Nānkhatāi - Diwali - Pink Saturday

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...All of today's pictures are linked to Diwali, the Hindu holiday that celebrates the return of Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity. The holiday is much like our Christmas with odd bits of Independence Day and Halloween thrown in. Please understand, I mean no disrespect. Lanterns are lit, families gather and gifts are exchanged during this joyous celebration of light. Firecrackers are used to frighten away evil spirits that might threaten the return of the goddess and children go door to door seeking a reward for the entertainment they provide. The cookie, called a Nānkhatāi, is an eggless shortbread that has a sandy texture. It is sold during the holiday by street vendors who specialize in sweetmeats and other treats. The pigeon is another story. The bird is not a mutant. He is one of many that have been tinted for Diwali. Why? I'm clueless and have been unable to find anyone who can give me a sensible answer. The design being created on the street outside the fence is called a rangoli and it's meant to welcome visiting deities. It, and thousands like it in other Hindu homes, will be lit at night with myriad small lanterns that will give streets the appearance of being swarmed by fireflies or glow worms. It is quite a sight. While I was able to sample most of the foods associated with Diwali, I missed these cookies and wanted to try them once I returned home. I made them today and I must say I'm not thrilled with the results. The cookie is fine, but, with so much good shortbread around, it merits only a lukewarm review. I decided to post it with reservations because it is a Indian dessert and I wanted to conclude my tour of India with something sweet. I'll let you be the judge of its merits. Here's the recipe.

Nānkhatāis...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Culinary Annonations

Ingredients:
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/2 cup refrigerated ghee (clarified butter) or unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour (maida)
1/2 cup semolina flour (rava)
3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom [or 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg]
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons chopped nuts for topping

Directions:
1) Line a cookie sheet with parchment or wax paper. Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees F.
2) Sift confectioners' sugar into a mixing bowl. Add refrigerated ghee/butter and cream mixture until fluffy. Add vanilla and mix to incorporate.
3) Sift flour, semolina and baking powder into another bowl. Whisk in cardomom. Add flour mixture to creamed mixture in two parts. Once a cookie dough forms, transfer it to a cold working surface and knead a few times. Break dough into 20 equal-sized portions and shape into flattened rounds. Make a thumb impression in center of each and press in a few pieces of nuts.
4) Bake cookies for about 20 to 25 minutes. Check at 20 minute interval to ensure that cookies do not brown or develop any deep color. Be aware that these cookies will crack slightly. That is as it should be. Cool on wire racks. Store airtight. Yield: 18 to 20 cookies.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Semolina and Almond Salwa - eCurry
Gulab Jamun - Phem Fatale
Strawberry Busundi - Food Lyrics
Milk Cake - The Vegetarian Way
Pumpkin Kulfi - Eggless Cooking
Rasmalai - The Inner Gourmet

This post is being linked to:
Pink Saturday, sponsored by Beverly at How Sweet the Sound.

Paratha

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...While we were in India, Bob and I were entertained by three young families who opened their homes and kitchens to us. These were atypical families and the meals we shared with them were those that would be found on the tables of the upper middle class. They were all marvelous hosts and I learned a great deal about the Indian kitchen during visits in their homes. One of our hostesses was a cooking instructor who loved to share her knowledge with other people. She was a woman with a mission. Most visitors to India don't realize that an average Indian homemaker spends at least a third of her day preparing meals for her family. She wanted to help reduce that time by simplifying classic recipes and techniques. The Indian kitchen bears no resemblance to yours or mine. Freshness is of paramount importance, so refrigerators are quite small. Fruits and vegetables are purchased daily from vendors who bring produce to the homes for selection. Meats and dairy products are purchased in the same fashion. That means that the Indian kitchen is also very seasonal. There are no peas if peas are not in season. The kitchens in which the cooking is done are Spartan. The ones I saw did not have built-in ovens or cooktops. Meals were cooked on portable gas burners or in small ovens that were set on countertops. Each of the kitchens had an auxillary table, a running bank of lower cabinets and a large sink. Family meals were always served in the dining room. Our hostesses all had help to assist with cooking and serving when they had guests. The help was generally male, though the children's nannies might be called on to cook treasured family recipes. While members of the family wore shoes, the kitchen help and servers did not. It was an interesting distinction. We quickly learned that curry is a sauce, not a powder and that masala is a combination of spices that can very from one region to another. I personally learned that the breads of India are the glory of its tables. Served hot from the grill, these breads can make grown men weep and put women on perpetual diets. They are really lovely. Today's recipe is for an Indian flatbread called paratha. You may have seen it stuffed. This is a much simpler version of that bread. I hope you'll give it a try.

