Sooji uttapam

Back home in India,this Uttapam was one dish that my mother use to cook when I was throwing tantrums for not eating regular dal subji roti made by her(I miss her and her cooking so much now).

Apart from sweet memories I have attached to this uttapam,this one is easy and fast and good on taste. And ya light enough to be good on health also.So here is my take on sooji Uttapam.My husband nicknamed it "Desi Pizza".

Ingredients:
For Base:
2 Cup Sooji/Semolina
1 1/2 Cup Yogurt
1/2 tsp Salt
Oil for cooking

For Toppings:
2 medium Onions , Finely diced
2 medium Tomatoes , Finley diced
1 small Green Chilli, Finely chopped
Salt as per taste
Red Chilli powder as per taste

Method:
1. To begin with Mix Sooji and yogurt in smooth paste adding water.Its consistency should be little thick then Dosa batter.Keep it aside for 1 hr.If you are in hurry even 1/2 hr would give good results.

2. Heat heavy griddle/non stick pan/Tava.Keep it on medium heat.

3. Add salt to Sooji batter,if its too thick add little water.

4. Sprinkle little oil on pan/tava.Now take big spoon ful of batter and put it on the greased pan.With the help of flat spoon spread it in about 6" round diameter.This circle should not be very thin.

5. Let it sit for 10 sec.Then sprinkle chopped tomatoes,onions,green chili on it.Then sprinkle salt and red chilli powder.With flat spoon press these toppings so that they settle inside the batter which is still uncooked on top.Now cover this with a lid which has little height.The steam will cook the top part.

6. Let it cook for 2-4 mins or when its brown from below and cooked from top.Remove the lid garnish with fresh coriander.

7. Its ready to be served.Serve it hot with coconut chutney/sambhar/Tomato ketchup/Green coriander mint chutney.

Tips: Chopped green pepper can be also added on top.

Update : Adding grated ginger to the sooji batter gives the uttapam nice taste.

Daal ki poori.

It was sunday and I really wanted to cook something that will fit for breakfast as well as lunch..right a brunch.My husband tries to stay away from fried stuff but once in a while he dosent mind indulging. So here I got a chance to make these delicious Kachoris. These kachoris part of traditional snacks in Northern India are more like stuffed poori unlike khasta kachori .Henceforth they are much lighter then khasta kachori.In Northern Indian state of UP(Uttar Pradesh) we can easily enjoy these kachoris freshly made at street side vendors daily in the morning as a breakfast item(surely will be a heavy breakfast for me).They are served with a spicy aloo ki subji.Though they are good enough to be eaten alone they can be complemented with coriander chutney also.

Here goes the recipe:

For Dough:

All-Purpose flour/Maida (2 Cups)

Refind Oil/Vegetable Shortening (1/4 Cup)

Ajwain(1 tsp)

Salt (1 tsp)

For Filling:

Urad dal (1 cup)(Skin removed,soaked for 2 hrs)

Green Chillies (1, Small)

Ginger (1 inch piece)

Spices:

Chilli Powder (1/2 Tsp)

Amchoor Powder (1 Tsp)

Salt (To Taste)

Garam Masala (1/4 tsp)

Heeng (pinch)

Zeera (1/2 tsp)

Fennel seeds(1 tsp ,crushed)

Oil(1 1/2 Tbsp)

Corinader(Finely chopped)

Method:
1. Start by making the dough or the crust for the kachori. Mix all the dry ingredients so that flour has the crumbly consistency.

2. Now knead a firm dough using little water.Knead it well for few minutes.
3. Keep the dough aside, covered with a plastic wrap or a wet cloth for about 15-20 mins.

For filling:

1. Strain water out of soaked dal.Add green chili and ginger to it and grind this mixture .Try to use minimal water adding little as needed. We dont want to grind it to paste.Keep it little coarse.

2. Now heat oil in heavy bottom pan. When oil is hot add heeng and then Zeera.When Zeera starts crackling add grinded dal.

3. Stir the dal. Add salt,red chili powder,amchoor,garam masala,crushed fennel seeds.Mix these well with dal and let it cook for about 5-10 mins with constant stirring till dal is cooked.

4. Add coriander and let it cool.

How to proceed :

1.Roll each part of the dough into the circle of 50 mm (2") diameter.Keep one part of the filling mixture in the centre of the rolled dough circle.Cover the filling mixture with the dough by slowly stretching it over the filling mixture.Close the ends tightly by pinching them together and if necessary, remove the excess dough.Roll each part into a circle of 62 mm. (2½") diameter. Also make sure that the filling does not spill out.Deep fry in a hot oil over a slow flame till they puff up and turns golden brown on both sides.

2. Serve hot with Coriander Chutney/ Aloo ki subji.

Recipe of Aloo Subji coming soon!