Khandvi (Pressure Cooker Method)

So far in the series,

First week - Sweets
Malaadu / Hurigadale Unde
Dry Gulab Jamun
Coconut Burfi / Kobbari Mithai
Almond Halwa / Badam Halwa
Elaneer Payasam
Godhuma Sojjappalu

Second week - Snacks from Gujarat
Damni Dhokla
Doodhi Muthia / Lauki Muthia
Dal Pandoli

Sev Khamani

Methi Khakhra

Here is my final dish of the week, another steamed delicacy from Gujarat. Khandvi - the chick pea flour and yogurt based snack that is popular in Gujarat and Maharasthra as well. The chickpea flour and butter milk mixture flavored with chili and ginger is cooked, continuously stirring until it thickens and spread on a greased plate, allowed to cool a bit and cut into strips and then rolled. It is then tempered and garnished with coconut and cilantro. Cooking khandvi for a beginner using this traditional method is quite tricky, especially when one doesn't know when to stop cooking the chickpea flour based paste. That's when this pressure cooker method khandvi comes handy.

I tried making khandvi twice for the ICC event a few years ago in the traditional way and promptly trashed the stuff thinking that I overcooked it. It is hard to understand the required consistency while cooking the chickpea flour paste in the khandvi preparation when one doesn't have any reference point. If you have never seen the preparation, it becomes even harder to imagine the soft paste becoming pliable enough to cut into non sticky rolls. The instructions like 'Cook the paste until glossy' or 'Stir until the paste is cooked' are just that, instructions. Instructions that aren't helpful for those who are trying the dish for the first time. When I look back now, I realize that probably I cooked the mixture to the correct consistency but didn't figure it out then. 

I came across the concept of pressure cooking the paste in a khandvi preparation instead of keeping stirring in a pan when I was searching for steamed Gujarati snacks. I must admit even the first attempt of pressure cooker khandvi ended up being a disaster. I followed a version which used less liquid and it kind of ended up being an under cooked dhokla without any sponginess. This version ended up being perfect though I have seen some versions using flour and liquid in the ratio 1:3. The pressure cooker method is an easy, fail-proof way to make khandvi.

I prepared a small batch of khandvi for the first time when I captured these images. I could do better khandvi the second time but was lazy to photograph them. Also it is hard to take the images in the middle of spreading the khandvi. The mixture thickens very quickly and once it thickens, it is hard to spread. One needs to be quick for this reason. Also more than one thaali / steel plate or a baking sheet is needed to spread this quantity of khandvi. Or one can use both sides of a thali / baking sheet.

Ingredients for khandvi:
1 cup sour yogurt + 1 cup water or 2 cups butterrmilk
1 cup chickpea flour / besan
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
Salt to taste
1 tbsp. green chili paste
1 tsp. grated ginger / ginger paste
Ingredients for tempering:
1 tbsp. oil
1 tsp. mustard seeds
 2 red chillies, broken into pieces
few curry leaves
Ingredients for garnish:
Minced cilantro 
Shredded fresh coconut

Directions:
* Sieve chickpea flour. Blend yogurt and water together. Grease two wide plates or a large baking sheet on both sides and keep aside.
* Combine flour, turmeric, salt, chili and ginger paste in a bowl.

* Next add yogurt and water mixture to the bowl and mix well taking care that they are no lumps. 

* The consistency of the mixture is thinner than the bajji batter as shown below.

* Pressure cook the mixture for 3 whistles. Remove the cooker lid once the valve pressure cools down. Whisk the cooked dough well.

* Put the mixture quickly on the greased plate and spread as thinly as possible and quickly using a spatula. 

*  These pictures were taken when I cooked a small quantity but the mixture still got thickened as I was trying to take pictures. I made these one more time and could make good khandvi but there wasn't enough light to capture them.

* Allow it cool slightly and cut them lengthwise, 2 inches apart. Starting from one end, roll each piece tightly.

* Heat oil in a small pan add mustard seeds. When they start to crackle, add curry leaves and chillies and turn off the stove. Pour this tempering over khandvi.
* Garnish with minced cilantro and coconut before serving. This snack can be served both warm and cold. 

Check out the Blogging Marathon page for the other Blogging Marathoners doing BM#104.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter

Comments