Simple recipe for making halva puri

The dish made from large arbi, also known as kanda, is distinguished by its excellent taste. This article presents a simple recipe for preparing Kanda Chokha in the Bihari style, which is perfect to serve with hot rice and dal.

Bihari cuisine is known for its authentic taste and unique style. Among the traditional dishes of the region, chokha holds a special place. Although chokha is usually made from potatoes, eggplant, or tomatoes, it is worth trying chokha made from large arbi (kanda). This dish is also known as Arbi Bharta.

This chokha is prepared by frying arbi with garlic, green chili, and sesame oil, resulting in a very aromatic and spicy flavor. Furthermore, its preparation is quite simple. It pairs excellently with hot rice and dal, as well as roti or paratha.

How to make Kanda Chokha?

To prepare, you will need 500 grams of large arbi (kanda), 1-2 tablespoons of sesame oil, 4-5 cloves of garlic, 2-3 green chilies, salt to taste, 1-2 teaspoons of lemon juice or sesame paste, 2 finely chopped onions (optional), and 2 tablespoons of finely chopped coriander.

First, the large arbi must be thoroughly washed and peeled. Then, it needs to be lightly fried over low heat. The arbi can be baked directly on the stove, in a pan, or in an oven. The frying process continues until the outer part of the arbi is nicely browned and the inside is soft.

After the fried arbi has cooled slightly, the skin must be removed. The arbi is placed in a bowl and mashed thoroughly. Finely chopped garlic, onion, green chili, and salt to taste are added to this mixture.

Next, 1-2 tablespoons of sesame oil are added to the mixture and mixed well. Sesame oil gives Kanda Chokha a special flavor. If you prefer a spicier and tangier taste, you can add lemon juice or a little sesame paste. Finally, finely chopped coriander is stirred in and all ingredients are evenly mixed. Your delicious Kanda Chokha is ready.

Kanda Chokha is especially tasty with hot rice, but it can also be served with roti or litti. If you like spicy food, you can increase the amount of green chilies. To change the flavor profile, ground cumin can be added.

If you are craving something light, tasty, and crunchy, murmurs are an excellent choice. Having murmurs at home allows you to quickly prepare bhel puri, chaat, or a snack. Although people usually buy murmurs from the store, it is known that they can be made very easily at home. Homemade murmurs are not only fresh but also quite crunchy. No special machine is required; you just need a little raw rice and salt in a pressure cooker.

However, it is crucial that the rice is suitable. To make murmurs, you should use Usna variety rice, which is distinguished by its light yellow, slightly translucent, and thicker appearance compared to regular rice. This specific rice puffs up well and becomes crispy. Furthermore, the rice should not be too new; it is better to use slightly dried rice, as this promotes better puffing and results in flaky murmurs.

The first step is to mix the rice with salt and water. Take the rice in a bowl, add one teaspoon of salt and 1-2 teaspoons of water, and mix thoroughly. It is important not to add too much water; the salt and water should only lightly cover each grain of rice. Then, spread the rice evenly in a thin layer on a plate or clean cloth and let it dry in the sun or under a fan for about 10-15 minutes. Rice for making murmurs should only be used after it has completely dried. If there is still moisture in the rice, it can be lightly roasted in a pan to remove residual dampness.

Heating the salt in the pressure cooker

Next, take a wide pressure cooker, removing the valve and rubber gasket. Pour regular salt into it and heat it over high heat for some time. You can cover the pressure cooker with a lid and allow the salt to heat up well. When the salt is hot, reduce the heat. Then, gradually add the rice to the pressure cooker while stirring constantly. After a short time, the rice will begin to puff up, turning into murmurs, accompanied by a characteristic crackling sound. As soon as the murmurs have puffed up, they must be immediately poured into a colander, and the salt removed. The remaining rice should also be puffed up in small batches to obtain the finished murmurs.

Important points to consider

You should not put too much rice into the pressure cooker at once, as the rice will not be able to puff up properly, and there is a risk of it burning. Always prepare murmurs using small portions of rice. Thus, you can easily make crispy and fresh murmurs at home. They can be eaten as a tea snack or used for quick preparation of bhel puri and chaat.

If you want to try something more sophisticated and flavorful than ordinary everyday lentils, you can make Punjabi Dal Tadka. This soup is made from chana dal and tur dal, and the addition of grated garlic, cumin, and dried red chilies significantly enhances its taste. Below is a simple instruction on how to prepare this dish at home.

Dal is an integral part of Indian cuisine and is often cooked in most homes. Punjabi Dal Tadka is distinguished by its spicy and aromatic flavor because spices are added to it, and a mixture of garlic, cumin, and dried red chilies is poured over the top. It is served with roti, naan, paratha, or rice. Next is a detailed description of the ingredients and the cooking process.

For the Dal:

1/2 cup chana dal

1/2 cup tur dal

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup water

For the Gravy:

2 tablespoons oil

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon ginger-garlic paste

1 finely chopped onion

1 finely chopped tomato

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon coriander powder

1/2 cup water from the dal

1/2 teaspoon dried methi

1 finely chopped green chili

1/2 teaspoon garam masala

For the Tadka:

2 tablespoons oil

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic

2 whole dried red chilies

1/2 teaspoon finely chopped ginger

1/2 teaspoon red chili powder

2 tablespoons finely chopped green cilantro

To begin, the chana dal and tur dal should be thoroughly washed and soaked separately for about two hours. After that, both dals are placed in a pressure cooker together with turmeric, salt, and water, and cooked until they reach 3-4 whistles, until the dal is completely soft.

Next, heat the oil in a pot and fry the cumin. Then add the ginger-garlic paste and fry for a few seconds. After that, add the finely chopped onion and cook until light golden brown.

When the onion is browned, add the tomatoes, salt, coriander powder, green chili, and garam masala. Mix all the ingredients well and simmer until the tomatoes become soft and the spices are fully cooked. Then add the dried methi and mix.

After this, pour in half a cup of water from the dal and the cooked lentils. Add a little water as needed and cook the dal on low heat for 5-7 minutes so that the spice aromas penetrate well into the dal.

Now proceed to prepare the tadka for the dal. For this, heat the oil in a small pan. Add cumin, finely chopped garlic, ginger, and whole dried red chilies to it, frying until golden brown. Finally, add red chili powder and green cilantro.

Pour the ready tadka over the hot dal. Thus, Punjabi Dal Tadka is ready. It is served with cumin rice, plain roti, tandoori roti, naan, or paratha.