THE RECIPE LARDER

  • Home
  • Nuts and Bolts, Sauces and Pans
  • Recipes
  • Contact

Tawa Ka Tikla

July 20, 2017 By appu Leave a Comment

Tawa ka Tikla

This is a classic dish made by Marwaris. It’s healthy, wholesome and extremely satisfying. As a kid, I took it for school lunch almost three times a week. It’s made with whole wheat flour, so – healthy!! Ghee – good fats! Ajwain – great digestive. Whats not to like. And it’s yummylicious to boot!

The name Tawa ka Tikla is derived from the fact that it is made on a tawa (girdle) and there is no roasting on direct fire – like the normal roti’s and chapattis. The other Tikla we make is fried in ghee. Lethally tasty – that one too!

When we were growing up, we had no gas stoves at home. We were as organic as it could get. The food was cooked on a mud stove, and charcoal was used to light the fire. Of course, the kitchen got as black as well -soot, but Oh My! the food that we ate had an aroma which no smoke machine can impart. All fresh, earthy and hearty!

The stove was large and there was additional place around to keep the ready food. All the dal, rice and veggies were kept in that area. It would be hot and therefore kept the food also piping hot. No reheating, no microwave. The chapati was made directly on coal – no smell of gas and no artificial flavours. The cook would dust off the soot, liberally dribble homemade ghee and serve it to us. And nowadays, we crave “wood-fired” pizza!!

My grand mom’s man Friday would clean the stove after every meal with water, washing away all remnants of food, leaving the place clean and shiny. We needed no pest control. The hot stove would allow no cockroaches to roost. The burnt coal was converted to ash, and that was used to wash the vessels. We had to recycle before it became a fancy word.

Once every few months the man Friday, would lovingly renew the stove with fresh mud and fill up the cracks and crevices.

The simple grub was nourishing and rich and healthy. I still maintain that I hated the veggies because it was insipid at it’s best. But that was the fault of the cook and not the system. I have still not eaten that kind of dal and chapati ever again.

My sister still makes this dish – Tawa ka Tikla. I had forgotten all about it until one day I got a longing and craving to eat this ghee laden yummy snack. I could eat only one, but back in school it was a staple and I could polish off a whole lot with pickle, in the name of lunch.

It’s very simple to make. It can be cooled and kept in an airtight container for a week plus.

SOME NOTES:

Enough ghee should be put into the dry ingredients so that the flour when closed into a fist stays intact and does not fall down and disintegrate like powder.

Warm water should be used to make the dough. Add it slowly, making the consistency a bit rubbery. Each flour quality reacts its own way, so a little more or less water might have to use, than specified in the recipe.

Please don’t try to go easy on the ghee. It’s a very indispensable ingredient and if you are following the latest health trends, – then – ghee is a vital and important fat and should be consumed in restrained quantities.

The holes are made, so that the Tikla does not puff up, and gets firm and semi-crisp, as you keep pressing and cooking it.

While rolling the dough, if it’s too sticky and is cracking and breaking up, it means that the dough needs more flour and a dribble of water. Add little at a time according to consistency.

Here is the video

http://therecipelarder.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/tawa-tikla-converted-with-Clipchamp.mp4

 

It’s an excellent and nutritive dish for kids tiffins, to keep as a quick snack. Top it with hummus, a mix of cucumber tomato kachumber, serve it with hot garlic chutney, with dry potato veggie – Just go for it. Dig in!!

I hope you make it and enjoy it. Cheers!

