Litti Chokha

Litti with chokha is a popular meal originated from India, popular in the states of Bihar, Jharkhand, parts of Eastern Uttar Pradesh. A variation of litti is Bhatti. I learned about this from my good friend Anshu. Litti is basically wheat flour balls stuffed with roasted gram flour called sattu and deep fried. It is served with fire roasted eggplants, tomato and boiled potatoes mashed together along with spices and mustard oil. I used the recipe from Nishamadhulika.com to make litti chokha for dinner yesterday, with some variation. I used the air fryer instead of frying.

Ingredients:

For Litti:
3 cups whole wheat flour
3 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon carom seeds (ajwain)
2 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups water or as needed

For stuffing:
1 cup sattu flour
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoon grated ginger
3 green chili, chopped
1 tablespoon pickle masala
2 tablespoon finely chopped onion (optional)
1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic (optional)
2 tablespoon mustard oil
2 tablespoon lemon juice
salt as required

For Chokha:
1 Italian eggplant
2 tomatoes
1 potato, boiled
5 green chili, finely chopped
1 teaspoon grated ginger
3 tablespoon chopped cilantro
3 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon mustard oil
salt to taste

Method:

Dough:
Mix ghee to the dry ingredients. Make a soft dough adding water little at a time. Cover the dough and set aside for 20 minutes.

Stuffing:
1.Take sattu in a medium bowl.

2. Add cilantro, green chili, grated ginger, pickle masala, salt, onion and garlic if you are using, lemon juice, and mustard oil. Mix well. Sprinkle some water if the stuffing is too dry.

Litti:
1. Knead dough to make it pliable. Divide dough into balls.

2. Take a ball of dough, flatten a little. Fill the center with a spoon of stuffing. Close up the stuffing. Repeat the process for the remaining dough balls.

3. Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add a few drops of oil, place the balls of dough filled with sattu in the water and cook for 8-10 minutes.

4. Remove the balls using a slotted spoon and allow to cool.

5. Deep fry litti until golden brown. I used air fryer to cook my litti. Preheat air fryer at 370 degrees for 5 minutes. Spray the container with oil. Place litti in the container and spray the top. Cook for 15 minutes, turning them over in between. Check and cook some more if required.

Chokha:
1. Spray eggplant and tomatoes with oil. Broil them in the oven or roast them over the stove. Allow to cool. Peel the skin and place them in a medium bowl.

2. Add boiled potatoes to the bowl. Add chopped green chili, cilantro, grated ginger, lemon juice, salt and 1 tablespoon mustard oil. Mash everything together to make chokha.

Serve warm chokha with hot litti.

Note:
Using mustard oil is authentic to Bihari cuisine. I personally do not like the taste of mustard oil. I substituted it with sesame oil.
Parboiled litti can be frozen for later use.

Palak Paneer

Ingredients:

1 bunch fresh spinach (palak), washed and chopped

1 large onion, quartered

1 large tomato

2 green chili

1/2 inch cinnamon stick

2 cloves

1 cardamom

2 tablespoons oil

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 teaspoon red chili powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin powder

1/2 teaspoon coriander powder

1 teaspoon garam masala

salt to taste

1/4 cup cream or milk (optional)

1 cup paneer cubes

Method:

1. Blanch onion and tomato in a saucepan filled with water. Drain. Allow to cool. Puree in a blender along with turmeric powder, chili powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and some salt.

2. Cook chopped spinach in the same saucepan used to blanch the vegetables with a little salt.

3. Heat oil in a saucepan. Add cinnamon, clove and cardamom. Add green chili. Now add the pureed onion and tomato. Cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally.Stir in spinach, cook for a few minutes.

4. Stir in cream or milk if using. Blend with emulsifier.

5. Stir in paneer cubes to the pan. Serve hot with roti or naan

Azhagar Dosai (crepe)

We were talking about idly and dosa on one of my whats app groups. A friend asked me to try Azhagar dosa. I've never heard of this. My mom told me that this is given as prasad in Azhagar kovil in Tamil Nadu. It tastes like pepper vada you would get in Thirupathi temple. I had it for the first time last night when I made for dinner.

Ingredients:

3 cups raw rice or idly rice

1 cup urad dal (black or white), preferably black

2 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon peppercorn

1/2 teaspoon asafoetida

1/2 teaspoon dried ginger powder (sukku)

Method:

1. Soak rice and dal separately for 6 hours.

2 Grind rice and dal together along with cumin seeds and peppercorn to a coarse batter. Mix in salt, asafoetida and ginger powder.  

3. Pour 1 ladle of batter on a hot griddle. Drizzle oil along the dosa. Cook for a couple minutes. Flip over and cook on both sides.

4. remove on a plate. Repeat process. Serve with any chutney of your choice.

Note:
You can adjust the recipe as you want, 3:1 ratio rice : urad dal. Serve it hot.

Pineapple Jam

Ingredients:

3 cups fresh pineapple chunks
2 1/2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Method:

1.Blend pineapple chunks in a blender to a coarse pulp
2. Melt sugar with 2 tablespoons water. Add puree. Cook till moisture leaves and forms jam consistency. Stir in lemon juice in between.
3. Let it cool. Store in a glass jar and refrigerate.

Note:
Same method can be used for any fruit. Usually I make mixed berry jam using strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries ( I don't blend them).

Vegetable Biriyani

The other day my friend's son said to me"Vegetable Biriyani cannot be called biriyani". Well Kavin, I disagree.Vegetable biriyani can be made just as well as any other biriyani. My daughter's friends came to visit us during the winter break. One of them loves Indian food. My daughter who loves biriyani wanted me to make it. I made it in the Instant Pot this time. It was simply amazing. I made the plain biriyani with few vegetables this time. But you can add soy protein (meal maker) to give the meaty flavor.