Paratha...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour + 1/2 cup for dusting
2 cups whole wheat flour
3/4 cup scallion, cut up into 1 inch pieces
3 tablespoons mint leaves
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups warm water
1 tablespoon oil
2 tablespoons ghee for brushing parathas

Directions:
1) Place both flours, scallions, mint leaves red pepper flakes, black pepper and salt in bowl of a food processor. Pulse until mixture is thoroughly mixed and onions and mint are finely chopped. Add warm water through feed tube and pulse until dough gathers into a ball. Remove, knead and rub with oil. Cover and let rest at room temperature several hours before proceeding.
2) Form dough into 12 equal size balls. On a well floured surface, roll dough into a very thin disc. Heat a cast iron griddle or frying pan over medium-high heat and cook paratha until brown spots appear on both sides. Brush with ghee and stack. Serve hot. Yield: 12 pieces.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Puffy, Fluffy Spinach and Green Chili Puris - KO Rasoi
Tandoori Rotis - Healthy and Delicious
Whole Wheat Chapati - Anja's Food 4 Thought
Naan - Closet Cooking
Multi-Grain Roti/Chipati - A2Z Vegetarian Cuisine
Chapatis and Pooris - One Perfect Bite

Aloo Matar Rasedaa - Curried Potatoes and Elephant Safari

Aloo Mater Rasedaa - Curried Potatoes.




They don't get much cuter, but she was a surprise. Her Daddy was a rogue.



This is her teen-age mother.



At home in the jungle.



Conference room.



Kitchen.





Termite Colony.



Tiger



Rhino.


Crocodile.

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The Silver Fox loves nature. I love the Silver Fox. The bit about jungles and safari was buried in the fine print of our marriage contract. I missed it. He didn't. That's how I ended up in the middle of a jungle on the back of an elephant who cared a good deal more about her offspring than me or my welfare. We had signed on for a four day stay at a Nepali eco-lodge, hoping that would be enough time to see at least some on the wildlife the camp was famous for. As luck would have it, we got to see everything our first morning on safari. That was wonderful. Folks can spend years trying to catch glimpses of the tigers or white rhinos in the reserve. We hit a homer our first time at bat. Our good luck, however, meant we had to come up with other plans to fill the time we had left in camp. Four days can be an eternity in a place that has only intermittent electricity and hot water. It does not encourage the reading or writing of the great American novel and bubble baths are not de rigueur. I spent my time in the primitive kitchen and at the elephant camp watching the antics of a two year old who was such a minx you couldn't help but love her. She's now old enough to walk behind her mother on expedition. If she's hungry she nurses and everyone waits till she's had her fill. If she finds a pile of dirt or an especially lush leaf, she'll stop and play. Everybody waits. If they're lucky they'll escape the dirt she blows their way as an invitation to play. It's also interesting to watch the behavior of the other elephants when she is around. If they scent boar or other animals that might be dangerous, they close ranks and form a protective circle around her. When I tire of the elephants, I wander down to the primitive kitchen and watch them prepare meals for 40 or so guests. There are no appliances to speak of. There are 5 cooks who report to head chef who barks orders but also cooks. The six of then produce breakfast and two large buffets every day. The food they cook must be walked uphill to the dining room. When the meals are over, dishes are walked to another facility to be washed and stored away. The arrangement is uniquely inefficient but the job gets done, even in rainy season. Eco-tours are not for everyone, but if you love nature and being outdoors you'd love to spend some time on jungle safari. I glad I did it. Once!

