Khandvi or Surli Chya Vadya

When I was discussing with my SIL the month long marathon that we are running she had suggested Surli Chya Vadya. I chickened out.

Then for once the other day I got to watch the TV and I was watching Amul Master Chef the challenge was Khandvi. I was interested but not so keen to try it out. Then things were taken out of my hands and…

And this month for as a South Vs North Challenge, brain child of Divya Pramil of You Too Can Cook,   where there are two groups- The Southern and the Northern!   & every month a southern team member will challenge the northern team with a recipe from south and vice versa. Hetal of Gujarati Zaika- is the host of southern team challenge and she has asked us the southern team to create the famous Gujrathi Farsan- Khandvi. Kismat!

The reason for the reluctance being Khandvi is difficult to prepare you need to be precise and patient!

I had watched My MIL making these delicious rolls we call them Surli Chya Vadya.  Like I said I always watched her and helped her roll them but never got down to making them but some tips she had passed down came up like the ripples on the calm surface of the lake.

Also my MIL’s sister Kusum Maushi, a very amazing cook, chef who even at the age of 75 (she is sick now and cannot manage cooking but you ask her something the razor sharp memory will rattle ingredients, procedure and tips) used to dish up maggi, sweet corn soup and puran poli with equal élan also had demonstrated the dish to me but I never bit the bait… till now!

The trick here is timing and speed the besan mixture has to be removed from flame at the correct moment. Else you end up with something that cannot be rolled up. But when removed at the correct time, you will get nice thin silky smooth rolls.

Start with smaller quantities if you are trying for the first time.

So ladies roll up your sleeves let’s get cracking with Khandvi or Surli Chya Vadya. But wait the original recipe calls for ½ cup sour curd and 1 ½ cup water for 1 cup of besan. Since I had been churning the cream for making butter I had thick and sour buttermilk so I used that. You can use curds.

Ingredients:

For Khandvi:

• ¾ Besan/ chick pea flour
• A little less than 1 cup of buttermilk
• 1 ½ cup Water
• 1 ½ teaspoon Sugar
• Salt-to taste
• ½ teaspoon haldi /turmeric Powder
• 1 tblspn Oil
• Mustard Seeds
• hing /asafoetida
• Grated Coconut
• Coriander Leaves

 Method:

•  Mix besan, salt, sugar, curd, turmeric powder and water to make a thin lump free batter.  My MIL used to put these in a vessel and finish all her jobs then stir the mixture casually to get her lump free batter.
•    Transfer to a heavy bottomed pan or a non stick pan.
• Now the spreading can be done on plates or on your kitchen platform. Only I spread a little oil on the platform.  This way I need not worry about running out of plates to spread and I can wash off the oil if it is excess. Switch off the fan and
•  Heat the mixture on low flame. Stir the mixture.
•  If the mixture seems lumpy don’t worry it will become smooth. Keep on stirring.
• As the mixture gets cooked you will see it coating the sides of your vessel try and remove it. Also keep an eye on this part as you scrape with the ladle. Not all of it will come off and you find the portion that has not come out dries. Do the plate test.
•  The plate test here is  take a small amount of the mixture and spread it on the platform. Wait for a few seconds then  Try rolling it. If you can roll it, then the mixture is of correct consistency. If not it need to be cooked a little more.
• When the mixture is ready take the pan off the fire and with the ladle pour the batter on the kitchen platform oiled for the purpose in a thin stream all along the oiled surface. The batter may not fall evenly. that is okay we will smoothen it out.
• Now take the kitchen spatula( the steel one) or the palette knife and with the edge of the spatula pull the batter in a fine layer. It’s not fine that’s okay move on finish the rest of the batter come back again and try smoothening the batter. You will get thinner and thinner layers. Take care not to cut the batter.  This has to be done fast. Satisfied with what you have done , switch on the fan and come out of the hot kitchen and drink a glass of water enjoy the breeze.
• Once you have cooled down that is about 5-10 minutes later  cut the applied mixture into 1" wide strips.
•  Roll each strip into a tight roll. Place the rolls on a plate. Finding it difficult to start the roll? Wait take your knife and slide it gently under the corner of the strip flip the corner and off you go. Roll on.
•  Heat oil and add the tempering ingredients. When they crackle, pour it evenly on the prepared rolls.
•  Garnish with coriander leaves and coconut and serve.

Thanks Hetal & Divya you have made me bolder by choosing this difficult treat. Had it not been for this challenge I would be still looking at them and my husband will be buying them by kilos. For this is one of his favourite treats. Also kid no 2 has tried them and told me,” Whatever that is make them again.”

Do you need any more incentive?

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