Vegetarian's Fish-Besan ki Machali

                               Vegetarian's Fish

                                Besan ki Machali

 

A very famous dish of Eastern U.P. and Bihar households--Besan ki Machali is a mouth-watering gravy dish and I learnt it from none other than my mother. She was an explendid cook and her interest in making this was humongous. I came to know later that this was her favorite dish and also was my Nani's! 

I loved this since my childhood days and obviously always had it cooked by my mom, but once I tasted my Nani's version and o my God...it was out of this world, mom was nowhere near her! My Nani had lot of servants and cooks, I never saw her cooking but that day, she was fasting and in that fast, she only ate that in the evening which she herself cooked. I don't remember what fast it was, but what a dish! My mouth has started watering😋😋 ! So I was telling about my Nani's cooking skill, she cooked that Besan ki Machali and Rice and as I was a kid, she offered me to eat from her Thali as I might be greedily staring her!! And that taste, I could never forget! Though my mom cooked it delish, still no way near my Nani's culinary skill. I regret that I could not learn anything from her.....

Now, let's start making this yummy dish.

Ingredients:

1. Besan-1 cup
2. Garlic cloves-3+8 divided
3. Onion- 1/2
4. Tomato-2
5. Yellow Mustard Seeds-1 tsp. ( I use grounded)   
6. Coriander powder-1 heaped tsp.
7. Whole  Amchoor-7-8 pieces
8. Turmeric powder-1/2 tsp. + 1/2 tsp.
9. Red chili powder-3-4 heaped tsp. +1 tsp. divided( It tastes best when extra spicy, but you can make it with 2 tsp. chili powder too, just reduce a couple of amchoor)
10. Fenugreek seeds or Methidaana-1 tsp.
11. Salt
12. Water
13. Mustard oil-2 tsp. for chila + 4 tbsp. divided

 

Procedure:

Chila on the girdle

 

• In a mixing bowl, take besan and adding 3 crushed garlic, red chili powder 1 tsp. and Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp, make a mixture by adding water as you would make for chilas.
• Heat and oil a girdle or tawa and make chillas and then fold it as shown in the picture.
• Cut folded chilas and keep aside.
• First dry grind mustard seeds and then blend onion, garlic and tomato in it.
• Take a kadai and add mustard oil and make it smokey hot.
• Now add Methidaana and when it turns dark brown, add Onion-garlic-tomato-mustard seeds blended masala.
• Also add all the other dry spices and salt, do not add amchoor pieces at this time.
• Bhuno on slow heat till masala starts gathering and oozing oil out.
• Put flame on high and add 1/4 cup water, again stir it with your spatula till water dries and masala gathers itself.
• Add about 1.5 cups of water and let it boil.
• When starts boiling, carefully add cut besan chila and amchoor pieces.
• Let it boil for about 5 minutes on medium heat, turn off and cover.
• Serve after 10-20 minutes with steamed Rice and Dal.
• I served it with toor dal and Jasmine Rice.

Notes: Besan absorbes lot of water, so make sure it is well dipped in gravy, you may need more water depending on besan quality.
Number of amchoor sticks mellows down the heat of red chilies, so in spite of using so much chili powder, it does not burn. Oil should also not be less, it helps in perfect blending of spices.
Enjoy!

This spice gives this dish a unique flavor

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