The food prepared in the kitchen at Temple Tiger was, of necessity, easy to make. It lacked refinement, but it was delicious and there was always plenty of it. I especially like their recipe for curried potatoes and peas. It can be served with any meal, but it is a wonderful addition to the Nepali set I've been talking about building. It perfectly fits the curry component of the dish. Here is the recipe.

Aloo Matar Rasedaa - Curried Potatoes and Peas...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
2 pounds baby Yukon Gold potatoes, unpeeled and quartered
2 tablespoon ghee or olive oil
1 medium onion, finely minced
1 teaspoon finely minced ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1-1/2 teaspoon cumin powder
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne or ground red pepper
1 teaspoon cumin seed
1 can (15-oz.) chopped tomatoes, undrained
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/4 teaspoon garam masala

Directions:
1) Boil potatoes in lightly salted water until barely tender, about 10 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2) Heat oil in a large pot. Add onions and ginger and cook until softened. Stir in turmeric, cayenne, cumin powder, coriander and cumin seed and cook until fragrant.
3) Add potatoes to skillet and stir to coat with spices. Add tomatoes and sugar and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Stir in peas and garam masala. Cook 5 minutes longer. Add additional water if sauce becomes too thick. Season with salt to taste. Serve hot. Yield: 4 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Curried Vegetables With Whole Wheat and Couscous - Simply Recipes
Indian Style Curried Vegetables - What's Cookin, Chicago?
Curried Potato and Vegetable Soup - Simply Recipes
Aloo Gobi - No Recipes
Fresh Vegetable Curry - The Whole Life Nutrition Kitchen
Mixed Vegetable Curry - What's Cooking Today

Alu Ki Tikki (Potato Patties) - Kalakho and Camel Caravans

Alu Ki Tikki.















From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...There are two Indias. One is modern and vibrant, the other is mired in poverty and tradition. My first real exposure to the dichotomy came while visiting a farm village outside the town of Kalakho in the state of Rajasthan. The villagers invited us into their homes and the men entertained us with local music and dancing. While much of what we saw was well orchestrated showmanship, the journey to and from local villages gave some insight into what was really happening in these remote areas of the country. We traveled in camel caravans and the slow pace made close observation possible. Despite best efforts by the government, much work still needs to be done. Women here are little more than chattels and a headcount while at a local school confirmed an unintended male bias. Old ways die very hard, yet these people do not seem to be unhappy. Television, with its exposure to undreamed of freedom and material goods, has not reached their villages and they remain a serene and patient people, seemingly lost in another century. I don't know how much longer that can last.

In the midst of all that, we were housed in a lovely resort that overlooked a monsoon lake. Our meals were regular and delicious and I brought several recipes home with me. These potato patties were part of our breakfast buffet each morning. They are a simple mix of seasoned potatoes, combined with peas and spices, that is held together with chickpea or all-purpose flour. Despite their appearance they really are delicious. Here's the recipe.

Alu Ki Tikki...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1 pound potatoes, peeled and cut in 1-inch cubes
2 teaspoons salt
1 bay leaf
1 cup frozen peas, thawed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 red onion, finely diced
1 (1-inch) piece ginger, peeled and finely diced
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon ground turmeric
2 tablespoons chickpea (besan) flour (all-purpose flour can be substituted)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon garam masala
3 tablespoons vegetable oil or a mixture of vegetable oil and ghee

Directions:
1) Cover potatoes with cold water, add salt and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Then turn heat down to a simmer and let cook until soft enough to mash, about 15 minutes or so. Drain potatoes and return to pot.
2) Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a saute pan. Add onions, ginger and pepper flakes. Saute until soft. Add salt, cumin, coriander, turmeric and cook for a few seconds longer.
3) Mash potatoes. Gently fold in peas, onion-spice mixture, chickpea flour and lemon juice.
4) Using a 1/4 cup measures, form into patties.
5) Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet. When hot, add patties and cook until a deep golden brown, turn and continue cooking until reverse side is golden. Remove and drain on several layers of paper toweling. Serve warm or at room temperature with tomato or mint chutney. Yield: 12 to 14 patties.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Aloo Palak - eCurry
Spicy and Seedy Indian Potatoes - Herbivoracious
Chickpea Potato Curry - Simply Recipes
East Indian Potato Chops - Foodista

