Popodoms Curry
Papar ki Sabji
Lata Jitani
Note from Mamta: This is one Marwari dish I have been meaning to learn for ages. So when a Marwari friend from Mumbai came to stay, I asked her to teach me how to make it.
In days gone by not so long ago, when transport within India was not too reliable and irrigation was not easy, people of Rajasthan, a dry desert, had to make do with the things they had dried during the winter months from their crops and stored in their cupboards. In the intense heat of summer in their desert homeland, nothing much grew fresh during the hot summers. This is one such dish.
People of Rajasthan dried a lot of vegetables and fruits during winter months and used them through summer.
Serves 4 as a side dish.
Ingredients
1 cup broken papars (popodoms)
2 tsp. oil for frying papars
1/2 cup thick and mature yoghurt (dahi)
1 level tbsp. besan (chickpea/Bengal gram flour)
1 tbsp. ghee or oil for making curry gravy/sauce
1/4 tsp. cumin seeds (jeera) and mustard seeds (rai or kali sarson)
1/4 tsp. black mustard seeds
A pinch of asafoetida (hing)
1 dry red chilli, whole or broken up
1/2 tsp. turmeric powder (huldi)
1/4 tsp. chilli powder, adjust to taste
1/2 tsp. coriander powder
Salt to taste
1- 1 1/2 cups water
1 tbsp. fresh coriander leaves
Instructions
Heat ghee/oil in a wok or karahi and add papars pieces. Fry stirring gently until they become light coloured (look like fried papars). Keep aside.
Mix yoghurt and besan flour in a bowl and beat lightly to make sure there are no lumps. Keep aside.
Heat oil in a wok again, add cumin and mustard seeds and hing. When the seeds splutter, add whole chilli.
Stir for 10 seconds, then add turmeric, chilli powder and coriander powder.
Stir for 10 seconds and then add yoghurt, besan/water mix. Bring it to boil and then simmer on low heat for 10 minutes. If it looks too thick, add a little more water. It should be of ‘sauce’ consistency.
Add chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with fresh Chapatties.
