October 30, 07:10Aaj Tak

Recipe for Crispy Besan Puri from Chickpea Flour for Festive Table with Chana and Paneer

As the holiday season approaches, homes begin preparing various dishes. At this special time, when it comes to luxurious treats, having hot puris served with delicious vegetable dishes like chana and paneer is essential. If you want to move away from regular wheat or corn puris and try something new and very appetizing, be sure to make crispy puris from chickpea flour. These puris, made from a mixture of chickpea flour, wheat flour, and carefully selected spices, are not only delicious but also significantly enhance the flavor of chana or paneer.

Below is a simple instruction on how to prepare this dish.

Ingredients Needed

To prepare, you will need: chickpea flour (besan) — 1 cup; wheat flour (gehun ka atta) — 1.5 cups; ajwain seeds — half a teaspoon; fennel powder (saunf powder) — 1 teaspoon; dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi) — 1 large tablespoon (crushed); asafoetida (hing) — 2 pinches; turmeric and red chili powder — to taste; salt — to taste; 2 tablespoons of hot oil or ghee for greasing (moyan); and oil or ghee for frying the puris.

Secret Tip for Crispy Texture

Making besan puris requires adding a small amount of wheat flour so that the dough does not stick to the board when rolling and rises easily. Furthermore, adding two tablespoons of hot oil to the dough (moyan) makes the puris very crispy and flaky.

Preparation Instructions

First, mix the flour and chickpea flour: sift the chickpea flour and wheat flour into a large bowl. Then add ajwain, fennel powder, crushed dried fenugreek, asafoetida, turmeric, red chili powder, salt, and hot oil (moyan), mixing all components thoroughly.

After that, start kneading the dough, gradually adding water to obtain a firm dough, similar to puri dough. It is important to remember that chickpea flour absorbs more moisture, so the dough should not be soft. Cover the dough and let it rest for 10–15 minutes.

Take small pieces of dough and roll them into a round shape, lightly brushing them with oil. Then heat the frying oil in a deep pan to medium-high heat. Carefully drop the rolled puris into the hot oil and gently press them with a spoon so they puff up like balloons. Fry on both sides until golden and crispy.

Serve the hot, crispy besan puris with delicious chana or shahi paneer, and everyone will enjoy this combination.

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www.aajtak.inOctober 24, 18:11

Bengali Basanti Pulao Recipe: A Traditional Festive Dish

During festive periods, various dishes such as puri and kachori are traditionally prepared. However, if you wish to delight guests and family with something more exquisite, you should try the famous and traditional Bengali dish—Basanti Pulao.

This yellow, slightly sweet rice is made from aromatic Gobindobhog rice, using coconut oil, a pinch of turmeric, saffron, and plenty of nuts. Its distinctive aroma makes it very appealing, and it is traditionally served at celebrations such as Durga Puja, Diwali, and any other significant event.

Ingredients needed include: 1 cup of Gobindobhog rice (or small-grained basmati pieces), 2 tablespoons of pure coconut oil, 1/2 teaspoon of turmeric powder, 1/2 inch of grated ginger, 2 tablespoons of sugar (to taste), 1/2 teaspoon of garam masala powder, and salt to taste; 8-10 strands of saffron (soaked in 2 tablespoons of warm milk); whole spices (1 bay leaf, 2 green cardamom pods, 1 cinnamon stick, 4-5 cloves); 10-12 cashews and 10-12 raisins.

First, the rice must be washed and spread on a cotton cloth to dry for 15-20 minutes. Then, in one bowl, mix the rice with turmeric, ginger paste, garam masala, 1 tablespoon of coconut oil, and a small amount of salt, thoroughly mixing by hand. Cover this mixture and let it sit for 20 minutes so that the color and flavor penetrate the rice evenly.

In a frying pan or pot, heat 1 tablespoon of coconut oil. Fry the cashews and raisins in this oil until lightly golden, then transfer them to a plate. In the same oil, fry the whole spices (bay leaf, cardamom, cloves, cinnamon) until fragrant. Next, add the marinated rice to the pan and sauté over low heat for 2-3 minutes, stirring gently.

After this, add 2 cups of warm water (twice the amount of rice) and the soaked saffron to the rice. Cover the pan and simmer over low heat for 10-12 minutes, until 80% of the water has evaporated. When most of the water has gone, top with the fried cashews, raisins, and sugar. Gently stir, cover again, and let it steep over very low heat for another 5 minutes. After turning off the heat, leave the pot covered for another 5 minutes to ensure the rice is fluffy. The finished, aromatic, tender, and delicious Bengali Basanti Pulao is best served hot, for example, with potato or eggplant curry.