Alu Methi Dum and Chapathis

I’m back from an exciting weekend visit to the Great Smoky Mountains, Tennessee. In my next post I will give a detailed account of our visit with the beautiful fall colour pictures.

I made Alu Methi Dum and Chapathis last Friday but didn’t get time to update my blog before we left for the weekend. So here it is.

Alu Methi Dum

You will need:

½ kg. Small baby potatoes

1 ½ cups chopped onions

1 tsp Garam masala powder

3 tsp Red chilli powder

3 tsp Corriander powder

5 tbsp Oil

3 cups Fenugreek leaves (Methi leaves)

2 tsp Ginger Garlic paste

3 medium sized tomatoes pureed

2 tomatoes chopped

Salt to taste

Boil whole potatoes in salted water, drain peel and keep aside. If you don’t have or can’t find small baby potatoes use regular potatoes. Boil and cut into large cubes.

Heat oil in a pan. Add chopped onions and fry till soft and translucent. Add Ginger garlic paste and fry for a minute. Add chopped methi leaves and fry till the raw smell is gone. Now add the red chilli powder, coriander powder and salt. Saute for 5-6 minutes and then add the tomato puree. Add the boiled peeled potatoes or cubes. Also add the chopped tomatoes. Fry till the oil floats on top and bring to a boil. Lastly add the Garam masala powder and few drops of lime juice. Serve hot with chapathis/rotis.

Chapathis

Chapathis, also called Wheat Rotis are staple food in India. We often take it for granted that it is a simple dish and doesn’t have a certain method of making. That’s from the truth because for the end product to be perfect and good tasting, a certain method must be followed. Many of my friends often used to complain that their chapathis were never soft and always turned hard when cold. This is how I make chapathis.

You will need:

2 cups Wheat flour

½ tsp Salt

2 tbsps Oil

1- 1 ½ cups Warm water

Take wheat flour in a bowl. Add salt and oil. Toss and slowly add warm water while mixing the flour into a dough. Add water only as much as required. Don’t knead just yet. The flour has to come together to make a soft mass. It should not be sticky. Cover and keep aside for atleast 30 minutes, longer is better. Knead only after letting the dough rest. Kneading the dough well helps incorporate the ingredients and also makes the dough more pliable.

Make even sized balls, roll them with the help of a rolling pin.

Flip in wheat flour if the dough is too sticky. I have a certain way of roasting the chapathis too that keep them soft even after a day. I roast one side and only when its completely done, I flip it. Flipping frequently only hardens the chapathi after it becomes cold. Apply oil/ghee to the side that’s done. Once the other side is done, flip, apply oil and remove from heat immediately. Cover chapathis with a cloth or paper towel to keep them warm and from drying out. When I make large quantities I usually use foil.

Enjoy!!