Spicy(tikhat) Shankarpali November 3, 2007

Ingredients

Wheat flour – 1 cup
Maida/all purpose flour – 1/4 cup
red chilli powder – 2 tsp(or as spicy as u like it)
cummin powder – 1 tsp
salt to taste
oil to fry (I use canola oil)
water to knead

Method:
Mix the wheat flour, maida red chilli powder, cummin powder,salt together. I usually roast up the cummin seeds before making a powder. I used fresh ground cummin powder while making this
Heat up about 4-5 tbsp oil upto smoking point and add to the dry mixture.
Knead with water to form a firm dough. Set aside for 5 min
Heat oil for frying.
Roll out round chapatis of the dough. I don’t use any flour for dusting while rolling it out.
Cut small squares. Deep fry in oil till the squares puff up and are golden brown.
The squares might seem a little soft while fishing out from the oil, but crisp up once they are a little cooled down.
Enjoy with tea or as a side

Kopra Pak November 3, 2007

Its almost diwali and I miss making sweets with my mom every year. This is how my mom makes kopra pak.

Grated Coconut(fresh/frozen) – 1 cup
sugar – 1/2 cup
milk – 3-4 tbsp
cardamom powder
pistachios to garnish

Method:
Mix the coconut, milk and sugar in a bowl and keep it aside for 2-3 hours
Heat a deep vessel and add the above mixture.
Heat it up and stir on low heat till the sugar dissolves and the mixture comes together in a slight lump.
Line a baking tray with ghee and spread the above mixture(as thick as you like it)
Allow to cool, make square cuts when the mixture is slightly cool
YUMM…dig in

Pumpkin Puri November 3, 2007

All the pumpkins around during the beautiful autumn remind me of the sweet pumpkin puris my mom used to make. I remember I never liked pumpkin before my mom made these for me. I couldn’t believe they were made of pumpkin.

Ingredients
Red Pumpkin – 2 cups
wheat flour
Jaggery – 3/4 cup(you can vary this as sweet as you like it)
salt to taste
oil to fry

Method
Pressure cook the red pumpkin and jaggery in a pressure cooker till soft.
Once cooled, mash it up and add wheat flour as much needed to form a firm dough.
Keep aside for 10 min.
Roll out small puris and deep fry.
Enjoy hot or cool with a warm cup of masala tea