Buggani (Puffed Rice Upma)

This recipe is especially dedicated to my father who traveled all over India and always used to talk about new dishes that he tried in different regions of India. This is his recipe that he acquired when he was in Andrapradesh. My mom used to make this following his instructions for the recipe, but then she modified it a little and I learned this from her.

Baggarni (as he called it) traditionally known as Buggani is very common dish in Andrapradehs, prepared with puffed rice it is traditionally served as breakfast in Rayalaseema region.

In India you can buy freshly made puffed rice from street vendors. Here in US, in Indian grocery shops, puffed rice is available in only one size. Usually I prepare this recipe for puffed rice itself, I have been thinking of making this for long time, but did not have puffed rice. However I did have some left over Bhel mix, (it is mix of puffed rice and sev) So I decided to use it for this recipe this time.

Here is how I made it this time which some deviation from the traditional recipe, but again the best recipe for anything is not to have a recipe.

























Ingredients:


4 cups Puffed rice (I used Bhel mix this time but in India I used puffed rice)

One onion - finely chopped

2 Jalapeno peppers - chopped

1 green onion chopped

1 potato chopped in to small cubes

1 tomato chopped

5-6 curry leaves

2 tables spoon oil

1 teaspoon of mustard seeds

1/2 teaspoon of cumin seeds

1/2 teaspoon of asafetida

2 pods of dry red chili

1/4 cup of raw shelled peanuts (I did not add since Bhel mix already had peanuts)
1/2 teaspoon of turmeric

1 teaspoon of cayenne peppper

1/2 cup of of roasted chickpea powder (Dalia powder)

Juice for 1 lime

1/2 cup of cilantro leaves chopped for garnish

1/4 cup of pomegranate seeds for garnish(optional and not traditional for this recipe)

1/4 cup of Sev for garnish (optional and not traditional for this recipe) (Sev is fine noodles made out of gram flour, available at local Indian grocers)



Method:

* Grind the roasted chana in a coffee grinder to fine powder and keep it aside.

* Take a colander with small holes and place the puffed rice in the colander.

* Run water on the puffed rice, until all the puffed rice is completely wet and soaked with water.

* Drained all the water and squeeze any extra water, keep aside.

* Heat oil in a pan.

* Add cumin and mustard seeds.

* When these crackle add asafetida, curry leaves, dry red chili pods and peanuts.

* Saute for few seconds until the peanuts are light brown.

* Add Potatoes cubes and a little salt, saute on medium heat for 3-4 min or until the potatoes are tender.

* Add onions and saute for another 2-3 min.

* Add tomatoes and chopped jalapenos stir and cook for few seconds.

* Add turmeric, cayenne pepper powder and salt to puffed rice.

* Add the puffed rice to onion tomatoes mix on stove, mix well and add the powdered roasted chana.

* Mix well until everything is well incorporated.

* Turn the heat off.

* Garnish the Buggani with chopped cilantro, sev and pomegranate seeds (if available)

I love pomegranate seeds for garnishing lot of my dishes for pretty red color and tasty crunch.



Recipe by my dearest Mom Mrs. Kasturben.

Photographs by Surekha.

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Spicy Cranberry Salsa

Ingredients

* 1 lb of fresh cranberries or thawed frozen cranberries

* 8 cloves of garlic chopped

* 1" piece of ginger peeled and chopped

* 1 red onion diced

* 2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper

* 1 table spoon of paprika

* 1 teaspoon cumin powder

* 1/2 of (6 ounce) can frozen orange juice undiluted concentrate

* 1 small can of jellied cranberry sauce

* 1 bunch cilantro, chopped

* 2-4 jalapeno peppers chopped (to desired heat)

* 1 red pepper seeded and chopped

* Juice for 3 fresh lime

* 1/4 cup white sugar (you can add more or less to taste)

* Salt to taste



Method:

* Combine all the ingredients and grind them to a paste in a food processor to desired consistency.

* Serve at room temperature.

* Refrigerate if not using immediately.



Recipe by Surekha




Photograph of cranberries by prettyinprint
http://www.flickr.com/photos/33544100@N00/3065629622/
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/2.0/deed.en
Photograph of sauce by Paul Schreiber
http://www.flickr.com/photos/37996608105@N01/2067980026/
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/2.0/deed.en

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Bedai with Potato Sabji

Earlier on my blog, I talked about the breakfast in Mumbai, now it is time for me to talk about this popular breakfast item that you get in North India where I grew up. This item is also available at the "Indian fast food street vendors" but only in North India: Delhi, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar.

It is called Bedai - It is a stuffed puri. The stuffing is made of soaked moong and urad Dal and it is fried till it is crisp. Bedia is served along with spicy Aloo sabji. Its a breakfast snack mostly served in North India and not available in evening. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water.

