CHORA FALI

                                                      CHORA FALI  

                                       (Yield: 14-15 Chora Fali Poori)

Chora Fali is a very festive snack, prepared during the Diwali. Chora Fali is a crispy savory snack; goes best with besan kadhi chutney, mint raita and even with Masala Chai/Tea.         

INGREDIENTS:

·      1 cup Besan Flour/Bengal Gram Flour

·      1/3 cup Chora Flour/Cowpeas Flour (also known as Black Eyed Peas Flour)

·      1/3 cup Urad Flour (also known as Black Matpe Beans Flour)

·      ¾ tsp. Salt or as per taste

·      ¼ tsp. + 2 pinches of Baking Soda (Traditionally Papad Khar is added in the recipe but I used Arm and Hammer Baking Soda and result was amazing)

·      1/8 tsp. Turmeric Powder (OPTIONAL) I used it.

·      ¼ tsp. Kashmiri Red Chili Powder (OPTIONAL) I used it.

·      2 T Oil

·      Luke Warm water as needed to make tough dough

·      1-teaspoon oil to rub on dough balls.

·      1-2 teaspoons urad flour to dust/coat dough balls.

·      Oil for deep frying

·      Mixture of 2 tsp. Kashmiri Red Chili Powder and 1 tsp. Black Salt (Use Chat Masala if you do not have black salt), to sprinkle on hot fried chora fali

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LET’S FRY:

In a bowl combine all three flours and mix well. Keep aside.

In a separate small bowl combine salt, baking soda, turmeric powder, Kashmiri red chili powder and oil and 3 tablespoon warm water and whisk to form emulsion type liquid.

Add oil water mixture into the flour and mix.

Add extra water as needed to make tough dough. At this point dough might be dry but after pounding it dough will turn smooth like play dough.

Now place dough in tough zip lock bag (may be double the bag if necessary) and pound dough with KITCHEN HAMMER (Do not use metal tool box hammer else you will crack floor or kitchen counter) until smooth play dough consistency dough forms.

Once dough turns smooth roll it into a big cylinder/pipe and with knife cut it into 15 equal parts.

Sprinkle some oil and roll all balls.

Sprinkle some dry urad flour and coat all balls with flour to avoid sticking with each other and keep them covered with lid in bowl for 15-20 minutes.

Rub 1 to 2 drops of oil on rolling surface and roll each dough ball into a THIN poori.

Keep it covered to avoid getting it dry. Keep plastic wrap/sheet between each poori to avoid sticking with each other while you finish rolling rest of all dough balls.

Meanwhile heat enough oil in dip pan on medium heat.

DO NOT CUT POORI COMPLETELY INTO STRIPS.

Cut poori with pizza cutter or knife into ¾” wide strips LEAVING BOTH EDGE OF THE POORI INTACT for easy flipping/frying of chora fali.

Once oil is hot place cut poori in hot oil and flip within 5-6 seconds and fry other side for 5-6 seconds only or until light golden brown in color.

Sprinkle mixture of Kashmiri red chili powder and black salt on hot fried chora fali as soon as you take it out from the fryer.

Repeat with rest of all chora fali balls.

Snap chora fali poori with both hands to separate strips of chora fali.

Store in an airtight container, it should stay good for 1 to 2 weeks.

Enjoy…

Hope you will enjoy making this snack for this Diwali.

VARIATION:

Instead of mixing 3 separate flours, use store bought chrafali flour.Click on the link below to like my "RASOI" Page.
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STUFFED KHANDVI

             STUFFED KHANDVI

                                                    (Yield: 8 Big Rolls)

INGREDIENTS:

·      1 cup Besan Flour (Chickpea Flour)

·      1 cup Yogurt, room temperature yogurt

·      1 ½ cup Water (NOTE: Usually I add 1 ¾ cups of water for PLAIN KHANDVI, but I add 1 ½ cup water for stuffed khandvi to make slightly thicker khandvi compare to plain khandvi, so it can hold stuffing well)

·      2 Pinch Turmeric Powder

·      ½ tsp. Salt or as per taste

·      NOTE: I add ½ tsp. Green Chili Paste and ½ tsp. Ginger paste for PLAIN KHANDVI but since I am going to spread stuffing mixture with green chili in it so I skipped adding in batter.

