Chiwda Deepawali Faraal 4/5

When we were kids, and our neighbors were the best people in town, we used to have a truckload of Faraal in a dedicated container, from the neighbors. As kids, the chaklis and shankarpalis would go first and then the karanjis and laddoos. Chiwda would be what was left in the bottom. But that would get rid of distractions and we would carry the entire container to our small Tea table and enjoy them by the handfuls, with hot, sweet tea.
After a decade in U.S. when homesickness made us miss the Faraal packets and spicy-sweet chiwda, I decided to call up my sweet neighbor Aunty of old times and ask her for the recipe. She surprised me by emailing me the recipe through her kids.
And I have been using her recipe adding a small touch every year, to accomodate a healthy lifestyle and matching the availability of ingredients.
Made with a variety of fresh and dry ingredients, this dish uses very little oil and lasts a long time when prepared right. Make sure to remove any trace of moisture from the ingredients and utensils, as any moisture will mess with the taste and freshness of Chiwda.



Ingredients:-

2 sprigs of curry leaves
6-7 green chillies- chopped
1/2 cup raw peanuts
1/2 cup dry coconut slices (khobra/kopra)
1 tbsp crushed coriander seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 cup split chana daliya
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp Asafoetida (hing)
2 cups puffed rice (kurmure)
2 cups thin beaten rice (poha)
2 cups of rice crispies (as in the unsweetened cereal) (optional)
1/2 cup of oil in a bowl with a teaspoon to measure out. (you may not need all of it)

Salt to taste
Sugar - to taste.

Method:-
Making Chiwda requires low heat, a heavy and big wok or pan, and lots of patience.
To begin, heat 2 tsp of oil in the pan, in medium heat and fry the curry leaves and green chilies until crisp and dry. Drain, remove them and keep aside.

Next, in the same oil, roast the peanuts carefully without burning them, until they are cooked through. and crunchy. Drain and keep aside.

Next, roast the coconut and daliya until they are crispy and roasted well. Drain and keep aside.

Now add 3 tsp of oil to the pan and when it is hot, add the hing, cumin seeds, crushed coriander and turmeric. Stir well until browned lightly, then add the kurmure, poha and rice crispies (if using). Toss gently and well. The turmeric goes a long way to show which parts need stirring. When evenly coated, the entire contents should be yellow.

Now add the reserved ingredients to the mix and toss gently to roast. Its quite a workout for the arms, but you can rest once the poha turns crispy and crunchy when you taste one. Should take about 15-20 minutes or longer depending on the quantity of the chiwda.

When all ingredients are roasted well and crunchy, sprinkle the salt and the sugar and toss well again, turning off the heat. Let it cool completely, and then store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place.
Enjoy!

Mamma's Pakkaavada (Ribbon Pakoras) Deepawali Faraal 1/5

My Mom makes these beauties only on two or three occasions every year. One is for Diwali and the other is for Onam. The third time is whenever we bed, plead and bribe her to make some. But the reason why she doesn't make these on a regular basis is--- us! We eat it up! We gobble these up before the day is over and with her health issues, no matter how many hours she puts on these- roasting, kneading, squeezing them out and standing long hours frying them in hot oil - its all gone within hours, irrespective of how much she makes. I used to be clueless, when she used to be mad about the big dabba (container) being empty at tea time...but now I know! It doesn't last in my house either. :-D
Love You Mom! <3

Indian Kitchen Press with its various discs. Similar to a cookie press, but used for deep fried savories.

Ingredients:-1 cup rice flour
2 cups besan (gram flour)
Salt to taste
1 tbsp kashmiri red chilli powder
1 tsp onion powder (*this ingredient makes all the difference*)
1 tsp asafoetida (hing)
1 tsp white sesame seeds
1 tbsp coconut oil
Water- enough to make a smooth dough (approximately 2 cups, but you wont need it all)

Oil- to fry

Pakkaavada Disc used to make ribbon pakoras.

Method:-Dry roast the rice flour and besan separately. Let them cool, mix them together.
Boil 2 cups of water. Take one cup and dissolve the salt, chilli powder, onion powder, and hing in it. Now make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour the coconut oil in the center. Onto the coconut oil, pour the cup of water with spices and stir with a wooden spoon. Cover with a lid and leave for 10 minutes.
After 10  minutes, using the remaining water as needed, knead the dough into a stiff but pliable dough. Spread a tsp of coconut oil in your hands and pat the dough. Divide the dough into balls sized approximately to fit into the barrel of your Kitchen Press. Brushing the insides of the barrel and the contact points of the press is also a good idea. It makes the cleanup later, a breeze!

Now use the ribbon pakoda disc inside the barrel and squeeze out the ribbons directly on to hot oil. Do not overcrowd.
Deep fry both sides on medium heat until bubbles are very few and the pakoda is crunchy and golden brown.

Drain on paper towels.
Store the completely cooled pakkavadas in air tight containers, and serve with tea.
Enjoy!

Mamma's Rava-Coconut Laddoos - Deepawali Faraal 3/5

Sweet and chewy, these are my very own recipe painfully developed by trial and error, over the last two Diwalis, with the inclusion of sweetened baking coconut, instead of freshly grated coconut, so that they could have a longer shelf life. The only sad part is that after all that trouble that we go through to make these, they don't last more than 3-4 days in our house.

Ingredients:
4 cups fine rava (semolina)
10 oz sweetened coconut flakes
1/2 cup  ghee (clarified butter)
1.5 cups sugar
1.5 cup water
1 fat pinch of saffron strands
2 tsp cardamom powder
Raisins as needed (Golden green raisins recommended)

Method:
In a heavy bottomed pan, melt the ghee. Into this add the rava and stirring constantly, roast it until the rava turns a light pink and glossy. It should be around 7-8 minutes. Switch off the fire and stir in the coconut flakes and cardamom powder.

Let the rava coconut mixture cool.

Now in another pan, boil 1.5  cups of water and throw in the strands of saffron. Stir in the sugar and bring it to a boil. Boil for a few minutes until the syrup turns thick into 1 string consistency. 1 string consistency is when you spread a drop of the syrup between your index finger and thumb-tip and it should form a string when you touch and separate them.

Now, pour this hot syrup into the rava coconut mixture. Stir well and let cool slightly. Now, with clean hands, mix them all together and form uniform balls out of them, carefully embedding one or two raisins on each laddoo.

Repeat the process with all the laddoos and let them cool down completely.

Now if you are working with a large batch, chances are that the mixture will dry out about 3/4th way into the laddoo rolling. In that case, don't panic and add 1 tsp of hot milk into the mix, knead lightly and continue making laddoos. but don't add too much as that can make your laddoos crumble or become too soft. Refrigerate in an air tight container, and it should last up to a month.

Making them last that long....that is another story. Enjoy!!