PUFFY POORIE AND SAGU
Poories were my favourite tiffin during my childhood days. I used to lose count of the soft and puffy Poories I devoured as my mother served one after another straight from the kadai. I always relished a crunchy Poorie crushed with sugar in the end without which my tiffin ritual would never be complete. Now as my age has made me more health conscious I rarely make Poories. During my recent visit to Haridwar with family I had the opportunity to enjoy the noon meal at a place called Mohanji Puri Wale near Har Ki Pauri right opposite to the river Ganga. The hot and puffy Poories with tasty chole and halwa served in leaf bowls were something out of the world. The huge puffy Poories evoked my nostalgia as I enjoyed every bit of it with great relish.
INGREDIENTS FOR MAKING POORIES
Wheat flour - 2 cups
Semolina - 2 tbsps
Sour curds - 1/4 cup
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Sambar Powder - 1/4 tsp
Asafoetida - 1/2 pinch
Sesame Oil - 2 tsps
METHOD
1. Mix all dry ingredients together.
2. Add sour curds and mix well. Curd gives a good flavour and rich colour to the Poories.
3. Add water little by little and knead into a smooth and slightly stiff dough.
4. Add oil and once again knead lightly.
5. Leave it covered for half an hour.
6. Start heating oil in a kadai on low flame.
7. Knead the dough once again and pinch out a lemon size ball of dough.
8. Roll out into a moderately thick palm size Poorie.
9. Roll out four Poories at a time and turn the knob of the stove to high.
10. When the oil is hot enough slide a Poorie into it.
11. Gently press the surface of the rising Poorie using a slotted ladle.
12. When the Poorie puffs up nicely gently flip and cook till it gets a rich colour on both sides.
13. Remove using the slotted ladle and drain the puffy Poorie on a kitchen towel.
Serve the Poories as soon as they are fried though they will retain the 'puff ' for a while.
SAGU
INGREDIENTS FOR MAKING SAGU
Potatoes (Cooked and pealed) - 2
Chopped carrots - 2
Chopped Capsicum - 2
Chopped - Tomatoes - 2
Slivered onion - 2
Sesame oil - 2 tbsps
Mustard seeds - 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/4 tsp
Slit green chilly - 2
Slivered ginger - 1 tsp
Curry leaves - a few
Asafoetida - 1 pinch
Turmeric powder - 1 pinch
Salt - 1 1/2 tsp
Besan - 2 tsps
METHOD
1. Heat oil in a kadai and splutter mustard seeds and cumin seeds.
2. Add slit green chillies and ginger followed by slivered onion.
3. Add curry leaves and saute till onion turns pinkish in colour.
4. Add asafoetida and turmeric powder followed by chopped carrots and capsicum.
5. Stir in salt and cook till it emanates a pleasant aroma.
6. Add 3 cups of water and allow it to boil till the vegetables are done.
7. Stir in the chopped tomatoes and cook till soft.
8. Crumble the boiled potatoes and add to the boiling Sagu.
9. Make a paste of besan adding little water and stir it into the Sagu.
10. Switch off when the Sagu thickens.
Enjoy the flavoursome Sagu with the delicious Puffy Poories.
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