Tawa Ka Tikla
Print Recipe
Made with whole wheat flour, this traditional Marwari dish can take the place of a quick lunch, or a satisfying snack.
  • CourseBreakfast, Brunch, Snack
  • CuisineIndian
Servings Prep Time
12 - 15` pieces 10 minutes
Cook Time
15- 20 minutes
Servings Prep Time
12 - 15` pieces 10 minutes
Cook Time
15- 20 minutes
Tawa Ka Tikla
Print Recipe
Made with whole wheat flour, this traditional Marwari dish can take the place of a quick lunch, or a satisfying snack.
  • CourseBreakfast, Brunch, Snack
  • CuisineIndian
Servings Prep Time
12 - 15` pieces 10 minutes
Cook Time
15- 20 minutes
Servings Prep Time
12 - 15` pieces 10 minutes
Cook Time
15- 20 minutes
Ingredients
  • 2 Cups Whole Wheat flour (atta)
  • 1 Tspn salt
  • 1 1/2 Tbspn Ajwain (caraway seeds)
  • 1/3 Cup Ghee (for making the dough)
  • 1/3 Cup Ghee appx - for cooking the tikla
  • 1/2 Cup Plus Filtered water
Servings: pieces
Instructions
  1. Mix all the dry ingredients and give it a good whisk
  2. Heat the ghee mildly. You should be able to dip your finger into it.
  3. Add the ghee, and mix it well
  4. When the dough is held in your fist, it should not disintegrate and should hold for a few seconds.
  5. Once its mixed well, slowly add the water.
  6. Do not add it all at once
  7. Keep adding the water and keep kneading.
  8. The dough should be such that it's easily rollable, and not break when its being rolled.
  9. So if it breaks while rolling add a tspn or so of whole wheat flour and a dribble of water.
  10. This happens because the flour is not consistent in quality. Your flour could be different from mine. It could soak more water or less.
  11. Once the dough is ready, knead it on the counter.
  12. Make small balls and keep aside
  13. Roll each ball, on the counter into a small roti.
  14. Do not make it very thin. The video gives you an estimation.
  15. Once all the rotis are rolled, set the girdle on medium heat.
  16. Keep the ghee ready.
  17. Keep a ladle ready, which can help you press and flip the tikla.
  18. Once the girdle is warm, put the roti on it. You can put as many rotis as you like, as long as there is place for them to be flipped and not bang into each other and break.
  19. Once the girdle down side is semi cooked (see video), flip it.
  20. Add ghee to the top and to the sides (see video)
  21. Poke holes with the same spoon. Do so gently. It just needs some air perforation and does not need to go all the way through totally.
  22. Keep pressing and flipping.
  23. Do so till both sides are caramel brown.
  24. At this point it will be soft. It will harden a little more when it cools down.
  25. Blot on a kitchen towel.
  26. Keep cleaning your girdle intermittently, before cooking another lot, otherwise the left over oil will smoke and char your tikla.
  27. Serve hot, with mirchi (green chilly) ka or nimbu (lemon) ka achaar (pickle)
Share this Recipe

Filed Under: Breakfast, Lunch, Snacks Tagged With: ashes, charcoal, easy food, ghee, Lunch, make and keep, marwari cuisine, mud stove, old culture, old fashioned, organic, rajasthan, recycle, satisfying, snacks, Staple, tawa ka tikla

Sailani Dal

February 7, 2017 By appu Leave a Comment

 

Being Indian, and bought up on typical desi meals, Dal has been a staple dish served over lunch and dinner. After years and years of eating dal – Dal tadka, Gujarati Dal, Dal Langarwale, Kaali dal, etc etc, all felt so mundane – so overrated and so damned boring. At some point, I just lost faith in Dal!!

At a wedding recently, I saw the tag read Sailani Dal. Now that sounded completely new and something I had never heard of, let alone eat. I timidly tried a spoon, hoping my boredom towards dal would not bias my taste. My eyes sprang open, and my mouth instantly watered for more. I quickly filled up a soup bowl and made a meal of the dal.

The taste, the different flavours stayed in my mind for the longest time. It’s like one of those right moments when you read, smell or taste something, your senses just inhale it and push it deep into your conscious mind, keeping that memory forever fresh. And at any time when you bring it to your mind, it feels like it happened only a few moments ago.

Completely besotted, I went online for a hunt for the word “Sailani”. What was it? Turns out, it was the Maharaja of Sailana who invented this recipe. The Sailana’s hail from the Indian, Princely State of Madhya Pradesh. They were avid foodies and revamped recipes not only from their hometown but from all over India. In the 1980’s a book of their recipes was published but is no longer available easily.

