of the most popular food items in our household and one that is always present when I cook the full Kathiawadi meal or the Gujarati thali of dal, bhat, shak, rotli, pickles. I am talking about the papad, poppadum or papdi and more importantly the khichi ni papdi.  Khichi is a rice flour based steamed dough and once steamed this dough can be eaten as is or rolled into papdi, sundried and then roasted or fried.

 

In Tanzania at my inlaws place, the Vithlani household, papdi making was an annual event.  In the summer my MIL and my sister in law Manjubhabhi would wake up early, finish all the daily household tasks and then set up to make the khichi.  This was made in vast quantities (by the 15kg measures each day).  My MIL would get the water to a rolling boil on the jiko (coal fired cooker) and then add to it the various spices and the flour.  Our household help would then help stir this dough for 30 or so minutes before it is put in a steamer for the final bit of cooking.  Once the steamed dough is ready, it would be divided into small portions ready to roll into papdi. They  would then arrange sheets of cloth on the floor onto which they would dry the rolled out papdi.  Sometimes the neighbours, Anilaben Unadkat, Lataben and Manglaben Rajani who lived in the same building would join in bringing their rolling pins and boards and rolling the papad. Even children would be involved in taking the papdi onto a rolling pin then laying it flat on the sheets for drying.  Those ladies worked harminuously together for several mornings in the week.  Around 11am the menfolk would come to eat the fresh warm khichi with oil, salt and chilli powder. My MIL would have accounted for this in her dough measurements.

There is a knack to roll this papdi to a very thin disc and my sister in law Manju Bhabhi taught me how to do this.  She has the patience of a saint and made it rather easy to learn.  She used to have us roll the dough between two oiled sheets of food grade clear plastic so the papdi could be stretched real thin. Having said this, my arms would ache with all that rolling.  Once the papdi are dry, my MIL would take a dry cloth, wipe them and store them in some of the biggest containers (about 4foot deep). All these papdi would be used throughout the year.

In Charleston, I don’t make an annual supply but I do make sufficient quantity to last a few months as Manu prefers Khichi papdi to the readily available urad papad.  In the same way as in Mwanza, we all enjoy the khichi dough and I often steam the dough just for snacks and not for making papdi.  My recipe is very simple and has been passed down to me. I think it is one of the best papdi recipe and I urge you to try it.

 

2 cup rice flour

5 cup water

2 tea spoon salt ( heaped)

3 tea spoon kharo

pinch baking powder

2 tablespoon sabudana  ( soak over night)

1/2 tea spoon asafoetida

2 tea spoon cumin seeds

1 tea spoon sesame seeds

4 tea spoon red and green chili paste ( according to  your taste)

 

In a large pot put water ,add all above ingredients  except chilies and boil the water. Turn the heat  on a low flame ,add chilies and rice flour mix well and turn the heat  off. Grease the sieve ( chaini) put all the khichi in the chaini and steam the khichi for 45 minutes.When its cooked,mix khichi until nice and  smooth. (Can also mix in the kitchen aid mixture.)Make small goina,cover them and roll.if the chichi gets cold can warm in a microvawe for approx. 30 sec. Let them dry in the sun.

 

Bharelu ringna nu shak.

Bharelu ringna bateta nu shak

 

 

5 Aborgine

3 potato

2 tab sp dhana jeeru

2 tea sp salt

1/2 tea sp turmeric powder

1 1/2 tea sp chili powder

1 table spoon pea nuts( ground)

1 table spoon pawwa ( soak in water and squeeze out all the water)

1 tab sp oil

1/2 tea sp sugar

hand full cilantro

1 big tomato finely chopped

soak pawwa for few min and squeeze all the water add all above masala and mix well……………………except tomatoes.

 

 

for tempering

3 tab sp oil

1/2 tea sp mustard seeds

pinch asafetida

Wash and clean potato and aborigine, slit from the center stuff the mixture into potato & aborigine.  keep on the side. Heat the oil in a pan,add mustard seeds and asafoetida when it stars to splutter place stuffed potatoes in the pan and stir gently.cover the lid  turn the  heat on low and simmer  for about 5 couple minutes  Add aubergine and sprinkle  the remaining masala ,stir to combine  and cover the lid stirring occasionally till its done.Garnish with cilantro.

 

 

Enjoy typical Gujrati meal!! Garma garam masale daar bhojan.

 

 

 

 

 

Jai ho!!

FALUDA.

 

Jai ho!!! We are partying it up in celebration of 15th August, Bhaarat’s Independence Day so I figured ke dessert in colours of the tri-ranga “to banta hai boss”. To all our non Indian friends, India celebrates its independence day today and I made a tri-color falooda to honour this occasion. Happy Independence day doston!

 

           

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gynura spinach

Spinach

 

This attractive Gynura leaves make a delicious salads or can be cooked like spinach but don’t overcook it as can get a slimy texture.

 

 

4 cups spinach ( finely chopped)

2table spoon oil

1/2 tea spoon mustard seeds

pinch asafetida

1 tea spoon salt

1/2 tea spoon turmeric owder

1 tea spoon chili powder

1 tea spoon garlic paste

2 tomatoes ( grated)

 

Heat the oil in a pan, add mustard seeds when they start to crackle add asafetida then add cut spinach mix well add all the ingredients including grated tomatoes cover the lid and let it cook for about 5 minutes stirring occasionally until done.

 

 

 

 

This spinach is my new  favorite vegetable. Can eat with rice or rotis .Enjoy!

 

 

 

coconut rice

                                                                                                            COCONUT RICE

 A few days a go I made some coconut rice but East African style. This is something we really enjoy in our household, in fact we have a love for most things coconut. This rice has beautiful aroma that will transport you to those gorgeous beaches of Tanzania. It goes well with “nariyel wari bharazi”  ( pigeon peas)  cooked in coconut milk. Do try this rice, its amazingly delicious.

 

 

 

2 cups rice

4 cups coconut milk

1 1/2 tea spoon salt

 

Wash the rice and soak for about 15 minutes. Drain the water from the rice put in the saucepan, add the coconut milk and the salt.Bring to boil and turn the heat to low and cover the pan with the lid. Cook the rice until its done and the coconut milk is evaporated.