PAPDI/PAPRI

Indian Chaat Recipes are so versatile, and it has its own fan following throughout the length & breadth of the Country, and across the country.  Looking into the long list of items needed for Chaat items, certain combination of snacks, vegetables, seasoning & unique chutneys make each Chaat Item unique to itself.   Though the taste & ingredients & consistency of certain Chaat Items change regionally, most of the items added into these sinfully crazy Indian Street Food sticks to the norm and one such Item is Papdi.  Papdi is one of the most essential components of Chaat recipes of India. Papdis are nothing but deep-fried small crispy flat roundels which gives a crunchy texture to the dish. 

    When we talk about Indian Street Food, Chaat  Items are sure to steal the show.  With innumerable varieties & combos — Pani Puri, Bhel Puris, Papdi Chaat, Dahi Puri, Sev Puri, Pav Bhaji, the list gets longer & longer…. When I started frequenting with Chaat Items at home, one reason behind making Chaat Recipes at home is, we do not get Chaat locally.  And least to mention we do not get any of the snacks needed for Chaat too.  I stock them up when I travel to Kuala Lumpur or Singapore.  When a craving for Chaat Items takes a sweep I have to go to the extent of making each & every item needed for making these Chaat Items like Papdi, Puri, Boondhi, Sev.  Then Green Chutney, Tamarind Dates Chutney, Pani for Pani Puri etc., & etc., Long & tiring process, I started converting Papdis into Namak Pare in terms of easing the process.  It helped me to store it for a longer time.

    Papdi is one good add-on which can be crushed and added into Bhel Puris or can be used to make Papdi Chaat or Dahi Papdi Chaat  with a hearty drizzle of thick Yogurt/Curd, seasoning and toppings, Sev Puri etc. On the other hand, it can be eaten as a snack.

    The process of making this snack is an easy one except for the cutting and frying portion & it needs a bit of time & patience. The trick to making crunchy Papdi is to knead the dough as tightly as you can.  Then it should be rolled out like we do for a Chapati, it shouldn't be rolled too thin or too thick.  It should be rolled to a normal thickness, and then we need to prick it all over with a fork.  This is to avoid Papdi fluffing up while frying, which can make Papdi soft when cooled down.  Then Papdis should be fried on medium-low heat. The amount of ghee & semolina  added to the flour while kneading makes Papdi deliciously crunchy. The Carom Seeds/Ajwain is what gives a nice soothing flavour to the Papdi & also helps in digestion.

Points to remember for crispy Papdi/Papri:

 

• The dough should be slightly stiffer.
• The dough should be rolled neither too thick nor too thin. It should be rolled to a normal thickness.
• Prick all over the rolled dough with a fork.  This is to avoid Papdi fluffing up while frying, which can make Papdi soft when cooled down.
• Cut it out into small roundels with a Cookie Cutter or a sharp edged Bowl/Katori.
  
• Fry Papdis on a medium-low flame until it turns into Golden Colour.  

For more CHAAT RECIPES, click here…

Cuisine — North Indian
Recipe Type — Snacks
Spice Level — Low
Difficulty — Medium
Author — SM

Preparation Time — 25-30 Minutes
Cooking Time - 30 -45 Minutes

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HOW TO MAKE PAPDI/PAPRI FOR CHAAT 

PAPDI/PAPRI

INGREDIENTS:

 

For Papdi: 

 

All-purpose Flour(Maida) — 2 Cups

Baking Soda — 1/4 Tspn

Salt — To Taste 

Carom Seeds(Ajwain) — 1 Tspn

Cumin Seeds — 1/2 Tspn(Optional)

Oil/Ghee — 2-3 Tbspn

Water — 1/2-3/4 Cup(Approximately)

 

For Frying:

 

Oil

METHOD:

 

For the Dough:

 

• Sieve the All-purpose Flour (Maida) along with baking soda & salt once.
• Add Carom Seeds(Ajwain), Cumin Seeds to the sieved flour and give a quick stir.
• Pour in the Oil/Ghee.
• Add little water at a time and knead it into a slightly stiffer dough.
• Add water at intervals. Do not pour in all the water at a time.
• I used approximately a little lesser than 3/4 Cup of Water.
• Amount of water required depends on the quality of the flour.
• The dough should be slightly stiffer.  

 

For Papdi/Papri:

 

• Divide the Dough into 3 Balls and keep them aside.
• Dust the Dough Balls with some All-Purpose Flour and roll it out into a flat, neither too thin nor thick circle.
  
