Wednesday

On a diet...here have some cake!..and Chole masala powder

Seriously....what is it with people who want to stuff your face with food the minute you announce to them you are on a diet. It seems a switch is turned in their warped mind that says 'Must break their diet'- (do incorpotate a robot sound when you read this)....so the dear zombies..flock around you with goodies...cakes..chips...cookies...clamouring that you eat them..insisting..'just take one piece..it is really nothing!!...well..unfortunately it is. I have thought about this at large (yep..nothing better to do) and among hosts of possiblities..these two are garaunteed to happen...

1.One...the minute you eat..ur mind plays dirty tricks on you and soon you are on cake..chip and a big ass land...

2.The person who offers you the food relentlessly will come back to bite you in the butt in a few days by declaring moderation is the key...and how we must learn to say 'no' to food...

Guess what...you are safe if you keep saying no!..it can be quite annoying to both the parties..but it is the best bet...atleast for the dieter...
I think the more i am on a diet...the more i seem to notice all the ads that involve food..and i am so thankful that i am a vegetarian...the chicken mcnuggets...kfc...taco bell beefy something..does absolutely nothing to me...but when i am driving..seeing someone drinking a frap..can make me lose control. i have seriously...closed my eyes and eaten chole-bhature virtually!! ha ha..i have to say ..it tasted pretty pretty awesome :)

So..coming to chole bhature...nope..no recipe for it...i am totally hooked on making Chole-Masala from scratch. I got this recipe from Sanjeev Kapoor's website and i have to say..i have been adding it to any northie curry that needs garam masala. The ingredient list is long..but i am quite sure that majority of us have it at home. If you do not have a spice or two..ignore it or sub it...but ladies not more than one or two...you really cannot start subbing 50% of the recipe and call it chole masala :)




Chole Masala:

Ingredients:

1. Jeera - 2tbls
2. Coriander seeds - 3tbls
3. Cinnamon - 2 inch stick
4. Cloves - 8 to 10
5. Cardamom (black) - 1
6. Ajwain - 1/2 tsp.
7. Peppercorns - 60 (don't go counting..put a tbls!)
8. Kasoori methi - 1 tsp.
9. Nutmeg - 3
10.Pomogranite seeds - 2 tbls
11.Bay leaves - 8 to 10
12.Red chilly (dried) - 8 to 10
13.Mango powder - 1 tsp.
12.Ginger powder - 1/2 tsp.
13.Black salt - 1 tsp.
14.Salt - 1 tsp.

Method:

1. Dry roast 1-12 and let it cool.
2. Add 13-14 to the above and grind to a fine powder.
3. Store and use....how simple is that.

I know some of you will complain and say or think i am nuts to give a list of 14 ingredients ..but honestly...you guys should have 90% of it with you. In the past i did sub black salt with jal-jeera powder!!..use ur discretion :)

29 comments:

SPICE OF LIFE said...

chole masala from scratch...wow !! in these days of readymade masala powders this kind of knowledge is getting lost ...i still remember my mom roasting and grinding the spices to make chole masala, pav bhaji masala and what not! the house smelled heavenly and that just made us more eager for the food to be ready...shall try this masala one of these days and would tell u how it turned out

Sig said...

LOL, I know the type... Next time when someone forces you to eat something that they made, tell them that if you must break your diet it better be something really good. Then take a piece/plate/spoon of whatever it is that they offered, smell it, frown a bit and say, I will pass... and keep it down. I think that will do the trick...

Beautiful picture of the masala powder. I have 12 of those ingredients... :)

Uma said...

looks so aromatic. nice post.

Uma said...

looks so aromatic. nice post.

Uma said...

looks so aromatic. nice post.

Sreelu said...

Rajitha I know its a brutal world if they come to know you are dieting :). Frap gets me off the chart every time.

I have got to try your chole masala seems very delicious

sunita said...

Rajitha, nice to see you blogging again...I totally empathise with you on the effect that one's dieting has on others...I haven't been on any particular diet, but like to watch what I eat, making me say no to many things, especially second or third helpings...and then , all hell breaks loose...people seem to think that, that is the reason I should have more of it...hmph :-(((

Enough of moaning, now your masala looks quite interesting...maybe I should try it too...thanks :-)

Divya Kudua said...

Hey Rajitha,

So true about the diet thingy.I too have faced so many situations like this.When you go to a party/get-together,ppl feel bad if you don't eat,even if you tell them that you are on a diet.They do not count low-cal foods and salads as food,they feel you have eaten something only if you pop some gulab jamuns,all those baked items with cheese etc etc.And those comments too-you look slim(from which side,may i ask?)why do you want to go on a diet,don't spoil your health,excuse me??

Abt the chole masala recipe,sounds like a must try!!!

Srivalli said...

hey..are you out of your mind????...hhahah..kidding...the list was so long thats why...but I am sure if will be worth are the pain!...and a lovely read too as usual!

