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Showing posts with label PLACEofORIGIN. Show all posts
Showing posts with label PLACEofORIGIN. Show all posts

Thursday, October 19, 2017

Chocolate Chili Anar ( Gluten Free Recipe )

#BurstAPataka ??
Nooooo. The air pollution has already hot stratospheric levels and is choking the life out of our poor lungs.

#BeAPataka ???
Easier said than done. Being the mommy of a ever curious five year old, I need to ensure anything and everything inflammatory is kept out of sight and hearing. Pataka or otherwise......

#EatAPataka ??
Aah ....now we are talking sense. Like really !! And chilli flavored treats are just the thing that I have in mind.
For the uninformed, Capsaicin in chillis not only speeds up the metabolism but also ensures that a smaller portion makes us feel full. Even from my experience, the latter holds good especially when it comes to desserts. Doesn't that sound like a blessing in disguise ?But the real reason I love a hint of chilli in my dessert is that it kind of intensifies the flavor.

The Chocolate Chilli Anar is a wonderful twist to our very own "Gujjiya" or "Karanji", which is must have Diwali delight. The all purpose flour is swapped with a gluten free flour and the coconut stuffing is infused with a heady mix of dark chocolate and bhut jolokia chili. Moreover, it is baked instead of being dunked in hot oil which ensures that we stick to the 'healthy snacks' resolution. The conical 'anar' shape is just perfect for the ongoing Diwali festivities.

Thank you Plattershare for this wonderful opportunity !!

Read on for the recipe -
























Preparation Time - 40-45 mins

Ingredients -


For the outer layer -


  • 1 1/2 cup Jiwa Gluten Free flour
  • 2 tsp ghee
  • 1/6 tsp salt or as per taste
  • water for kneading into a tight dough



For the stuffing -


  • 1 freshly grated coconut 
  • 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
  • 1 dried Bhut Jolokia chilli
  • 1 tsp ghee
  • 2 pinch salt
  • 2 tsp brown sugar



Preparation -

For making the stuffing -

Pour the ghee a saucepan.

Add the bhut jolokia to the ghee and wait till the ghee is sufficiently hot. Do not let it smoke else the chili's heat will cause burning sensation in eyes, nose and throat.

Add the coconut and keep stirring lightly till it turns light brown.

Remove the chili and add the choco chips to the pan. Keep the flame to a minimum.

Once the chocolate has melted, add brown sugar and salt. Mix everything together.

Remove from flame and keep aside till bearable to touch.

Pinch out small portions of the stuffing and shape into conical mounds.


For the outer layer - 

Take the flour, ghee and salt in a mixing bowl. Rub everything together till it is mixed evenly.

Add water little by little and make a tight dough. Let it rest for 30 mins.

Take small portions of the dough and roll it out . Cut out ribbons with the help of a knife.

Make small round discs with the remaining dough.

Final assembly - 

Place a mound of the stuffing on each disc. Take the ribbons and wrap it around the mound to give it the look of an anar.

Repeat the process for making more such 'anar's.

Baking - Preheat the oven to 180 degrees.

Place the 'anar's on a baking tray and pop it into the oven.

Let them bake for  12-14 mins or till done.

Remove from the oven and let them cool down.

Serve immediately or store in an airtight container.

Tuesday, October 17, 2017

Teen Patti Crackers With A Bhut Jolokia Dip

Diwali time is about gatherings with friends and family. And gatherings are never complete without endless snacks. But that is no excuse to indulge in oily and fried stuff. That is something that has been on my mind ever since the festive season started and the guests started pouring in.

I had a few recipes saved in the drafts when the Jiwa Gluten Free flour from Plattershare arrived in the courier. Made from brown rice flour and multiple grains, it has a nice flavor and texture that works well for most of my recipes. Hence, all my healthy (read 'baked') snacks now have a nice gluten-free twist to them .

This is the first among the snacks I have created for Diwali. Now Diwali happens to be synonymous with a game of Teen Patti ! These healthy gluten free crackers with a beautiful card suit symbol pricked out in each of them are just apt for the occasion. Pair it with a tantalizingly hot Bhut jolokia dipping sauce with figs and caramelized onions and you have just ensured an evening to remember !

