Chousela

EVENT: MEGA BLOGGING MARATHON#92

THEME: A-Z  FLATBREADS AND MORE – INDIAN FLATBREADS

The day has not begun on a happy note for most Kenyans. Yet again we have to tighten our belts as petrol prices have risen with a 16% VAT on petroleum products. We were already trying to deal with high food prices and the high cost of living and this falls like a tonne of bricks on our heads. Yet again transport prices with go up and in turn effect the cost of transporting basic goods like food and clothing. For many Kenyans there is nothing to be cheerful about as salaries don’t increase but the cost of living has been rising since the Jubilee Party came into power. We just have to wait and see whether the Parliament will pass a bill to revoke this VAT. In the meantime prices of basics like flour has already gone up.

What is Mega Blogging Marathon?

Well, its a group of bloggers who get together to post a dish for 26 days according to the chosen theme. For more details check out the initiator Srivalli’s page here. For this theme we had a choice of 3:

1. A-Z Indian Flatbreads that are not made using batter e.g. like roti

2. A-Z Indian Flatbreads using batters

3. A-Z International Flatbreads.

I decided to opt for option number 1. India has such a huge variety of flatbreads to offer that are made on the stove top, in the tandoor, in the oven, under the grill or fried. Its going to be a challenge to look for flatbreads beginning with all the letters of the alphabet as for this group cannot use batter based flatbreads. However, am up for this challenge.

Today’s flatbread is C for Chousela. Strange name right? Chousela is a puri or puffed up flatbread that is famous in the state of Chhattisgarh. This state is known as the rice bowl of India. No wonder many dishes made by the people living in Chhattisgarh has some form of rice in it. Chousela is a rice flour puri whereas many other states make puri using wheat or plain flour. Chousela keeps for 2-3 days and is used as travel food. Usually served for breakfast with some chickpea curry, I decided to serve it for lunch with our favorite sabji doodhi chana nu shaak. Yes, a combination of cuisines from Chhattisgarh and Gujarat. Did I mention that this puri is gluten free?

Once you get the hang of handling the very soft dough, these puris are not too difficult to make and taste absolutely yummy. Rolling the puris with a very light hand was becoming a frustrating task for me so I decided to pat the puris in a circular shape. They turned out fabulous but be careful of the hot oil when frying the puri.

CHOUSELA

Makes 8 -10

Recipe Idea: Spice Your Life

1 cup rice flour

½ -¾ cup hot water

½ tsp fennel seed powder (saunf, valiyari)

½ tsp cumin seed powder (jeera)

½ tsp coriander seed powder(dhania)

½ tsp salt

1 tbsp oil

extra rice flour for dusting

extra oil for greasing

oil for deep frying

1. Add salt, fennel, coriander and cumin powders to the flour. Mix well.
2. Add hot water and mix it with a spoon.
3. Let the dough cool down.
4. Dust the worktop with some rice flour.
5. Knead the dough on the worktop till its smooth. If it is too sticky then add a bit of flour. The dough should be softer than that of a roti.
6. Shape the dough into a big ball.Rub the dough with oil.
7. Cover and let it rest for 15-20 minutes.
8. Heat oil in a wok or kadai, karai over high to medium heat.
9. Take a piece of parchment paper or cling film.
10. Rub the work board or rolling board with some oil.
11. Place the cling film or parchment paper on it.
12. Dip your fingers in oil.
13. Divide the dough into 8 -10 pieces. Roll each into a ball.
14. Place one ball on the board.
15. Rub oil on both your hands. Pat the ball into a circle of about 3″ to 4″ in diameter.
16. Flip the cling film with the patted dough onto the palm of your hand.
17. Turn your hand over the hot oil and let go of the puri slowly.
18. Fry, flipping the sides till it becomes crispy and light pink in colour.
19. Repeat steps 14 to 18 with the remaining dough.
20. Serve hot puri with chole or your favorite sabji/ curry.

 

Tips:

• Use a rolling pin if you’re comfortable with it. Just make sure that once you place the dough ball on the cling film or parchment paper, you’ll have to cover the ball with other paper or film and then roll.
• If the dough it too hard then the puris will not puff up and will not be soft.
• Its important to keep greasing your hands when you pat the dough and when you need to put it into the hot oil.
• Don’t fry these puris over Loe to medium heat as they will not puff up.
• Add the spice powders is optional.
• The amount of water required will depend on how much the flour soaks it up.

 

A little request:

If you do try this recipe then please either

• add a comment below,
• send a picture to my email mayuri.ajay.patel62@gmail.com
•  tag me as #mayuri_jikoni on Instagram
• or tag me on Twitter as #Mayuri1962

 

You may want to check out what flatbreads I’ve made so far for this event:

A for Akki Roti

B for Bhakri

 

Check out what other Blogging Marathoners have made:

Sending this recipe to the following event: