Archive for July, 2009

PURI

Author: Mark

Jul 25

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups Chappati flour
2/3 cup Water at room temperature
Ghee for brushing the bread while rolling out the dough
Oil for deep frying

 Vegetable Curry
How to make Puris:

  • Put flour in a large bowl. Make a well in the middle and pour in a stream of water in the center. Use one hand to mix the flour and water in a rotating motion from the center of the bowl outward, until the dough is moist enough to be gathered into a rough mass. Wet hands and continue until the mixture cleans the sides of the bowl and has become a non sticky, kneadable dough. When the dough is kneaded, it will be elastic and silky smooth. To test the dough, press it lightly with a fingertip. If it springs back, it is ready to be rested. Resting the dough is the last step and allows the dough to relax and absorb the water and kneading.
  • Rest for 1/2 hour in warm climates and 1.5 hours in cold climates. Cover with a wet towel so the dough does not dry out. The rested dough is light and springy, less resistant to being rolled out into the thin rounds.
  • Knead dough a little again. Dough should be stiff enough to roll without extra flour.
  • Make small balls of the dough and cover them with damp cloth.
  • Take one ball of dough and dip a corner of ball in melted ghee or oil and roll it out into 4 to 5 inches round.
  • Repeat the same process to roll out all puris.
  • Heat plenty of oil in a kadhai until very hot.
  • Put in a poori and immediately start flickering hot oil over the top of it with a spatula so that it will swell up like a ball.
  • This should take only a few seconds. Flip the puri over and cook the other side until golden brown.
  • Serve the puri hot with pindi choley or other vegetables.
Share This Post
  • 0 Comments
  • Filed under: Recipes, Vegetarian

    • MALAI KOFTA RECIPE

    Author: Mark

    Jul 24

    Ingredients:

    For the Kofta:

    1 1/2 lb. potatoes
    2 heaped tbsp each of crumbled paneer,
    khoya and thick malai(You can substitute this with baked ricotta cheese and heavy cream)
    4-5 cashewnuts chopped
    1 tbsp raisins
    2-3 finely chopped green chillies
    1/4 tsp sugar
    1 tsp coriander powder
    1 tsp cumin powder
    1 tsp red-chilli powder
    1/2 tsp cardammom powder
    Salt To Taste
    3 tbsp cooking oil/ghee(clarified butter)
    Oil for frying the koftas

    For the gravy:
    2 medium onions,chopped
    3 flakes garlic,crushed
    1 inch ginger,crushed
    3 large tomatoes,pureed
    1 tsp red-chilli powder
    1/2 tsp garam masala powder
    1/2 tsp dhania(corainder) powder
    1/2 tsp cumin powder
    2 tsp powdered poppy seeds
    1/2 tsp sugar
    1 tbsp ground peanuts/cashewnuts

    		 Vegetable Curry
    How to make malai koftha :
    • Boil the potatoes till tender.
    • Peel, mash and add salt to taste.
    • Keep aside.
    • Mix all the other ingredients for the kofta into a paste.
    • Make rounds of the potato dough and place a little of the prepared mixture in the center of each round.
    • Seal the edges and shape into stuffed rounds. Deep fry each kofta till golden brown. Drain and keep aside.
    • Blend together the onions, ginger, garlic and the poppy seeds and fry in 3 tbsp of oil till brown and the oil begins to seperate.
    • Add the pureed tomatoes and the masala powders.
    • Add the sugar and the ground peanuts.
    • The gravy will begin to thicken.
    • You can also add some malai to thicken it some more.
    • Mix in some water if necessary.
    • When the gravy comes to a boil, add the koftas.
    • Heat through and serve the malai kofta.
    • Note: In this malai kofta receipe , the koftas should be put in just before eating the dish or else they will turn soggy.
    Share This Post
  • 1 Comment
  • Filed under: Recipes, Vegetarian

    • INDIAN VEGETABLE CURRY RECIPE

    Author: Mark

    Jul 24

    1/2 medium-sized (100g/4oz) aubergine (eggplant) cut into 2cm x 1cm/¾in x 1/2 in sticks
    2 small carrots (100g/4oz), peeled and cut into 2cm x 1cm/¾in x 1/2 in sticks
    100g/4oz/1 cup peas
    100g/4oz/1 cup French beans, cut into 2.5cm/1in pieces
    1 medium-sized potato (100g/4oz), peeled and cut into 2cm x 1cm/¾in x 1/2 in sticks
    50g/2oz/ 1/2 cup freshly grated coconut
    4 fresh hot green chillies
    2 tbsp white poppy seeds
    1 1/4 tsp salt
    3 medium-sized tomatoes, roughly chopped
    1 tbsp natural plain yogurt
    1 tsp garam masala
    2 tbsp chopped, fresh green coriander    		 Vegetable Curry

    How to make vegetarian curry:

