Sindhi Rasoi

 Karela or bittergourd…..the name invites almost similar reaction from majority of people and that is Eeeeeks…..it’s so bitter!But the good thing is that there are many many lovers of this bitter but therapeutic ,wonderful and tasty(yes it IS TASTY) karelas.Bittergourds ,not only stimulates digestion but also helps to some extent in regulating glucose levels in the body.That is why the juice of karela is consumed by many diabetic people  

Well…This recipe of Dhaas karela comes from Bina Makhija,whose recipes i love to try,coz they are appetizing, easy to follow and do not call for exotic ingredients .Thanks Bina for this wonderful recipe.Another recipe by bina, posted on this site is Mirani Khichdi

Her recipe is slightly different from what i regularly prepare,so i thought to give it a try and honestly speaking the results were really good.The two changes that i made in her recipe ,were….i used karelas without peeling them(they do taste more bitter ,but i like them that way) and i didn’t used hing (because i am always scared that hing will change the whole flavour of the dish )

Ingredients:

• Karela  (Bitter Gourd)  1/4 kg
• Onion Large          2 nos  
• Garlic                  4 cloves 
• Ginger                  1’’pc 
• Green Chillies       2-3
• Tomatoes pureed  2med
• Hing (Optional)      A pinch
• Chilli powder             1 tsp 
• Coriander powder       1 tbsp
• Turmeric powder          ½ tsp
• Cummin powder (Jeera pdr)1 tsp
• Garam Masala pdr           ½ tsp
• Salt                          To taste
• Oil and for frying      4 tbsp
• Coriander leaves      1 tbsp

Method:

• Peel the Karela’s(I preferred skin intact),slit them in midlle and salt them for about  30 minutes. 
•  Wash them and deep fry them till  slight golden(Do not brown them) and keep aside.
• Grate onions on the manual grater and strain the water completely through a strainer, do not squeeze let it drain on its own
• Make a paste of ginger, garlic and green chillies in pestle and  mortar and keep it aside.
• For stuffing take a deep bottom pan, put oil, when little hot add hing
• Now add grated onions and sauté till dry and slightly golden .You can add salt at this time to dry the moisture in the onions
• Add ginger, garlic and green chilli paste ,sauté again for sometime
• Now add all the dry masalas  and continue to saute, now add tomato puree and stir, let it cook till the oil separates
• Once cooked add coriander leaves, mix it well and remove from heat.
• When this mixture cools stuff in the Karela’s, secure them by tying them with a thread and shallow fry with little oil or no oil in a non-stick pan till nice and golden.
  ( Onions have to be grated in the manual grater by hand, do not blend or grind in the  grinder it will lose the taste completely)

Paanipuri ….the most famous street food of sindhis,is nothing but a crunchy round ,crispfried shell(puri) of flour(maida along with sooji),served with a filling of boiled potatoes,boondi and  a spicy, tangy chutney called paani

There are many variations of panipuri viz; batatapuri,ragdapuri,sevbatata puri,pyazbatata puri,all named according to the stuffing used .panipuris are also known as golguppe or puchka or even Ghupchup.No matter what type of stuffing is used,no matter what recipe of chutney is followed and no matter what it is called as,but the journey of a paanipuri starting from a plain puri to stuffed,chutney filled paanipuri  rolling in the mouth ends with only one reaction……UUmmmmm;) )

Well after lots of drooling lets come to the main point…..how to make them?

The fried puris are available at most of the farson shops,almost all over India.But for those less fortunate ones(sorry) who are unable to fetch them,just put some extra efforts and make them at home.Here’s the recipe……

Ingredients:

  1.For puris:

• Maida(all purpose flour) 1 cup
•  Sooji(rawa or semolina)  2 tspn
•  Water
•  Oil for frying

   2.   For Sonth chutney:

 3. For tamarind chutney or Paani:

• Mint leaves(pudina) 1/2 bunch
• Corainder leaves chopped 1/2 cup
•  Green chillies 2-3
• Black rock salt(kaala namak) 1/2 tspn
• Red chilly powder 1/4 spn(optional)
•  Salt as per taste
• Cumin seeds 1 tspn
• Jaljeera powder or chat masala powder 1tspn
• Water and ice cubes

Method:

•  Sieve the flour and add sooji and salt .Knead a hard dough using some water
• Now let it rest under wet cloth for about an hour or more
• Later take a small portion of this dough and roll into a thick chapati
• Using a small bowl or cup with sharp edges,cut the chapati into many puris
• Repeat the procedure for remaining dough
• Now fry these puris in hot oil,gently pressing them from sides so that the puris puff up(some of them may not puff at all,so dont worry,coz then you will get a genuine reason to make papdi chat to make use of unpuffed puris;)
• Drain them on tissue paper and store them into an airtight container ,after cooling ,till further use
• For sonth chutney ,boil all the ingredients ,till a thick consistency is obtained.strain and let it cool down
• For tamarind chutney,grind coriander leaves and mint leaves along with green chillies and cumin seeds,into a fine paste
• Now take this grinded paste,mix some water salt,rocksalt,icecubes,some tamarind water,jaljeera powder or chaat masala powder and keep on tasting and adjusting ingredients(wow ..i love this part of making)till you finally achieve satisfying flavour
• Now finally for serving,carefully prick the puris with finger,put the stuffing of your choice(ragda or boiled potato,boondi,or sprouted moong)put some sonth chutney,then  dip into chilled tamarind chutney and consume IMMEDIATELY…….Have a blast
• For convenience ,you can mix both types of chutneys in a single container,and serve ..as shown in picture

Ingredients:

• Milk 500 ml
• Sevaiyan(Vermicilli) crushed 2 tbspn
• Sugar 7 tspn or as required
• Green cardamons 2-3
• Chopped almonds

Method:

• In a heavy bottom pan,roast the vermicilli,on medium flame till it turns slightly brown
• Add green cardamons,and slowly and carefully add milk(beware of spluttering of milk)
• Stir continuously ,till 2-3 boils and then lower the flame for 2-3 minutes
• Add sugar and stir again properly ,and let it cook till mixture gain some thick consistency
• Garnish with chopped dryfruits of your choice

Ingredients:

• Soyabean chunks(badi soyabean) 50 gms
• Soyabean nuggets(choti soyabean) 50 gms
• Onions 3
• Tomatoes 2
• Green chillies 3
• Ginger
• Turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
• Coriander powder 2 tsp
• Tejpatta 1
• Garam masala powder 1/2 tsp
• Kitchen king masala 1/4 tsp
• Kasoori methi(Dry methi leaves) 1/2 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Oil 2 tbsp

Method:

• Soak both types of soyabeans in warm water for about half hour,wash them and squeeze out water
• Take a pressure cooker,pour some oil,and add chopped onions and a tejpatta,and fry them on medium flame till golden brown
• Add chopped tomatoes,green chillies,ginger, salt,all masalas ,soyabeans and fry them for about 5 minutes
• Add some water,close the lid and wait for atleast 5 whistles
• Later check the consistency ,it should not be too watery
• Garnish it with coriander leaves and serve hot with phulkas, naan or rice,but it tastes best with bhughe chaawal