Luchi

EVENT: MEGA BLOGGING MARATHON#92

THEME: A-Z  FLATBREADS AND MORE – INDIAN FLATBREADS

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 rotis

2. A-Z Indian Flatbreads using batters e.g. dosa

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.

Day 12, imagine I now have a huge variety  flatbreads from different parts of India and still more to come. Here’s one more L for Luchi. Did you know that in Gujarati luchi refers to a sly woman. There’s nothing sly about this puffed up flatbread. Luchi is famous in the states of West Bengal, Assam and Odisha. Usually made using plain flour or maida as its called in hindi, the flatbread is rolled out and then fried.

When I was young, my mum would purposely make extra plain flour dough whenever she would make kachoris. The leftover dough would be fried and we would enjoy it with chocolate milk while my parents would have it with masala tea. Back then didn’t know that this plain flour puri was called luchi. My siblings and I would call it white puri.

Luchi is usually served for breakfast with aalu dum. I didn’t want to make another aalu sabji so I asked my blogger friend Sujata Roy who blogs at Batter Up With Sujata for other suggestions. She suggested that I make begun bhaja or cholar dal. I wanted to make begun bhaja but the lady who comes to sell veggies in our apartment complex brought the wrong kind of eggplants. So change of plan, I made my own style of eggplant sabji and made cholar dal to go with it. Hubby and I enjoyed this for our lunch. Luchi dough, I realized is just like the normal wheat puri I make.

You’ve got to try the cholar dal, it is so so aromatic and tasty with luchi. Its quite different from the other dals that I’ve made so far. After this flatbread challenge is over will have to go on a diet. Right now, the temptation is just too high for all the varieties of flatbreads that are churned out from my Jikoni. These days hubby will ask which state we are ‘going’ to before he sits down for lunch.

LUCHI

Makes about 8

1 cup plain flour (all purpose flour, maida)

¼ tsp salt

1 tbsp oil

¼ +about 2 tbsp water

oil for deep frying

1. Mix salt and flour in a bowl.
2. Add 1 tbsp oil and rub it into the flour.
3. Add ¼ cup water and start to bring the flour together to form a dough.
4. If need be, add a tbsp of water. Make a dough which is not hard or too soft.
5. Shape the dough into a ball and rub it with oil.
6. Cover and let the dough rest for 20-30 minutes.
7. Heat oil for deep frying in a wok, karai or kadai over high to medium heat.
8. Divide the dough into 8 equal parts. Roll each part into a ball.
9. Press one part of the dough in between your palms and roll it out into a 2½ – 3 inch in diameter circle.
10. Check if the oil is ready by putting a very small piece of dough in the hot oil. If it sizzles up immediately then the oil is hot.
11. From the side of the wok or kadai, slip in the rolled puri. Fry by pressing it gently down using a slotted spoon. Flip it over and fry till both sides are light pink in flour.
12. Remove the luchi from the oil and place it on a kitchen towel lined bowl or colander.
13. Repeat steps 9 to 12 using the remaining dough.
14. Serve hot luchi with your favorite curry, cholar dal or aalu dum.

 

CHOLAR DAL

3-4 servings

½ cup chana dal

2 cups warm water

1 tsp salt

¼ tsp turmeric powder (haldi)

¼ cup grated fresh coconut

3 green cardamoms

1 one inch cinnamon stick

4-6 cloves

1 tsp ginger paste

½ – 1 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp coriander powder

½ tsp cumin powder

1 tsp oil

½ tsp cumin seeds (jeera)

½ tsp sugar

5-6 cashew nuts cut into pieces

6-8 raisins

For tempering:

1 tsp ghee

½ tsp cumin seeds

1-2 dry red chillis

1 bay leaf

1-2 tbsp chopped fresh coriander

1. Wash the chana dal and let it soak in the measured water for 30 minutes.
2. Put the dal along with the water into a pressure cooker.
3. Add turmeric powder, salt, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves.
4. Cook the dal for 2 -3 whistles. If cooking in a pan, you may need more water and cook the dal till it becomes soft.
5. In another pan heat 1 tsp oil over medium heat.
6. When it becomes hot add ½ tsp cumin seeds.
7. Add coconut and stir fry for 30 seconds.
8. Add the cooked dal and mix well.
9. Add  chopped cashew nuts, raisins, sugar, ginger paste,cumin, coriander and chili powders. Mix well.
10. Lower the heat and let the dal simmer for 10 minutes. If the dal becomes too thick add a bit of water, depending on the consistency that you like.

 

Preparation of the tempering:

1. Heat ghee in a small pan over low heat.
2. Add cumin seeds and when it begins to sizzle add bay leaf and dried red chillis.
3. Pour the tempering in the dal.
4. Cover the dal pan with a lid and let the flavors infuse for 5 minutes.
5. Garnish with coriander and serve hot cholar with luchi.

 

Tips:

• Be careful when frying puri or luchi in hot oil. Never drop it in the middle of the oil as it may splash. Always slip it into the hot oil from the side of the kadai or wok.
• Rub a bit of oil on the rolling board so that it becomes easier to roll the luchi.
• If the cholar dal becomes too thick add some water before serving.
• Wheat flour ones are called puris. The recipe is the same, just replace the plain flour with wheat flour.

 

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

C for Chousela

D for Dalpuri

E for Ekadashi Thalipeeth

F for Fungawela Mag na Paratha/Sprouted Bean Parathas

G for Gulachi Poli

H for Hyderabadi Halwe ki puri

I for Indori Masala Roti

J for Juar Jo Dhodho

K for Kulcha

 

Check out what other Blogging Marathoners have made:

Sending this recipe to the following event: