Incredible Indian Food!


Traditionally, we tend to do our food posts closer to the end of our stays in a country so that we compile a number of eating experiences, but we thought – “why wait until the end of our stay? Let’s do some cooking right now!”

As mentioned in previous posts, our Couchsurfing hosts, Ravi, Anju and Pranav, have been absolutely amazing! Anju has been a non-stop chef creating mouth watering Indian dishes for us to try. We all agree that we are moving in because her cooking is beyond belief!

So after our time in Agra, we retuned “home” to New Delhi for some awesome cooking classes with Anju. We learned how to make some delightful Indian dishes we can serve at our international food nights when we return home to Canada. The Puliani family will have to come and visit and give us their personal feedback!

To begin with, to authentically eat Indian food, one should not use forks or knives…spoons only on the table. One also has to master the art of tearing  breads with one hand and elegantly scooping the different delicious delights up to one’s mouth (we are all still working on this skill!).

As in most cultures, breads play an important role on the menu and there are so many to choose from: chapati/ roti, paratha, puris, etc…all of them homemade and very delicious!  Another thing we learned is that naan is served mainly in restaurants, it’s not something people make and eat in their homes.

So let’s start by making some different types of breads!

First of all, most Indian homes would have a few staple ingredients in the house and special equipment to make their different breads.  For example, a big container of whole wheat flour, a small rolling pin, a platform for rolling out the dough, (not sure what this is called), and a special pan to cook the dough called a tava or a flat iron grill. Some kitchens will also have small tandoor style ovens which look like large toaster ovens – but are incredibly hot!

Every morning, Anju makes her dough for the day.  Bread is served at all three meals so the dough is kept in the fridge and prepared fresh for each meal.

Standard Bread Dough 

Ingredients

2 cups whole wheat flour

1 cup of water

Pinch of salt

1. Add 2 cups of whole wheat flour and a pinch of salt to a food processor.

Whole wheat flour in food processor.
Whole wheat flour in food processor.

2. Add 1 c of water and process.

Add water and spin!
Add water and spin!

3. Keep processing until dough forms a large ball and sticks together.

The daily dough!
The daily dough!

The cooking method and any additional ingredients determines which type of bread is made.

 

Chapati/Roti

1. Take a small piece of dough and roll it on the platform with the small rolling pin.

Rolling the dough.
Rolling the dough.

2. Make sure to flip it over a couple of times – sprinkle with flour if the dough becomes sticky.

Flip it over and roll some more!
Flip it over and roll some more!

3. Place dough on the tava/griddle and cook on stove.

The tava/griddle
The tava/griddle

4. The dough will cook quickly – 1-2 minutes and puff up.

Puffed up and brown!
Puffed up and brown!

5. Flip the bread to brown evenly.  Serve hot and fresh!

 

Paratha

** Follow the same dough recipe and cooking method for chapati – see above.

1. After rolling out the bread, spread melted butter or ghee on the dough for extra buttery flavour.

2. Put some oil on the tawa and cook evenly on both sides.  It will be crispier than the chapati.

 

Stuffed Paratha

Ingredients

Boiled potatoes

Cumin

Coriander powder

Chilli powder

Fresh coriander

Green chillies to taste

 

  1. Prepare traditional dough.

    Rolling out the dough.
    Rolling out the dough.
  2. Mix ingredients together and put on a plate.
  3. Spread ghee on dough and roll up again to mix.
  4. Dip in flour and roll out dough again.
  5. Add some of the “stuffing” to the dough and pinch together into a small package.
  6. Dip in flour and roll out dough again.
  7. Place stuffed dough in the kitchen tandoor oven – be careful – it’s very hot!
  8. In a couple of minutes – remove from stove and put more butter or ghee on top if desired. Delicious!

This recipe can also be done with minced mutton – called kima, or paneer (pressed cottage cheese) or whatever you feel like adding to the stuffing!

We all successfully made the stuffed parathas – so if we can do it – anyone can! These parathas reminded us of the kulchas we tried in Amritsar.  The difference is that kulchas are made with refined flour and some sort of yeast or leavening agent.

 

Puris

1. Prepare dough as usual.

2. Roll out dough into circles.

3. Add to hot oil and deep fry.

Add dough to hot oil.
Add dough to hot oil.

