Tag Archives: gluten free sides

Green beans dhokli ; Beans with chick pea flour pasta : GF option

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I love highlighting the amazing array of vegetarian dishes that are available in Indian cuisine. Most of them are gluten free too.

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“Dhokli’ is a small pasta made from chick pea flour. I have added a little bit of whole wheat flour, but this can easily be replaced by millet or other gluten free flour.

I am quite new to this dish which comes from the far western state of Gujrat. Traditionally  this is done with cluster beans, I have replaced it with french beans. Also the pastas are usually shaped as small discs. I had my malloreddu maker from my Rome visit, which I thought of putting to good use.

This can be an excellent side dish, either with roti or rice. With a beautiful balance between sweet, sour and salty this dish has a great flavour. The fiery red colour comes from the paprika and not red chillies.

Recipe: Serves 6 as a side dish.

Ingredients

Beans, cut in 1 inch pieces                               3 cups

Tomatoes                                                         3, pureed

Canola oil                                                         3. tbsp

Asafoetida                                                       1/2 tsp

Garllic cloves                                                    4-5

Ajwain ( carrom seeds )                                     1/2 tsp

Curry leaves                                                      6-7

Ghee                                                                   1 Tbsp

Jaggery                                                               1 tsp

Sev to garnish                                                      1 Tbsp

For the dhokli;

Chick pea flour              1 cup

Whole wheat flour                   1 tbsp

Turmeric powder                      1/4 tsp

Heeng ( asafoetida )                 1/4 tsp

Red chliiy powder                      1/2 tsp

Salt                                             1/2 tsp or to taste

Kasuri methi                                1/2 tbsp

Baking soda                                  1 pinch

Lemon juice                                   1 tsp

Oil                                                   1/2 tsp

Warm water                                       as needed

Jaggery powder                             1/2 tsp

Method:

Mix all the ingredients under Dhokli together to form a dough. brush with a bit of oil. Cover and let stand for 20 minutes.

I have used frozen beans, Take a pan of hot water, bring it to boil on high heat. Throw the beans in it, cook for about 7-8 minutes. Take the beans out of the water and soak them in ice cold water.

Take the above dough, make small pieces about 1 tsp full of dough and make them into disc. I gave this fancy shape, just because.

Take a deep bottomed pan, add the oil, when it heats up, throw in heeng, stir for a few seconds till a nutty aroma comes out, add the curry leaves, ajwain, turmeric powder, paprika crushed garlic, cumin and coriander powder. Keep stirring for about 5-6 minutes over medium flame, if needed sprinkle some water. Add 2 cups of hot water and the dhoklis. Add the salt, cover and cook for 10-12 minutes. Add the tomato puree, jaggery powder.  Cook for another 3-4 minutes.Put the gas off. Add the ghee.

Garnish with sev ( available in Indian grocery store, Walmart, Superstore).

Enjoy with rotis or rice.

 

Kumror chhakka : Pumpkin sixer

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“Why is it called a Chhakka , ma?”, asked my ten year old son quite a few summers back. I must say I was caught off guard and did not have a proper answer for him. After all why is it called a ” Chhakka”? Now as we know that Chhakka or sixer is a score, be it in a game of cricket or ludo.

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For those of you unfamiliar with the above games, it is like an ace score, a home run? And why not, in the culinary world the sweet pumpkin with a few choice spices takes this very homey dish to an ” ace” for sure.

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What ever the story, this is like a comfort food in our household. A few pooris and “kumror Chhakka ” can be a Sunday breakfast, or with some rice it is an excellent side.

Give it a try friends. Here is the recipe,

Recipe; Adapted from Bong mom’s cookbook with some changes.

Serves four as a side.

ingredients’

Pumpkin cut in cubed  ( I used frozen )                   2 cups

Potatoes cut in 1/2 inch cube                                1 cup

Kala Chana ( cooked )                                           1/3 cup

Fenugreek seeds                                                  1/2 tsp

Asafoetida ( heeng )                                             1/4 tap

Dry red chillies                                                     2-3

Grated ginger                                                     1 tsp

Cumin powder                                                   1/2 tsp

Coriander powder                                               1/2 tsp

Turmeric powder                                                 1/2 tsp

Green chillies                                                        2-3

Jaggery powder                                                  1 tsp

Ghee                                                                   1/2 tsp

Garam masala                                                     1/4 tsp

Salt to taste

Canola oil                                                            2 Tbsp

Method;

Dry roast the cumin and coriander powder.

Take the canola oil in a wok on medium high heat. Add the fenugreek seeds, heeng and dry red chillies. Saute for about ten seconds, throw in the potatoes. Add turmeric powder and fry till golden. Add the cumin and coriander powder, grated ginger, couple slit green chillies. Sprinkle a bit of water so that the spices do not get burnt.

Add the squash pieces. Saute for a few minutes, add the salt and jaggery. Cover and cook till done. Add the cooked  kala chana. Throw in the ghee and garam masala. Put the gas off. Keep it covered for few minutes.

Enjoy with rice or pooris.