Breakfast, tea-time, dinner, the channa-batura combo has universal appeal. Try this lip-smacking dish.
Batura
Ingredients
Wheat flour –1and a half cups
Maida – 4 tbsp
Bread slice – 2 nos
Milk – quarter cup
Yoghurt – 3 tsp
Salt – To taste
Method
In a bowl, soak the bread slices in the milk until soggy. In a mixing bowl, combine the wheat flour, maida, milk-soaked bread and yoghurt. Add salt. Knead into a smooth dough.
Cover with a moist cloth or clingfilm. Keep aside at room temperature for 4 to 5 hours. If leaving overnight, refrigerate.
Roll out into large discs, use a lid of a container to get uniform shapes. Deep-fry, turning both sides until golden brown and puffed like a ball. Serve hot! Serves four.
Channa Masala
Ingredients
Channa / White chickpeas –1 and a half cups
Onions – 3 nos, chopped
Tomatoes – 3 nos, chopped
Ginger paste – Half teaspoon
Green chillies – 2-3 nos
Cloves – 3 nos
Cardamom – 3 nos
Cinnamon – 2 cm stick
Turmeric powder – 1 and a half tsp
Red chilli powder – 1 and a half tsp
Coriander powder – 1 tbsp
Fennel – 2 pinches
Cumin- 3 pinches
Pepper powder – 1 tsp
Salt – To taste
Coriander leaves – 1 tbsp, chopped
Mint – 2-3 leaves
Refined oil – To deep-fry
Method
Soak the chickpeas for two hours. Pressure cook the chickpeas in fresh, surface-level water with the cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, turmeric – quarter teaspoon, red chilli powder – half teaspoon teaspoon and coriander powder – half teaspoon until the chickpeas are cooked, for 6-8 whistles. In a wok, heat a spoonful of refined oil, saute a teaspoonful of tomato-chilli ketchup.
Now, add the ginger, green chillies, onion, tomato, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder, pepper, cumin, fennel, salt and roast until golden. Add the chopped coriander and mint leaves. Process the mixture into a smooth masala cream. In the wok, add the masala cream and tip in the chickpea and the stock. Check the seasoning and adjust. Warm, bring to a boil. Serve hot with lime wedges and chopped coriander, onions.
Notes:
You can make baturas from 100 % maida or wheat flour, the latter is held to be more healthy.
For lunchbox treats, you can prepare the dough and chill overnight.
Channa masala can be made the previous day, refrigerated and warmed with a bit of hot water. Or the chickpeas can be soaked and cooked the previous day. These tips will help you save time. For puffed baturas, deep-fry immediately after rolling out. Also, pat with a serviette to blot out excess oil, if any.
