Sattu Ka Paratha

Sattu is Bihar's staple food. It is a high energy giving food. Sattu means roasted gram flour. Either black gram or bengal gram is baked/roasted and then ground to prepare Sattu Flour. Sattu is easily available in all stores. In summer Sattu is mixed a glass of water and people drink it to get the cooling effect. It is a cooling agent which gives respite from heat waves. Sattu is also used to make Litti - recipe would be uploaded in ensuing blogs. Today am writing about famous Sattu ka Paratha which is best had with Tamatar ka Chokha or pickle.


INGREDIENTS -


For the filling -

Sattu ka atta (Roasted Chana flour) - 1 cup
Onion - 1 Large chopped
Green Chillies - 3/4 chopped finely
Garlic - 4/5 flakes chopped finely
Ginger - 1 inch piece chopped finely
Coriander leaves - 2 tblspn chopped finely
Onion Seeds (Kalaunji) - 1 tspn
Carom Seeds (Ajwain) - 1 tspn
Salt - to taste
Fresh Lime Juice - 1 tspn
Pickle (Achaar Masala) - 1 tblspn
Water - as required


For the Covering/dough-

Whole wheat flour - 2 cups
Salt - to taste
Carom Seeds (Ajwain) - 1/2 tspn
Roasted Flax Seeds (teesi) - 1/2 tspn
Onion Seeds (Kalonji) - 1/2 tspn
Coriander chopped - 1 tspn
Water - for kneading dough


METHOD-


For the filling -
In a bowl mix all the ingredients under filling and mix well. Add 3-4 tblspns water, to make it a wet filling. The water acts as a binding agent.


For the Dough -


Mix all the ingredients under the "dough" and prepare a dough. Rest it for 15-20 mins.


For the Paratha-

1. Take a little dough and using roller pin make a small chapati.
2. Prepare a small chapati of about 3 inch diameter.
3. Put 2 tblspns filling in it.
4. Close the chapati to form a small ball.
5. Using the rolling pin prepare a paratha.
6. Heat a non stick tawa/griddle
7. Place the paratha on the pan.
8. Turn sides when done.
9. Smear some ghee on both sides.
10. When brown specs appear means the paratha is done.
11. Cut in to quarter and serve hot.

Chana Dal Paratha with tamatar ki chutney and khatta meetha kaddu

Dal or legumes form the main part of an Indian meal. The protein requirements are fulfilled mainly through dal. Serving the dal day in and day out gets kind of boring hence I thought of a different way to present dal to the family. This dish is called Chana dal paratha as chana dal/Bengal Gram is the main ingredient used here. This is basically a Bihari cusine. Chana dal is widely used in Bihar. This dish can be had for breakfast or can be even packed for lunch. The accompaniments are the curd (plain yoghurt), Tamatar ki chutney (Tomato relish) and Khatta Meetha Kaddu (Sweet and Sour Pumpkin).

Ingredients for Chana Dal Paratha

Chana Dal - Soaked for 7-8 hrs and drained

Bay Leaf - 1

Clarified Butter (Ghee) - 1 tblspn

Asafoetida (Hing) - 1/2 tspn

Salt - to taste

Turmeric powder - a little more than 1/2 tspn

Cumin (Jeera) whole - 1 1/2 tspn

Fresh coriander chopped - 2 tblspn

Whole wheat flour - 1 cup

Carom Seeds (Ajwain) - a sprinkle

Roasted Flaxseeds (teesi)- a sprinkle

Roasted Sesame Seeds (Til) - a sprinkle

Oil - as required

Water - as required for kneading dough

METHOD for the dal-filling:-

1. 
   
   Heat ghee in a pressure cooker.
2. 
   
   Add to it asafoetida, bay leaf and cumin seeds.
3. 
   
   After 30 seconds add the chana dal.
4. 
   
   Add to it turmeric powder and salt.
5. 
   
   Add just enough water to cover up the dal.
6. 
   
   Pressure cook for 15-20 minutes.
7. 
   
   When cooled remove the bay leaf.
8. 
   
   Mash the dal lightly, leaving one-third dal as whole.

METHOD for the Dough -

1. Take the flour in a flat cornered plate.
2. Put the sprinkle of flaxseeds, carom seeds and sesame seeds in the flour.
3. Add to it salt to taste and finely chopped coriander leaves.
4. Put a tspn of oil.
5. Knead using water- a firm dough.

