B - Bobbatlu/Puran Poli - Andhra Style

Bobbatlu are a sweet dish made with Chana dal and gud/jaggery/bellam as the filling and the outer part is made with maida/all purpose flour.

In Andhra, the filling is called purnam. Using ghee generously will enhance the flavor of the sweet. I personally go with a smaller serving rather than compromising on the taste...😉

Preparation Time: 30 minutes + 20 minutes 

Cook Time: 2 minutes per bobbattu 

Serves : 5-6

Ingredients:

For Purnam/Filling:

Chana Dal/Senagapappu: 1 cup

Water: 2 cups 

Jaggery/Bellam : 1 cup

Elachi/Green cardamom: 3

For Outerlayer:

Maida/All purpose flour: 2 cups 

Sooji / Rava : 2 tablespoons 

Salt: 1/2 teaspoon 

Water : 300 ml

Oil : 1 teaspoon 

Method:

Wash and pressure cook the Chana dal for 4-5 whistles. Cool it off and press with a spatula to make a smooth paste. 

Add jaggery, Elachi powder and put it on the stove and cook until it forms into a ball. About 20-25 minutes. Let it cool of for at least 30 minutes.

Mix all ingredients for the Outerlayer and keep aside.

Now take the filling and make golf ball size balls. Take the maida ball, and make big lemon size balls.

Press them into a small puri with your hands, place the filling, close it and place it on a greased sheet and press into a 6-8" diameter.

Heat a tawa, place the bobbattu on it, fry each side for 30 seconds and add ghee on each side and fry till golden brown.

Serve hot with some more ghee.

Day 2

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM# 63

An InLinkz Link-up

Join me for a Journey through the Cuisine...A to Z Andhra Cuisine

Join me for a Journey through the Cuisine...A to Z Andhra Cuisine 

We are a group of Food bloggers doing a Blogging Marathon every month, 3 days all 4 weeks, each month. However during April and September, we do 26 days of nonstop blogging with Sundays off. The marathon is hosted by Srivalli from spicingyourlife.blogspot.com

This is my first time doing a Mega Marathon with this lovely group.

So, the challenge I chose is making a dish from A to Z letters and all Andhra dishes. One post daily with Sunday's off.

It was nice to bring out some old time dishes that I can share...

Butter Chicken

Butter Chicken or Murgh Makhani is a very famous Indian dish all over the world. It's roots are from Punjabi Cuisine. 

The dish goes well with some fresh hot naans, parathas or jeera rice.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes 

Chicken Marinate Time: 2 hours total

Cook Time: 30 minutes 

Serves: 5-6

Ingredients:

Chicken Marinate: (First one)

Boneless and Skinless Chicken : 1 kg

Red Chili powder: 1 1/2 teaspoon (Use Kashmiri chili powder if possible)

Lemon juice : 1 medium size lemon

Oil : 1 tablespoon 

Salt to taste

Dry roast and grind ( spices for 2nd marinate)

Cloves : 6

Cardamom: 6

Black peppercorns: 10

Cinnamon: 1" stick 

Bay leaves: 2

Almonds : 10

Others:

Onion: 2 medium chopped 

Yogurt/Curd: 1 cup

Tomatoes: 3 large (purée them in a blender)

Ginger garlic paste: 1 tablespoon 

Turmeric: 1/2 teaspoon 

Coriander powder: 2 teaspoons

Cumin powder: 1 teaspoon 

Kasoori Methi : 2 tablespoons crushed

Chicken stock: 2 cups

Butter: 3-4 tablespoons

Cilantro/coriander leaves: To garnish 

Method:

Take all ingredients listed for 1st marinate, mix well and keep in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Dry roast the ingredients listed, cool them off and grind into a fine powder. Add the masala, turmeric, coriander powder, cumin powder and yogurt to the chicken, mix well and marinate for 1 more hour.

Heat 3 tablespoons of oil in a large pan, add onions and sauté till they turn pink and add ginger garlic paste. Fry for 2 minutes. Add the marinated chicken and fry for 7-8 minutes. 

Add tomato purée, chicken stock, salt, kasoori methi, mix well and cook on medium heat for 15-18 minutes until the gravy is thick but not dry. Add butter, mix well and cook for 1 minute. Turn off the stove.

Garnish with a dollop of butter and cilantro and serve hot with naan, paratha or rice.

Biryani Masala

Biryani Masala is a fresh blend of spices that is used in biryani to get a nice flavor.

Preparation Time: 5 minutes 

Roast Time: 2 minutes 

Makes : 1/2 cup

Ingredients:

Cinnamon: 2" stick

Fennel Seeds/Saunf : 2 teaspoons 

Cumin Seeds/ Jeera : 1 teaspoon 

Green cardamom/Elachi: 5

Cloves/Laung : 5

Bay leaves: 2

Mace : 2

Stone flower: 3

Star Anise : 1

Black pepper: 1 teaspoon 

Coriander seeds: 3 tablespoons 

Red chili powder: 1 tablespoon

Method:

Dry roast all the ingredients listed above except the chili powder for 2 minutes.

Let them cool off and grind them into a fine powder. Add red chili powder and grind one more to mix well.

Store unused masala in an airtight container for upto 2-3 weeks.

Simple Masala Biryani

Masala Biryani is a very simple biryani made with fresh ground masala powder, coconut milk and cilantro. 

You can serve the Biryani with any gravy or raita. This is ideal for lunch boxes as well.

Preparation Time: 10 minutes 

Cook Time: 25 minutes 

Serves: 4-5

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice: 2 cups

Ghee : 3 tablespoons 

Onion : 1 large sliced

Ginger garlic paste: 1 tablespoon 

Cilantro/Coriander leaves: Small bunch chopped 

Coconut milk: 1 cup 

Water : 1 3/4 cups

Fresh ground biryani masala: 1/2 cup

Salt to taste 

For Biryani Masala: (Makes 1/2 cup)

Cinnamon: 2" stick

Fennel Seeds/Saunf : 2 teaspoons 

Cumin Seeds/ Jeera : 1 teaspoon 

Green cardamom/Elachi: 5

Cloves/Laung : 5

Bay leaves: 2

Mace : 2

Stone flower: 3

Star Anise : 1

Black pepper: 1 teaspoon 

Coriander seeds: 3 tablespoons 

Red chili powder: 1 tablespoon

Method:

Wash and soak rice for 30 minutes.

Dry roast all ingredients except red chili powder, let them cool and grind into a smooth powder. Add chili powder and grind one more time. 

Heat ghee in a vessel and add onions and sauté till they turn light brown. Add ginger garlic paste and fry for 30 seconds. 

Add the masala and fry for 30 seconds. Add cilantro, coconut milk, water, salt and bring it to a boil. Add drained rice and bring it to a boil again.

Close lid and simmer the stove for 15 minutes until the rice is done. Wait for 10 minutes and fluff it with a fork.

Serve hot with gravy or raita.