The dal itself is super easy to make. Even the ingredients are minimal. The recipe calls for Toor (Arhar – Split pigeon peas). I urge you to use the best quality spices while making the Sailani Dal. Eat it with rice, or roti – it’s up to you. But eat it you must-

 

PS_ dedicating this recipe to my baby girl Kanak, who sits far away in the USA. She had loved this dal when I made it for her. HEY! Kanak – do try this out and send me pictures. KISS KISS!!

Sailani Dal
Print Recipe
Flavourful and by far the tastiest and easiest dal you could make.
  • CourseMain Course
  • CuisineIndian
Servings Prep Time
4 people 30 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Servings Prep Time
4 people 30 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Sailani Dal
Print Recipe
Flavourful and by far the tastiest and easiest dal you could make.
  • CourseMain Course
  • CuisineIndian
Servings Prep Time
4 people 30 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Servings Prep Time
4 people 30 minutes
Cook Time
20 minutes
Ingredients
  • 1/2 Cup Toor ( Arhar, Split Pigeon Peas) soaked for 30 minutes
  • 2 1/2 Cups Water Divided
  • 1 Pinch Haldi (Turmeric) Scant
  • 1/4 Tspn Hing (Asafoetida) Use a good quality one.
  • 1/2 Tbspn oil
  • 3 Tbspn Ghee
  • 6 Pods garlic Coarsely crushed
  • 5 Cloves Whole
  • 1 1/2 Tspn salt
  • 3 Tbspn Kasuri Methi leaves (Dried Fenugreek)
Servings: people
Instructions
  1. Soak the dal for 30 minutes. Wash well and drain the water.
  2. Add haldi and hing, along with 1 Cup of water and add to pressure cooker.
  3. Boil the remaining water, and keep it very hot. Set aside for use later.
  4. The cooked dal should be thick, not thin and watery.
  5. When completely cooked, place a heavy bottomed pan on medium fire.
  6. Add the oil and ghee.
  7. When hot, but not smoking, add the cloves and garlic.
  8. Sauté for a few minutes.
  9. Add the dal. Add the balance hot water.
  10. Add the salt and let it cook till it starts to boil.
  11. Add the kasuri methi and cook for a few minutes more.
  12. Serve hot.
Recipe Notes

The dal tastes better if cooked atleast 2 hours before it is consumed.

Share this Recipe

Filed Under: Dinner, Lunch Tagged With: Dal, desi, Different, Dinner, Flavor, India, Lunch, Staple

Scrambled Eggs with Truffle Oil

June 10, 2016 By appu 4 Comments

Scrambled eggs with truffle oil

Scrambled eggs with truffle oil

We ate at the most amazing restaurant in Hong Kong a few months back. Chef Patrick of La Table De Patrick. It was a small restaurant, with immediate and intimate service. We had called earlier to let them know we are vegetarians. He rotated our entire 5-course meal around it, using wonderful freshly available ingredients.

One dish which Chef served had a sprinkling of truffles on it. With gleeful hands, we tore at the food, but it came up short on the truffle flavour. It was crunchier and had very mild to non-existent truffle taste.

Chef explained that it was summer truffles, and has very little flavour. We uneducated, but truffle fans, learnt a lot that evening.

The most flavourful truffles are the winter ones. The white winter truffles are available from October to Christmas. These have a strong flavour and can deter new truffle tasters.

The black winter truffles are what most people serve and is more easily available. Its the most preferred variety of the lot. Available from Mid Jan to Easter. (What will happen to us truffle lovers from Christmas to Mid Jan? Hoarde! Hoarde! )

The summer Truffle is available from April to July and has a very light flavour. Almost non-existent. None of us much appreciated it.