METHOD for the Dal-Paratha -

1. Form a round ball (tennis ball size) out of a part of the dough.
2. Flatten it and make a cup shape (katori).
3. Put 2 tblspn filling in it seal it.
4. With the help of rolling pin prepare a (roundel) paratha.
5. Using dry flour roll it to approx 5-6 inch diameter.
6. Place this on a hot griddle.
7. When brown specs start appearing turn sides.
8. When slightly browned smear little oil or ghee.
9. Turn side and again smear oil or ghee.
10. When lightly browned put it on the chopping board.
11. Cut into four to form four triangles.
12. Serve hot with tomato relish and sweet n sour pumpkin

Ingredients for Tamatar ki chutney (Tomato relish)

Ripe tomatoes -  4-5

Fresh coriander leaves chopped - 2 tblspn

Oil - a little less than 1/2 tspn

Methi Seeds (Fenugreek whole)- a pinch

Kalonji  (Onion seeds whole) - a pinch

Green Chillies chopped - 2 tblspn

Gud (Jaggery) grated - 4-5 tblspn

Amchoor - (Dry Mango Powder) - a little more than 1/2 tspn

Sugar - 1 pinch

Salt - to taste

Method

1. Heat oil.
2. Add to it the fenugreek seeds and onion seeds.
3. Add to it tomatoes and chillies.
4. Add salt to taste.
5. Put 2 tblspn water, cover and let it cook.
6. When tomatoes turn soft and mushy add jaggery , sugar and dry mango powder.
7. Mix well. Cook for 5 mins on low flame.
8. Transfer into serving dish and garnish with coriander.

INGREDIENTS for Khatta Meetha Kaddu (Sweet and sour Pumpkin)

Pumpkin - 250 gm peeled and diced.

Pumpkin - 125 gms diced with the peel.

Fenugreek Seeds - 1/2 tspn

Ghee - 1/2 tblspn

Asafoetida- 1 tblspn

Sugar - 1 tblspn

Dry Mango Powder - 1/2 tspn

Garam Masala Powder - 1/2 tspn

Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tspn

Salt -to taste

Chopped Coriander - for garnish

METHOD -

1. 
   
   Heat Ghee.
2. 
   
   Add to it asafoetida
3. 
   
   Put in the fenugreek seeds.
4. 
   
   Add to it both the pumpkins.
5. 
   
   Mix well. Add turmeric and salt.
6. 
   
   Put 1/2 cup water, cover and cook till pumpkin is done.
7. 
   
   If required you can add more water.
8. 
   
   Add sugar and dry mango powder and mix well.
9. 
   
   Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes.
10. 
    
    Serve hot garnished with coriander.

Pink Beetroot Puri's

Each morning my kids have tiffin issues, mam wants all children to have a healthy snack in the tiffin-box. Kids and healthy stuff are like opposite poles. So I thought the best way to make them eat their nutrients/veggies is to camouflage them. Beetroot is one vegetable which kids would never want to eat but the colour pink has such a magnetic effect that the kids are definitely attracted if anything edible is colourful especially "pink". Beetroot has folic acid, iron, calcium, Vitamin "A' and 'C' and because of its high fibre content helps to keep bowel movement regular. Preparing a variety of dishes for the kid's tiffin is a mind boggling issue. So in order to get the nutritional benefits and something appealing to eyes as well, I thought to prepare beetroot puris seasoned with salt, Flaxseeds (known as 'Teesi'  or 'Alsi' in Hindi) which is a rich source of Omega Fatty - 3 Acids and Carom Seeds (Ajwain) - aids in digestion.

INGREDIENTS -

Beetroot -2 medium sized

Wheat Flour - 1 cup

Salt - to taste

Oil - 1 tbsp + oil for frying

Carom Seeds  - 1/2 tspn

Flaxseeds - 1/2 tsp

METHOD -

Wash the beetroot nicely and cut into 4 pieces.

Put this in pressure cooker and add about 30 ml water and pressure cook up to 2 whistles.

When cooled make a puree of the beetroots without water in a food processor.

Do not throw away the water.

Mix together the wheat flour, oil (1tbsp), carom seeds, flax seeds and salt.

To this add the beetroot puree and knead a hard dough.

Do not add the puree at one go. Puree has to be added little by little as required.

You can use the left over water if the puree is not enough for the dough.

Cover with a damp muslin cloth and leave it for 15 minutes.

The dough would look like the picture below:

Heat oil in kadhai for deep frying the puri's.

Apply little oil to the roller pin so that the dough does not get glued to it.

Prepare small balls.

With the help of rolling pin make small sized puri's.

Slowly leave the puri's in hot oil, fry for a minute and when they are done turn the side. When puffed remove with the help of a slotted spoon leaving maximum fat as possible.

Keep them on an absorbent paper.

Serve hot or pack them in the tiffin with "Parwal Aloo Dum".