Read on for the recipe -
























Preparation Time - 45 mins

Ingredients -

For the crackers -


  • 1 cup Jiwa Gluten Free flour
  • 3 tsp melted butter
  • 1/4 tsp salt ( i prefer using even less )
  • 2 tsp finely chopped garlic chives
  • Warm water for kneading
  • Extra butter for brushing the crackers 


For the Bhut Jolokia Bhut -


  • 1/2 of a dried Bhut jolokia chili
  • 5-6 ripe figs
  • 1 large red onion
  • 3-4 tsp Balsamic vinegar
  • 3-4 tsp brown sugar
  • 2 tsp olive oil
  • salt to taste


Preparation - For making the cracker dough, take all the flour, butter, chopped garlic chives and salt in a mixing bowl.

First mix the dry ingredients thoroughly and then add enough water to make a soft dough. Let it rest for 20 mins.

Flour the working surface and roll out the dough into a thin sheet. 

Cut it out into squares with the help of a cutter. Prick out the sides to prevent them from puffing up during baking.

Prick out the card suite designs on the crackers. Apply a fine layer of melted butter to the surface using a brush.

Cooking - Preheat oven to 200 degrees C. Place the crackers on a baking tray and pop in. 

The crackers should be done in 10-14 mins depending on how thin you have rolled them.

Remove from oven and keep aside till cool.  

























For making the chunky dipping sauce - place the dried bhut jolokia chili in a cup and cover with hot water. Let it stand for 20 mins.

Wear gloves and chop the chilli into very fine bits for using in our recipe. Wash gloves, knives, chopping board and even the hands.

Heat 2 tsp olive oil in a saucepan.

Cut the onion into thin long pieces. Add to the olive oil and saute on a low temperature till it starts turning golden.

Now add the bhut jolokia chili to the onions and keep sauteing till onion gets completely caramelized. Switch on the exhaust or keep the windows open to avoid the strong fumes.

Chop up the figs and add to the caramelized onions. Add a little salt over them.

Once the figs soften, add the balsamic vinegar, brown sugar and 1/ cup hot water to the saucepan. Adjust the salt.

Let the ingredients simmer on a low flame till it thickens to the consistency of a jam.

Remove from flame and let it cool down .

Serve the crackers with the dipping sauce.


Wednesday, April 20, 2016

PLACEofORIGIN.in - Discoveries and Reminiscences

My day starts with it. But my rendezvous with 'Tea' does not end at that. I usually have a couple of cups throughout the day interspersed with a caffeine shot or two for that extra kick. As a Mom of a hyperactive four year old boy I need all of it and even more to keep me going throughout the day. And since these brews are such an integral part of my daily routine, I prefer nothing but the best that I can procure at my convenience. To be honest, I do not have the energy to drive half-way across the town to some quaint little shop selling gourmet/connoisseur teas. Nor do I believe in pleading with a relative to bring back a few kilos of tea from a trip to the North-East. Not my cup of tea as I would put it. Pardon the expression, but that is how I am.

With PLACEofORIGIN.in I have finally discovered that now I can have my tea and drink it too ! It is just the right website for people like me and everybody else who covet the good things in life. It could be something that one has grown up with or discovered in the course of one's travels. But with 'PLACEofORIGIN.in' one is guaranteed an encore of the flavor experience without ever resorting to substitutes or inferior replacements. As the products are curated from the very source producers, rest assured that you are getting the best of it.

That brings me back to my favorite cuppa. Given the wonderful benefits of green tea, which include fat burning and lowering cancer risk, I am quite particular about the brand (preferably organic) that I pick. And with this website, I am ensured a steady supply of my favorite brew. Plus with the numerous options that are available, there is always that additional benefit of having the freedom to switch between multiple blends and flavors. Green tea flavors like Saffron-Kahwa, Himalayan Tulsi-Rhododendron and Berry Blush are virtually impossible to procure from supermarkets or even other online sources.

Image courtesy : www.placeoforigin.in























Coffee connoisseurs can get their pick from the multiple options available on the website. The names of all the various blends in stock read like a dream. Rain Song Dark Roast, The Deep Bliss Blend and The Sunkissed Blend are enough to make me feel caffeine deprived. Don't you agree ?



But the best part is that they also sell those yummy snacks that go really well with your chosen brew. The website stocks the Shrewsbury biscuits and Chitale Bandhu Bhakarwadi from Pune, Almond House Bisticks from Hyderabad and the most decadent stuff from Moshes and Sleight of Hand from Mumbai. But these are just the ones that I am partial to. Foodies can look forward to savoring stuff from across the length and breadth of the county. Bakes, sweets and savories from places like Delhi, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Indore and many other cities are waiting to be grabbed. In short, if there is a city marked on your foodie roadmap, the guys behind 'PLACEofORIGIN.in' might just beat you in the race to get there.



















Still on the same page ? Then, go ahead and try it !

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