Miscellaneous not to be missed !

You can use store-bought parotas for this.

Parotas - 3-4

Mince the following:

Ginger - 1 tbsp

Garlic - 5 pcs

Green chillies - 3

Capsicum - 1

Mix to a bajji-like batter:

Cornflour - 5 tbsp

Maida - 3 tbsp

Salt, chilli powder to taste.
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Add all minced ingredients.

Keep oil for deep frying.
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Cut parotas into 4 or 5 pieces, dip with hand in the mixture & deep fry.

Remove when completely done & serve garnished with finely chopped spring onion.
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Ghee is the key ingredient to this dish, atleast partly, if not wholly.
Part of the dough is left unsalted, shaped into rounds and deep fried. Later these deep-fried baatis are crushed & sugar or jaggery mixed, to make a sweet dessert Churma.

The three make a filling meal.

For the panchmel dhal:

Cook with 4 cups of water till soft:

Chana dhal, tur dhal, moong dhal(can be green or white) - each 1/3 cup

Urad dhal (can be black or white), whole moong - 1 tbsp each

Mix with 3 tbsp of water & keep ready

Chilli powder - 3 tsp

Dhaniya powder - 1 tsp

Garam masala - 1/2 tsp

Haldi

Heat 3 tbsp ghee & temper;

Bay leaves - 2

Cloves - 3

Jeera - 1 tsp

Slit green chillies - 2

Hing

Finally add masala paste & saute for 1-2 mts.

Add cooked dhal and

Amchur - 2 tsp

Tamarind pulp - 2 tsp

Salt

Simmer for 5-7 mts & adjust to the desired consistency. Before serving, add boiled water if it becomes very thick.

Baatis: - 10 no;s

Mix into a firm dough & knead well for 5-7 mts:

Whole wheat flour - 1 cup

Rava - 1/2 cup

Besan - 2 tbsp

milk - 8 tbsp

Melted ghee - 4 tbsp

salt

Divide the dough into 10 even shaped ronds -slightly flatten using the thumb to make an indentation in the centre.

In a broad vessel, boil water, drop the baatis & cook for 15-20 mys on a high flame.

Once cooked, drain & keep aside.

If you have a gas tandoor, put them on the grill & cook on medium flame for 20-25 mts.

OR

Bake the boiled baatis in a pre-heated oven at 200 deg C or 10-15mts, turning them over occasionally.

OR

Deep fry in hot ghee.

Serve panchmel dhal with baatis along with churma.
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Knead to a dough;

Wheat flour - 1 cup

Chopped spinach - 1 cup (sauted in 1 tsp oil for 3-4 mts)

Peeled & grated kaddu (red pumpkin) - 1 cup

Red chilli powder - 1 tsp

Minced green chillies - 2 tsp

Oil - 1 tbsp

Salt, hing, haldi

Oil - to shallow fry

Knead the dough & divide into 6 balls.

Roll each ball to a 5'diameter roti & shallow fry as usual.

Goes with ant sabji or raitha.

Knead together first

Maize flour - 1 cup

Maida - 3 tbsp

Salt

Oil - 3 tbsp

And the add water & knead to a dough consistency.

Rest for 30 mts, roll into balls & roll each ball, as thin as possible & prick all over with a fork.

Make small balls because it is not easy to roll.

Cut into 8 segments & deep fry.

Drop in hot oil & then fry on a low flame till bubbles stop completely. This is important to get them crisp.
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Salsa:

Good ripe tomatoes - 3 (show in flame, deskin & chop)

Medium capsicum - 1 (show in flame, deskin & chop)

Onion - 1 (show in flame, deskin & chop) Onion is optional.

Green chillies,minced - to taste

Coriander leaves, finely chopped

Salt, sugar, vinegar & pepper powder to taste

Ajwain - ½ tsp

Mix everything together. & mince for just 2-3 secs – should not grind it & make it a paste. This is necessary only if you want to use it immediately, fresh.

Serve this with corn chips.
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Crush lightly in a plate, top with grated cheddar cheese & Mw for 1-2 mts & serve.
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Nachos is a more elaborate dish utilizing corn chips served with salsa & melted cheese.

First spread nachos in a bowl, top with salsa. Spread grated cheese & MW Hi for 3-4 mtes till cheese melts.

This is ideal for starters & none can guess that they are idlis in disguise!!

Frozen (or cold) mini idlis - 25

For batter:

Cornflour & maida - ½ cup, each

Red chilli powder & salt - to taste

Make a batter, adding water to idli batter consistency, dip each idli & deep fry.

Red, green & yellow capsicums - 1 each, chopped into 1 “ long strips

Onions, chopped lengthwise - ½ cup

Red chilli powder - 1 tsp

Tomato sauce - 1 tbsp

Oil - 2 tbsp

Mustard seeds - 1 tsp

Curry leaves - few

Heat oil & temper mustard seeds & curry leaves.

Next add onions & fry till glossy.

Add capsicum strips & fry till they become soft.

Add salt, chilli powder & little water.

Add tomato sauce & simmer for a few mts.

Drop fried idlis & serve.
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Though this goes with stuffed rotis also, makes a great combo with hot rice+ghee!

Use less sour or very sour curds – it depends on individual taste. Spice level should be suitably adjusted.

Curds - 1 cup

Water - 1 cup

Besan - 1 tbsp

Garlic - 3 whole pods( peel the petals, chop each piece lengthwise & finely chop just 1 tbsp for tempering)

Green chillies - 2-3

Red chilli powder - 1 tsp

Salt, sugar, curry leaves, haldi

Oil - 2 tsp

Mix together curds+water+besan+haldi+red chilli powder+salt+sugar.

Heat oil in a kadai, add garlic pieces, green chillies & curry leaves.

Saute on a low flame till colour changes.

Add curd mixture & mixing, simmer to boil.

Simmer for a few mtes.

Add chopped coriander leaves & remove.

Temper chopped garlic in 1 tsp oil, till golden & add.
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This can be used as a spead, lavishly, as well!

Whole wheat bread slices - n2

Hung low-fat curds - 1/2 cup

Low fat curds - 1-2 tsp

Powdered sugar - 2 tsp (or to taste)

Mustard powder - 1/2 tsp

Freshly ground pepper powder - 1/2 tsp

Olive oil - 2 tsp

Salt

Blend in a liquidiser till smooth. Store in the fridge. I use the magic Bullet for small quantities.
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These are best served fresh.

Wheat flour - 1 ½ cups

Onions, finely copped - 3 tbsp

Crushed pepper - 1 tsp

Grated cheese - ¼ cup

Melted ghee - 3 tbsp

Salt

Heat 1 tsp ghee in a pan & sauté onions till glossy & cool.

Combine all ingredients including ghee, with water to make a soft dough.

Knead well & make 8 balls.

Roll each to 4” diameter & prick all over with a fork.

Cook on a tava with lttle oil till golden brown on both sides.
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