Celebrating Poori Aloo

Providence and Poori Aloo
Providence, Fate or whatever we may call it, played a role in this celebration of Poori Aloo. We had Aunty & Uncle (Mrs. & Mr. V) visiting us from Louisiana, very dear to DH because he has known them from the time he came here for Graduate School and managed to keep in touch even after he moved away from LA. Whenever they come to the DC area they spend some time with us and it is always fun eventhough DH is their son and I am supposedly their DIL. Aunty and Uncle are from Delhi which means they are very fond of Idlis, Dosas and Sambhar and also since Uncle had spent some of his early years in Bangalore, and the first couple of days we had our fill of those dishes. Aunty wanted to cook Poori Aloo for us, I was reluctant to let guests who are visiting us for a short time cook but I could not just argue that away aunty wanted to aboultely cook something for us, so we settled ourselves on sunday brunch as the time to cook since saturday we had attend a function. Heat or no heat, sun or no sun, since deep frying happens on our patio and if it was going to be brunch it is going to be hot and toasty but a teeny weeny heat (oh only about 90F) is not going to stop any of us from some yummy Poori Aloo.

So you only imagine my delight (can you Anita?) when I saw her Party Time call to cook Poori Bhaji I was ready to jump up and down well I won't go into the details of if did or not. I am also happy that she has it for a week as opposed to just Aug 15. Poori Bhaji is truly a weekend or holiday dish because of not only the time taken to cook but also the time needed time to enjoy and perhaps time for a short nap from all the satiation. Here I present Aunty's version of Aloo which is different than the Potato Masaal that I generally cook, I add onions but no tomatoes and aunty's version has no onions but lot of tomatoes and to differentiate from mine I am calling it Delhi Aloo.

Here goes my submission to Anita's Party for Celebrating Poori Aloo or Independence Day Party Celebration with Poori Aloo.

Serves: 6-8 Adults
Delhi Aloo
1.8 Potatoes Scurbbed and cooked in a Pressure Cooker
2.4 Tomatoes chopped fine
3.5 Green Chillies
4.Curry leaves
5. 2 tsp toasted and coarsely powdered methi seeds
6. 1 tsp cumin seeds
7. 1 tsp turmeric powder
8. 1 tsp amchur powder
9. 1 tsp mustard seeds
10. 2 tbsp Yogurt
11. 1/2 tbsp oil

Method
1. Rough chop the potatoes and set aside
2. Take a deep wide mouthed pan and heat the oil
3. Add the methi powder, cumin seeds and mustard seeds and curry leaves and when the mustard seeds starts to pop
4. Add the tomatoes and saute, close the lid and let it cook for 4-5 minutes till the tomatoes is completely roasted.
5. Add the curd and mix.
6. Now add the chillies saute, followed by the potatoes and about 2 cups of water.
7. Add the amchur powder, mix well and cover the lid and cook till there is just enough water because we need it to be slighly on the watery side to scoop up with the pooris.

Poori
1. 2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour
2. Enough Salt
3. Milk to prepare the dough
4. 1 tbsp oil


Mix the flour with salt and oil, add the milk a little at a time and mix it in the dough but be careful we want a stiff dough(watery the dough the more oil it is going to soak) Let it rest

Method
1.Take some dough into balls about 1 1/2 inch in diameter use a little bit of oil on the palm to keep it smooth
2. Roll out the poori to about 5 inches in diameter
3. Heat Oil in a Kadai, the oil has to be hot or the pooris don't puff up (DH was in too much of a hurry and dropped them in so we had some flat poories) and put the rolled poori in the oil, press them gently with the slotted spoon, so they puff up, flip and cook for a few more seconds. Drain on paper towels.

Other than the oil glistening on top there should not any oil in the poori itself.

The Delhi Aloo and the Poori were just fantastic and a great celebration it was. Perfect to make any guest happy and here since it was the guest who cooked they were only happy that the hosts enjoyed it. So happiness all around, Anita are you?. Kids ate under a beach umbrella in the patio but I was too busy running inside and out trying to get the rolled pooris, aunty was rolling them indoors and mom was cooking them outside that I failed to take a snap.

We all learnt a little Poori Aloo every now and then, does much to elevate your sense of happiness. I had as much fun writing this as I had eating it.