The Most Memorable Meal in India - Chole at the Missionaries of Charity Orphanage in Agra

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...Tucked behind a gate on Anjmar Road in Agra, is a Missionaries of Charity home. The facility, operated by the order of nuns that Mother Teresa founded, functions as an orphanage and a care facility for the chronic and terminally ill. As I passed through the gate and entered the grounds, I was followed by a young woman who was just completing the first of the ten years required to become a professed member of the community. She was lithe and fair, and her clipped accent indicated she was well-educated and came from a comfortable background. I suspect her task was to see that none of us one wandered into areas where our presence would be intrusive. She, instead, directed us to the right side of the compound and into a room of tiny miracles. Here, in cribs packed back to back, were twenty perfectly formed infants, abandoned, but found before starvation or exposure took their toll. Most of them were sleeping, but here and there you'd find a tiny flirt who'd shyly smile and reach for you. The babies in this room were adoptable and the vagaries of fate would soon take them to homes far from the streets on which they had been found. We passed through a connecting door into another room which told a different tale. Here, the infants and toddlers were dealing with physical or mental limitations that would keep them here until better facilities for their care could be found. Just outside, playing in a courtyard, were healthy children who were too old for adoption. The sisters had assumed responsibility for their education, job training, and, in the case of the girls, the arrangement of suitable marriages when they came of age.

Intent on showing us the others in their care, the young aspirant led us into a shaded courtyard where adult men were having a lunch of Chole and Naan. They were suffering from various mental or physical problems and many were horribly crippled. Off the courtyard was another room for those who were stricken with tuberculosis and AIDS. They were bedridden and obviously very ill. The young woman explained there was no money for the medicine that could effectively treat these men. They were languishing, waiting for a death that would not come quickly. Until it did, the sisters and their volunteers provided as much care and love as they possibly could to ease the final days of these men's existence.

Across the courtyard was a compound for the women that included a small cell-like structure that held some of them under lock and key. They had severe mental problems and the newer arrivals looked malnourished and had open wounds from scratching lice from their scalps and skin. The, soon to be, novice was now walking by my side and I asked how she was able to do this day after day. She smiled, took both my hands in hers and led me back to the children's quarters. There was a quotation hanging on the wall she wanted me to read. I'll share the last few lines of it with you. "I asked Jesus how much He loved me. He answered 'this much.' Then He stretched out His arms and died for me." She asked if I understood. I nodded yes and hugged her.

Today's Recipe

Chole is a North Indian chick pea dish. The base is a tomato gravy to which chick peas are added. Canned chick peas are used in this recipe. Like most Indian curries, spices can be adjusted so the dish is spicy or mild depending on your taste. This recipe will makes a Chole that's on the milder side.

Chole...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
3 tablespoons vegetable oil or ghee
1 pinch asafetida powder (optional)
1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1 medium sized onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium sized tomatoes, diced
1 teaspoon tomato paste
2 (15-oz.) cans chick peas, drained
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 to 2 teaspoons salt, depending on taste
1/4 teaspoon finely minced ginger
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground red chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin powder
1/4 teaspoon teaspoon garam masala
1 cup water

Directions:
1) Heat oil or ghee in a large saucepan. Add cumin seeds and cook until sizzling and seeds begin to turn brown. Add asafetida powder, if using. Asafetida is a gum resin that has a strong onion flavor. Stir in turmeric.
2) Add onions and sauté until golden brown. Add garlic and stir until fragrant.
3) Stir in tomatoes and simmer on medium heat until tomatoes have melted and mixture is fairly uniform. Add 1 teaspoon of tomato paste and mix.
4) Stir in chick peas. Add salt, ginger. chili powder, coriander, cumin powder, garam masala and sugar. Mix thoroughly.
5) Add 1 cup of water. Simmer for 20 minutes with pot partially covered. Serve hot with rice,naan or roti. Yield: 4 to 5 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Channa (Chole) Masala - Kitchen Gypsies
YRTML: Punjabi Chole - Siri's Corner
Spicy Chole - Niya's World
Chole/Chana Masala - Enriching Your Kid
Chole Masala - Weird Combinations
Teri Wale Chole(Curried Chickpeas) - Annarasa - Essence of Flavor

This post is being linked to:
Smiling Sally - Blue Monday

Indian Traffic and Rules of the Road

Bad.



