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Verve watches the simple roti rise to a variety of occasions
Closely following the chicken tikka and maa ki dal on the international popularity charts are the Indian flatbreads. Cooked to crisp perfection in clay ovens or on griddles, deep fried or steamed, these hot accompaniments to Indian delicacies can be plain, encrusted with poppy or sesame seeds…or stuffed with a variety of tingling ingredients.
Soft, multilayered parathas, steaming stuffed kachoris and puffed out puris are great bites during the damp monsoon months. Almost a complete meal in themselves, they provide nourishment even as they satisfy the most discerning palate with their subtle flavours and spicy fillings.
Aman Verma, tele-star and actor, says:
"In taste and spice, Indian cuisine is really cool - it tantalises your taste buds and sends them into a tizzy! In Mumbai, where I work, I hardly get the time to indulge myself, but when I go home, I relish the stuffed parathas that my mother conjures up. With a dash of home-made butter, the mooli, aloo and methi parathas are simply mouth-watering."
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CORN KACHORIS
Fried flatbreads filled with seasoned corn
Ingredients:
For the dough:
- Cornflour (Indian makke ka atta), 2 cups
- Butter, 1 tbsp
- Vegetable oil, 1 tbsp
- Salt, 1 tsp
- Warm water, 3/4 cup (enough for a firm dough).
For the corn mixture:
- Raw kernels of mature corn, 1 1/2 cups
- Chopped fresh jalapeno pepper, 1 no
- Cummin seeds, 1 tsp
- Lemon juice, 1 tbsp
- Turmeric powder, 1/4 tsp
- Cummin, mustard, sesame seed mixture, 1/2 tsp
- Oil, 2 tbsp.
Method: Knead together the required portions of butter, cornflour (makke ka atta), vegetable oil and warm water. Cover the dough and let it rest. Coarsely grind together the raw kernels of corn, jalapeno pepper, coriander leaves and the cummin seeds. In a saucepan, in a pinch of oil, heat the cummin, mustard and sesame seed mixture till the seeds pop. Add the lemon juice, the cummin/coriander powder and turmeric. Add the corn mixture and cook over low heat, uncovered for 10-15 minutes until it turns dryish and lightly browned. Roll out 1" of the prepared dough into 3" rounds. Put 1-2 tsps of the corn mixture between two of the rounds and roll slightly. Press the edges together. Deep fry in smoking oil, till golden brown. Serve hot, with garlic mint chutney. Garnish the dish with onion rings and green chillies.
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