4. Remove from oil after puris have “puffed up”

Puffed up Puris!
Puffed up Puris!

5. Drain on paper towel and serve immediately.

What I learned…if you do not roll out your dough in a nice circle, (mine looked like rectangles), your puri will not puff up – or it will fall soon after removing it from heat.  If you look at the pics above, you can tell which ones I made versus the ones Anju did!

Stay tuned for more recipes from Anju’s Cooking School!

On the menu…..dahl, butter chicken, rice, and of course – desserts!

 

 

 


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Comments

12 responses to “Incredible Indian Food!”

  1. All that hot oil, that hot oven, then add those hot spices…. Hot , hot, hot! How do they cool all of that down? Are the desserts fresh fruit?

    1. Hi Herta,

      Yougurt is on the table with every meal, so it’s used to cool the spice. Right now it’s not that hot in Delhi – around 22 degrees which is quite comfy. Fresh fruit is available such as bananas, oranges, and some other tropical fruit that we really like – but we don’t know the names yet:)

      Cheers,
      Kat:)

  2. Sandra Campbell Avatar
    Sandra Campbell

    Hi,Im not Sandra im Sage! I think the indian food looks delicious. Maybe you should try to count how many new foods you taste. and which food was your favourite.

    1. Hi Sage,

      That would be lots of fun -we’ve tried so many new foods as we’ve travelled…I’m not sure we could pick one favourite over another – but it would be fun to try and cook them all, or find them when we are back home in Toronto.

      Perhaps you and your grandma will help us with the cooking and the taste testing…what do you think?

      Cheers,
      Katina:)

  3. Very cool….International cooking nights? If you do Indian I will reciprocate with the pork carnitas I have mastered….thanks for the pics, that is helpful…the tandoor thing is cool, I was contemplating building one in the backyard….it is that or a cob oven for pizza….enjoy the food! You are clearly being spoilt by Anju – I am jealous….

    1. Hi Nicole,

      It’s a deal….dinner nights are on…and if you get a tandoori oven in your back yard…I’ll fly Anju in and she can do a live cooking class for you too! LOL!!
      And you are so right – we have been spoiled by Anju and Ravi – they are incredible people!

      Cheers,
      Katina:)

  4. Mouth-watering! Can’t wait to try it! Love the blogs!

    Beverley

    1. Hi Bev,

      Loved all your photos and blog posts from SA! Now that you’re back….you can try some Indian cooking!

      Cheers and take good care!
      Kat:)

  5. RAVI PULIANI Avatar
    RAVI PULIANI

    Hi all, the platform on which the dough ball is placed and made flat and round with a rolling pin is called a ‘chakla’ and the rolling pin is called a ‘belan’. So together they are called as ‘chakla-belan’. The belan has multiple uses, in traditional Indian households, it is also used as a means to discipline the ‘hubby’ and the ‘children’ when they misbehave. In India, neither ‘husband beating’ nor ‘child beating’ is an offence but wife-beating is. (I have not been hit with a belan by my wife but I did get a belan-thrashing from my mom as a child). THIS IS INDIA, I LOVE MY INDIA.

    1. Hi Ravi,

      We all laughed so hard when we read your comment!!!!! I’m sure you were the perfect little boy – how could your mother want to give you a wack?:)
      And we’re all glad to hear Anju has yet to hit you – always remember – Happy Wife= Happy LIfe!!!

      Love to all of you!
      Kat and the gang:)

  6. Hi Guys,
    I really enjoyed the step by step procedures and the photos, Can’t wait to try them all! Love Baba

  7. Dear Katina and the gang,

    I’ve been wanting to write here ever since……., but the lazy unorganised me. To begin with Katina that’s a lot of kind words for really nothing much and. You guys are absolutely amazing and it’s been a pleasure to have you with us. All of us have really enjoyed your company and I personally find there is so much to learn from ALL of you. As for the cooking classes you are wonderful students ( Katina your square puris puffed up too!!!) and a great team. Looking forward to seeing you back “home” soon.
    Lots of love
    Anju

    Dear Nicole, stop being jealous. Just fly to India. You now have friends here. Welcome anytime
    Love
    Anju