Sunday, February 4, 2007
pakoda - poori -naan
Ingredients: 3 cups rice flour; 1 tbsp. Butter; 1 cup gram flour, a pinch of asafoetida (Heeng); 1 tbsp. Chilli powder; 1 tsp. Turmeric powder; ghee or oil for frying. Method: Make soft dough by mixing rice flour, gram flour, butter, chilli powder, turmeric, asafoetida (Heeng) and salt to taste. Press the dough through pakoda mould into the oil or ghee and deep fry. Poori: Ingredients: 375 Gms. Wheat flour; 20 Gms. Ghee or oil; salt to taste. Method: Prepare stiff dough with water, salt, a little ghee or oil and wheat and knead well and keep for about an hour and then knead again till it becomes soft. Divide into even sized balls and roll out to 3 inch - 4 inch diameter puris of about 1/10 inch thickness. Fry in oil or ghee pressing down with a flat spoon. Turn over when puffed up. Fry on both sides until lightly brown, drain and serve hot. Naan: Ingredients: 250 Gms. Flour (maida); 1 tsp. Salt; 1 tsp. Sugar; 1 tsp. Soda bicarb; 1 egg, beaten; 7-9 tbsps. Curds, well mixed; 1 tbsp. Groundnut oil; 1/4 tsp. Sesame (til) or poppy seeds and a pinch of nitgella (kalonji) for garnishing on the naan. Method: Sift together flour, salt and soda bicarb. Add sugar, oil and well-beaten egg. Gradually add curds, mixing and kneading to a soft dough consistency. Knead well for 7 to 8 minutes. Sprinkle water (about a tbsp. or two) on top. Keep in a bowl covered with a damp cloth for 10 to 14 hours in a warm place in summer, longer in winter. Keep the cloth moist. Knead again before use. Take a big lime-sized ball of dough, flatten and roll out on a floured board to 5-7 inch disc. It should be about 1/6 inch thickness. Moisten one side of the naan uniformly with water and stick the moistened side on to a hot tawa. With wet fingertips pick up a few sesame and nigella seeds and stick these on the exposed surface. Cook till bubbles appear on the surface and it has become dry. Invert the tawa facing the flames, slightly away from the flames. Cook till golden brown spots appear. It gets unstuck once the under side is properly cooked. A tawa with a handle is necessary for cooking naans on the flames of a gas-cooker. Naans are traditionally made in a tandoor. ------------------- |