• Prick all over the rolled dough with a fork. 
  
• Cut the rolled dough into small roundels with a cookie cutter or a sharp edged Bowl/Katori.
• Transfer the Cut Papdis  into a plate dusted with All-Purpose Flour.
• Follow suit for the rest of the dough balls.

 

For Deep Frying:

 

• Heat oil in a Deep Pan or a Wok.
• Once the oil becomes hot, reduce the flame to medium-low.
• Gently drop the Papdis into the Oil.
• Fry the Papdis on a low- medium flame until it turns into Golden Colour.
• Once done, remove the fried Papdis with slotted spoons from the oil.
• Drain them on Paper towels 
• Once cooled down, store them in airtight containers.
• If stored properly, it may last up to a week to 10 days.

 

Baking Papdis In an Oven:

 

 

• Follow the steps as above until cutting the Papdis.
• Preheat an Oven at 160 °C.
• Spray the baking tray with oil.
• Line it up with the Papdis.
• Bake it in the preheated Oven at 160 °C for about 25–30 Minutes.
  

 

 

NOTES:

 

• Can substitute half the amount of All-purpose Flour with Wheat Flour(Aata).
• Some recipes even call for adding a few teaspoons of Semolina while kneading the dough.
• The dough should be stiff, which is the main factor behind crispy Papdis.
• Can use Ghee/Oil for the recipe. Both work equally well.
• Don’t roll it too thin. Roll it as you do it for Chapati, but slightly thicker.
• Prick all over the rolled dough with a fork. 
• Cut the rolled circles into small roundels with a cookie cutter or sharp edged bowl/Katori.
• Fry the Papdis on a low- medium flame until it turns into Golden Colour.
  

 

     

KESAR MALAI KULFI

    Summer is fast approaching… Even the heat got tough with temperature as high as 35 °C - 37 °C & with no rain for days, recently in Malaysia.  But the reason for a Kulfi at home is not Summer or the heat.  It is sheer self-indulgence.  This Malai Kulfi popped up when my son asked for Kulfi Falooda. He came up with a simple recipe, a quick fix Kulfi recipe which could be made within 30 minutes and the rest of the time is for setting. All the more the recipe had just 2 main ingredients — Condensed Milk & Milk, then maybe you can add Cardamom Powder, Kewra. Saffron etc., to add flavour and can be served garnished with nuts.

    KULFI — is a Mughal delicacy, crowned and majestically seated at the top most list of Indian Classical Desserts.  It's undoubtedly an Indian Ice cream, prepared with milk, milk and more milk, condensed and reduced to give a caramelized nutty flavour and chewy texture, traditionally flavoured with Saffron and Cardamoms.  The amount of Sugar added to Milk plays a major role in the getting of the perfect texture.    

    Needless to say, along with skill and experience what you need to make a Kulfi is sheer Patience. Needless to say, I find it tough to get it photographed too.  With temperature as high as 35 °C, the Kulfis started to melt down as soon as I took it out from the mould.  It took me around 6 hours to set it out on top of the ice cube box, before clicking a single picture.  Effort nagged me to the core, making me click pictures leaving the plate on top of the Ice cube box.  Left alone with the ideas which popped out in my mind to picture these wonderful Kesar Malai Kulfis.

KESAR MALAI KULFI

    Patience, is one thing I can never get hold of.  I do not mind going to the length and breadth of getting things as perfect as possible.   But cooking for long hours is not my choice, with just an exception — KULFI & yet another dish I cook with patience is for Chaat Items like Bhel Puri & Pani Puri.  Traditionally Malai Kulfis prepared with just milk taste far more authentic Slow cooked and reduced for a long time. But this Kesar Malai Kulfi recipe is a simpler version of the same which uses Condensed Milk, which helps to sweeten the Kulfi and also helps to thicken the mix quickly.  To speed up, the process can substitute a few cups of Milk with Milk Powder too.  In my opinion, what we need is a dish similar without compromising with the taste & texture. And this Kesar Malai Kulfi does total justice to the terms.

    Traditionally Kulfi is set in terracotta pots (Matka). You can set Kulfi in Kulfi moulds that are available in most of the Indian stores, or you can even buy them online. Alternately you can set it in stainless-steel glass or Katori, coffee cups, plastic cups or Popsicle moulds.


