Atte Ke Sheera & Moong Dal Kachori

After dishing out some Italian foods, for this month's International Food Challenge ,a monthly event started by two wonderful food bloggers Sara and Shobana, the members of this food challenge group travelling towards Rajasthani cuisine of India.Rajasthani cuisine, the foods from this cuisne are prepared usually with milk, yogurt and buttermilk coz of the scarcity of water of the region of Rajasthan. Most of their foods last for several days coz of their traditional warrior lifestyles and depending upon the availability of the ingredients of this water starved ragion.This cuisine is a splendid array of unique,rich,colourful,spicy dishes and many more delectable sweets. Lentils and legumes like jowar, bajra are used very much in this cuisine and needless to say Gramflour is one of the main ingredient in this cuisine. The traditional Rajasthani dishes with vegetables can be eaten for many days and they dont need refrigeraton coz of the weather condition of this region.

This month's host was Manjula Bharath of Desi Fiesta, since she is from Rajasthani region she challenged the members with many delectable Rajasthani dishes, one among her challenge was her delectable Rajasthani Festive Platter. When i saw the spread i was awestruck, yes the platter she prepared was just mindblowing, can see her efforts and her love for her native. I chosed to cook a Halwa and a Kachori from the dishes she challenged coz of the lack of time coz i'll be in India while this post is up.Thanks Manjula for challenging us with delicious Rajasthani dishes, trust me i enjoyed making and having both halwa and kachori.

Atte Ke Sheera/Wheat Flour Halwa:

1/2cup Whole wheat flour
1+1/2cups Water (boiled)
1/4cup Jaggery (powdered)
4tbsp Ghee
Nuts (chopped ) or melon seeds (as per need)

Heat ghee in a pan, roast the whole wheat flour in simmer until a nice aroma comes from, keep on stirring else the flour will burn.

Add the hot water gradually to the roasted wheat flour and keep on stirring.

Once you add the water, the wheat flour absorbs the water and turn as a thick paste.

Add the jaggery powder, and cook until they get well melts.

Now cook the halwa in medium flame until its leaves the ghee.

Put off the stove, garnish with nuts or seeds.

Serve warm.

Moong dal Kachori:

For Dough:
2cups All purpose flour/Maida
5tbsp Oil
Salt

For filling:
1/4cup Yellow moong dal/Yellow green gram (soaked for 2hrs)
1tsp Cumin seeds
1/2tsp Fennel seeds
1tbsp Whole coriander seeds
1/4tsp Asafoetida powder
1tsp Chilli powder
1/4tsp Turmeric powder
1tsp Garam masala powder
1/2tsp Dried mango powder/amchur powder
3tbsp Oil
Salt
Oil for deep frying

Mix all the ingredients given for the dough, knead well until it forms as soft dough, keep aside covered with a wet muslin cloth.

Grind the soaked moongdal as coarse paste.

Heat the oil, add the cumin seeds, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, let them crack.

Add the grounded moongdal paste,chilly powder, turmeric powder, garam masala,amchur powder,salt and mix.

Saute well until the moongdal loses the moist and turns dry, keep aside.

Roll a small ball from the dough into circle.

Place a tablespoon of filling mixture in the centre of the rolled circle.

Bring the end of the circle together to cover the filling, seal them tightly, remove the excess dough.

Roll each portion into circle, take care not to roll thin or dont give pressure while rolling.

Repeat the same process with the remaining dough.

Heat oil for deepfrying in simmer, once the oil is hot, slowly slide the rolled kachoris to the oil and fry until they turns golden brown and crispy.

Cool and store them in air tightened box.

Notes:
Dont fry the kachoris in high flame.

Fry them always in simmer and the kachoris should puff like puris.