Chaa Da Cup - Please!
Chaa Da Cup - Please! is a food blog created for all food lovers
(n.b - mostly chai loving lovers).
The various mixtures of ingredients and recipes complement a hearty Chaa Da Cup! - you'll probably be looking (asking) for one ;)
This is my version of home cooked Punjabi-Kenyan heartiness.
No.39 – Dahi Vada
10 different ingredients - 30min to prepare - serves over 5 people
Ingredients:
1 bowl - red chickpeas.
5 large - potatoes.
1 packet (100 pieces) - gol gape (ready made).
1 bottle (litre) - gol gape water (ready made pani).
1 bowl - semiya/sev (ready made).
1 large - pomegranate.
3 medium sized - green chillies.
1 bowl - yogurt.
1 bowl - imbli (tamarind sauce).
1 large - onion.
Method:
Making the Gol Gape Shells:
For this recipe we used ready made Gol Gape. You can use the following recipe to make home made ones.
Ingredients:
1 cup fine rava/sooji/semolina.
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (maida).
1/8 teaspoon baking soda.
Pinch of salt.
5-6 tablespoons room temperature water for kneading (approx 90 ml).
1 to 2 teaspoons oil.
Method:
In a medium-sized bowl add rava, flour, baking soda and salt, and mix all the ingredients well. Add water, 1-2 tablespoons at a time, and knead a smooth, elastic dough that is neither too soft nor too stiff, takes about 8-10 minutes to knead the dough. Remember, rava absorbs water, so if you knead a very stiff dough, it will get difficult to roll out the dough later. Cover the dough with a damp kitchen napkin, set aside for 30 minutes.
After the resting period, knead the dough for another 5 minutes again. Divide the dough into 4 parts.
Grease the rolling pin and the board or work surface with oil. Take one part, and roll it evenly to a diameter of 6.5 inches approx and 1.5 to 2 mm in thickness. The rolled out dough should not be too thick as the puris won't puff up, and they should neither be so thin that you can see the surface of the board through it. Using a round cutter or a sharp bowl, cut out circles. Transfer the cut-outs onto a damp cloth, cover with another damp cloth. Repeat the same with the other 3 parts. Collect the scraps together and knead again, roll it out repeat the same procedure until all the dough is used up.
Heat oil over medium heat in a heavy bottomed wok/kadai. To check the right temperature and thickness of the puri, test one puri, it should sizzle, float and puff up immediately.
Gently slide a few puris in the oil, fry on medium-high heat,you will see them rising on top and puffing up within a few seconds. You may nudge the puris with a slotted spoon to help them puff up. Reduce the temperature to medium-low once the puris puff up to maintain the temperature.
Keep flipping them on both sides until it reaches a light golden brown color.
Fry the remaining puris, in the same way, maintaining the temperature of the oil as required. If the oil is too hot, the puris will burn, and if it is warm, the puris will absorb a lot of oil.
Making the Gol Gape Pani (Water):
For this recipe we used ready made Gol Gape. You can use the following recipe to make home made ones.
Ingredients:
Main ingredients for both recipes
1 cup seedless tamarind (Imli).
2 cup water.
For meetha pani:
Salt to taste.
1/2 tsp black salt.
1/4 tsp red chili powder.
1 tsp chat masala.
1/2 tsp cumin powder.
1/4 tsp black pepper powder.
1 tbsp powdered sugar.
water.
For teekha pani:
20-25 green chillies.
Salt to taste.
1/2 tsp black salt.
3/4 tsp red chili powder.
1 tsp chat masala.
1/2 tsp cumin powder.
1/4 tsp black pepper powder.
2 cups + 1 tbsp water.
Method:
Getting ready:
Collect all the required ingredients. Soak 1 cup tamarind in 1 cup water overnight or for 4 to 5 hours in a small bowl or pan. With your hands, squeeze the pulp from the tamarind in the same bowl or pan, now take a large bowl and a strainer and strain the tamarind to discard fibres and residues. Press mashed tamarind with the spoon while straining to get more pulp out. Total tamarind pup I got 1 cup + 1/4 cup.
Making sweet water (meetha pani):
For making meetha pani, take half of the prepared tamarind pulp (1/2 cup + 2 tbsp) in a big bowl. Then add salt, black salt, red chilli powder, chat masala, cumin powder, and black pepper powder. Also, add powdered sugar and give it all a stir. Now add 2 cups of water in it or add enough water to the pulp, to make it into a pouring consistency. Mix well. Taste the water and adjust the salt or spices as needed. Add boondi just before serving. Optionally you can refrigerate this and serve chilled. Meetha pani is ready.
