On the eve of Thanksgiving, I have lots to be thankful for, especially all the readers who visit my blog and facebook page and cook and share the recipes listed here. One of the recipes that has got lot of attention, is the one I made over last Thanksgiving viz, Vegetarian Kabuli Pulao available at http://cookingbyinstinct.com/vegetarian-kabuli-pulao-layered-rice/. And in appreciation of all the readers who have liked that recipe, I am very happy to present another type of spicy rice made often during Dushhara at our house which is Spicy Gatte Ka Pulao with Dumplings
Dushhara is the festival celebrating the victory of good over evil! Dush means ten, hara means victory over ( ten headed evil Ravan was defeated by Lord Ram) or ten evil things within you(per Jain traditions). These ten heads of evil things within a person according to Jainism are viz. lust, anger, ego, pride, selfishness, jealousy, injustice, material attachment, greed and lack of humanity. So Ravan can be an outsider or can be an insider within you!! I just had to share the picture of Ravana for festive feel!
On this day of Dushhara, we make a combination of sweet rice and spicy rice. This time I decided to make Spicy Gatte Ka Pulao with Dumplings. The dumplings are spicy and made out of Bengal Gram flour and I like the fact that this pulao, the dumplings stand out clearly against the white long grained rice! This delicacy comes from Marwari Cuisine and it is quite easy and quick to make.The spice in the rice comes from spices of cardamom, cinnamon, cloves and paste of ginger and green/red hot chillies. Its kind of complete meal when eaten with a yogurt accompaniment as it has lentil, rice and yogurt. The sweet rice is also known as Meethe chawal and is detailed at http://cookingbyinstinct.com/meethe-chawal-sweet-saffron-rice/
Spicy Gatte Ka Pulao with Dumplings is a great recipe for a new and different version of vegetarian spicy pulao, specially as rice dishes are always well appreciated fat big dinners whether it is Diwali dinner or Thanksgiving dinner!!
Recipe makes for 5 people
Prep Time 10 min
Cooking Time 45
Ingredients
For the Rice
- 2 1/2 cups rice
- 3 big bay leaves
- 1 tsp whole black pepper
- 1 tsp cloves
- 2 tbsp cashew pieces
- 3 big round cinnamon sticks
- 5 big cardamoms
- 4-5 green thai chillies
- 1 inch piece of ginger peeled (optional)
- Salt to taste
- 1 cup oil
For the Gattas
- 3 cup besan or bengal gram flour
- 8 tsp red chilli powder
- 4 tsp fennel seeds or lucknowi saunf
- 1/2 tsp ajwain or carom seeds
- 4 tbsp curds
- 4 tbsp oil
- salt to taste
- 1/8 tsp asofoetida
- up to 2-3 tbsp water to bind
Method
- Wash the rice thrice in plenty of water and soak in about 6 cups of water.
- Make a ginger chillies paste in a mortar pestle.
For the Gattas
- Mix all the dry ingredients into the flour and taste for salt and spice levels.
- Knead a firm dough using just about 2-4 tbsp water
- Divide the dough into 6 equal parts.
- Boil about 1 litre of water in a broad pan.
- Add some salt to the boiling water.
- Roll the six parts of the dough into an even cylindrical roll
- Drop the rolls into boiling water and cook for 10-12 min, till bubbles form on the outside.
- Lift the gattas with a frying ladle, and keep them aside, removing the excess water.
- Once they cool, cut them into small pieces about half an inch thick.
- Heat the oil in a deep broad pan.
- Add asafoetida to the oil.
- After that add big cardamom, after a few seconds add cinnamon stick.
- Once the cinnamon sticks flatten up, add whole black pepper, and a few seconds later add cloves.
- Add bay leaves and few seconds later add cashews.
- As the cashew gets golden brown, add paste of ginger and chillies.
- Then add the cut gatta pieces and saute for 5 minutes
.
- Add rice after draining all water and saute for 2 minutes.
- Add 4 1/2 cups of water, salt, stir and cook on low medium flame.
- Cover the pan and cook for about 20-25 minutes till almost all water evaporates.
- Serve with pickle, yogurt or kadhi(yogurt curry) or accompaniment of your choice.
Tips
Ginger can be avoided if looking to cook pure Jain food, and in that case increase the chillies to 6-7 pieces.
This can also be made for Aatham Chaudas food for Jains by avoiding both green chillies and ginger. In that case add 2-3 dried red chillies to add spice.
In case the gatta dough gets too sticky due to excess water, rub some oil in your hands and over the dough and it will be easy to roll it.
Instinct Factor
One can check if gattas are done or not, by piercing a knife or fork in the middle and if it sticks, then it needs some more time to boil.
If you like your rice dish with the yellow color, do add 1/2 tsp of turmeric while cooking rice!
Feel Factor
To cook Spicy Gatte Ka Pulao with Dumplings for the first time and get the approval of your in laws feels good! It turned out really nice and I like the white and brown combination, as the gatta or the dumpling stands out against the white grain of rice. The gatta and rice are quite spicy and very aromatic too due all fragrant eastern spices and the long grain basmati rice. The dumplings are soft to bite and fragrant with fennel seeds and spice, which is quite a contrast to the normal vegetables that one finds in a vegetarian rice dishes !! For a recipe that is not too time consuming and different, this is an excellent option and hence plan to give this dish an inclusion into your monthly menu and not just special occasions!!