Autumn burgundy truffles are more medium bodied and great for someone who likes truffles but cannot have too much of it because of the strong flavour and aroma.

scrabled eggs

 

scrambled egg with truffle oil

scrambled egg with truffle oil

In my family of four – three of us adore it, while the fourth needs to taste the autumn burgundy one to start developing a taste. (I have no clue where to get it from!!)

scrambled on toast

It was an educative and tasty evening and inspired me to make this scrambled egg.

If you have seen the movie or read the book – A hundred foot journey- the, to be a great chef, Hassan meets Mallory the owner of the restaurant. This is a synopsis from the book -Hassan, having heard from Marguerite that Mallory hires potential chefs by taste-testing an omelette and deciding whether the person is indeed a great chef, asks if he may cook an omelette for her to his recipe. Due to his injured hands, Mallory helps under Hassan’s supervision. After tasting the omelette, Mallory recognizes Hassan’s potential and invites him to work for her.

The omelette they made looked so amazing!! I used a part of the recipe for this blog.

Take a look!

 

scrambled egg and oil bottle

Scrambled Eggs with Truffle Oil
Print Recipe
Simple scrambled eggs, finished with a copious dash of black truffle oil.
  • CourseBreakfast, Brunch
  • CuisineFusion
Servings Prep Time
1 person 10 minutes
Cook Time
5 minutes
Servings Prep Time
1 person 10 minutes
Cook Time
5 minutes
Scrambled Eggs with Truffle Oil
Print Recipe
Simple scrambled eggs, finished with a copious dash of black truffle oil.
  • CourseBreakfast, Brunch
  • CuisineFusion
Servings Prep Time
1 person 10 minutes
Cook Time
5 minutes
Servings Prep Time
1 person 10 minutes
Cook Time
5 minutes
Ingredients
The Eggs
  • 3 Eggs Whole
  • 1/4 Cup Milk
  • 1 Tspn Mint Finely chopped
  • 1/2 Tspn chilli flakes
  • salt
  • pepper
  • 2 Tbspn Black or White Truffle Oil
  • 1 Tbspn Butter For cooking.
  • Toast Optional
The Accessories
  • 1 Med Bowl For mixing eggs
  • 1 Whisk
  • 1 Skillet
  • 1 Wooden Spatula
Servings: person
Instructions
  1. Break the eggs in the bowl. Yolks and all.
  2. Add the milk, salt and pepper and whisk gently. We dont need air here, just the mixture semi blended.
  3. Add the mint and chilli flakes, and mix gently till incorporated well.
  4. Heat the skillet (medium high) and drizzle some butter. Coat the skillet with the butter and let it sizzle.
  5. Pour the mixture into the skillet and let it be for approximately 45 seconds. It should not set and start turning into and omelette.
  6. Now start agitating the eggs, with the wooden spatula. Keep moving in small but consistent circles all over the skillet.
  7. After about 45 seconds, the eggs will clump but still be runny and soft. At this point if you like your eggs a bit runny, take it off on a plate.
  8. If you like it a little more well done, continue cooking, moving the eggs in the same round pattern. Do not stop agitating the eggs.
  9. Take it off on a plate and immediately drizzle the truffle oil. Enjoy hot off the skillet!!
  10. Umm! Goes really well with Champagne or white wine 😛
Recipe Notes

Here is the link to more happy education on truffles.

Share this Recipe

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Black Truffle, Eggs, Lunch, Scrambled, Truffle Oil, White Truffle, White Wine

Meet the Author

For the 21 years and some months that I have been alive, there has been this crazy, eccentric, always-charged-up woman with a full-time job of being a mother to 6 (2 children, 4 dogs).

In her spare time she blasts music on her DJ console, reads like a maniac, downloads shows (because God forbid she runs out of something to watch), runs an entire household, and to top it all off, manages a very successful catering business which makes the most delicious food in the entire world. Once you have her food, everything else will taste like stale socks.

This is what you call "Maa ke haath ka khana".

- Kanak

Subscribe to Blog via Email

RECIPE BY CATEGORY

Copyright © 2023 THE RECIPE LARDER