PERFECT GARLIC NAAN WITH GOLA KURMA MASALA!

Hello everybody,YUP!! New template again!After receiving many mails from readers that they can't leave comments or get into this blog,I decided to change the template.I see many of you can access this blog now which makes me very happy.If you still have trouble commenting,read Kalyn's comments in my sidebar where she advised me what to do.Hope it helps you too!

One more thing buddies,please read the whole recipe and understand it before you start cooking any of my dishes.If you have any doubts at all,you are welcome to ask me about anything before you mess it up! ;D

Well..I am thrilled to bits today to give you a my ultimate(fruit of my labor!) Naan recipe for which I finally hit a perfect balance after many tries and trials.I was sooo happy with these Naans, I even postponed this week's planned post to next week so I can bring you this Naan ASAP. After going through innumerable cookbooks and hours of internet surfing,after many unsatisfactory results than Naans,I finally ended up with this recipe adding,eliminating and adjusting the amounts of the usual ingredients.I just couldn't stop smiling when I tasted this delight.I have given you step by step photos to make it easy is for you.I know I am hyperventilating now!!:P

A perfect Garlic Naan:


You Need:
A bread Machine with dough cycle or grease your elbows and get ready to knead!!:)
Take 1 Pack (1/4oz)Active dry Yeast,1 cup warm (105F-115F)water,2 tsp Sugar,2 tsp salt,3 tbsp oil,3 tbsp Yogurt,1 egg,1 tsp dry Parsley and 3 3/4 cups Bread flour.
To brush on top:Mix 3 tbsp Melted butter,3 minced Garlic or 1 tsp Garlic pd,pinch of salt and 1 tsp minced cilantro.


In Bread Machine; add the ingredients as in the above order given,liquid first and then solids.Put it on the dough cycle and wait until it beeps.Do not add garlic to the dough now which kills the yeast if added in excess with yeast!
By hand; mix all the ingredients and knead until you get a dough and set aside to rise covered until double.Punch down and let it rise again.



Now preheat the oven; to the maximum 550F or as high as you can go with Pizza stone inside.Melt butter to brush on top with a brush and heat a grill or cooling rack on stove top medium high to get that burnt look on the Naan.
Take the dough,cut into four or eight pieces.I made four huge ones like Afghani bread called "Snowshoe"(shapes like ovals) naans!Press gently and stretch it to make a tear shaped Naans.



Place one Naan on a foil to make it easy to slide in the oven and put in the oven quickly and bake for about 3 minutes.When you see the Naan puff up and slightly reddish on top,take it out with a pizza peeler or leave it in the oven for 5 mins to let the top get brown and skip the next step of browning the top manually.



Invert/flip the top of the Naan with the bottom up on the heated grill/rack to get that reddish look on top evenly, moving it over the heat Place it on another big cooling rack,brush the top of the Naan immediately with melted garlic butter generously and let it cool.



Or if you don't want to do this and did let the Naan cook in the oven for 5 mins until brown on top,brush with garlic butter immediately after taking it out of the oven.I like soft Naan, so I do bake for 3-4 mins,grill the top and brush with butter.It's up to you to choose either way.



Serve these with any creamy rich veg or non-veg gravy dish and have a great meal.These serve for 6 people as they are thick and soft to mop up the gravy.



That's it!! Look at those beautiful Naans!! I ate quarter of one Naan even before it's even cooled and it's hiding behind or under the three!:D

Gola Kurma Masala:
I also made Gola Kurma masala to go with Naan,which I used to make in B'lore as a young bride.I bought my first pressure cooker 2 week's after I got married and with it came a recipe book which is completely yellowed now after 20yrs!!:D
One of the recipes in this book is "Gola Kurma Masala"(real title "Vegetarian Mutton Kurma!" because the gravy with Golas look like meat chops!!),a wonderful recipe which I had almost forgotten and haven't made in a long time. When I saw how beautiful these Naans looked,I thought of this vegetarian dish,took a while to find the book,wiped the dust off, and cooked!

Gola Kurma Masala:


"Gol/Gola" means round or circle in Hindi.In this case,a steamed or boiled like pasta,then fried crispy flour balls added to and simmered until soft in a delicious vegetarian Kurma gravy!Once I made this dish and gave a bowl to my Coorgi vegetarian neighbor in B'lore,she almost had heart attack because she thought I brought her a non-veg dish.She loved it after I explained to her how I made those Golas!!:D

How to make it:

Grind all these first to a smooth paste:
2-3 tomatoes or 1 cup Tomato sauce,2 green chilies,1 tsp chilli pd,2 big cloves of garlic,1" piece ginger,few curry leaves,2 tsp of poppy seeds,1 tsp fennel seeds,1 1/2 tbsp dry coriander seeds,1" cinnamon,1/2 tsp cardamom pd,3 tbsp grated coconut,3 cloves,1 tsp sugar,salt.
Golas: Make them as explained below.If you think they are too many of Golas for this dish,you can add half and freeze the rest for next time.Don't add Golas more than a cup. This green peas Kurma is excellent tasting even without the Golas. Enjoy.



