Like all the best families, we too have our share of family disagreements. Daughter likes plain flat breads (chapattis) while son prefers stuffed breads and if hubby likes Lachha parathas, its a big no-no for me. But there is something at home we all are one with…our good old Tandoor or grill, and anything cooked or baked in it is liked by one and all.
CrispyMissi Rotis(chickpea flour flat breads) and spicyPanchmel Daal(five lentils) is yet another popular combination of scrumptious foods from my hometown Rajasthan.People living in the desert areas cook this healthy, filling and delicious recipes during winter season when their body require more fuel in terms of protein and fat to combat the adverse cold conditions of harsh winter months.
Villagers in many places ofRajasthanstill lighttheirhearth by burning either wood orcow-dung to give them warmth from the cold waves and also to cook their meals on it.
Mygrand-momused to cook these flat breads in a homemade ‘Chulha‘ lit with cow dung. And I still don’tremembereating the same with any accompaniments…it was just hot Missi Rotis and a big dollop of fresh white butter from our cows…those were the days.
Though the ingredients I use to make flat breads in a Tandoor or ongriddle(tawa) are exactly the same, the food cooked in former gives a rustic feel to it. Strong smoky flavor and those dark brown patches, the very characteristic of Tandoorcooking is what makes the food so appealing. The only drawback is that it has to be consumed immediately once cooked and out ofTandoor, as the food tend to become hard and chewy after it cools down.
The ratio of lentils in my Panchmel Daalwhich alsomeans acombinationof fivelentilschanges from time to time. I normally add more of black gram (whole urad daal) in therecipewhich issparinglyused in my menu.
One of the favorite kitchen mates, my electric Tandoor, quite handy and eases my work of making perfect smoky Naans, Kulchas and other such stuffs in a jiffy.
1. Missi Rotis or Chickpea flour Flat Breads
Ingredients to go in for the Kulcha and Missi Rotis…
Ingredients;
- 1/2 cup chickpea flour or besan
- 1 ½ cup wholewheat four
- 1 large onion
- 2 cloves garlic
- 2 tsp. shredded mint leaves
- 2 greenchilies
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- Salt as desired
Spices;
- 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
- 1/2 tsp. red chilly powder
- 1/2 tsp carom seeds (ajwain)
- Water for kneading
- Oil for shallow frying
Method; Peel and shred onion finely, chop greenchiliesand dice garlic into fine pieces.
Take a large bowl and add all the ingredients except water and oil in it.
Mix all the ingredients well.
Keep sprinkling water to bring all the ingredients together till you get a soft dough.
Oil your palms and knead the dough for a few minutes. Cover and let it rest for about 15 minutes.
Heat a griddle or tawa on medium heat. Pinch small balls from the dough and shape them into perfect rounds.
Take a dough ball, flatten it and dust it with flour.
Roll each ball into a circle using a rolling pin, dust it again with flour if the flat bread sticks to the surface.
Use any of the methods givenbelowto cook the flat bread;
1. Place the rolled flat bread orMissi Rotion the hot griddle and cook for a minute.Flip the flat bread and cook the other side for a minute till few brown spots appear on it.
2. You can also bake the bread in a pre heated oven at 220 °C for 7-8 minutes placed on a greased baking tray.
3. Alternatively pre heat a Tandoor (electric) for 10 minutes. Place the potato Kulcha and close the lid. Cook for 5-6 minutes, do not flip the Kulcha.
Take off the Missi Roti from the griddle or tandoor and spread a little fresh butter or ghee on it and serve hot with Daal Makhani, yogurt raita, pickle or chutney of your choice.
2..Potato Kulcha or Stuffed Flat Breads
Ingredients;
- 1 ½ cup whole wheat four
- 1/2 cup All purpose flour
- 2 tbsp yogurt
- 2 tbsp milk
- 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
- Salt as desired
- Water to knead the dough
Potato filling;
- 2 medium potatoes
- 1 small onion
- 1 green chilies
- 1 tsp. red chilly powder
- 1 tsp Anardana (driedpomegranateseeds, optional)
- 1 tsp. cumin seeds
- Salt as desired
- A few mint leaves
Method;Kulchas; Take a large bowl and add both flours and salt in it. Mix it well.
