Chakli or Janthikalu

Chakli or Janthikalu in Telugu is a very common crispy snack made in South and Western parts of India.Its made with rice flour and lentil or pulse flours in a variety of ways. Different combinations are used and spices are used according to one's taste.A special mettalic device with moulds is used to make these. Its called a chakli mould. One kind somewhat looks like an icing gun. Here I have used roasted bengal gram dhal or chutney dhal or putnala pappu powder with rice flour.

Ingredients	Quantity
Rice Flour	4 cups
Roasted Bengal Gram Dhal Powder	1 cup
Butter	1½ tbsps
Asafoetida (Hing - Optional)	a pinch
Cumin Seeds	1 tsp
Celery Seeds (Ajwain)	½ tsp
Red Chilly Powder	1½ tsps
Turmeric Powder	¼ tsp
Salt	to taste
Oil	for deep frying
Water	to make dough

Method

1. Sieve the rice flour and roasted gram powder in a bowl.


2. Add to this mixture,salt, asofoetida,red chilly powder,cumin seeds,celery seeds,turmeric powder and mix them throughly.


3. Then add the butter(brought to room temperature) and mix.Add enough water to make a soft and pliable dough. Do not make it too soft. It will absorb more oil.


4. Heat oil for deep frying in a pan.Take the mould to make these chaklis and place a ball of this dough and press this down into the hot oil to make circles or just pieces and fry them till they are golden brown.


5. These can be stored for a long time in an airtight jar or tin. Children will love them!

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A Medley Of Fried Vegetables

Vegetables like onions, potatoes, green chillies etc. have been used often to make pakodas or fritters in India or as a snack during festivities.Here an attempt has ben made to experiment with vegetables like bittergourd,wholebrinjals,capsicum,tomato,cauliflower and greens like spinach,betal leaves or " paan" as it is called.Some of these vegetables have to be steamed before frying as they take time to cook when fried as it is. The batter for all these vegetables is more or less the same. Variations can be made as desired.This has many calories ,so it can be made occasionally.

For the Batter

Ingredients	Quantity
Gram Flour (Besan)	1 cup
Rice Flour	2 tbsps
Red Chilly Powder	1 tsp
Coriander Powder	1 tsp
Cumin Powder	1 tsp
Celery Seeds (Ajwain)	½ tsp
Soda bi carbonate (Optional)	½ tsp
Chopped Coriander Leaves	1 tbsp
Salt	to taste
Water	to make the batter

Vegetable Ingredients
Vegetables like bitter gourd,small round brinjals,raw banana bell pepper or capsicum,cauliflower,tomatoes spinach,cabbage and betel leaves

Ingredients	Quantity
Oil	for deep frying
Finely Chopped Onions	2 tbsps
Chaat Masala Powder	1 tsp

Note
This is the basic recipe for the batter and vegetable mix. If more is required more batter can be mixed. Also shredded cabbage and chopped spinach have to be mixed with the same ingredients of the batter but with less water.

Method

1. Mix all the ingredients for the batter in a bowl and keep it aside.


2. Cut the bittergourd into two pieces and slit the centers. Leave the stem of the brinjal intact and slit it in the center on either side.Boil these two vegetables in water with plenty of salt seperately.


3. Slice the bellpepper into long pieces and dice the tomato and raw banana into circles. Use half ripe tomatoes preferably.


4. Chop the spinach and shred the cabbbage leaves. Do not cut the betal leaves.


5. All these vegetables will be used seperately.


6. Heat oil in a pan for deep frying.


7. Dip each vegetable in the batter and fry them in the oil till they are golden brown.


8. Spread them in a large serving plate and garnish with finely chopped onions and sprinkle some chat masala powder and serve with coconut chutney or green chutney or tomato ketchup.Bitter gourd,brinjal and capsicum pakodas can be served with hot rice or chappatis.

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Sweet Coconut Basket With Ice Cream

In one of my travels to Kerala I came across a simple dessert made with coconut. Hope you will enjoy it as much as I enjoyed it!