For more KULFI RECIPES, click here…

Cuisine — Indian
Recipe Type — Ice cream, Dessert
Difficulty — Medium
Serves - 3 – 4
Author — SM  

Preparation Time - 10 – 15 Minutes
Cooking Time - 30 – 45 Minutes
Freezing Time - 8 -1 0 Hours/Overnight

HOW TO MAKE KESAR MALAI KULFI

 

KESAR MALAI KULFI

INGREDIENTS:

Milk — 4 Cups
Condensed Milk — 2 Cups
Milk Powder — 8 Tbspns
Corn Flour — 3 Tbspns
Kewra Water — a few Drops(Optional)
Cardamom Powder — 11/2 Tspns

For Garnishing:

Cashew Nuts — a handful
Almonds — a handful
Saffron — a few strands

METHOD:

• Mix Milk Powder & Corn Flour in cold milk to make a thick paste, mix well until there are no lumps.
• Now pour in of the Milk along with Condensed Milk into a heavy bottomed pan or a non-stick pan and mix well. 
• Bring it to boil, then leave it on a very low flame for about 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• Scrap the sides in between.
• Leave this on a very low flame stirring thoroughly.
• Care should be taken not to burn the mix and make sure there are no lumps.
• Add Cardamom Powder, Saffron and a few drops of Kewra Water & mix well.
• Switch off the flame and allow it to cool.
• Pour this into Kulfi moulds.
• Freeze the Kulfis for about 8-10 hours or until well set.
• Serve Kesar Mali Kulfi chilled, garnished with finely chopped nuts.

NOTES:

• Adding Corn Flour helps to thicken the Kulfi Mix soon.  But adding it is purely optional.
  
• Use a wide heavy bottomed pot to simmer the Kulfi Mix.
• The large surface area of the pot will speed up the process.
• While boiling the milk, stir it frequently otherwise it will tend to burn and will totally spoil the taste of Malai Kulfi.
• For a soft Kulfi add more sugar, also sugar helps in scalding down the milk mix soon.
• Pour only 3/4 of the level in the mould, while freezing them it tends to expand.

HOW TO REMOVE KULFI FROM THE MOULD:

• Run each mould with the lid on under a tap of running warm water or fill a bowl with warm water, stand the Kulfi mould in the bowl for a few seconds. 
• Carefully invert the mould on a serving plate holding on to the stick.
• Alternatively, can twist the mould between your palms of both of your hands.
• The idea is to make the mould warm so that the Kulfis come out clean from the mould.
• Both ideas work best.
• Or simply scoop it with a spoon and eat it as you eat an Ice cream.
  

ALOO BHUJIA

    Aloo Bhujia is a popular Bikaneri Namkeen commonly remembered along with Haldirams who popularized the snack around the world. My son & my brother love this snack. I usually buy big packs of these Haldiram Aloo Bhujias whenever I can get hold of it. This recipe is my trial with the all-time favourite snack - Aloo Bhujia.

 

    Bikaneri Bhujias are quite famous in & around India & its popularity is widespread around the world. Bhujias have taken a special place in the list of snacks & savouries. We can get a variety of Bhujias from Bikaner, a city in the western state of Rajasthan in India. Light yellow coloured snacks, mostly prepared with Gram Flour/Moth Bean Flour & spices has gradually become synonymous to Bikaner gaining the GI(Geographical Indication) patent for the same. But the name of the city, Bikaner has imposed deep in our minds for its all-time famous Bikaneri Bhujias, epitomizing it as the land of snacks. The omnipresent Bhujia has taken different avatars in due course. And one among the avatar is the Aloo Bhujia.

 

Once an Indian Poet Ashok Vajpeyi remarked Bikaner, like this - 

    "This is also a city where one half of the population is occupied with making bhujia & the other half with eating it".

 

   While I was making Sev for Bhel Puri, I thought maybe can give a try with Aloo Bhujia. Aloo Bhujia is nothing but a Sev like savoury snack prepared with Chickpea Flour, boiled & mashed Potatoes with flavourings. Mainly it would have an overwhelming flavour of Chaat Masala, Black Salt and Mint in it. It is such an easy & foolproof recipe. I added boiled & mashed Potatoes along with Besan(Bengal Gram Dhal Flour) & some spices to add flavours to the snack. Deep-fry it on a very flame and as simple as that, there it's - the Aloo Bhujia. Homemade Aloo Bhujia turned out to be a tasty treat with an added advantage that it has no additives, preservatives and above all, it was not salty as the ones we buy from the stores. This spicy & Crispy Aloo Bhujia serves best as a tea time snack. Serve it along with Garma-Garam Chai(Tea) or with a hot Cup of Coffee. Sprinkle Aloo Bhujia as a topping while serving Chaat items like Bhel Puri, Pani Puri, Dahi Puri etc., With the upcoming festive season, this recipe can be an easy addition into your Savoury list.