Add yogurt, oil and milk in the flour and rub it with fingers to incorporate all the ingredients well.
Sprinkle water to bring all the ingredients together. Add little more water and make a soft dough.
Cover the dough with a moist cloth and let it stand for 10 minutes
Filling; Boil or dry roast the potatoes. For dry roasting the potatoes, prick the potatoes with a fork several times and wrap them in aluminum foil.
Bake it in a pre heated oven for 30 minutes or grill them in a heated grill for 20 minutes.
Let the potatoes cool, peel and mash it.
Peel and shred onion finely. Chop greenchilies.
Dry roast Anardana (dry pomegranate seeds) and cumin seeds for a few minutes in a pan and powder them coarsely.
Mix all the ingredients for the filling.
Potato Kulcha; Divide the dough into small balls. Take a dough ball, dust it with flour and flatten it slightly to make a small circle.
Take a small portion of potato filling (about 2 tbsp) and put it in thecenterof the flattened Kulcha. Pull all sides of the dough to cover it completely. Roll it into a ball again, dust with flour and roll it lightly using a rolling pin to make a large circle.
If you feel the potato mix it peeping out, just sprinkle a little flour and roll it again. Use any of the methods givenbelowto cook the flat bread;
1. Heat a griddle and place the rolled out potato Kulcha on it. Cook for a minute. Flip the flat bread and cook the other side for a minute till few brown spots appear on it.
2. You can also bake the bread in a pre heated oven at 220 °C for 7-8 minutes placed on a greased baking tray.
3. Alternatively pre heat a Tandoor (electric) for 10 minutes. Place the potato Kulcha and close the lid. Cook for 5-6 minutes, do not flip the Kulcha.
Take out form the Tandoor and spread fresh butter or ghee and serve with hot with Daal Makhani, yogurt raita, pickle or chutney of your choice.
3. Panchmel Daal or Five Lentils
Ingredients;
- 1/2 cup Black gram (urad daal)
- 2 tbsp. Bengal gram (channa daal)
- 2 tbsp. Green gram (moong daal)
- 2 tbsp. Pigeon pea (toovar daal)
- 2 tbsp. Red Lentils (masoor daal)
- 2 tomatoes
- 1 onion
- 1 green chilly
- 1’ ginger piece
- 3 cups Water
Spices;
- 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
- 1 tsp. coriander powder
- 1/2 tsp. garam masala
- 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
- 2 cloves
- Salt as desired
Method; Wash and soak all the lentils for 2 hours. Peel and dice onion, chop tomatoes roughly. Grind green chilly and ginger to a fine paste in a pestle and mortal.
Drain and boil the lentils with turmeric (haldi), tomatoes and onion in 3 cups of water for 3 whistle in a pressure cooker or till done in a normal vessel.
Let the lentil mix cool, mash the cooked lentils with a ladle lightly.
Heat a large pan or wok, add crackle cumin seeds and cloves. Add ginger and chilly paste, coriander powder, salt and sauté for a minute.
Pour cooked lentils in the pan, stir to mix all the ingredients well and let it simmer for a few minutes.
Take the cooked lentil off the flame and add garam masala, 1 tsp. lemon juice and chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot with Indian flat breads, Naan, Kulchas or with plain rice.
I keep holding on to my roots by cooking foods from my hometown more often, though my children don’t relish the same but these are the moments I live for myself…and I cherish each one of it!
Notes;
- Flat breads cooked in Tandoor are crisp and slightly chewy than the griddle cooked flat breads.
- Normally onion is not added in Panchmel daal, but I like the flavor it gives in my recipe.
- Add a tsp. of lemon juice to the Panchmel daal (lentils).
- Add Kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves in the lentil recipe in the end for a lovely aroma.
- Dry roasted (in grill or Tandoor) potatoes tastes smoky and gives a wonderful flavor and texture to the filling.
- I did not add any leavening agents )baking powder/soda/yeast to my Kulchas in this recipe, you may add a pinch of baking soda while kneading the dough t get softer Kulchas.
- You can try the following method if you don’t have a Tandoor at home to get similar smoky effect on your Kulchas as I do it for my Paneer stuffed Naans here.