TBC said...

I have the same problem at work. I try so hard to be good and eat right, but it's really difficult! There's this colleague of mine who brings everyone stuff loaded with calories on a fairly regular basis. She means well but it does sabotage my plans. I have learnt how to say "NO" now.:D

BTW, what are YOU doing making garam masalas? I am finding it difficult to picture that.;-)

bee said...

i'm gonna make this - soon.

A Cook @ Heart said...

I hear u on the diet and temptation routine! Thankfully being a vegetarian has kept me from scampering into fast food joints ( shud be , Thank God I am in the USA, in India I'd have gone crazy!!)
I have yet to try making chhole pwd. at home, thanx for the recipe!

Kalai said...

Thanks for the awesome recipe for chole masala powder! Sounds perfect. :)

notyet100 said...

nice name ofur blog,.first time here...looks good the masala recipe,..will sure try

Jayashree said...

I think it's a conspiracy against dieters.....every non-dieter probably has a bet to see who can break the dieter's resolve :-))

Mansi said...

that was one funny post rajitha! though i totally agree with your sentiments:) dieting can be a pain!! thanks for the chhole masala recipe!:)

Namratha said...

LOL I totally understand what u mean, it really gets freakishly annoying after a while right? U go girl, fighting those temptations :)

And the chole masala, I'm off to count the 60 peppercorns, love the look of it, won't waste any more time trying to sniff it but gonna make it myself!

FH said...

That looks fabulous Rajitha, love the color of chole masala. I always rely on a simple fresh pd or store bought. I will try this, bookmarked!:)

EC said...

I do have most of these ingredients...will surely try..thanks for sharing

Priya said...

The diet thing is sooo true Rajitha. just last night my neighbor forced to have two whole servings of upma!! I was sooo stuffed I was walking around my tiny apt after I came home !! And ditto on the ads and being a vegetarian thingie, for me its chocolate and not frap :(
The chole masala sounds goood, but I don't have pom seeds and amchur, I think they are the whole tangy part of the recipe, so can't sub them!!

Anonymous said...

Hi Rajitha,

Welcome back again !!! :)

I am so with you on the diet thing and it is so true about offering food to the dieters... I laughed so hard at the comments.. :)

I will definitely try this masala powder..somehow I always complained about the store bought chole masala...I had a family friend who made it from scratch and got so used to it...

Now I can try it for myself :D

Thanks a lot for this wonderful post !

xoxo

M

Rajitha said...

Spice of life..i know..i always got ready-made ones..but once you make ur own masala..you are sorta hooked...

Sig..ha ha..and the list of Rajitha haters continue :D...anyway..are you making the masala..or was it just an ingredient count!!


Uma..thnks!

Sreelu..brutal is right girl...

Sunita..thnks for understanding..yep..basically people keep forcing you to eat just coz they want to join in the fun adn not feel guilty about pigging out...

divya..someone told me i was slim too (yikes)..and i told them yes! for a plus size model ;)

srivalli..this list must be a bachha list for you...you making arselu at nite and all c'mon ;)

TBC...ha ha..you know i am bored ;)

Bee..thnks! and lemme know if you like it..

manasi..tell me about it..mc.d ..burger king get no business from me :D...

kalai..thnks!

notyet100...thnks :)

jayashree..the best part is the dieters are finally getting it ;)

sra..ha ha..

mansi..it is a pain..a royal pain in the kaboos ;)

nammu...count kar and tell me how many tbls it is...

asha..thnks..yep..the lost is long..but nothing is overpowering..so the masala really comes together..

easy..do lemme know if you like it

priya..isn't it annoying..just because they over-estimate the qty...you get forced to eat it...and i think you can make this..add chat powder instead of those two...it should be fine!..

Mala..happy the post made you laugh :)..yep! now no more complaining on the masala..make it girl!

Sig said...

Finally!!!! How lazy are you that it takes two days before you un-moderate comments?????????? :) :)

Anyway, you caught me... :) it was an uncommitted ingredient count that was meant to sound like a maybe... ;)

Rajitha said...

picture this...me showing my tongue at u..and the longest finger on my hand :D

delhibelle said...

yum..reminds me of the black masala that chaatwallahs in delhi sprinkle on the fruits.

Nupur said...

Rajitha, it is so nice to see you back :)
And this masala looks incredibly fragrant!

Lavanya Raj said...

Rajitha..Nice to see your post after a gap. i have tagged you for a meme..do check my blog.

Rajitha said...

delhibelle..don;t remind me of chats..yum!

nupur..thnks :)..it is really good..

lavi..thnks :)..and will do the meme

Bong Mom said...

If someone forces me, I just buckle in, but cake, cookies, chips, I am not too fond of so a bite is ok. But Chole Bhatura, no one has to even force me, a whiff of that and i will gobble up a plateful :)