chappati basic

One cup chappatti flour
Half cup warm water
Quarter cup oil

( these are rough quantities and need adjusting according to the flour)

Put the flour in a bowl and add oil in batches. Mix until it resembles breadcrumbs.
Add warm water a little at a time until a soft byt pliable doughnus formed.
Cover and leave to prove for 10/15 minutes
Greae your palm and knead the diugh for a couple of minutes,
Divide into balls deoending on how big you want chappatis.
Heat up griddle.
Take one ball and roll into dry flour . Leave the rest covered.
Roll this into a circle and cook on high heat as follows
The first side turn as soon as it bubbles. This us the top of chappati
Cook second side fully and turn
Press this side now eith kitchen towel or turner. ( in india this sidebis cooked on open flame)
Remove from fire and place on plate. Butter.
Enjoy

basic tadka for dahl

Ingredients.
1 tablespoon oil , ghee or mix of oil and ghee
1 clove garlic ( to taste and optional)
1. Cooking Onion.        ( to taste and optional)
Half teaspoon ginger chilli paste
2 tomatoes finely chopped
A few mustard seeds
1 stick cinnamon   ( to taste and optional)
Afew cumin seeds   ( to taste and optional)
3 curry leaves
Dry red chilli.   ( to taste and optional)
Masalas

2.5 ml or less turmeric
2.5 ml dhana jeera ( corrinader and cumin powder)
2.5 ml chilli powder to taste
optional masalas
Garam masala
Cinnamon powder
Jaggery
Lemon
Kokum ( star anise)


Put the oil/ghee in a saucepan and allow to heat
Check if oil is ready by adding a couple of cumin or mustard seeds until
they crackle
Add the rest of mustard seeds when these crackle add cumin seeds ,
lower heat and add dry chilli, cinnamon stick . Finally add the curry leaves
Turn heat to medium and add ginger , chilli paste and  garlic ( finrly chopped or puree)
Add onion and cook till translucent.
Add tomatoes and cover till they are soft.
Add the salt. Turmeric, dhana jeera.
You can add jaggery and kokum now too
Cook till oil separates.
at this stage you can add the boiled dahl.



This basic tadka can me made in a big batch snd frozen.
Use for any  dahl and pulses including tinned kidney beans

Dahi. ( home made curd)

200ml Milk semi skimmed .( full fat makes lovely creamy curd )
5ml. Yoghurt culture .


Heat the milk to nearly boiling.
Allow to cool until hand hot , stirring occasionally to stop skin forming.
Heat the microwave by switching it on for a minute
Warm up the container you are using to set yoghurt by adding hot water.  I suggest a double walled luch box or something which retains heat.
Add the culture in the milk , and whisk thoroughly.
Put this in container . Seal tight and put in warm microwave or oven to set fir around 12 hours.
Check it has set. And refrigerate.

Remember to save some yoghurt for your next batch.
Use within a couple of days

Chick peas shak ( curry)

ingredients

1 can chick peas, drained and washed
2 fresh tomatoes finely chopped
2teaspoons oil
Mustard seeds a few
pinch turmeric
0.5 teaspoon corriander and cumin powder
Red chilli powder to taste
Ginger chilli paste ( optional)
Garam masala ( optional)
Onions ( optionsl)
Date and tamarind sauce ( optional)
Corriander to garnish

Add oil to saucepan and allow to warm.
Add a couple of mustard seeds to check oil heat . Oil is ready when mustard seeds crackle
Add rest of mustard seeds when the oil is ready
Add ginger chilli paste to oil.
( add onions and garlic paste if usingand allow onions yo become translucent but not brown)
Add chopped tomatoes and cover till tomatoes are cooked.
Add all masalas and salt to taste.
Saute fir a couple of minutes till oil separates
Add chick peas. Stir and saute for a few minutes. Dry chick peas curry is now ready.

You can now add water or coconut milk or date snd tamarind sauce  if you prefer a gravy. alliw to boil for a while . Crush a few chick peas with a fork to thicken the gravy.

Garnish with corriander and spring onion.