Here I am in my kitchen and soaking takes a new connotation.
The begins with making usal/Misal with soaked grains, ends with soaking for Idli/dosa/or whatever.
Today, I am planning pani-puri where soaking manifests at many levels. For those who are interested and follow my footsteps in stupidity, here is making pani puri from scratch.
To make Paani: chopped mint and coriander leaves one bunch each. 2-3 green chillies, 1 ½ tablespoon jaggery, 1 ½ tablespoon tamarind soaked and pulp extracted.1/2 inch ginger, 2-4 peppercorns, 5 garlic flakes, 2 tsp. Jeera, salt to taste
To make puris: 1/3 cup wheat flour, 1/3 cup maida. 1/3 cup sooji, all mixed to a stiff dough there are people who mix with soda. But since I am not that efficient I stick to this proportion.
Stuffing: peas/Channa soaked overnight.(My mother uses sprouted moong.),2 chopped onions, 2 two diced tomatoes.
assembling the Pani-puri.
Puri’s are cut out so that they can be popped into the mouth.
Soaked peas are boiled, and mashed with diced onions and tomatoes.
All the ingredients for Paani are soaked 3-4 cups of water and boiled. Better still would be to grind add water just enough to soak it bring this mixture to a boil and strain. After which you can add water till the paani reaches your favourite strength.
Sometimes I like to add in chutney made of coriander leaves, dates. Green chillies and red chilli powder.
At the end of it all I am soaked in sweat and irritation.
But off late I have discovered a NO SOAK way to Panipuri, people may choose to call him the neighbourhood bhelwallah.
Despite it’s very tedious assembling of ingredients Paanipuri is not laborious to make. It is also a very healthy food. this is the traditional Indian food that was created in UP from where it has become a national food,and an icon of youth and forging romance.
Hmmm, Seems I myself can prepare them…nice!!!
sure the puri’s are times available in the market. Specially in India.
nice post 🙂 all the best!!
have a look at this one when you get time 🙂
http://saurabhchawla2345.blogspot.com/2012/08/i-had-dream.html
all the best Saurabh, I have +ged your link,