Making spicy water (teekha pani):
For making teekha pani, take a mixer grinder and green chillies. Also, add very little water (I added 1 tbsp water). Grind this to a smooth thick paste and then transfer this paste in a big bowl. Then add rest of the prepared tamarind pulp (1/2 cup + 2 tbsp). Now add salt, black salt, red chili powder, chat masala, cumin powder, and black pepper powder. Give it a stir. Strain the water and keep the residue aside. The residue is very flavorful, use that in making aloo masala/filling. Transfer it a bowl. Add 2 cups of water in it or add enough water to the pulp, to make it into a pouring consistency. Again mix it well and taste the water and adjust the salt or spices as needed. Add boondi just before serving. Optionally you can refrigerate this and serve chilled. Teekha pani is ready.
Making the Semiya/Sev:
For this recipe we used ready made Semiya/Sev. You can use the following recipe to make home made ones. Ingredients: 2 cups gram flour (chick pea flour/besan) 1/3 tsp black pepper powder (optional) 1 pinch asafoetida (hing) 1/2 tsp red chilli powder 1/3 tsp turmeric powder 1 tsp hot Cooking Oil (for dough) 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp water (more or less, as needed) 1 pinch salt
Method: Sieve the gram flour in a large bowl, add black pepper powder, asafoetida, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, hot cooking oil and salt and mix it all well. Add approx 1/2 cup + 2 tbsps of water (more or less) as needed in small quantities and make smooth and soft dough. Taste the dough to check for salt and add more if required.
Use a semiya/sev machine, fit in a plate with the thinnest hole and grease its entire inner surface with oil, fill it with the prepared dough and close its lid tightly.
Heat oil in a deep frying pan or kadai over medium heat for deep frying, hold the machine over the pan, turn the handle clockwise and press out thin strands into the hot oil. As strands are starting to fall into the oil, slowly move the machine in a circular motion (like preparing jalebi).
Deep fry both sides for around 2 minutes on a medium flame until they become crisp, light and brown. Using a perforated ladle drain off the oil and take the semiya/sev out of the oil, and transfer them to plate. Repeat same process for the remaining dough. Let them cool down at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before breaking them into pieces.
Inspired by: https://foodviva.com/snacks-recipes/sev-recipe/
Making the Imbli (Tamarind Sauce):
For this recipe we used ready made Imbli (Tamarind Sauce). You can use the following recipe to make home made ones. Ingredients:
½ cup seedless tamarind – tightly packed (imli)
1.75 cups water or add as required
½ teaspoon cumin seeds
½ teaspoon ground ginger powder(saunth powder)
1 pinch asafoetida (hing)
¼ teaspoon red chili powder or cayenne pepper
½ cup chopped jaggery or as required – adjust as per your taste
1 teaspoon oil – any neutral tasting oil
rock salt (edible and food grade) (sendha namak) or black salt or regular salt as required
Making Tamarind Pulp:
Soak tamarind in water overnight or for 4 - 5 hours in a small bowl or pan. With your hands, squeeze the pulp from the tamarind in the same bowl or pan and strain the pulp and keep aside.
Making Imli Chutney:
Heat oil in a small pan and lower the flame, add cumin seeds and let them crackle. Add ginger powder, red chili powder and asafoetida. Stir and add the strained tamarind pulp, cook for 2 - 3 mins and add the jaggery and salt. Cook for 4 - 5 minutes or more till the consistency thickens and let the imli chutney mixture cool. When cooled, store the imli chutney in an air-tight dry jar or container, refrigerate and serve whenever required with chaat or snacks.
Inspired by: https://www.vegrecipesofindia.com/saunth-chutney-sweet-tamarind-chutney/#wprm-recipe-container-138631
Making the Dahi Vada:
In a large pot boil 1 bowl of chickpeas, once they're soft take them out of the water and place them on a side to dry. Boil 5 large potatoes. Wash, peel and cut the potatoes into cubes once they're soft, and place them a side to cool down. Cut open a ripe pomegranate and lightly wash the seeds, place on a side to dry. Peel, wash and cut 1 large onion into small cubes. Finely slice 3 medium sized green chillies.
In a medium sized bowl/plate place 5-6 gol gape and create pocket sized holes in the middle. Add teaspoons full of the boiled cool chickpeas and the diced potatoes. Add a dollop of yogurt, sprinkle a pinch or two of onions, semiya/sev and green chillies on the yogurt, and drizzle over some imbli (tamarind sauce) and pomegranate seeds.
(Optional) - in a separate bowl fill it up with the gol gape pani scooping your packed up dahi vada into the water (or pouring over some water), and then into your mouth! Finally (and most importantly, do not forget), serve your dahi vada with a steaming hot Chaa Da Cup - Please!
Let us know below in the the comments how your Dahi Vada turns out!
IG: hangrybeings/ chaadacupplease, #hangrybeings/ #chaadacupplease WS: https://yourjot.com
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