Homemade Wheat Crackers

Type Of Recipe : Tea time snack

Preparation Time : 15 minutes

Cooking Time : 20 minutes

Number Of Serves : 6


Ingredients.

1. Wheat flour - 2 cups

2. Black gram - 1/2 cup

3. Sesame seeds - 1 table spoon

4. Ground pepper - 2 teaspoons

5. Asafodita powder - 1/4 teaspoon

6. Butter for rubbing into the dough - 1 teaspoon

7. Oil - for deep frying

8. Salt - to taste

9. Water - enough for mixing the dough


Method.

1. Dry roast black gram in a pan, cool and grind to a fine powder.

2. In a deep bowl, add wheat flour, black gram flour, sesame seeds, black pepper, asafodita powder and salt.

3. To this mixture, add butter and mix thoroughly. 

4. Add enough water to the above mixture to make a dough like that of  chapati dough.

5. Take a lemon sized ball of the dough and roll out on a chapati maker with the help of a rolling pin. Then cut into diamond shapes with the help of a knife.

6. Place a frying pan on medium flame, and fry the diamond shapes till they turn golden brown.

7. It is a healthy evening snack for school going children.

Kanjeevaram Idli

Cooking time : 20 minutes 

Number of Serves : 6


Ingredients.

1. Broken parboiled rice - 2 cups

2. Black gram (urad dal) - 3/4 cup

3. Mustard seeds - 1/4 teaspoon

4. Cumin seeds - 1/2 teaspoon

5. Pepper corns - 1/2 teaspoon (coarsely crushed)

6. Dry red chillies - 4 (each broken into 3 or 4 pieces)

7. Coarsely grated coconut - 2 tablespoons

8. Curry leaves - 2 sprigs

9. Broken Cashew nuts - handful

10. Dry ginger powder : 1/4 teaspoon

11. Oil for seasoning : 1 tablespoon

12.. Salt - to taste


Procedure.

1.Soak broken rice and black gram in water separately for 2 hours.

2. Drain water from broken rice and keep aside.

3. Drain water from black gram, and grind using a mixer grinder till the batter becomes fluffy. Transfer into a deep bowl.

4. To the batter, add soaked broken rice. 

5. Add salt and dry ginger powder and mix thoroughly. Allow the batter to ferment for 8 hours.

6. Place a seasoning pan on medium flame, and add 1 tablespoon of oil. When oil becomes hot, add mustard and allow it to crackle. Then add cumin, black pepper, coarsely grated coconut, curry leaves, broken cashew nuts and asafodita powder one after the other and saute till they start releasing their aroma. Pour the seasoning into the batter and mix thoroughly. Now the batter is ready for making idlis. 

7. Place an idli steamer on medium flame and add 2 cups of water. Place a trivet inside the idli cooker.

8. Water tumblers can be used instead of the regular idli mould to steam the idlis. Smear the insides of the tumblers with oil. Fill 3/4th of the tumblers with idli batter, and place them inside the steamer on the trivet. Cover the idli cooker with lid and steam the idlis for about 20 minutes. 

9. When idlis are done, open the lid of cooker, remove the tumblers and allow the idlis to cool for at least 15 minutes.

10. Slowly scrape idlis out of the tumblers with a knife and place them on a plate. Slice the idlis and serve with coconut chutney.