Aaloo Tikki - Kabooli Channa Chat.

Who doesn't like chats? Chats have become very famous now a days. Children or elders long to have some thing or the other spicy chat. But all should remember that eating chats many a times leads to acidity because of consuming more spice than the requirements. It is always healthy to have home made eatables. It is not only good for the body, it is good for your pocket (Money) too.

I do like chats and prepare according my taste and share with you, so that you can also try at home and satisfy your tummy.

Its a bit lengthy process. 
1. First you have to soak Kabooli Channa in water at least for 5 to 6 hours, then cook it till they are soft. Then prepare a curry using some tomatoes and spices.
2. You should boil one or two potatoes and remove its skin once it is cool. Soak a bowl of  (3 to 4 tablespoons full) flattened rice for at least 5 minutes. Mix it with bread (I have used brown bread) and spices, coriander leaves, green chilly etc.
3. You need to prepare Tikki on the tava. Shallow fry also will do.
4. Cut some onions/carrots to top up the tikki.
5. Preparing green and sweet chutney.
Should prepare : 
Wash and soak Channa for 3 to 4 hours and cook for at least 10 to 12 minutes. 
Wash and boil potatoes and remove the skin when they are cool. Keep it aside.
Lets straight get into the recipe :
Preparing Channa Curry:
Things Needed :
Cooked Channa (Kabooli Channa will suits the chat) :  1 Cup
Onion : 1
Green chilly : 2
Ginger : A small piece
Tomatoes : 2 to 3 Small ones
Garam Masala powder: 1/2 Tea spoon.
Jeera Powder : 1/2 Teaspoon
Red chilly Powder : 1/2 Teaspoon
Salt to taste.
Coriander leaves: 4 to 6 sticks.
Ginger: A small piece.
Oil : 2 Teaspoons
Butter : 1 Tablespoon

Method : 

1. Wash and cut onions, tomatoes, green chilly and coriander leaves.

2. Grate ginger and keep it aside.
3. Now keep a pan and put oil. Heat and put jeera and let it fry for 30 seconds.
4. Add green chilly, onions and fry for 1 to 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and fry till they turn soft.

5. Add jeera powder, red chilly powder, garam masala powder and stir.
6. Add turmeric powder a little and salt. Mix it well.

7. Now add cooked Kabooli channa and mix it well. Let it cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
8. Remove from the pan and shift it to the serving dish.
9. Add cut coriander leaves and butter. Keep it aside.

Now preparing Tikki (Patties).
Things Needed : 
Avalakki/Flattened rice : 1 Cup ( 4 to 5 tablespoons)
Bread slices :  5 to 6 slices.
Potatoes : 2 (Small ones)
Green chilly : 1
Garam Masala : 1/2 Teaspoon
Jeera powder : 1/2 Teaspoon
Coriander leaves : 2 to 3 tablespoons
Salt : Required
Oil : 4 to 5 Tablespoons
Method 
1. Wash and soak thick Avalakki with 1/4 cup of water for at least 5 minutes.

2. Powder the bread in the hand or by mixi and keep it aside.
3. Take a big bowl and put boiled potatoes, soaked avalakki/flattened rice. powdered bread, cut green chilly, jeera powder, garam masala powder and coriander leaves. Add salt.

4. Mix all these ingredients nicely and prepare dough. Divide the dough into small ball size.

5. Now keep a tava on the fire and heat. Sprinkle oil.
6. Give a desired shape to the tikky dough and place on the hot tava. Put oil around the tikki and cook on medium and low flame. ( First low and then medium flame).

7. Cook on both sides and remove from the tava. (At time 4 to 5 tikki can be roasted or shallow fried)
8. Repeat the same and cook all the tikky and keep it aside.

Serving :
1. Wash and cut an onion into thin pieces and keep it aside.
2. Keep the green chutney and sweet chutney ready.

