Puran poli

Poli is one of my all time favorite sweet. We usually make it on Bohi Pongal but my mom makes it more often since we all love it. There are many variations to make this dish but My mom's poli is my most favorite. Hence I decided to make a post on her version though it is bit tricky and time consuming. You can make stuffing previous day and refrigerate to split the works involved. But once we make it, polis can stay good upto 10 days and I can assure you will find them so yummy!! I am yet to master the art of making them with ease and perfection like my mom. Anyways sharing the tips I learnt and hope it helps :). 

Puran Poli

Cuisine: Indian Category: Sweet Difficulty level: Hard Prep Time: 3 hrs Cook time: 50 mins Servings: 12-14

Ingredients For Outer layer Maida 1 cup Sugar 1 Tsp Turmeric 1/4 Tsp Hot water 1/2 Cup Gingelly oil 1/2 Cup Rice flour 2 Tbsp (for dusting) Ghee 3 Tbsp (for making polis) For stuffing Channa dal 3/4 cup Sugar 1 cup heaped Grated Coconut 2 Tbsp Cardomom 4-5 Ghee 1 Tsp Preparation     1.     Mix sugar and turmeric in 1/2 cup water. Take maida in a bowl and make a dent. Add 1/4 cup of the turmeric water.     2.     Mix everything add remaining water little by little to make a soft dough. You may not need all the water. Add 1/2 cup gingelly oil and soak the dough and cover it. Soak the channa dal in hot water for atleast 20 minutes.

Method            1.     Pressure cook channa dal for 4-5 whistles. The dal should be soft but not too much mushy. Add the cooked dal along with sugar and grated coconut. Let the mixture boil for few minutes. Finally add cardomom and switch off the flame.    2.     Cool down and grind the mixture. If it is too dry sprinkle luke warm water to make a soft sticky dough and make lemon sized balls out of it. Take little amount of maida dough in a ziploc cover.          3.     Stretch the dough with fingers as shown and place the stuffing in it. Cover the stuffing with maida as shown.     4.     Repeat the process and finish making remaining stuffed balls. Dust them with rice flour and roll into circle like we do for parathas.     5.     Heat tawa and place the poli. Spread some ghee on each side and cook till both sides are cooked well.     6.     Store in airtight container and enjoy with evening coffee!!

Notes     ·         Do not compromise with gingelly oil. It makes the dough soft and easily stretchable. Later we can use the excess oil for other purposes.      ·         Adjust sweet according to your preference. We like the poli on sweeter side.        ·         If stuffing becomes excess we can refrigerate it and use another day. Stuffing stays good upto 10 days when refrigerated.      ·         Use less dough and stretch it well. If the outer layer is thick poli may turn hard once it gets cold.      ·         The stuffing should be soft and bit sticky. Add luke warm water accodingly. If it is too dry and hard, we won't be able to roll the polis nicely.      ·         I prefer to dust with rice flour but you can also use maida for the purpose.

Soft and yummy polis :)!!!

   

Channa Kuruma

Channa kuruma is one of my favourite side dish for poori. It is very tasty also easy to make. Though I make it for poori it goes well with pulav, idly and dosas too. Rich in protien it is a healthy and filling side dish too.  Let us see how to make this super easy dish with ingredients easily available in all homes!!

Channa kuruma

Cuisine: Indian Category: Side dish Difficulty level: Easy Prep Time: 10 mins+ Soaking time Cook time: 30 mins Servings:  3-4

Ingredients Channa 1 cup Tomato 2 medium sized Onion 2+1 (for garnishing) Green chili 2 Ginger 1 inch piece Garlic 4-5 flakes Coconut 2 Tbsp Fennel seeds 2 Tsp Oil 1 Tbsp + 1 Tsp Bay leaf 1 Salt 1 tsp Turmeric Powder A small pinch Chili Powder 1/2 Tsp Garam Masala 1 Tsp Corriander leaves 3 springs Lemon 1 small sized

Preparation             1.     Soak the channa overnight or at least 5 hours in hot water. Dice the tomatoes,  two onion ,green chili, ginger garlic roughly. Method      1.     In pan add 1 tsp oil and saute 1 tsp fennel,onion, green chili, ginger and garlic. Once the onions become translucent. Add tomatoes aling with little salt and cook till they become soft. Cool down the mixture.      2.     Grind the coconut along with 1 spoon soaked channa dal. Add the onion tomato mixture and grind slowly to a smooth paste without adding water.      3.     In pressure cooker add 1 tbsp oil and temper with bay leaf and fennel. Add the soaked channa along with ground puree, salt, spice powders. Add 1.5 cup water and two springs of coriander leaves.     4.     Pressure cook for 5 whistles. Garnish with finely chopped onions, lemon juice and coriander leaves and serve!

Notes       ·         Soaking overnight do not require hot water. Only if you soak for less time you need it.       ·         You can add mint leaves along with coriander leaves but if it's not available you can skip it.       ·         Adding finely chopped raw onions gives nice punch so do not skip that.

Brinjal Masiyal

Masiyal is a simple and yummy dish served usually with pongal or arisi upma. But it goes well with roti and curd rice too. There are many variations in making this dish. Since we love brinjal in our home we usually make this way. Try out this easy recipe !! 

Masiyal

Cuisine: Indian Category: Side dish Difficulty level: Easy Prep Time: 5 mins Cook time: 20 mins Servings: 4

Ingredients Brinjal 3-4 medium sized Green chili 4 Tamarind 1 small gooseberry sized Salt 1 Tsp +1/2 Tsp Turmeric 1/4 Tsp Sambhar Powder 1 Tsp Rice Flour(optional) 1 Tsp Coriander leaves 1 spring To Temper Gingelly oil 1 Tbsp Curry leaves 1 spring Mustard 1/2 Tsp Urad dal 1 Tsp Channa dal 1 Tsp Fenugreek seeds 1/4 Tsp Asafetida A generous pinch Preparation     1.     Soak tamarind in hot water and extract juice. Chop the brinjal length wise and slit green chilies.

Method            1.     Add gingelly oil to pan and temper with mentioned ingredients. Add slit green chilies and saute till the dals become golden brown and add chopped brinjals.     2.     Once the brinjals become tender add tamarind juice along with turmeric and salt. Take the brinjals and mash them well and again to pan. Boil till the raw smell of tamarind goes off and finally add sambhar powder.      3.     Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve!!

Notes      ·         You can add other veggies like ladies finger, plantain, sweet pumpkin etc along with brinjal. But brinjal alone is enough if you don,t have all these veggies.       ·         Rice flour is optional. If you feel the masiyal is too thin, mix rice flour with some water and add to masiyal and boil for few minutes.     ·         You can skip sambhar powder and increase number of chilies.

Yummy masiyal ready to be served!!!