Badder.



Baddest.

All cities have unique identifiers. Those of Beijing include waves of surging bicycles and no memory of Saigon would be complete without a recollection of cable webs that crisscross streets in spider-like fashion. These are visual memories. Those of Delhi are aural. India's infrastructure simply cannot handle its love affair with the automobile. In cities there are more cars than space in which to drive them and traffic laws, if they exist at all, appear to be ignored. The ensuing traffic makes precise scheduling of appointments impossible and leads to an atonal symphony of constantly blaring horns. Delhi is, hands down, the noisiest place I've ever visited. Residents love their cars and horns and use both with abandon. "Traveling on Indian roads is an almost hallucinatory mix of sound, spectacle and experience. It is frequently heart-rending, sometimes hilarious, mostly exhilarating, always unforgettable -- and, when you are on the roads, extremely dangerous." Over the years a unique highway code, tongue-in-cheek of course, has been developed to assist those brave enough to drive in India. I think you'll enjoy reading it.

Rules Of The Road, Indian Style

• ARTICLE I:

  The assumption of immortality is required of all road users.

• ARTICLE II:

  Indian traffic, like Indian society,is structured on a strict caste system. The following precedence must be accorded at all times. In descending order, give way to:

  
  Cows, elephants, heavy trucks, buses, official cars, camels, light trucks, buffalo, jeeps, ox-carts, private cars, motorcycles, scooters, auto-rickshaws, pigs, pedal rickshaws, goats, bicycles (goods-carrying), handcarts, bicycles (passenger-carrying), dogs, pedestrians.

• ARTICLE III:

  All wheeled vehicles shall be driven in accordance with the maxim: to slow is to falter, to brake is to fail, to stop is defeat. This is the Indian drivers' mantra.

• ARTICLE IV:

  Use of horn (also known as the sonic fender or aural amulet):

  Cars (IV,1,a-c):

  1. Short blasts (urgent) indicate supremacy, i.e., in clearing dogs, rickshaws and pedestrians from path.
  2. Long blasts (desperate) denote supplication, i.e., to oncoming truck: "I am going too fast to stop, so unless you slow down we shall both die". In extreme cases this may be accompanied by flashing of headlights (frantic).
  3. Single blast (casual) means: "I have seen someone out of India's 1.15 billion whom I recognize", "There is a bird in the road (which at this speed could go through my windscreen)" or "I have not blown my horn for several minutes."

  Trucks and buses (IV,2,a):

  All horn signals have the same meaning, namely: "I have an all-up weight of approximately 12.5 tons and have no intention of stopping, even if I could." This signal may be emphasized by the use of headlamps.

  Article IV remains subject to the provision of Order of Precedence in Article II above.

• ARTICLE V:

  All maneuvers, use of horn and evasive action shall be left until the last possible moment.

• ARTICLE VI:

  In the absence of seat belts (which there is), car occupants shall wear garlands of marigolds. These should be kept fastened at all times.

• ARTICLE VII:
  1. Rights of way:

     Traffic entering a road from the left has priority. So has traffic from the right, and also traffic in the middle.

  2. Lane discipline (VII,1):

     All Indian traffic at all times and irrespective of direction of travel shall occupy the center of the road.

• ARTICLE VIII:

  Roundabouts: India has no roundabouts. Apparent traffic islands in the middle of crossroads have no traffic management function. Any other impression should be ignored.

• ARTICLE IX:

  Overtaking is mandatory. Every moving vehicle is required to overtake every other moving vehicle, irrespective of whether it has just overtaken you.

  Overtaking should only be undertaken in suitable conditions, such as in the face of oncoming traffic, on blind bends, at junctions and in the middle of villages/city centers. No more than two inches should be allowed between your vehicle and the one you are passing -- and one inch in the case of bicycles or pedestrians.

• ARTICLE X:

  Nirvana may be obtained through the head-on crash.

• ARTICLE XI:

  Reversing: no longer applicable since no vehicle in India has reverse gear.

