VERSATILE BESAN

BHAKARVADI and SURLICHYA VADYA  (BESAN ROLLS)

It's been a few days since I posted my Raagi and Oats Dry Fruits cake recipe as I have been busy cooking very interesting anytime eats.

With lockdown everyone is housebound and there’s always gnawing at the stomach at teatime and the lady of the house is always at her wit's end as to what she should make.

So today I am sharing two out of the many of my mother’s snack-time treats which are healthier and tastier as they are home-made. It’s always better to eat homemade food as against the oily packaged products or those available at the sweet-meat shops!

What I have for you today is something very versatile ….. Fry it, Roast it or steam it, the ultimate product is always a give-me-some-more!

Sweets or Savouries – the lip-smacking goodies of the Maharashtrians and Gujaratis too -  the Bhakarvadis, the  Surlichi Vadi or Khandwi, the Besan laddoos or Barfis, Zunka – Bhakar, Dhoklas, and Gathiyas ( to name just a few) are all a product of the versatile Besan.

Besan, a flour made from ground chickpea known as Bengal gram is a great source of protein and nutrients like Calcium, Iron, Vitamin  B-6 and Magnesium.

Eat Besan in different forms as a main meal or as an afternoon snack in different shapes and sizes, it is an all-time favourite - rain or no rain!

While preparations like Bondas and Bhajjis are a must during the Monsoons these home-made BHAKARVADI slices or SURILICHI VADI Rolls made with Besan are all-time treats, devoured with relish.  

They are not time-consuming and with the preparation of the mixture beforehand they are easy to make. 

Tea time or as a vegetarian cocktail snack these home-made slices are a treat and a gourmet's delight!

BHAKARVADI

BHAKARVADI PROCESS: Ingredients, Rolling the dough and putting the filling on the dough and slicing into bite sizes.

BHAKARVADI

Ingredients:

For Outer cover:

Besan - 2 Katoris
Wheat -1/4 Katori

Sieve the Besan and Wheat flour together 3 times and keep aside. 

Add to the sieved flour the following:

Haldi – 1 tspDhania Powder – 2 tspJeera Powder – 2 tsp
Chilli powder – 2 tsp
Salt to taste

Ginger, Garlic and Green Chilli paste – 1 tsp each.

Combine the Ginger, Garlic and Green Chilli Paste, sieve through a strainer and mix the residue water with the flour.

Add a little oil and knead dough to a smooth consistency – not too hard or too loose, and it keep aside.

Mixture for filling:

Grated Dry Coconut  -1 big katori  / 1 teacup  
Khuskhus – 2 tbsps
Coriander leaves -  ½  cup chopped or more if preferred
Haldi powder -  ½  tsp
Chilli Powder – 1 1/2 tsp or as preferred
Garam Masala - 1/2  tsp
Salt – to taste  Green chillies paste– 1 tsp 

Method:

Masala Filling:

Roast separately:  Grated Dry Coconut – 1 cup & Khuskhus - 2 tbsp
Instead of pounding like in the earlier days use the dry mixer grinder and grind the dry coconut to a powder. 
Add Haldi, Chilli Powder, Salt, Garam Masala powder, strained Green chilli paste and Coriander leaves.

Preparation of the Bhakarvadi:

Make balls (slightly bigger than lemon size) out of the prepared dough.

Sprinkle atta on the flour board and then roll the balls on it into a nice big round shape. 

Spread the prepared masala mixture and press it on the dough with your hands  so it stays.

Use very little oil to press the mixture.

Slowly start rolling the dough with the mixture with your fingers from one end while pressing on the side at both ends and on top too. Roll till the end and seal by pressing firmly or use little milk.

Dip a knife in oil and cut the roll into squares

Shallow fry the slices in little oil till light brown and the sides of these slices can be browned by putting them in a standing position for little while. Serve hot.

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SURLICHYA VADYA  OR BESAN ROLLS

This light snack for teatime or cocktails too is a melt in the mouth treat with it’s soft and light texture!

The Maharashtrians call it Surli Chya Vadya while the Gujaratis call it Khandwi – but as they say – what’s in a name - it is the same product made from the versatile Besan and Buttermilk. Lets just call it Besan roll.

SURLICHYA VADYA OR BESAN ROLLS

Looks difficult to make but it is not. Only requires hand agility and practise and once you get it right there’s no stopping !

As we all know for making homemade Ghee which is any day better than the market variety, we collect daily fresh cream off the daily milk and add 2tbsps Curd and mix it and freeze.
When enough cream and curd mixture is collected we churn the butter in the blender and make ghee out of the butter.

The buttermilk that is left behind is what we use to make these delectable rolls. Since a slight sourish taste is required for the roll keep the buttermilk outside for a while and then take the required quantity.

Ingredients:

1 Katori / Cup Besan
2 Katoris / cup  Buttermilk
1 Katori / cup Water

To add :
1/2 tsp Haldi  ieTurmeric
¼ tsp Hing ie Asafoetida
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp Chilli powder

Garnishing:

3 Katoris scraped fresh coconut
1 Katori Coriander leaves
a few sliced Green chillies
2 tbsps Mustard seeds
Little oil

Vessels:

Thalis (Large Round Stainless Steel plates – Keep 4 Thalis ready, so as to spread the mixture on its rear side when the besan-buttermilk mix is cooked.

Please note that there should be no water on the rear side of the thali and it must be absolutely dry. 

Method:

Sieve Besan so that there are no lumps, then add little water and smoothen it and put in a vessel.

Add Buttermilk, Water, Salt, Haldi, Chilli powder and Hing (Asafoetida)

Mix the above mixture thoroughly so that no lumps remain.

On slow fire keep stirring the mixture till it thickens just enough to cover the back of a spoon when you dip the spoon in the mixture.

Continue to thicken slightly more and to test again to see if its if done drop a little mixture on a thali or plate. If the besan comes off its done but If uncooked the mixture appears like a thin paste and sticks to the plate.

Remove the vessel when the mixture leaves the sides of the plate.

Quickly spread a thin layer of the besan mixture on the back of the thali .

(1 Katori besan gives 4 thalis)

Heat ½ Katori oil, and add mustard seed. Once they stop sputtering ,add Hing and then spread evenly with a spoon on each thali.

Then cut in straight strips.

Sprinkle freshly grated coconut and coriander mixture and roll the thin layer of Besan mixture from one end to the other.

Once the roll is done, garnish with more grated coconut and coriander mixture on top and sliced green chillies if preferred and serve.

You can keep the Besan Rolls wrapped in cling wrap and refrigerated to preserve freshness and taste. In summer the rolls can even be served chilled to make for a refreshing, tangy snack!

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