    • Place the aubergine (eggplant), carrots, peas, French beans and potato in a medium-sized saucepan. Add 250ml/8fl oz/1 cup water. Bring to the boil. Cover, turn the heat to medium and cook for 4 minutes or until the vegeatbles are just tender.
    • Meanwhile put the coconut, chillies, poppy seeds and salt in the container of an electric blender. Add 150ml/5fl oz water and grind to a fine paste. Set aside.
    • When the vegetables are cooked, add the spice paste and another 150ml/5fl oz water. Stir and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Now add the tomatoes, the yogurt and the garam masala. Stir gently to mix well. Bring to the boil and simmer gently for 2-3 minutes. Turn into a serving dish and garnish the vegetable curry with the fresh coriander.
    Share This Post
  • 1 Comment
  • Filed under: Recipes, Vegetarian

    • The History of Jaipur Handicrafts

    Author: Mark

    Jul 20

    Cotton and woolen rugs and textiles, brass articles, leather goods, blue pottery, superb carpets and multifarious jewelry pieces bejeweled with valuable as well as semi valuable stones contribute to the popularity of Jaipur. An assortment of designs in traditional jewelry such as minakari and kundan work is available in gold as well as silver. Minakari is basically crafted from enamel paintwork; whereas kundan is crafted out of gems that have been infixed. Jaipur Handicrafts are simply exotic.

    You can not resist yourself from buying the superb fabrics offered at Jaipur. These high-quality fabrics include a wide range of cotton material and Kota saris that are famous for their Sanganeri prints, which are made by the method of tie-die.

    People from all over the world come to visit Jaipur and admire the wide variety of Jaipur Handicrafts. Jaipur offers colorful markets, local shopping spots, chirpy bazaars, which exhibit a wide range of Jaipur Handicrafts as well as artifacts.

    Jaipur carpets: Jaipur is usually recognized as “India’s crafts capital” because of its fabrics, traditional designs and matchless artifacts. Jaipur Handicrafts are linked with Jaipur’s Royal Family that consisted of craftsmen and artisans. The creations are so potent that they can transform a handicraft non-lover into the one who really admires it.

    Jaipur Rugs Company Pvt. Ltd is the renowned manufacturer as well as wholesale exporter of silk, silk-wool, wool, and hand clumped rugs. The company was established in 1999 and today has acquired an extensive customer pedestal throughout the world.

    Social initiatives: In 2004, the Jaipur Rugs Foundation came into existence with the aim of promoting Jaipur Handicrafts in order to benefit craftsmen and artisans. The main focus was on their future prospects, compensation, education and better standard of living. The key motive was to promote economic security and financial independence. The rate of employment is comparatively higher as people in the remote areas often indulge in Carpet weaving.

    These straightforward objectives of artisans smooth the progress of growth for them. It even allows them to enjoy the benefits of socially devoted and highly stable establishment.

    Share This Post

  • 0 Comments
  • Filed under: Indian Handcrafts

    • Bidriware

    Author: Mark

    Jul 20

    Sultans of the 14th to 17th Century India were great patrons of the art of Bidri. The name Bidri is derived from a place by name Bidar near Hyderabad. The National Museum in Hyderabad possesses excellent and varied collections of the craft. The basic material of Bidri ware is an alloy of zinc and copper in the proportion 16:1. Upon this alloy artistic designs in pure silver are inlaid.

    		 Bidriware
    Bidriware

    Now the Bidri item is ready for the final step of making the surface permanently black so that the silver inlay design will stand out in bright contrast against the dark background. There is a particular type of soil found in the inner depths of ruins which are three hundred years old, in buildings where neither sunlight nor rain has fallen for hundreds of years. This soil, when mixed with ammonium chloride and water, produces a very special paste which is rubbed onto the heated Bidri article.

    Each Bidri piece is cast separately from ordinary soil made malleable with castor oil and resin. A mold is formed and the molten metal alloy is then poured into it. The surface of a newly cast piece is rough, so it is made smooth with files and scrapers. Then the artist rubs the piece with a bit of copper sulphate to obtain a temporary black coating on which to etch the design. All designs are drawn free- hand with a sharp metal stylus.

    Next, with the Bidri piece firmly fixed on a waxed stone or held in a vise, the craftsman uses small chisels to engrave the design. In to these chiseled groves he carefully hemmers pure silver in the form of fine wire or flat sheeting. After the inlay work is completed, the article is rigorously filed smooth again, and buffed, obliterating the temporary black coating so that the intricate silver inlay work can hardly be distinguished in the gleaming silver coloured alloy.

    The paste darkens the body of the piece, but has no effect on the silver inlay. As the paste is rinsed off, the design springs dramatically into view, the shining silver resplendent against the black surface. Finally, oil is rubbed on the piece to deepen the black matt coating. With proper maintenance, Bidri items can be kept bright and beautiful indefinitely. Use silver polish to shine the silver inlay. Then rub pure vegetable oil over the entire surface. Water will not harm Bidri piece but soap and salt should be avoided as they can spot the thin black surface.

    Share This Post
  • 1 Comment
  • Filed under: Indian Handcrafts
    • View more posts »