• ARTICLE XII:

  The 10th incarnation of God was an articulated tanker.

  
  

Sampling the Colors of India

Sisterhood.



Brick makers' wives.



Rice farmers' wives.



The wife of a potter.

We are back. Unfortunately our luggage is not. We had a wonderful time despite some bad trip karma. In addition to missing luggage, I've arrived home with a large knot on top of my head. The overhead compartment in the airplane opened mid-flight on the way to India and a laptop fell on my, thankfully, hard head, leaving me with a bump and black eye. Three days later I came down with a respiratory infection and managed to walk into a wall which caused another egg, this one turning my right temple a lovely green. A fall while in the jungle left me with a bruised leg and sprained ankle but we managed to carry on. Our vacations tend not to be for the feint of heart, but this was the first time I elicited sympathy from the women of the villages we visited. They simply glared at Bob who they assumed was responsible for my colorful appearance. I arrived home wheezing and wearing the latest in fashionable black, blue and green, accessorised, of course, with an au courant ace bandage. The trip was worth every bump and bruise and I have much to tell you. I wanted to start with a sampling of the colors of India and it's beautiful women. The colors will beat back the grayest of days. I hope you enjoy the pictures.

Chapatis and Pooris: One Dough Two Breads - Blue Monday

Chapatis



Pooris

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...With our trip to India, Nepal and Tibet just weeks away, I thought I'd start to experiment with some of the more common foods of the region. I do this before all of our adventures begin and, more often than not, the first dish I attempt to make is the bread of the area. I adore bread and was delighted to find that the dough I worked with for this post actually makes two Indian classics. In India, a whole-wheat flour called atta is traditionally used make these breads. The flour can be hard to come by, but a reasonable facsimile of it can be made by combining three parts of whole-wheat flour with two part of white flour. The difference between chapatis and pooris lies in how they are cooked. Chapatis, which resemble tortillas, are a flatbread that is cooked on a griddle. Pooris are deep fried to produce hollow and delicious pillows that are perfect for scooping up food. Both breads are best eaten shortly after they are made, but the dough can be made up to a day before it is cooked, if it is refrigerated in an airtight container. Here's the recipe for these tasty and easy to make breads.

Chapatis and Pooris...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite inspired by Nancie McDermott

Ingredients:
3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup white flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup warm water

Directions for Chapatis:
1) Sift both flours and salt into a medium bowl.
2) Add water and mix with hands to form a soft dough. Turn onto a lightly floured board and knead, adding flour as needed, until no longer sticky and dough is smooth and elastic. Cover with a damp cloth and let rest for 30 minutes.
3) To cook chapatis, roll dough into a thin cylinder and cut into 12 pieces. Roll each piece into a smooth ball. Cover balls until ready to roll. Flatten each piece into a disk and place on a floured board. Roll it into a thin disk that is 4 to 5 inches in diameter.
4) Using a medium frying pan set over medium-high heat, cook chapatis one at a time, turning after 1 minute and cooking second side for another 30 to 60 seconds. Press quickly and firmly at various spots on the surface to encourage it to puff.
5) Remove and set aside. Cover with a kitchen towel to keep warm. Continue with remainder of dough balls, stacking them together until ready to serve. Yield: 12 chapatis.

Directions for Pooris:
1) Sift both flours and salt into a medium bowl.
2) Add water and mix with hands to form a soft dough. Turn onto a lightly floured board and knead, adding flour as needed, until no longer sticky and dough is smooth and elastic. Cover with a damp cloth and let rest for 30 minutes.
3) To cook pooris, roll dough into a thin cylinder and cut into 16 pieces. Roll each piece into a smooth ball. Cover balls until ready to roll out. Place a cookie sheet on work surface to hold pooris as they are rolled.
4) Flatten a ball into a thin disk. Place on a floured work surface and roll into a pancake 3-inches in diameter. It should be 1/4-inch thick. Place on cookie sheet and continue to roll remainder of dough.
5) In a medium frying pan set over medium heat, bring 2 cups vegetable oil to 360 degrees F. Slide a pooris into oil. When it begins to puff, use a slotted spoon to press it into oil. Move spoon around the edges to help it puff. Turn it over when first side browns, about 15 to 30 seconds. Remove pooris from pan when second side is browned. Drain on paper towels. Continue with remainder of disks. Serve while hot. Yield: 16 small pooris.