Ingredients	Quantity
Grated Coconut	1 cup
Jaggery (Gur or Gud)	½ cup
Cardamom Powder	1 tsp
Plain Flour (Maida)	½ cup
Water	¼ cup
Hot Oil or Ghee (Optional)	1 tsp
oil	for deep frying
Honey	2 tbsps

Method

1. Take a bowl and mix the plain flour,hot ghee and enough water to make a firm dough.Cover it and keep it aside.


2. To make he filling,take a pan and heat it. Pour half a cup of water and and add the jaggery and cook both of them till it forms thick syrup.


3. Add cardamom powder and grated coconut and mix. Remove from heat and let it cool.


4. Make lemon sized balls with this coconut mixture.


5. Take the dough and divide it into seven or eight balls.


6. Roll each ball into a thin circle.


7. Place a coconut ball in the center of the circle and with water wet the edges with little water.


8. Now bring all the sides of the circle to the center and close it to make a basket.Do the same with the rest of the balls.


9. Fry these baskets in hot oil till golden brown.


10. Place one coconut basket in a serving bowl and a scoop of your favourite ice cream and drizzle honey over this and serve.

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Brinjal Green Curry

This delicious brinjal curry is made with only green chillies and green coriander/cilantro leaves. Capsicum or bell pepper is added to accentuate the green colour of the curry. Try this appetizing curry which will lift up your spirits!

Ingredients	Quantity
Small Brinjals	6
Capsicum (Green Bell Pepper)	1 medium
Coriander Leaves (Cilantro)	1 medium bunch
Green Chillies	1 tsp
Oil	1 ½ tbsp
Salt	to taste

Method

1. Clean and wash the brinjals and cut off the long stem leaving the crown and short stem intact. It is preferable to take same size brinjals so that the cook evenly. Slit the brinjals so that the can be stuffed and keep them in salt water to avoid browning .


2. Grind the green chillies,coriander leaves and salt in grinder into a paste and this is used as the stuffing. Do not add any water.


3. Take oil in a pan and add cumin seeds and fry them.


4. Take each brinjal and take a teaspoon of the stuffing and stuff it in the brinjal and put it in the oil. Do the same with all the brinjals.Sprinkle a little water and cover the pan and cook on low flame stirring in between so that the brinjals do not get stuck to the bottom of the pan.


5. Half way through add the capsicum pieces and cook them too.If small capsicum is available the can be added without cutting.


6. When the brinjals and capsicum are cooked,remove them from the heat and serve it in a bowl.


7. Garnish it with chopped coriander leaves and serve it with hot rice or chappatis.

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Black Eyed Peas and Green Gram Dosa

Black eyed peas in India is known as lobhia or in Telugu alchandalu. These peas are rich in calcium, folates, vitamin A and, of course, proteins. These peas by eating on a New Year Day is believed to bring prosperity. This variety dosa made with black eyed peas and green gram(moong in Hindi and pesalu in Telugu) is most suitable for diabetics and those who are supposed to reduce on rice content. This is gluten free too. To make this dosa a little or no oil can be used. To make it crisp a tablespoon of rice is used. Seven to eight dosas can be made with this batter.

For Dosa

Ingredients	Quantity
Black Eyed Peas (Lobhia)	½ cup
Green Gram (Moong dal)	¼ cup
Rice	1 tbsp
Cummin Seeds	1 tsp
Green Chillies	2 or 3
Coriander Leaves	1 small bunch
Ginger	1 inch piece
Oil	for shallow frying
Salt	to taste

For Garnishing

Ingredients	Quantity
Grated Carrot	¼ cup
Finely Chopped Green Chillies	1 tbsp
Chopped Coriander Leaves	2 tbsp

Method

1. Soak the black eyed peas and green gram in water for three hours.


2. Wash and grind them in a grinder with green chillies,ginger,salt and cumin seeds into a fine paste.The batter should not be very thick.


3. Take a flat griddle or tava and grease it. Heat it.


4. Take a ladleful of the batter and put in the center of the pan and spread with the the back of the ladle into a circle.


5. Take a teaspoon of oil and drop it around the dosa and on medium heat let it become crisp all around and slightly brown in colour on the underside.


6. Make dosas with the rest of the batter.


7. Garnish each dosa with grated carrot,chopped green chillies and chopped coriander leaves and serve it on plate with coconut chutney. Green chillies can be avoided if children are being served.