MAKE SURFACE READY FOR SPREADING KHANDVI:

Place aluminum foil on the kitchen counter and stick foils from 4 corners with plastic tap on the kitchen counter and grease foil LIGHTLY with the oil

OR

Use the back of large flat greased steel thali/plate

OR

Use clean kitchen counter top to spread khandvi

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LET’S ROLL:

If you are using cold yogurt kept in the refrigerator and do not have time to bring it to room temperature then use cold yogurt but heat water for 2 minutes in microwave and use. That’s what I do all the time.

COLD MIXTURE WON’T THICKEN WELL.

In a mixing bowl combine besan, yogurt, water, turmeric powder, and salt and whisk mixture to prepare lump free batter.

Transfer into a heavy bottom non-stick pan and heat besan mixture on medium heat and cook with constant stirring, after 3-4 minutes solid lumps will begin to form.

Reduce heat to medium low and continue cooking with constant stirring till you see ribbon forming from besan mixture while stirring or when you lift spoon you will see strip of besan mixture, it takes about 3-5 minute. It should not take more then 10 minutes total to prepare khandvi. Test small amount of khandvi mixture and spread thin layer on the greased surface and blow air to let it cook faster and try rolling it with fingers. If it does not roll, instead it sticks to your finger then continue cooking mixture for few more minutes on LOW HEAT.

Switch off the heat.

Pour mixture on greased aluminum foil and spread evenly with the flat edge of the spatula while mixture is hot.

Let khandvi cool completely. Meanwhile prepare stuffing.

INGREDIENTS FOR STUFFING:

·      2 tsp. Oil

·      ¼ tsp. Mustard Seeds

·      4 Curry Leaves, torn into small pieces

·      1 Pinch Asafoetida

·      ½ cup White Sweet Onion, chopped

·      ½ cup Green Bell Pepper, chopped

·      ½ cup Red Bell Pepper, chopped

·      2 -3 Green Chilies or as per taste, chopped

·      Salt as per taste

·      ¼ tsp. Sugar or as per taste

·      ¼ tsp. Chat Masala

·      ¼ tsp. Garam Masala

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LET’S MAKE STUFFING:

Heat oil in a pan on medium heat.

Add mustard seeds and let it pop.

Add curry leaves, asafoetida and let curry leaves to sizzle for few seconds.

Add chopped onions and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes.

Add green and red bell peppers, green chilies, and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes.

Add salt and sugar and stir fry vegetables until slightly undercooked.

Switch off the heat.

Add chat masala and garam masala and mix well.

Spread this mixture lightly over khandvi sheet. No need to cover entire khandvi sheet.

Gently lift the edge and roll up carefully like a Swiss roll from one end to other.

Cut into desire length roll.

Arrange stuffed khandvi roll on serving plate.

FOR SEASONING/TADKA:

·      1 ½ tsp. Oil (If you take more oil then mustard seeds will swim in the oil and it won’t stay on the khandvi when you pour seasoning on top)

·      ¼ tsp. Mustard Seeds

·      Pinch Asafoetida

·      2-3 Curry Leaves

·      1 tsp. Coconut shreds for garnishing

·      1 Sprigs of Coriander leaves, for garnishing

Heat oil in a pan. Once oil is hot add mustard seeds and let them pop.

Add asafoetida, curry leaves and let curry leaves to sizzle.

Pour this seasoning over rolled khandvi.

Garnish with coconut shreds and coriander leaves

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RAJGARA SHIRA

                 RAJGARA SHIRA

                                                          (Serves 2-3)

Rajgara Shira is consumed during fasting.

Rajgara Flour is known as Amaranth Flour in English. Rajgara Flour is gluten free flour. Any item made from Rajgara Flour are consumed during fasting.

INGREDIENTS:

·      ½ cup Rajgara Flour/Rajgira Flour/Amaranth Flour

·      ¼ cup Ghee/Clarified Butter

·      1 T Ghee to top on hot shira

·      1 T Golden Raisins

·      1 ¼ cup Milk

·      ½ cup Sugar or as per taste

·      ½ tsp. Cardamom Powder

·      1-2 tsp. Almonds, shredded

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LET’S COOK:

Heat milk for 3 minutes in microwave oven or on stovetop until milk is hot.

While milk is getting hot, meanwhile heat ghee in heavy bottom non-stick pan on medium heat.