You might also enjoy these recipes:

Puffy, Fluffy Spinach and Green Chilli Pooris - Ko Rasoi
Naan Indian Bread - Food Lovers
Bhatura - Tigers and Strawberries
Parantha: Onion Stuffed Indian Bread - Cook @ Ease
Garlic-Chard Roti - eCurry
Indian Dosas - One Perfect Bite

This post is being linked to:
Smiling Sally - Blue Monday

Apple Raisin Chutney

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...I'm all set for a canning and freezing marathon, but our local strawberries are still a few days short of prime. To keep myself focused, I decided to put by a few jars of apple chutney that I anticipate will be lovely for glazing meats, and spreading on the Indian breads I experimented with this morning. If you like chutney, you'll love this recipe. It produces a dark, glossy spread with a curry flavor and a jam-like texture. The choice of curry, hot or not, is up to you. I make this in small quantities because the ingredients need to make it are always available, and that makes bulk storage and a canning orgy unnecessary. While this is really easy to prepare, there is some chopping involved and you'll have to carefully watch the chutney as it cooks to avoid it burning. If it catches on you'll have to pitch the entire batch. This chutney is less viscous than the mango chutneys that are commercially available, so don't panic when you see how thick this is. That's as it should be. I refrigerate or freeze the jars I make, but if you wish, they can be processed in a boiling water bath for long term shelf storage. The chutney will keep for three weeks in the refrigerator and for up to six months in the freezer. Here's the recipe.

Apple Raisin Chutney...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite, inspired by Nancie McDermott
Ingredients:
4 cups peeled, cored and chopped cooking apples (i.e. Golden Delicious or Granny Smiths)
1/2 cup water
1 cup finely chopped onions
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 can (14.5-oz.) peeled, chopped tomatoes, undrained
3/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 cup dark raisins
1/2 cup golden brown sugar
2 tablespoons curry powder
2 teaspoons mustard seeds
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:
1) Place apples in a 3-quart pan with water. Cover pan. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat. Simmer for 20 minutes or until apples are soft.
2) Meanwhile, combine onions, garlic, tomatoes, vinegar, raisins, sugar, curry powder, mustard seeds and salt in another heavy bottomed saucepan. Stir to mix well.
3) Mash apples and add to mixture in saucepan. Mix well. Bring to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. Stir well, reduce heat and simmer gently for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Stir pot often, being sure scrape bottom of pan to discourage sticking. Chutney is done when it is a th. Remove from heat. Cool to room temperature. Transfer to lidded jars or freezer containers. Chutney will keep in refrigerator for up to 3 weeks. It will keep in freezer up to 6 months. Yield: 4 1/2 pints.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Fresh Mango Chutney - One Perfect Bite
Balsamic Onion Marmalade - One Perfect Bite
Tomato Jam - One Perfect Bite
Crock-Pot Dried Apricot Jam - One Perfect Bite
Spicy Tomato Chutney - Beck and Posh
Homemade Mango Chutney - Simply Recipes
Apricot Jalapeno Chutney - eCurry

Rice and Red Lentil Pilaf - Kichiri

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is the dish you get when an Irish lass decides to make a wonderful Indian comfort food called kichiri. This is an easy, satisfying and cheap eat. I, however, managed to complicate it with a decision to make ghee, an oil that some call the clarified butter of India. Actually clarified butter and ghee are not the same thing. While there are similarities, ghee is cooked until all moisture is removed and the milk solids in the butter are caramelized. This gives it a rich nutty taste and assures that the "butter" has a long shelf life and a higher smoking point than its counterpart. I have a local source for ghee, but I wanted to attempt making it on my own. My curiosity is now satisfied and ghee is now on my been there, done that list. Vegetable oil or a mixture of one part oil to one part butter can also be used to make this pilaf. As you glance through the recipe you'll see that it is one that you can easily make your own. If you are unable to find red lentils substitute yellow. I will also add some heat the next time I make this pilaf. It is a wonderful accompaniment to curry or eggs. Here's the recipe.