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Rice Roti

Rice roti is a South Indian dish especially prepared in Karnataka and in some parts of Telengana. This contains nutrients from the rice and vegetables. It can be taken as a snack, breakfast food or as a main meal. The accompaniment to this dish can be coconut chutney or vegetable kurma or tomato chutney. To make it more nutritious,chopped green vegetables and sprouts can be added. Children will like it and above all it is gluten and casein free. It is easily digestable too. Try it!

Ingredients	Quantity
Rice Flour	1 cup
Water	2 ½ cup
Finely Chopped Onions	¼ cup
Finely Chopped Green Chillies	1 tbsp
Chopped Coriander Leaves	2 tbsps
Grated Carrot	2 tbsps
Cummin Seeds	2 tbsps
Salt	to taste
Oil	for shallow frying

Method

1. Heat the water in a big pan and add cumin seeds and salt.


2. When the water starts boiling, lower the heat and add the chopped onions,green chillies, coriander leaves and grated carrot.


3. Then add the rice flour slowly mixing it simultaneously with the water.


4. Take the pan from the heat and mix the contents well.


5. Cool the mixture until it is luke warm. Make four or five balls.


6. Take a greased flat pan and heat it. Put one and a half teaspoons of oil. Lower the heat.


7. Take one rice ball and pat it on the wet palm and place it in the pan and with wet fingers pat it further to make a circle.


8. Put one teaspoon of oil around and on the roti and cover it with a plate.


9. When the sides become light brown turn the roti and cook for a minute and remove.


10. Repeat this with the other rice balls.


11. Serve hot or cold with coconut chutney or vegetable kurma.

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Stuffed Green Chillies

Ingredients	Quantity
Big Green Chilles/Peppers	10
Mashed Potatoes	1/2 cup
Chopped Coriander Leaves	1 tbsp
Blanched Almonds	10
Garlic Cloves	3 or 4
Lime Juice	1 tsp
Gram Flour	1 cup
Salt	to taste
Soda bi carbonate	1/4 tsp (optional)
Oil	for deep frying

 

 

Method

1. Slit the green chillies in the centre so as to stuff them.
   
2. Cook the chillies in boiling water for 3 to4 minutes till half cooked if chillies  have a tough skin. Put them aside.
   
3. Grind the blanched almonds and garlic and mix them with the mashed potatoes,salt,lime juice and chopped coriander leaves to make the stuffing. Stuff each chilly with one tablespoon of stuffing and keep them aside.
   
4. Make a batter with gram flour,salt and soda.
   
5. Heat oil in a pan and dip each chillie in the gram flour batter and deep fry till golden brown.
   
6. Serve hot with tomato sauce or salsa.
   
7. If one does not want to deep fry,the chilles can just be brushed with oil on all sides  in a greased pan and put them in a preheated oven  and bake them for 25minutes or  till the chillies become brown.
   

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Stuffed Coconut Dessert

Ingredients:

• Plain flour                                                           1/2 cup
• Salt                                                                        a pinch
• Oil                                                                          for deep frying

For the filling:

• Grated Coconut                                                     1/2 cup
• Brown Sugar/Jaggery                                          1/4 cup
• Cardamom Powder                                               1/4 tsp

For the Topping:

• Honey                                                                      1 tablespoon
• Chopped Nuts/Dryfruits                                     As per desire
• Vanilla Ice Cream                                                 6 scoops

Method To Prepare The Filling:

1. Take jaggery or brown sugar in a pan and add a tablespoon of water and cook till it becomes a thick syrup on low flame.
2. Add the grated coconut and cardamom powder and mix it in
3. Cook till it thickens, stirring occasionally.
4. Cool this mixture

Method To Prepare Stuffed Coconut Dessert:

1. Make a stiff dough with plain flour, salt and water, and keep it aside.
2. Divide the dough into six balls.
3. Roll out each ball into circles.
4. Place a tablespoon of coconut filling in the centre of the circle and cover the mixture with a half-fold of the dough circle and shape them into long pieces which are well sealed.
5. Heat oil in a pan for deep frying.
6. Fry the long stuffed pieces in the oil till they are light brown and crispy.
7. To serve, place one fried piece on a plate and a scoop of ice cream and drizzle a little of honey on this. Chopped nuts can also be sprinkled on this.

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