Falahari Poori

Fasting food is often restricted. The number of cereals allowed is not only limited but the taste is bland too. These days to get the younsters to confirm to traditional food is getting more and more difficult. However certain traditional food served with a proper accompaniment always hits bullseye. This nutty tasting poori is one such side. The crisp yet soft pooris go well with potato gravies, chutney , kadhi and even with raitas.

Ingredients:
2 cups Rajgira / kuttu ka atta ( Amaranth/ Buckwheat flour)
1 boiled potato
2 tsp Ghee
salt to taste ( if cooking on a fasting day , use rock salt)
water for kneading dough
oil for frying


Mix together the flour, salt and ghee. Grate in the boiled potato. Mix the flour well , add a little water at a time and form a stiff dough. Keep aside for half an hour.

When ready to serve, heat the oil. On a plastic sheet or foil. Place a drop of oil and place a dough ball on it. rub a little oil on your fingers and start patting the dough into a circle using your fingers. The poori needs to be as thin as a biscuit. Carefully lift up the poori and lower into hot oil. Hold down the poori with a slotted spoon till the poori fluffs up. Check the bottom for a even brown colour, then turn. Fry to a golden brown colour and drain.

Serve hot with Potato curry or a yoghurt raita or with a chutney of your choice. 

Potato Dryfruit Kachori

With Mahashivratri starts the appearence of Hindu festivals. Routine life is punctuated by fasting and feasting. While fasting would essentially mean abstinence from cooked food, there have been certain food stuff marked for consumption during fasting days. Most green vegetables and dry spices are not allowed, as are onions and garlic. More information on foods that are allowed can be had by writing to me, as I would like to restrict this post to a recipe. A decadent snack meant for fasting days but can be eaten almost on any day. Great to impress people with, easy to make. It always gathers compliments. Its the combination of ingredients that make this a wow snack. So here goes.

Ingredients:

2 medium boiled potatoes

1/2 cup dessicated / coarsely ground fresh coconut

2 tblsp green corriander leaves chopped

1 tsp each chopped ginger and green chilli

2 tablespoons grated paneer or cottage cheese

1 tablespoon each of sliced nuts of choice ( cashews, almonds, pistachios)

1 tablespoon chopped raisins ( optional)

1 tsp pure ghee

salt to taste ( if fasting , use rock salt)

2 table spoons Kuttu/ rajgira flour if fasting or otherwise use plain flour.

Oil for frying

Coarsely grind together coconut, corriander leaves, chillies, ginger. Add salt to taste. Mix this with dried nuts and raisins, Add in grated paneer. Mix well and keep aside.

Grate and mash the boiled potatoes well. Add  the ghee and a little salt to taste. 

Make a paste with the flour and 3 tablespoons water. The flour-water paste  should be of a pouring custard consistency. 

Divide and form the coconut and nuts mixture into small lemon size balls. Divide the potato paste into the same no of portions. flatten the potato paste in your palm and keep the coconut ball in it. Gently spread the potato paste to cover the coconut-nuts balls. cover all the balls in the same fashion. Keep aside. Heat oil for frying. Dip each potato covered ball into the flour paste and carefully lower into the oil. Repeat with all the balls. gently move the balls inside the oil once the underside looks pinkish brown. lower the flame and fry the balls to a light golden colour. Drain and serve hot with a coconut chutney .