Rice and Red Lentil Pilaf - Kichiri...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons ghee, vegetable oil or a mix of butter and oil
6 large garlic cloves, chopped
1 (1-inch) piece ginger, peeled and chopped
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1 teaspoon kosher salt + salt to taste
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 cup long grain white rice
1/2 cup red lentils (masoor dahl)
3 cups vegetable stock
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:
1) Heat ghee or oil in a large frying pan that has a lid; set over medium-high heat
and warm until oil shimmers. Add garlic and ginger and toss until it is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in onions and cook until tender, about 5 minutes.
2) Meanwhile, combine salt, cumin, turmeric, coriander and pepper flakes in a small bowl.
3) Stir spice mixture into onions and cook for 1 minute, tossing to make sure everything is combined. Stir in rice and lentils and cook 5 minutes longer. Add vegetable stock and bring to a rolling boil. Stir well, reduce heat, cover pan and cook for 20 minutes. Do not remove lid. Remove pan from heat. Let sit, covered, for 10 minutes. Uncover pan and gently fluff rice with a fork. Stir in cilantro and serve hot or warm. Yield: 4 servings.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Balti Chicken - One Perfect Bite
Kedgeree - One Perfect Bite
Braised Pork Chops with Homemade Curry and Chutney Sauce - One Perfect Bite

Fry Bread - School Project

From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...It's not much of a recipe, but it comes with a fascinating history that curious minds and my older grandsons might find interesting. Fry bread is the politically correct name that has been given to what was once called squaw bread. For my friends in Asia, Africa and Europe, and others not schooled in American history, the word squaw was once used to describe native American women in an insulting and derogatory way. Native tribes across the United States have been working for decades to remove this, and other demeaning words used to describe their people, from the English lexicon. They are slowly making progress. The bread that carried that offending name was not part of their diet until the tribes were forcibly removed from their ancestral lands and placed on reservations. The Navajo call this period of their history the "Long Walk", while the Cherokee, also subject to the forced march, referred to it as the "Trail of Tears". To supplement meager food stores and prevent starvation, they were given allotments of white flour, baking powder, salt and lard by the army. They used it to fashion a simple skillet bread that became a staple of their diets while they were kept on the reservations. While no longer commonplace, it is still served at tribal feasts and gatherings and some believe that eating the bread is a sacred tradition that must be continued until the earth is again purified. Bob and I first had fry bread at a ceremony called a Tsalila that is held on the Oregon coast. The bread is traditionally made with lard and its texture depends on how it is fried. When deep fried it is fluffy and has a texture similar to Yorkshire pudding or popovers. When shallow fried, it is crisp and has a decided cracker-like crunch when bitten. This bread, like all fried doughs, is best eaten straight from the fryer. The dough can, however, be made ahead of time and be stored in the refrigerator for a day or so before cooking. The finished bread can be split and filled with meat or other fillings, but most prefer it spread with jam or sprinkled with cinnamon sugar. It is very easy to make and would be wonderful for a school project. Here's the recipe.

Fry Bread...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 tablespoons lard, melted (butter may be substituted)
1/2 cup warm water
1/4 cup room temperature milk
4 cups oil for deep frying

Directions:
1) Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.
2) Combine water, milk and lard or butter in a large measuring cup.
3) Slowly add liquids to flour and mix just until dough forms a ball. Knead in the bowl, about 10 times, to form a smooth ball that is not sticky. A small amount of flour may be added if needed. Cover dough with a damp towel or plastic wrap and let sit for 30 minutes.
4) Heat oil in a deep fryer or a high-sided pan. If using an electric pan set thermostat to 350 degrees F.
5) Divided dough into 8 approximately equal pieces. Pat on a floured board or with floured hands to form circles about 5 to 6-inches in diameter. Place dough, a piece at a time, into hot oil and cook for 2 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels. Repeat until all dough is used. Yield: 8 pieces.

You might also enjoy these recipes:
Indian Pudding - Simply Recipes
Navajo Fry Bread and Navajo Tacos - Commonplace Kitchen
Cherokee Fry Bread - Bake Space