3.Take a plate : Put a ladle full of channa, Keep two patties,
4. Put sweet chutney and green chutney on the top of patties. (Each 1/4 teaspoon).
5. Top up with cut onions and Serve

6. You can also add some curd and Serve as " Dahi Aloo Channa Chat".

Note : 
Channa can be boiled/cooked without soaking. But it takes long time. It is better to soak channa and then cook. It should be cooked till soft. Use of spice can be optional. You can use channa masala of any brand. (I have used garam masala and jeera powder). Use of garlic is also optional.
Patties : You can use more potatoes instead of flattened rice. (Avalakki). Use of spice is optional.
Do not boil the potatoes too much.
Adding Dahi and preparing Dahi Aloo Chat is also optional.
You can also use carrots gratings instead of onions to top up the patties. (optional).
Preparing curry : 10 minutes.
Preparing Tikky : 10 Minutes
Whole cooking time : 30 to 40 minutes.
Soaking Channa : 5 to 6 Hours
Cooking Channa : 20 minutes.

Moong -Bisi Bele Baat

 Bisi Bele Baath is normally a rice dish. Now a days people try using broken wheat, oats, flatten rice (Avalakki), and the healthy grains like Navane (Pearl millet) and little millet (Saame).

Bisi belebaath is a mixture of dals, vegetables and Rice. We can say this rice dish is loaded with lots of vegetables and it can be enjoyed during lunch hours or for dinner. People who prefer rice dish in the mornings can have it for breakfast. (Some used to have rice dish for breakfast and light dish for lunch).
I have used beans, carrot, seeme badane kai (Chayote), Moong dal and rice with some spices.
Lets see some benefits of having Seeme BadaneKai (Chayote) in our diet.
Seeme badanekai/Chayote belongs to gourd family. It is very low in calories. It has no saturated fats or cholesterol. They are rich source of dietary fiber, anti oxidants, minerals and vitamins. They also contain good amount of potassium. They are good for diet control and weight reduce.
Now lets see the recipe :

Ingredients :

To cook 
Raw rice : ( any variety) : 1 Cup
Moong Dal : 1/2 Cup
Carrot : 1
Beans : 10
Capsicum : 1
Peas : 1/2 Cup
Seeme badanekai/Chayote) : 1
To spice up : (to dry roast)
Channa dal : 1 Teaspoon
Urid dal : 1 Teaspoon
Coriander seeds : 1 Tablespoon
Cumin/Jeera : 1/2 Teaspoon
Red chilly : 5 to 6
Fenugrik : 1/4 Teaspoon
Cloves : 4 to 5
Cinnamon : small piece
Ingh : Asfatoetida : a pinch
Cardamom : 1 Seed
Curry leaves : 5 to 6
For grinding :
Coconut : 2 Tablespoon or 1/4 Cup
Tamarind : a small marble size
Dry roasted spices
For Seasoning:
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Urid dal : 1/2 Teaspoon
Curry Leaves :  5 to 6
Cashew nuts : 5 to 6
Asafoetida/Ingh : a pinch
Cooking Oil : 2 Tablespoons
To Add 
Ghee : 2 Tablespoons
Turmeric powder : a little
Salt : As required

Method:
1. Wash and cook rice and moong dal separately. (Pressure cook for 6 to 8 minutes). Let it cool
2. Wash and cut vegetables and cook till they turn tender.
3. Keep a small pan on the fire and dry roast, methi, channa dal, urid dal, coriander seeds, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, red chilly and jeera one by one. Add curry leaves to the roasted mixture.
4. Grate coconut and grind along with roasted spices and tamarind.
5. Now keep a big pan on the fire. Put cooked rice, dal, vegetables and salt. Add turmeric powder.
6. Mix it well and cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in between so that does not get burnt.
7. Add ground coconut and spice mixture and mix it nicely. Let it cook for 2 to 3 minutes
8. Keep a small pan and heat. Add oil, mustard seeds, urid dal. Let the mustard seeds splutter. Add cashew nuts, fry for 10 seconds, add curry leaves and ingh.
9. Shift the ready Moong bisibele baath to a serving dish and add seasoning and ghee.
10. Mix it well and serve with chips and curd.

Note :
It is always better to use home made masala powder. Though it looks lengthy it is healthy and you know what you have used also the quality of the spice does matter. Anyways you can use any brand of Bisi bele baath powder like MTR, Mayyas etc.....(Short cut as my son Ravi says).
Moong dal is a healthy dal and it is always better to use instead of toor dal. (optional). Adding more vegetables is optional. Adding onions also optional. Adding more oil or ghee is also optional. Always it is better to serve Bisibele baath when it is hot.
Bisi means hot, bele is dal and baat is a rice dish.
Time : 40 minutes
Serves : 2 to 3 .