Uttarakhand -- Mandua ki Roti with Aloo-Tamatar ki Jhol

Blogging Marathon# 39 - Indian States: Day 29
State: Uttarakhand
Dish: Mandua ki Roti with Aloo-Tamatar ki Jhol

Today we are going to Uttarakhand, formerly known as Uttaranchal, that was carved out of Uttar Pradesh in November 2000. It is often referred to as the 'Land of the Gods (Dev-bhumi)' due to the many holy Hindu temples and prigrim centers throughout the state. Uttarakand is also known for its natural beauty.
The natives of the state are generally called either Garhwali or Kumaoni depending on their place of origin. A large portion of the population of Rajputs and Brahmins. Uttarakand is the only state in India that has Sanskrit as one of its official languages.
Cuisine: People in Uttarakand prefer vegetarian food with lots of vegetables and wheat & rice being the staples, but non-vegetarian food is also served. Coarse grain with high fiber content is very common in Uttarakand due to the harsh terrain. Cuisine from Kumouni region is interesting because they rarely use milk or milk related ingredients in cooking owing to the fact that the topological features of the area do not permit cows to produce fine quality milk.
Specialties: Gahath Soup (horsegram soup), Gahath ki dal, Jhangore ki kheer, Jholi, Phaanu, Chainsoo, Rus, Gulgula etc.

Today's Dish(es): This is one of the states that took me a while to finalize the dishes to make. I wanted to try one of the famous dishes using horsegram (kulthi/ kulaoth) and I even bought a packet of horsegram. Then I changed my mind to make two very simple dishes -- roti with finger millet flour and potato-tomato curry.
I wan't sure how the rotis would turn out with the ragi flour, but the addition of atta/ wholewheat flour gives the dough the required gluten to stick together and they were pretty soft for quite sometime.
As far as the curry goes, I was surprised how the use of simple spices and the manner of cooking them changes the taste of the dish. Yes, it is just potato-tomato curry, but the order of adding the ingredients is quite different from how I make my curry and this tasted very different from what I make. I can see myself making both of these dishes quite often now.

Recipe from Muse the Place.

Ingredients:

Ragi flour - 1½cups
Wholewheat flour/ Atta - ½cup
Salt - to taste

Method:

• Combine all the ingredients and mix well. Add enough water and knead the dough into a smooth pliable dough. Cover with a damp kitchen towel and set aside for 15~20 minutes.
• Heat tawa/ griddle on medium heat.
• Divide the dough into 8~10 equal pieces. Roll each piece into round discs, dusting with wholewheat flour as needed. Cook on the hot tawa until brown spots appear, flip and cook on the other side as well.
• Serve hot with a curry of your choice.

Recipe adapted from Euttaranchal.com:

Aloo-Tamatar ki Jhol:

Potato - 2 medium, peeled and chopped into big 1" pieces

Tomato - 2 medium, chopped

Onion - 1 medium, chopped

Ginger - 1" piece, finely grated

Garlic - 3cloves, finely minced

Red chili powder - 1tsp

Turmeric - ½tsp
Garam Masala powder - ½tsp
Fenugreek seeds - ½tsp
Cumin seeds - 1tsp
Cilantro leaves - 1tbsp, finely chopped

Method:

• Heat 2tbsp ghee in a pan; add cumin seeds and fenugreek seeds; once the seeds start to splutter, add the grated ginger and minced garlic. Cook till they start smelling fragrant. 
• Next add the onions and cook till they get translucent. Add turmeric, red chili powder and chopped tomatoes. Cover and cook till tomatoes are soft and mushy.
• Add the potatoes and 1cup of water, bring the mixture to a boil. Lower the heat and cook covered for 10~12 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
• Add more water if the curry seems too dry. Turn off the flame and garnish with chopped cilantro. Serve hot with roti.

Lets check out what my fellow marathoners have cooked today for BM# 39.

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