Churdkani, Kumaon

Introducing another Kumauni dish, Churdkani made of black soy beans. I remember my childhood days when my mother often used to make churdkani and teaming it with rice made a very healthy lunch.

This iron and protein rich dish is one of the popular dal especially on weekends.  The black soy beans called bhatt are cooked in an iron kadahi and the slow cooking takes in iron from the vessel making the dal further black. Fried red chillies are a common accompaniment and who can withstand not adding a spoonful of ghee! Nothing could be more satisfying than a bowl of chudkaani.

Ingredients:
1 cup bhatt
3 tbsp whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp chopped ginger or ginger paste
salt to taste

Tempering:
1 tbsp ghee
a good pinch of hing
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp jambu
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp red chilli powder

Bhatt: Before I tell the method of making chudkaani, let me explain what bhatt is.

They are black soy beans and form the basis for dishes as churdkani, rus and bee. They look very similar to the black beans used extensively in Mexican dishes but the taste is very different. Like all lentils, they are high in protein and fiber.  Since, this dal is cooked in an iron wok, the iron content in the dish gets highly increased. They are used in Nepal as well and callled bhatt maas.

Method:
Pick bhatt, wash them and lay over a towel to dry them.

Dry roast them in an iron wok. After some time, you hear crackling of the beans and they start splitting.

A close-up of the split beans

the outer skin splits

Originally, the beans are then cooked in an iron kadahi but I, to save time pressurize them with some water.

cooked beans

Pressurize for one whistle and let the pressure drop by itself.
Meanwhile, in an iron kadahi, add a spoon of oil preferably mustard oil.  Add chopped onions, saute till transparent.

Add 3 tbsp of whole wheat flour, turmeric powder, coriander powder.  Stir till the raw smell of wheat flour goes away and the spices are roasted.

Add cold water and mix them thoroughly.  Transfer the beans from pressure cooker along with water. Add ginger, salt to taste and let the mixture boil for approximately 20 minutes or till it becomes thick.
The dal would now have become more black.
Some people like to add soaked rice paste to the dal. For this, skip adding wheat flour, let the dal cook and later add rice paste with some water. Cook till thick.

For tempering :
In a tbsp of ghee, add asafoetida, jeera, jambu, garam masala......

Pour the tempering over churdkani. Garnish with chopped green coriander leaves.

Serve with rice, salad and fried red chillies.

Sunday lunch

My Notes:

• Never add hot water to the flour mixture, it will become a solid mass.  So, first put cold water, mix the flour and then add the beans along with liquid from pressure cooker.
• Rice powder paste can also be added as a thickener.
• I often add a tablespoon or two of oats while the dal is simmering.
• If you like garlic, add some while sauteeing onions.
• Some times people add tomatoes as well along with onions.

Aloo ke gutkey, Kumaon

A visit to a Kumauni family or Kumaun in Uttarakhand is never complete without having tasted the famous aloo ke gutkey with cucumber raita and poori.  It is also one of the quickest and favorite dishes of Kumaun. 

It looks like the usual aloo subzi but the tempering with a special herb imparts the peculiar flavor to this dish. Before  I proceed with this post, let me give a short introduction on the special herb which is going to be used, Jambu.

aloo ke gutkey

Jambu:

There is no parallel to this herb but I have noticed that since it belongs to Alium family, chives give a hint of this flavor. It is also extensively used in Nepali cuisine where it is called jimbu.
It is sold as a dry grass which is actually the greens of the plant. This is one of the most important herb in flavoring of Kumauni dishes like aloo ke ghutkey, bhatt ki chudkani, dupkey, ras, urad daal to name a few. They impart a wonderful aroma when used as a tempering.
Ingredients:
4-5 medium sized potatoes
4 tbsp preferably mustard oil
1 bayleaf
1 dried red chilli, broken into pieces
1/2 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
1 tsp jambu
1/4 tsp asafoetida
1 1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp garam masala
1/4 tsp kashmiri mirch
Method:
Peel potatoes and cut them into thick wedges.  Put them in water so that they do not turn black.
Keep the spices ready.

spices used 

Forgot to put cumin seeds in the plate :(

jambu

Heat oil in a pan, let the mustard oil smoke.  Lower the heat and add bayleaf, dried red chilli pieces, asafoetida, cumin seeds, and lastly,  jambu.

tempering the oil

To the dry spice mixture, add a little water to make it into a paste.  Add this paste to the  hot oil . Since, the temperature of oil is going to be very high, adding water to the spice mixture prevents them from getting burnt.  This is the tip my mother taught me.

adding the spices

When the oil separates from the spices, add potato wedges and salt to taste. Cover and let them cook on medium heat.
Stir periodically so that the potatoes do not burn.

mixing spices with potatoes

Turn down heat once the potatoes get cooked.

final Aloo Gutkey in pan

Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle coriander leaves on top. Serve with hot pooris or just have it with a cup of tea.

ready to be served

My Notes:
Mustard oil needs to be smoked or aloo gutka does not taste good.
Slit green chillies can also be added along with potatoes.