Yesterday was a very special day for both of my parents...it was their birthday! Yes, you read correctly. They were both born on the same day. How cool is that! I decided to surprise them both by cooking them dinner. Nothing can compare to a home cooked meal prepared by their daughter...not even restaurant food.
I wanted to awe them with my skills. The last couple of weeks, I've shown my parents that I'm not all talk in the kitchen and I can hold my own. Last night's dinner was a testament to them that I know my stuff. I made one of my mom's favorites, Sarvapindi.
It is a type of flat bread made with rice flour and
moong dal, sesame seeds, onion, coriander, chili powder and salt. Additional ingredients such as shredded carrot, zucchini, long squash, scallions, or spinach may be incorporated to make it more colorful and tasty.
Ingredients:
- 3 cups Rice Flour
- ¼ cup
Moong dal
- ½ to ¾ tbsp Chili Powder (as needed)
- 3 tsp Salt
- 3 tbsp Sesame seeds
- 1 medium Onion, chopped finely
- ½ cup
Coriander (Cilantro), chopped
- ¼ cup Vegetable Oil (as needed)
- 2 ¼ cups Water
Along with the ingredients listed above, I added shredded carrots (2 medium sized) as illustrated in the pictures below.
Procedure:
1) In a large stockpot, add water, moong dal, sesame seeds, chili powder, and 3 tablespoons of oil. Bring it all to a boil, then lower the heat and mix in the rice flour into the water mixture. When thoroughly mixed, remove from heat and set aside to cool for about 10 minutes.
2) Add chopped onions and coriander to the rice flour and mix it into a dough until it comes together as a smooth ball.
(Hint: Sprinkle water if needed) Then divide the dough into 3 portions.
3) The flat bread can be made in an electric skillet or stove top in a flat non-stick pan. Add a tbsp of oil into the pan and spread the ball into the pan with your fingers until it evenly covers the pan bottom (to a 1cm or so thickness).
Use a wooden spatula to divide the bread into quarters and make round holes with your index finger in each quarter.
4) Add 1 to 1½ tablespoons of oil on the flattened bread and in the holes. If making this on stove top, then heat the skillet on medium to high heat. If using an electric skillet, then set the heat to 400°F. Cook covered for 3 to 5 minutes and remove the cover. Then cook on medium to low heat or 325°F until the sides of the bread and the holes start to brown and the sides are loosened from the pan (for approx. 7 to 10 minutes).
I really amazed myself and even received praises from my parents! After finishing dinner, they spent the rest of the evening relaxing and answering phone calls from well wishers. All was good!
***Quick Tip: Sarvapindi can be eaten on its own or served with achar (pickled mixed vegetables) or yogurt.
Did you know: It originates from Telangana (region in Andhra Pradesh). The name is a combination of two words, sarva (rounded container) and pindi (dough). Traditionally, the dough was pressed into a rounded brass container or wok and then cooked over stove top.
