The Great Indian Fare

Missi Roti (Rajasthan, India)

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Whole wheat flour (atta)
2 cups gram flour/ besan
1 cup coriander leaves
1 medium sized onion
4 green chillies
1 tbsp pomegranate seeds (anardana)
1 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp chaat masala
salt to taste
1 tbsp oil
butter as required

Method:
Wash and chop the coriander leaves, onions and green chillies. Sieve the two flours together. Add turmeric powder, salt, chaat masala, onion, pomegranate, coriander leaves, green chillies, a little oil and enough water to form a soft dough. Keep aside for sometime. Divide the dough into equal sized balls. Grease the table top and keep the dough balls on, pressing a little. Dampen one palm with water. Using both your palms, pat the ball between to make chapatti of around 4-5inch diameter. Heat the tandoor place the chapati on the tandoor, wall with the damp side facing the wall. You can also use a pressure cooker keeping it upside down on a burner or else cook it on a griddle. Apply butter immediately and serve hot.

Phulkas (Puffed Unleavened Bread)

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cup sifted wheat flour
1/2 tsp salt
¾ cup water.

Method:
Mix flour, salt and 1/2 cup water. Keep on adding 2 tbsp at a time, mixing after each addition, till dough forms a soft ball. But don't make the dough wet and sticky. Knead till dough is smooth and elastic. Cover with a damp cloth for 1/2 hour. Grease your hands and knead dough briefly. Make 12 balls approx 3 cm in diameter. Roll each ball on the flour board into a flat round 14 cm in diameter. Heat griddle till a drop of water splutters instantly when flicked on griddle. Put round on griddle. When small blisters appear on surface and some brown specks appear on underside (after about 15-20 secs). Turn over. Cook till brown specks appear on underside (about 30 secs). Turn over. If have prior experience, then puff up phulka directly on flame. If not, with a folded cloth press edges of phulka till phulka puffs up. Cook remaining rounds similarly. Serve hot.

Makai Ki Roti(Cornmeal Flat Bread)

Ingredients:
4 cups cornmeal (flour from pure corn ground fine)
2 1/4 cups water
1/2 cup ghee/ margarine

Method:
Only when you are ready to cook, start this procedure. Mix cornmeal and 1 1/2 cups water. Keep on adding 2 tbsp at a time, mixing after each addition, till dough forms a soft ball. Use hot water. Make 12 balls approx. 4.5cm in diameter. Keep covered with a damp cloth. Roll out on a well floured board. Dust roll the pin from time to time to avoid sticking. Pinch edges to seal cracks. Roll into a flat round 14 cm in diameter. Heat griddle on medium heat till a drop of water splutters instantly when flicked on it. Spread 1/4 tsp ghee all over griddle. Put one hand over the round on the tip board so that round drops onto open palm without sticking to the board. Put round on griddle. Cook both sides till golden brown. Continue cooking, till evenly browned on both sides. Cook remaining balls in the same way but don't spread ghee on griddle. Serve hot accompanied with sarson ka saag.

Dosas (Rice/Gram Indian Pancakes):

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups colam rice or any short-grained polished rice
1/2 cup split skinned black gram
4 cups water
Salt to taste
1/3 cup vegetable oil.

Method:
1. In a bowl soak rice and black gram for 4 hours.
2. Drain and grind rice-black gram mixture into a paste gradually adding 1 1/4 cups water. Mix salt and cover. Keep aside for at least 12 hours to ferment.
3. Mix fermented paste and remaining water to make a thin batter.
4. Spread 1/4 tsp oil up to 2 cm from edge of griddle. Heat griddle till oil just begins to smoke. Reduce heat to medium because if griddle is too hot batter will stick while being spread on griddle. If griddle is not hot enough, batter will spread but dosa will stick. So heat and cool accordingly.
5. Stir batter and pour 3 tbsp in centre of griddle. Take the back of a rounded ladle and lightly spread the batter using a continuous circular motion in one direction. Spread batter evenly outwards and make a round about 17 cm in diameter. Add 1/2 tsp oil around the edges and drizzle about 1/4 tsp oil over dosa. Cook for about 2 minutes for a crispy dosa and about 1 min for a softer one. Cook on each side. However don't spread oil on griddle before pouring batter for remaining dosa's. Serve hot accompanied with coconut chutney.

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