Once ghee is hot add rajgara flour and roast on medium heat for 3 minutes.

Add golden raisins and continue cooking for 1 minute. Raisins will plum.

Carefully add hot milk in roasted rajgara flour.

Reduce heat to medium low and stir mixture carefully as mixture will bubble a lot and continue cooking with continuous stirring until all the milk evaporates.

Once milk evaporates add sugar and continue stirring and cooking until sugar water absorbs.

Cook shira with occasional stirring until it leave the sides of the pan and ghee starts to ooze out. (Roughly it will take about 7-8 minutes after adding milk, and ghee starts to ooze out from the pan sides)

Lower the heat and cover the pan and let it cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring once in a while.

Switch off the heat

Add cardamom powder and mix it well.

Transfer in a serving bowl.

Add 1-tablespoon ghee on top.

Garnish with almond shreds.

Shira tastes best when served hot.

Serve hot Rajgara Shira with Jeera Aloo, Moraiya Ni Khichdi, Rajgara Kadhi, Rajgara Poori or Rajgara Bhakhri or Rajgara Paratha to complete whole fasting meal.

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MORAIYA NI KHICHDI

               MORAIYA NI KHICHDI

                                                             (Serves 4)

Moraiyo is also known by different names in different part of India.

It is also known as samo, bhagar and varai/vari tandul. In English it is known as Jungle Rice

Moraiya Ni Khichdi can be consumed during fasting. It is served with Rajgara Kadhi, Rajgara shira and Rajgara bhakhri.

NOTE:

AVOID ADDING INGREDIENTS THAT IS RISTRICTED TO CONSUME AS PER YOUR FASTING RULES.

INGREDIENTS:

·      ½ cup Moraiyo

·      2/3 cup OR 1 small to medium size Potatoes, peeled and diced

·      1 ½ T Oil OR Ghee OR take half of each

·      2 Whole Dry Red Chilies

·      7-8 Black Peppercorn/Whole Black Mari

·      3 Clove

·      1 Cinnamon Stick

·      1 Bay Leaf, cut in 2 pieces

·      1 tsp. Cumin Seeds

·      7-8 Curry Leaves

·      3 Green Chilies or as per taste, chopped

·      Pinch Homemade Asafoetida (OPTIONAL FOR FASTING: Some store bought Asafoetida contains wheat Flour)

·      ¼ cup Peanuts, roasted, shelled and coarsely pounded in mortar and pestle

·      1 ½ cup Water for firm khichdi or as needed for desire khichdi thickness (ADD MORE WATER IF YOU PREFER PORRIDGE STYLE KHICHDI. PERSONALLY I PREFER KHICHDI WITH LESS WATER)

·      ¼ cup Yogurt, whisked

·      ½ to ¾ tsp. Sendha Namak/Rock Salt or as per taste

·      1 tsp. Sugar

·      Pinch Turmeric Powder (OPTIONAL) I did not add.

·      ½ tsp. Kashmiri Red Chili Powder or as per taste (OPTIONAL) I did not add.

·      1-2 T Coriander Leaves, chopped

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YOU WILL ALSO NEED:

·      Lemon Wedge to squeeze on finished khichdi

·      Dollop of Ghee to enhance flavor and taste of khichdi

LET’S COOK:

Wash Moraiyo in water couple of time. Add 1-cup water and keep it aside until time to add. Moraiya does not require pre soaking.

Whisk yogurt and keep aside.

Heat oil in pressure cooker on medium heat.

Once oil is hot add whole dry red chilies, peppercorn, cloves, cinnamon stick and bay leaves.

Add cumin seeds and let them sizzle for few seconds.

Add curry leaves, chopped green chilies and asafoetida and let curry leaves sizzle for few seconds.

Add crushed peanuts and stir-fry for 1 to 2 minutes.

Add Moraiyo along with water, whisked yogurt, salt, sugar, turmeric powder and Kashmiri red chili powder and mix to combine well.

Close lid with whistle on top and cook on medium heat for 2 whistles only.

Switch off the heat.

Allow pressure to go down and keep it close for another 5-7 minutes.

Open pressure cooker and transfer khichdi in serving bowl.

Sprinkle some lemon juice and dollop of ghee on top for extra flavor.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Serve with rajgara kadhi and rajgara bhakhri and rajgara shira to complete whole fasting dinner meal.

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