Friday, March 29, 2013

Fried, Spicy Dhokla


Dhokla, in short, is the pride of the Gujarati culture in the western regions of India. It is a snack that is relished by people all across the country. This is made with shredded cabbage, grated cauliflower, crushed Dhokla and a few spices. It is an easy to make Gujarati dish, that takes up just 10-15 minutes of your time and produces a mouth watering taste that captures the interest of all the people. It has a rich yellow color, with a thick texture. The best part about Dhokla is that it can be eaten for breakfast, as a main course, as a side dish or even as a snack!
Ingredients for 4 servings of Dhokla:
·         Dhokla, 250 grams
·         1 small finely shredded Cabbage,
·         1 Cauliflower
·         2 tablespoons of Oil       
·         4-5 dried red chilies
·         Asafetida, 1/4th teaspoon
·         1 teaspoon of Mustard seeds    
·         1 tablespoon, split black gram skinless (dhuli urad dal)
·         1/2 teaspoon of Carom seeds   
·         6-8 Curry leaves
·         1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder           
·         Salt, to taste
·         1 tablespoon of lemon juice       
Preparation:
·         The oil is heated in a frying pan. The red chilies are cut into 4 pieces and the seeds are removed.
·         Asafetida, mustard seeds, urad dal, carom seeds, curry leaves and red chilies are added to the pan and they are mixed well.
·         The cauliflower and cabbage pieces are then added to the pan and mixed. This is followed by turmeric powder and salt. This is allowed to cook for 5-7 minutes, under covered conditions.
·         The Dhokla is crushed and added to the pan. This needs to be mixed well.
·         Add lemon juice to taste.
This is then served hot and enjoyed with friends and family, alike. Dhokla has been cherished for years and has been passed down the generations, as one of the most traditional Gujarati dishes. It has an easy preparation and requires just a few ingredients to create a mouth watering dish! Dhokla has a lot of carbohydrates and proteins. However, one should refrain from regular consumption if there is an excessive level of cholesterol in the body. This contains a lot of fat. Occasional consumption of Dhokla however does not create any issues in the body.
This ecstasy from Gujarat has been made popular all across the country!


Bhatura


Bhatura is a fluffy fried bread from the food loving states of Northern India! It is one of the most favorite mouth watering dishes in the country. It is eaten mostly with chickpea, curry or chole. When it is accompanied with chole, the preparation is called chole bhature. It can be enjoyed as an evening snack or even as an appetizer. It is recognized in all the Indian states as one of the most conventional Indian dishes.
Ingredients for the preparation of 12 servings of Bhatura are given below:
·         500 grams of refined flour or Maida
·         1 teaspoon of baking powder
·         ½ cup of yogurt
·         3 medium sized sweet potato, boiled and mashed
·         2 tablespoons of milk
·         Salt to taste
·         Oil for deep frying
Procedure for preparation:
·         Add refined flour, baking powder, whisked yogurt, sweet potatoes, milk, salt and oil in a dish. This is mixed well enough to form a dough. This is set aside for 4 hours.
·         After the dough rises to double its initial size, it is divided into equal portions of small balls. Each ball is rolled into small discs sized round shaped structures called puris.
·         The oil is heated in a kadai or deep frying pan and each puri is deep fried, till it becomes golden brown.
·         It is removed onto an absorbent paper to drain out the excess oil.
These deep fried puris are then served with chole. A salad comprising of onion rings and tomato slices gels well with this combined dish. A non fried variant of the same preparation is called the ‘kulcha’. A kulcha is prepared by baking or cooking the puris on a flat pan, along with coriander leaves. It is essentially a part of Punjabi cuisine, but is enjoyed as a specialty by most of India.
Bhatura is a very nutritive preparation in India. It is a rich source of proteins, carbohydrates and fat. Each serving contains 15 grams of proteins, 10% Vitamin A, 17% Vitamin C, 9% calcium and 30% iron. It is a simple preparation with flour and proves to be very nutritious for your health.
It can be consumed by people of all ages, anyone who has a knack for Indian dishes. The oil content should be made as less as possible for people with high cholesterol levels, or with heart issues. In general, this dish is best consumed occasionally, and not regularly, keeping in mind the cholesterol content.


Thursday, March 28, 2013

Bedmi: A Rajshtani Puri


Bedmi
Bedmi is a traditional Rajasthani poori which is prepared by kneading dough containing refined flour, ground urad dal or moong dal and some spices. This delicacy is generally relished by the Delhi heights and is available in every corner of the city.
This rajasthani poori should be perfectly fried until it is inflated and acquires a reddish-brown color. The texture of the poori should be crispy, so then only the traditional delicacy can be enjoyed. It should be served hot with a wide range of pickles, sauces, chutneys and sweet dishes. Mostly, this bedmi poori is best accompanied with aloo ki sabji or with any vegetable sabji.
The perfect way to enjoy this cuisine is at breakfast time with hot jalebis. It is a fast food which is less time consuming and easy to prepare. Especially, children enjoy eating bedmi. It is said to be a dish for everyone, but should be consumed occasionally. 
Ingredients:
The key ingredients required for preparing 6 servings of this traditional Rajasthani cuisine are:
  1. 250 grams refined flour
  2. 75 grams semolina
  3. 75 grams urad dal or moong dal
  4. ½ teaspoon garam masala
  5. ¼ teaspoon coriander powder
  6. ¼ teaspoon red chili powder
  7. Oil for deep frying
  8. Salt to taste
Method of preparing Bedmi Poori
  1. The first and the vital step of preparing this recipe is to grind urad dal or Moong dal, coriander powder, red chili powder and garam masala.
  2. In a mixing bowl, the prepared paste is added in the refined flour. Even, oil is added to the refined flour.
  3. After the oil is added, semolina should also be integrated and mixed thoroughly to prepare dough.
  4. The dough is prepared by kneading the mixture with water. After the dough is done, small balls are equally divided.
  5. These small balls are flattened in a circular shape with the help of a roller and then are deep fried in a shallow pan. The bedmi should be fried until the poori blows up and turns light golden.
  6. Before serving, the Bedmi should be kept on paper towels so that excess oil can be soaked. It should be generally served hot with side dishes.
    This Rajasthani cuisine is a rich source of carbohydrates (refined flour), proteins (moong or urad dal), and fats (oil). It is a food for all, but it should be consumed in lesser amounts due to its oil content as it is deep fried. This may cause harm to people suffering from cholesterol, obesity and heart disorders.