Mix 1/2 cup plain flour,2 tbsp Besan/Gram folur,3 tsp chili powder, 1/2 tsp cumin seeds,1/8 tsp of soda,1 tsp garlic pd, and 2 tsp ghee or butter,knead to soft dough.Roll them like rope about 1/2" thick,(looks big in the photo bcos of the Zoom)cover and let it rest for 1/2 an hr.




Then cut them about 1" pieces and steam them without water covered in pressure cooker or boil in lot of water with little salt until they float on top.When done,separate them on plate and cool.Shallow fry or deep fry,when cooled and keep them aside.Soak and cook 1 cup dry Green Peas until soft until soft but do not overcook.





Grate or process 1 large Onion.Heat 1 tbsp each butter and oil,fry this until soft and slightly reddish.Add ground Masala and fry until the oil shows on top.Then add fried Golas and peas,simmer gently until Golas are soft.Garnish with Cilantro and serve.



A vegetarian plate for you!:))


Sailaja's (of "Sailu's Kitchen/Food") most delicious Coconut Chicken curry:
I love all her authentic Andhra recipes so much that I don't know where to start and where to end to try them all! I decided to try this since my kids love non-veg with Naan.It reminded me of a Andhra restaurant(Amaravati?)dish at Brigade road in B'lore we used to visit eons ago!!Thank you for sharing such a great recipe Sailu!:)
Vegetarians: Don't miss out on this great tasting gravy because it's non-veg,You can skip the meat and add Cauliflower or Koftas instead.Tastes divine,believe me.

Sailaja's Coconut Chicken Curry:


I followed the recipe as it is mostly except added boneless chicken,1 tsp red Kashmiri chilli pd instead of green chillies because my kids somehow think that if any gravy doesn't look red like Spaghetti sauce,it's not edible! Little morons!!;P
Also added some yogurt to marinate and added 1/2 cup tomato sauce to make reddish !! Arvind said "she is right,green chillies taste better". Ah..!!!I can't please everybody people,next time I will make it with green chillies!;D

You Need:
2 lbs chicken breast and thighs pieces,1 onion chopped,1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste,1 tbsp coriander pd,2-3 green chillies slit,1 1/2 tsp garam masala pwd or2″ dalchini, 2 green cardamom, 6 cloves finely ground,cilantro,salt.
2 tbsp oil and butter.
Grind:1 large onion roasted,3-4 green chillies,1/2 cup fresh grated coconut or 1 can coconut milk,colantro,10-12 mint leaves,10-12 cashew nuts,soaked in 2-3 tbsps milk.

How to make it:
1. Marinate the chicken in 1/4 cup Yogurt,coriander pd,turmeric,ginger garlic paste,2 slit green chillies and few mint leaves for 10-15 mts. Make a paste of fried onion,green chillies,coconut,cilantro,mint leaves and cashew nuts. Keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a pressure pan, add the green chillies and chopped onions and saute till it softens. Add the marinated chicken and cook on high heat for 4-5 mts, combining the ingredients once in a while.(Add tomato sauce now if you are using it)
3. Reduce the heat,add the ground paste and salt and mix well.Let it cook for 8-10 mts, uncovered. Cook till oil separates.Add water if necessary.
4. Finally add the garam masala pd or powdered masala,pressure cook the chicken for 3-4 mts.Turn off heat and garnish with fresh cilantro.It's done!
5. Serve with rice,Naan or Parathas.

Naans with delicious Chicken Curry.Enjoy!:))


Both my kids have their 12th(son)and 16th(daughter) birthdays this week on the 14th and 16th of March respectively but the party will be on the 17th Sat.Imagine two very busy parents (over tired mom included!) and two happy kids with loads(9 kids total!) of happy and stuffed up to the nose with food friends!!;D This year I am not baking or cooking but buying everything for the party,thank God for that. You too have a great weekend guys!

Here are some "Aroma" dishes if you would like to try:




Gajar(Carrot)Masala Roti with Garlic chutney











Pineapple-Coconut mini Bundt cakes









Latha's Maddur Vadas








Cornmeal-Methi vadas