Tips , tips , tips.

Mrs.Chithra, have one question. YOu have mentioned and a general procedure to thicken the vathal kuzhambu by adding rice flour. Instead, can I try with the multipurpose powder you posted on that day?


Thanks in advance for yr reply.

Dear Ami,
I use only multipurpose powder for thickening, wherever necessary. I missed to make a mention of it. Thankyou.
Regards,
Chithra.

Chappathi Making: - I wish to make a mention that my daughter Ruby is better in making chappathis than me & she wrote this for me, on request !


Phulka

• Mix wheatflour with warm water and knead into a fairly stiff but pliant dough.
• Let it rest for at least ½ hour
• Make into equal size balls by halving the dough till the end (or cut with knife into similar sized pieces ).
• Flatten each ball and with the help of maida roll into circles
• The trick in rolling is not to apply pressure but to let the chappathi rotate as you roll it so that it gets uniformly thin.
• Heat a tava reasonably and place the rolled chappathi on it. Circulate it with you hands or a cloth.
• When light brown spots appear turn it over and repeat.
• Then put it over a phulka ring and show it over the heat directly, when it will bloat like a puri. If it does uniformly, then remove without turning over.
• Place it over a paper towel and apply ghee lightly over it if preferred.

Parotta/Parantha

• Mix wheat flour and maida in the ratio 3:1. The balls must be much larger than for phulkas.Knead into a fairly pliant dough with warm water/milk, little sugar, ghee and salt if preferred.
• Let it rest for at least ½ hour.
• Make into equal size balls by halving the dough till the end(or cut with knife into similar sized pieces).
• Flatten each ball and roll into small rounds.
• Drizzle little oil and maida over it and fold into a circle, square or triangle.
• Now roll into fairly thick chappathis .
• Heat a tava, place the chappathi on the tava and cook till light brown spots appear.
• Turn it over with a spatula and let brown spots appear on the second side too.
• Then drizzle ghee or oil as preferred, turn over once again and place on paper towels in a hot case or serve hot.

Stuffed parotta

• After 4 above, place the filling and fold as preferred and roll into chappathis .
• Cook as above.

Malabar paratha

• Mix maida with warm water and oil/ghee into a pliant dough.
• Rest for a while.
• Roll into rounds.
• Take each round & roll into a pipe.
• Take one end and coil it into a round.
• Flatten it with your hand.
• Roll gently into circles so that the layers are not pressed too much.
• Heat a tava, place the chappathi on the tava and cook till light brown spots appear.
• Turn it over with a spatula and let brown spots appear on the second side too.
• Then drizzle ghee or oil as preferred, turn over once again and place on paper towels in a hot case or serve hot.

Dear Chithraji:

I have a doubt in the tips. Why do we have to use maida for rolling? why cant it be wheat flour itself? any specific reason? does it make the dough softer?

thanks

Seetha

Hi Seetha,
Maida helps to keep it soft whereas wheat flour (more of it) will make it less soft (though not exactly tough).
Regards,
Chithra.

Hi friends,

Prepared Mrs.Chithra's curry leaves podi a long while ago and it was simply superb which have mentioned already in some other site.

FYI, my little one who is 3 yrs old is also taking that podi with rice!!
Meanwhile, I use the same podi for ven pongal and kaara kuzhambu too instead of fresh curry leaves or 50/50 which gives extra flavor. Try it!!!

thanks, Mrs.Chithra.

Thanks for the tips, Mrs.Chithra and to yr daughter too..

Today, will try to make the malabar parata. Is it ok to prepare with wheat flour ?

Rgds.

Dear Ami,
Malabar paratha is made only with maida. In fact it is usually made with a lot of oil & sometimes eggs are also added. Since that is difficult for us to do at home, We simplified it. Deep south it is famous as Veechu Parotta & in Kerala as Thattukada parotta.
Love & regards,
Chithra.

Hi Mrs.Chithra & friends,

Tried yesterday this multi purpose powder and it is really giving a good flavor for kottus. Normally, dont add coconut for kootus; for the first time, prepared poosani without coconut!! Managed with sambar powder, channa dal & this powder and it came out thick..

Try and it is really handy.

Rgds.

Dear Chithra Madam,

Tried Malabar parota yesterday.Came out okay,but I did not get the flaky layers like you get in roadside stalls.Do you have a recipe for flaky Barota that we usually find in roadside stalls in Chennai?

Cheers