Today’s recipes are my childhood favourites and I guess, they still continue to be one of my favourites. Originating from North India, the dishes have become very much part of the cuisine of the sub-continent. In this post, I will focus on the main meal and in my next, the accompanying dessert.

(a) Puri

Time taken: 40 – 45 mins

Makes 6

Ingredients

• Wheat flour – 1 cup
• Salt – ½ tsp
• Low fat oil – 2 tbsp + for deep-frying
• Water, as required

Method

1. Add ½ tsp salt and 2 tbsp oil to the wheat flour. Slowly stir in a little water and knead the flour mix into a ball of dough.
2. Divide the dough into 6 smaller balls. Let it rest for about 15 to 20 mins.
3. Heat some oil in a pan on low to medium heat.
4. Roll out one of the small balls of dough.
5. Keep a little container with water by your side and brush one side of the rolled out dough with water.
6. Drop the rolled out dough into the hot oil, with the water side down. This helps the puri to puff up more. Yes, there will be a lot of crackling noise as water and oil react at first.
7. Once the puri has risen to the surface, flip it to the other side so that the other side can be cooked and can also become puffy. It takes about 2 mins approximately to brown each side.
8. Remove the puri from the pan and place on a dish covered with a grease absorbing paper.
9. Serve with kadalai curry.

(b) Kadalai (chickpea) curry

Time taken: 40 mins + overnight soaking

Serves: 3

Ingredients:

• Kadalai/ Chickpea – ½ cup
• Onion – ½ , chopped
• Mixed 3C (Cinnamon, cardamom and cloves) powder – 1 tsp
• Fennel seeds – ½ tsp
• Fenugreek seeds – ½ tsp
• Curry leaves – 1 sprig
• Rampe/ pandan leaf – small piece
• Coconut milk or non-fat milk – 1 cup
• Curry powder – 1 tbsp, or as required
• Low fat oil, as required

Method:

1. Soak the kadalai in water for a minimum of 3 hours and better, if soaked overnight.
2. Rinse the soaked kadalai and boil it for 15 minutes in some fresh water.
3. Drain and keep aside the kadalai.
4. In a pan, heat a little oil and fry the chopped onion, fenugreek, mixed 3C powder, curry leaves and rampe for two minutes.
5. Add the boiled kadalai to the pan and mix well.
6. Stir in the coconut milk or non-fat milk and 1 tbsp curry powder. Let the kadalai curry simmer on low heat for 10 to 15 mins.
7. If the curry dries up, add a little more milk and let it simmer a little more. The curry should have a rich consistency and not be watery when you remove from the heat.
8. Serve hot with the puri.

Recipe source: Raji Thillainathan.