Ingredients:

2 cups basmati rice
2 tablespoons ghee
1 small cinnamon stick
2 bay leaves
2 cloves
2 green cardamom
1 mace
1 star anise
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 teaspoon red chili powder (adjust to taste)
2 teaspoons biriyani masala powder
salt to taste
1 or 2 green chili, sliced
1 onion, thinly sliced
1 small potato, diced
1 carrot, diced
6 green beans, diced
2 tablespoons green peas
1 small green pepper, diced
1/2 cup each fresh chopped cilantro and mint leaves
2 cups coconut milk
2 cups water

Method:

1. Wash and soak rice in water for 1 hour ( the longer you soak the better)
2. Set the Instant Pot on saute mode. Add ghee. Add dry whole spices when pot is hot.
3. Add chili and  onion, saute until translucent. Stir in ginger-garlic paste. Saute for a minute. Add turmeric powder,  chili powder, and salt. Add vegetables. Saute for 2 minutes. Mix in chopped cilantro and mint.
4. Mix 2 cups coconut milk with 2 cups water. Stir it into pot. Bring it to a boil. Cancel saute mode.
5. Drain water from rice. Stir it into the pot with vegetables and water. Check for salt. Cover the cooker with the lid and on vent. Cook on pressure cook mode (manual-14 minutes). Let pressure release naturally.
6. Serve hot with raita or kurma.

Note:

You can cook biriyani in a pan over stove top using the same recipe. after adding rice in the pan, cover with a lid and cook on medium heat for 15 minutes, checking in between.

Chocolate brownies

Brownies are the only thing my daughter would bake at the drop of a hat. She had a craving for chocolate one night and made these delicious semi-sweet chocolate brownies. They were super moist and very chocolaty.

Ingredients:

8 oz. semi-sweet chocolate, divided

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup flour

1/3 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Place 6 oz. chocolate and butter in a large microwavable bowl. Microwave on high for 2 minutes or until chocolate is melted.

2. Blend sugar, eggs and vanilla.

3. Pour chocolate mixture to egg mixture. Stir to combine.

4. Stir in flour and pecans until well blended.

5. Spread into greased 8 or 9-inch square baking pan.

6. Bake 22 to 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with fudge crumbs. Cool in pan on wire rack. Melt remaining 2 oz. chocolate and drizzle over brownies. Let stand until firm. cut into 16 squares to serve.

Pecan-Orange Baklava Pie

I came across an interesting pie recipe on Epicurious before Thanksgiving, Pecan-orange baklava pie. I was going to make it, but my husband wanted the traditional Pecan pie. I have tried making baklava once many years ago. It is time consuming and I have not made it again. Baklava is a sweet dessert pastry made with layers of filo filled with chopped nuts and sweetend with honey and sugar syrup. The baklava pie looked intersting. I decided to make it for New Year's eve party yesterday. It was a great hit at the party.

Ingredients:

2/3 cup honey
2 (3") cinnamon sticks
1 1/2 cups sugar, divided
3 tablespoons bourbon
3 cups raw pecans
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon orange zest, plus 1 tablespoon orange curls
20 (17x12") sheets frozen phyllo pasrty, thawed
1 cup (2 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Method:

1.Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Bring honey, cinnamon sticks, 1 cup sugar, and 1 cup water to a boil in medium heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Reduce heat to medium and continue to boil util syrup is reduced toabout 1 1/2 cups. Transfer to a medium bowl, stir bourbon, and let cool.
2. Meanwhile, spread pecans on large rimmed baking sheet and toast pecans until golden brown. Let cool.
3. Transfer nuts to a food processor. Add ground cinnamon, 1 teaspoon orange zest, and remaining 1/2 cup sugar. Pulse until coarsley chopped.
4. Place stack of phyllo sheets on a clean work surace. Kep any phyllo not currently working with covered under a layer of plastic wrap topped with a slightly damp kitchen towel.
5. Using base o sprongform pan as a guide, and sarting at edge of phyllo, carefully cut out 20 (9") circles, leaving as much phyllo remainig as possible. Cover phyllo circles. Using base of pan as a guide, cut remaining phyllo into 20 (4 1/2") half-circles.
6. Insert base into pan and secure the latch. Brush base with butter. Place 1 phyllo circlein pan and brush generously with butter. Top with 2 half-circles to creat a full circle, brush with butter. Top with full circle, brush agian. Top with 2 more half-circles at a 90deg. angle from the first half-circle layer, brush with butter. Top with a full circle, and brush again. You should have 5 layers of pastry(full circle- half-circles- full circle- half-circles- full circle), with butter spread between each layer. Spread one-fifth of nut mixture over phyllo. Repeat layering 4 more times. Top with the 5 remaining phyllo circles; brush top with butter.
4. Using a sharp knife, score the top layer (do not cut through to botom of pan) to divide into  quadrants. working with 1 quadrant at a time, make 1 straight cut to divide the quadrant into 2 even wedges. Make 4 more straight cuts (2 each on either side of, and parallel to the quadrantdivision line), spacing evenly apart. Now working within each wedge, make 2 evenly-spaced cuts parallel to the outside edge of the quadrant, connecting at points with the previous cuts  to form a diamond pattern. Repeat with the remaining quadrants to creat a starburst pattern.

5. Transfer pan to a rimmed baking sheet and bake until phyllo is golden brown, about 45 minutes.
6. Spoon cooled syrup over hot baclava in  4 additions. Place orange curls on top. Let cool completely in pan. Remove springform ring and cut baklava along the scored lines.

Note:
Syrup can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.
Baklava can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and store at room temperature.