Tuesday, November 22, 2022

Crispy Bajra (Pearl Millet)~ Methi (Fenugreek Leaves) Poori.


“Crispy Bajra Methi Poori” … Its always a delight to relish steaming hot poories and these days I love experimenting them in various mix and match combinations … this time I tried out these poories with two different types of flours along with spices and methi leaves … these are crispy poories that taste best served with gravy based dishes that makes you crave for more … Yummilicious …

** Poori as I always mention are a delight to relish hot and puffed up especially during winter. In fact, during winter/ monsoon season everybody loves deep fried dishes as it spreads warmth to the body. As mentioned above it is always a pleasure to have different versions of poori that turn out delicious with any dishes of one’s choice.

** Winter is also the season when we get lots of methi leaves and I try to include them as much as possible in different combination for dishes. Bajra too is consumed in plenty during winter as it produces heat to the body. I served these crisp poories with a special dish I tried out with sprouts and raw jackfruit and it was an awesome combo.

** For these poories, I have added bajra (pearl millet) flour, atta (wheat flour) along with spices, methi (fenugreek) leaves and chiroti (fine) rava. Crisp poori is always a delight to relish dunked in hot gravy based dishes and the combination simply makes you crave for more. Just try out this combination and enjoy with your family.

** Here is my simple recipe for “Crispy Bajra Methi Poori” … My Style ...

** Ingredients :
Wheat Flour/ Atta/ Gonva Peeta : 2 cups
Bajra Atta/ Pearl Millet Flour : 1 cup
Methi/ Fenugreek Leaves : ½ to 1 cup leaves only.
Chiroti Rava/ Fine Rava/ Barik Rava : ¼ to ½ cup
Oil/ Tela/ Tel : 2 tblsp (any edible)

** To be Coarsely Ground :
Green Chillies/ Tarni Mirsanga/ Hari Mirchi : 5-6
Ajwain/ Vonvo/ Ovam/ Bishops weed : large pinch
Hing/ Asafoetida Powder : ½ tsp
Curry Leaves/ Kadipatta/ Karbevu : 6-8 fresh ones.
Salt/ Namak/ Meeta : to taste

** Plenty of Oil/ Tel/ Tela : for deep frying the Poori.

** For preparing of “Crispy Bajra Methi Poori”, I have used Bajra flour : Wheat flour : Fine Rava in the proportion of 1:2:½ measure which gave me crisp poori exactly the way I desired to have them to be served with “Green Gram Sprouts- Raw Jackfruit Malvani Masala Curry”, a semi thick textured gravy dish. Both dishes complimented each other well and in all it was an excellent combo that you must try. However, do serve it with any spicy masala gravy dish of your choice, for best results.

** For Methi Leaves : Choose fresh green tender methi (fenugreek) leaves always for preparing any dishes. Pick and clean the methi leaves, discarding the stems. We need to add only the leaves for preparing of parathas. Wash well, strain off excess water, and chop them finely. Squeeze out as much water as possible and keep it ready aside. I have used about ¾ to 1 cup of finely chopped methi leaves, you decrease a bit if need be.

** Note : You can apply a little bit of salt to methi leaves, rub it all over, leave aside for 10-20 minutes and then squeeze of the water from methi leaves properly, wash and keep this aside ready too. This above step is carried out to remove the bitterness from fresh methi leaves. I personally do not follow salt method as I strongly believe that it should be consumed as it is for its awesome health properties. You may choose any method.

** To be Coarsely Ground : Add green chillies, curry leaves, ajwain, hing and salt into a mixer grinder and make it into a coarse paste WITHOUT adding water, you can also crush them on stone if desired. Remove and add this into a wide roti kneading bowl. Add about 2- 3 tblsp of water into grinder and mix well the remains in it and pour this too into the bowl along with oil and mix well.

** Add in the prepared and kept methi leaves, bajra flour, wheat flour, fine rava and mix all well until evenly mixed to get a crumbled texture. Now knead adding little by little to form a tight dough, lastly apply a little bit of oil all over the dough, cover with a wet cloth or tight lid and keep it aside for 5 minutes only for the dough to settle.

** Note : Do not rest the atta for more than 5 minutes as it will turn soft and for poori we always need tight dough unlike for preparation of roti/ parathas. In case you want to prepare the poori after a few hours then put the dough in an airtight box and keep it fridge immediately and remove just 5 minutes before preparing the same.

** Once again knead the dough well and roll it into a long roll of about 2 inch in diameter and then with the help of a knife cut them into equal sized pieces. Apply some oil on hand and spread a light hand on the cut pieces of dough. This ensures they do not dry up and also helps in rolling without dusting.

** For rolling of poori you can follow the dusting or non dusting method. I have applied oil to poori balls and not dusted while rolling. For this method, just apply a little bit of oil to rolling pin and roll the poori as to a circle of about 3.5 to 4 inches.

** Note : Do not roll all the poori in one go, If you have more poori's to be rolled then after a few, say about 6-8 poori's are rolled, fry them and then continue rolling by once again slightly apply oil to the rolling pin so that the dough does not stick to pin.

** If using dusting method, roll out each ball evenly into a 3.5 to 4 inch dia circle after dusting them evenly on all sides with flour. The poori should always be rolled evenly. They should not be too thick nor too thin, as both will not give desired results.

** Heat oil in a kadai/ pan to smoking point, then lower the heat to medium, wait for a few minutes before you add poori, coz. if the oil is too hot then poori will burn and turn crisp instead of evenly getting fried, also keep the heat constant throughout frying process.

** Note : To check if the oil is hot enough, just add in a pinch of dough into the oil, if it hits the bottom and comes back sizzling the heat is right for deep frying. If the dough does not bounce back and takes more time, it means the oil is not hot enough.

** If the poori bounces back immediately turning dark or burnt that means the oil is too hot. Always remember to maintain the correct heat level throughout deep frying of poori is very important to get well puffed and well cooked poori which you will with practice.

** To Deep Fry Poori : Slide in one rolled poori gently into the hot oil, when it comes back sizzling, keep pressing it gently on sides with little pressure with a spatula that has holes in it, this enable the poori to blow up from within and puff up evenly and nicely.

** Once if puff up a little bit, wait for a few seconds and then gently flip it to cook on the other side. Wait for a few seconds for the other side to be cooked too, then again flip it back and after just 1-2 seconds gently remove it allowing excess oil to drain back into the kadai.

** Place the poori on an absorbent paper for excess oil to drain off and repeat the process with remaining rolled dough by frying them exactly as before till they are done. Roll out the remaining dough and deep fry all in similar manner till you have required poori.

** IMPORTANT NOTE : This poori does not puff up into a ball like how normal poori does while deep frying, the reason being the inclusion of coarsely ground ingredients, which makes small holes while rolling and prevents poori fluffing up. Again, addition of fine rava in the quantity mentioned gives crispier textured poori, that tastes great served with gravy dishes.

** “Crispy Bajra Methi Poori” is done and ready to be served. Tastes best served with any gravy dishes though you can relish it with side dishes like chutney, shrikhand or any other dish of your family choice. I served it with “Green Gram Sprouts- Raw Jackfruit Malvani Masala Curry” a medium spicy curry I tried out on my own to be served with these poori and it tasted just exotic, do give this combo a try, sure to be loved by all in your family.

** Sharing a common link to all "Poori” recipes in blog below. There are some lovely recipes with different combinations and some of them include step by step methods which will help you understand the procedure better if novice, do check it out in leisure ….

** Plz. Do Check out on an Article written by me on Poori, on the given link below …

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