 

For more CHAAT ITEMS, Click here... 

 

 Cuisine - Indian

 Recipe Type - Snacks

 Spice Level - Low

 Difficulty - Medium

 Author - SM

 

 

Preparation Time - 15-20 Minutes

Cooking Time - 30 -45 Minutes

 

 

For more SNACKS & SAVOURIES, Click here... 

 

 

 HOW TO MAKE ALOO BHUJIA

 

ALOO BHUJIA

 

INGREDIENTS:

 

For Aloo Bhujia:

 

Potato - 1/2 Cup 

Bengal Gram Dhal Flour (Besan) - 2 Cups

Butter - 2 1/2 Tbspn

Turmeric Powder - 1/2 Tspn

Red Chilli Powder - 1 Tspn 

Asafoetida Powder - 1/2 Tspn

Chaat Masala - 1 Tspn

Dry Mint Powder - 1 Tspn 

Baking Soda - a Pinch 

Lemon Juice - 2 Tbspn 

Salt - To Taste

Water - As Required (1/4 Cup + 2 Tbspn)

 

*Scroll down to see how to make Dry Mint Powder.

 

For Deep Frying: 

 

Oil 

 

For Sprinkling:

 

Chaat Masala - 1/4 Tspn

Black Salt - 1/4 Tspn(Optional)

Dry Mint Powder - 1/4 Tspn(Optional)

 

 

METHOD:

 

• Clean, wash & Boil the Potatoes until soft & cooked.
• Once cooked, peel the potatoes and mash it well.
• Add it along with the all the other dry ingredients mentioned under ' For Aloo Bhujia' and mix well.
• Melt the butter & pour the hot butter into the above ingredients and mix well.
• Add a little bit of water at a time and knead it into a soft dough.
• Adjust the amount of water according to the starchiness of the Potatoes. You may need approximately 1/4 cup + 2 Tbspn of water.
• Knead it into a stiff, but pliable dough(Once kneaded the dough shouldn't have any cracks in it) & keep it aside.
• Grease the Sev "press" with attachment.
• Roll some dough and fill the cylinder of the Sev Press with the dough and close it.
• Heat oil in a frying pan on medium heat. 
• Oil should be moderately hot while dropping the Sev Strands into it.
• Now hold the Sev press over the frying pan and press the handle.
• Press out thin strands of Aloo Bhujia directly into the oil, making a whole circular motion.
• Stop as you complete one circle. 
• Deep-fry the Aloo Bhujia on a very low flame until the colour changes from all the sides and sizzling stops. 
• It shouldn't turn brown. 
• Remove the Aloo Bhujia with slotted spoons and drain on an absorbent paper.
• Follow suit and deep-fry the remaining Aloo Bhujia.
• Keep aside to cool for 5 to 10 minutes.
• Transfer the Aloo Bhujia into a deep bowl and break them into small pieces.
• Sprinkle dried Mint Powder, Black Salt, Chaat Masala & give a good toss.
• Store in an air-tight container and use as required.

ALOO BHUJIA

 

 

NOTES:

 

• Mash the cooked Potatoes well enough that there should be no lumps in it.
• Use water as required. The amount mentioned is how much I used while preparing the dough.
• Deep fry the Aloo Bhujias on a very low flame. Otherwise, it will turn brown.
• Drop the Aloo Bhujia into hot oil in swirls and wait until the sizzling stops before turning up to the other side.
• Fry the Bhujias until they turn into a nice yellow colour. 

 

HOW TO MAKE DRY MINT POWDER:

 

    Homemade Mint Powder is flavourful & makes Aloo Bhujia wonderfully aromatic. You can easily make it at home. I usually make dry mint powder fresh for the recipes and have not tried store-bought ones. Fresh homemade Dry Mint Powder retains a lot of flavours in it, which makes the Bhujia flavourful. You would need a handful of Mint Leaves for the purpose. Use more or less to suit your recipe. Can store it in an air-tight jar for later use.

 

METHOD:

 

• Remove the Mint Leaves from the Stalk.
• Wash it and allow it to dry on a clean kitchen towel.
• Once dried, dry roast the Mint Leaves on a low flame until it turns crisp & dry.
• Powder it using a coffee grinder or a small blender jar.
• Sieve it & there you go with Dry Mint Powder.
• Can use the residue to sprinkle on top of the Bhujias.

  

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