Besan Puda - Chickpea Flour Pancakes

Gram flour is  made from ground chickpeas or chana dal. It is also known as chickpea flour, garbanzo flour, or besan.  Besan has high proportion of carbhohydates but in comparison with other flous have relatively high proportion of protein. It is gluten free too.  Puda / chilla), a pancake made with gram flour batter, is a popular breakfast item of uttarpradesh.

Besan/Chick Pea flour - 1 cup 
Lauki /Bottle Gourd /OPO squash - 1/4 cup (optional)
Onion - 1/4 cup , finely chopped
Green Chili - 2 , finely chopped
Tomato - 2 tbsp , finely chopped , seedless
Coriander Leaves - 1/4 cup ,finely chopped
Chat Masala - 1 1/2 tsp
Roasted Cumin Powder - 1/2 tsp
Coriander Powder - 1/2 tsp
Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
Salt to taste .
Ghee/ Oil  - 1/4 cup
Water - 1/2 cup (use 3/4 cup if not using lauki)

Step I
Mix everything except oil together and leave aside for half an hour

Step II

1. Heat a griddle and pour a small ladle full of batter on it .
2. Spread it to desired thickness using a spoon.
3. Pour oil over the puda/pancake and around the sides.
4. Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes .
5. Check the under side of puma/pancake should be golden.
6. If not golden yet , cook uncovered for another few minutes.
7. Flip and cook the otherside too till golden spot appears on it.
8. Serve hot with Pickle and yogurt.

Bindi Aloo - Bharva Style(Okra & Potato with fennel powder) - For Party

Bhindi/Okra is very popular in South Asian cuisine. It is used in lots of preparation in India , equally popular in north and south Indian cuisine. Bhindi/Okra has become is very popular health food in west due to its high fiber, folate and vitamin C content. Bhindi and aloo together is a very popular combo . This Bhindi Aloo (Bharva Style) is inspired from a  UP recipe , i learnt it from a friends mother who was visiting her from India. They use whole potato,eggplant  and okra and stuff with the spices and cook  but i have  the sliced potatoes and bhindi and sprinked it with the spice mixture. I also saw a similar Bharva Bhindi recipe in Vidhu Mitta's cookbook . I just love her book for the simplicity of her recipes.Bhindi  aloo with rice and dal taste heavenly. Bhindi aloo goes well with roti or paratha too.

Bhindi /Okra- 1/2 lb - 250 gms

Potato - 1/4 lb - 125 gms

Turmeric Powder- 1/4 tsp

Red Chili Powder - 2 tsp

Coriander Powder - 4 tsp

Amchur /Dry mango Powder - 2 tsp

Fennel Powder - 4 tsp

Oil  for frying

Salt to taste

Tempering :

 Oil - 1 tbsp

 Jeera/Cumin - 1 tsp

 Hing /Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp

Step I : 

1. Remove top and bottom of okra and slice into half.
2. Cut potato into half vertically and cut halves into thin slices.

Step II : 

1. Heat  oil in a deep pan.
2. Add the potato and cook the slices to light golden .
3. Remove from oil and sprinkle with salt and keep aside .
4. Add the okra to the remaining oil and cook till okra is lightly crisped.
5. Remove from oil and sprinkle with salt and keep aside .

Step III :

1. Heat a tbsp oil and add hing and cumin.
2. Lower the heat and all the spices powder to the oil.
3. Cook for a minute and add the vegetable.
4. Mix everything well and cook for 5 minutes .

PS : Instead of deep frying you and pan roast potato and okra slices too.