After moving to States, I having making this for many years (every now and then) merely from the memory of my taste. I am proud to say that I have perfected it and believe it or not, the taste is very close or almost the same as that of what I used to have while growing up...or even better...

One word of caution, that it is very very spicy, you can adjust amount of peppers that go in the recipe, but it will not give you the original taste. Another word of caution is that this dish is very high in calories count, but once in a while specially during Holidays it can be easily justified.

Also it appears that no one else has posted this recipe on the web, so I am proud to say that I am the first one to publish this recipe.... Enjoy :)




























I usually make the potato sabji ahead of time so the potatoes get a chance to marinate in all the spices and the sabji tastes much better. This is what you serve the Bedai with.



Ingredients for Potato sabji:


• 8 boiled potatoes cubed

• 1-2 chopped large pieces of jalapenos

• Salt to taste

• 6 cloves of garlic finely chopped

• One 1” piece of ginger finely chopped

• 4 tablespoons of oil

• 1 tablespoon of cumin seeds

• ½ teaspoon of asafetida

• 2 pods of dry red pepper

• 2 teaspoon of turmeric powder

• 1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper

• 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper powder

• 1 teaspoon of ground black pepper

• 2 tablespoons of mango powder

• 6 cups of water

• Juice for 2 fresh limes

• ¼ cup chopped cilantro leaves



Method to make Pototo sabji:


• Heat oil in a deep pan

• When oil is hot, add cumin seeds when they crackle add asafetida.

• Add dry red chili pods

• Add chopped garlic, jalapenos and ginger.

• Sauté for 1 min

• Add potatoes and all the dry spices including salt.

• Add water and let the sabji simmer on medium heat for 5 min or until cooks to desired consistency.

• Turn the heat off and add lime juice and cilantro.



Ingredients for stuffing for poori:


• 1½ cup of moong dal

• 1½ cup of urad dal

• 1 Jalapeno pepper

• One 2” piece of ginger

• Salt to taste

• 1 table spoon of cumin powder

• 1 teaspoon of crushed red pepper

• 1 teaspoon of ground black pepper

• 1 teaspoon of garam masala (or all spice)

• 2 table spoon of mango powder

• 1 teaspoon of turmeric powder

• 2 tables spoon of oil

• 1 table spoon of cumin seeds

• ½ teaspoon of asafetida

• ¼ cup of chopped cilantro leaves



Method of making stuffing for poori:


• Soak Moong and Urad dal for 6 hours

• Drain all the water out.

• Grind ginger and jalapenos in food processor.

• Add and coarsely grind the dal together in food processor.

• Add salt and all dry spices except cumin seeds and asafetida.

• Heat oil in a pan, when hot add cumin seeds.

• When the seeds crackle add asafeda followed by dal and spice mixture.

• Stir and cook for one min.

• Take it out in a small bowl and let it cool.

• When the mixture is cold, make small balls to be stuffed into the poories.

• Cover and set the balls aside.



Ingredients to make dough for poori:


• 3 cups of chapatti flour (available at local Indian grocers)

• 1 cup of semolina or coarse sooji (can use cream of wheat)

• 5 table spoon of Crisco

• Salt to taste

• Water to make dough

• Oil for frying



Method to make dough for poori:


• Mix all the dry ingredients, and Crisco.

• Make the dough with water with hand or in food processor to medium soft consistency (not too loose like naan, and not too hard)

• Kneed and roll the dough in some oil and cover it with wet cloth. Set aside.





Method to make Bedai poori:


• Divide the dough in small balls, slightly bigger than that of stuffing balls.

• Smear the ball with flour so does not stick to rolling surface.

• Roll the ball with rolling pin to 3” diameter circle.

• Place the stuffing in center of circle and fold it as shown it picture to make a ball again.

• Again smear the ball with flour and roll it with stuffing inside to 3-4” circle.

• Heat oil in frying pan.

• When oil is heated to 375-400 degrees, slowly drop the rolled poori in the oil and when it starts to come up, gently press it with the frying spoon. (as shown in picture) so the poori become like ball.

• Cook onen side and flip it over gently and cook the other side in oil till both sides are light brown.

• Take the poori out of fryer and drain all the oil out.

• Place the poori on stack of newspaper with top layer of paper towel to soak all the excess oil.

• Serve it with hot Bedai (stuffed poori) with potato sabji

• You may server green chutney (cilantro pesto and or tamarind chutney with this if desired, both recipes on this blog).



Yummmmmmmm :)

This recipe makes about 25-28 poories depending on the size that you make. You may cut down the recipe according to the quantity you want to make.

Potato sabji is enough to serve about 8-10 people (depending on the serving size).

Recipe and Photographs by Surekha.

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