Rainy day recipe: Dhirdey or gram flour pan-cake

A rainy day like today calls for some salty pan-cakes made of gram flour. We call them 'chilla' in Hindi and 'dhirdey' in Marathi. A batter of gram flour or besan is readied. We add salt and red chili powder to taste to some gram flour. Add chopped onions and green chillies. Add one table spoon of oil and then add some water to make the consistency liquid enough to be spread like a pan-cake or dosa.



We then proceed to spread the batter on a flat pan called tawa in Hindi. We use a little oil to fry the chilla.



It is then flipped to cook the other side.


Finally, serve it with some amazingly delicious aam ka achaar or mango pickle.

Jalebis

These two men were busy creating what several of my friends (with sweet a jaw) believe is the modern day art. These two men are busy making jalebis.


A batter is artistically made into twisted round shapes and is deep fried.


Once the batter turns orange because of the saffron and added food color, the Jalebis are put into a thick sugar syrup.
You can try making them at home using this recipe:

Ingredients:

• 2 cups self raising flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup yogurt
• Vegetable/canola/sunflower cooking oil for deep frying
• 1 cup sugar
• Few strands saffron
• 1/4 tsp cardamom powder
• 2 drops orange food colour
• 2 tbsps rose water

Preparation:

• Mix the flour, baking powder and yogurt into a batter and keep aside for 24 hours to ferment.
• Pour batter into a ketchup dispensing bottle.
• To make sugar syrup: Melt the sugar with the rose water and boil to get a one thread consistency. To check for one thread consistency, carefully dip the tip of your index finger into the syrup, touch your finger and thumb together and gently tease apart. If one thread is formed between your finger and thumb the syrup is done.
• Turn off fire, add the saffron strands and cardamom and stir well.
• Heat the oil in a deep wok-like dish. To test for the right temperature, drop a small amount of batter into the oil. If it sizzles and rises to the top of the oil, the oil is hot enough. Keep the flame on medium at all times to ensure all round cooking of the jalebis.
• Now hold the ketchup dispenser over the hot oil and squeeze the batter into the oil into a wiggly, randomly coiled circle. Squeeze out several at a time.
• Fry till light golden and then remove and put directly into the sugar syrup.
• Allow to soak for 2-3 minutes and then remove.
• Serve warm.

Promised Treat

This is a selection of Indian sweets at Eatopia in India Habitat Centre (IHC). I don't have a sweet tooth myself, but many of my friends love a good cup of rabri or kheer. This here is firni and I searched the net to find the easiest recipe for you to try making this at home. As you will notice, the dish is served in earthen pots. There are some Indian treats that taste better in earthen pots so try and have then the way prescribed here... It will help you savour the authentic taste.

Kesar Firni


Preparation Time : 30 min
Cooking Time : 30 min
Serves / Makes : 4

Ingredients
500 ml milk
50 gms sugar
75 gms rice flour
A few strands of saffron
8 green cardamom
25 gms pistachio
25 gms almonds

Method
Boil the milk so that it reduces to half its quantity.
Add the rice flour to this and mix well so that no lumps are formed.
Add the sugar and cook for sometime so that the sugar dissolves.
Dissolve the saffron in warm milk and add this to the above mixture.
Pour the Firni in earthen bowls and garnish with pistachios and almonds.
Allow it to cool and set in the refrigerator and serve cold.


Do let me know how it tasted.