CHATUR POROTA

How I was willing to go Bengali today, how some around stopped me from that. You know what, if once I decide I would not kiss few cheeks, I just fail to let those come near me. I fear the "pat patar" season would go before I can go up with the recipes. You see I am not a wise person, my whims decide who to throw and who to hug when.... its amazing that in the recent cases it is a parasitical element just like me who I am trying to avoid, one day I must break the barrier of decency and be able to detach or if those creatures are reading this they should set the barrier relieving me of the action. I am too much of an idiot to tolerate these "big" players. If only they could use their labour positively just as those "chatur shorbot" sellers in the streets of Kolkata instead of biting my back, that way they could get away from the tag "parasitical" and "decently" could take on me. I like "honest" game players. I have to ignore these creatures and go Bengali sooner, at least for the sake of a Tilottoma Majumder whose novel "ektara" I am just done with, I wish I had that guts like the protagonist. 

Anyway, leave these, let us talk what I enjoy the most.... "food"...  Sattu / Chatu / Roasted Bengal Gram Flour was common in Bengali homes in our childhood. Barley Sattu and Chana Dal Sattu were the two varieties which were bought on a regular basis and I so enjoyed having it with puffed rice, milk, banana, sugar [dudh, muri, kola, chatu, chini]. With that memory still alive inside, I got a big packet of Sattu few months back, felt I can have it sans the sugar, I will never have sugar free alternatives on a regular basis. Then, it is a typical Bengali "ayeshi" body, a lethargic self that owns a big mouth to give big talks, severely unable to gobble a glass of "noon-lebu deoa chatu" or a bowl of "chatu... jol.. noon...lebu... lanka... peyaz diye"..... and work all day under the sun.... If they lack manners that is because they did not learn it in the process of earning fodder for the family or state.... at least they are not a parasite like me. If in a country, states fight constantly throwing filth at each other, what was the purpose of getting freedom in the first place. Wish I could get rid of certain minds and some "fasist nationalist groups" hovering on what I do in public. I do not blame those who go on a blocking spree, the problem is I want to keep CURRY AND SPICE in public setting willing to reach the right kinds of food loving people, doing so relieving and revealing my life, my self in my own space. I think I should go ahead with what I love doing.

So, you know this variety of sattu / chatu / Roasted Bengal Gram Flour entered home with a noble idea. Then, this is not a wise soul. It lay neglected in a container for months until when the idea of a CHATUR POROTA popped up. Indian / South Asian homes do prepare flat breads with a stuffing made of sattu but I wanted to go simpler and hassle free, that costed me some time. I am scared of stuffed hand made breads, but a dough made with chatu or roasted chana dal / barley flour may not give you the feel of easy rolling. I had to use that cap for good looking shapes with smoother ends. What I got were low caloric, healthy flat breads yum to eat and easy to digest. I had some left over beresta or fried onions on that evening. Not in the habit of wasting food, I used it, carom seeds, some chaat masala powder I think, ghee in the dough that fetched me enough flat breads to feed the family. Off course, my bread loving family enjoyed the vegetarian main CHATUR POROTA with tomato ketchup, green chilli sauce, an egg plant, onion and black chickpea vegetarian side. You can add a varied combination of ingredients in your sattu dough, roll them, cook them for a healthy meal plan, you can blindly follow mine to get your family smile..... I mean if your family has an universal tooth.

INGREDIENTS :

ROASTED BENGAL GRAM FLOUR / SATTU / CHATU : 2-3COFFEE MUG
BERESTA FRIED ONION : 2-3TBSP
CAROM SEED : 1TSP
TURMERIC POWDER : 1/4TSP
CHAAT MASALA : 1TSP
SALT : 2-3PINCH
GHEE / CLARIFIED BUTTER : 2TBSP + 1TSP FOR FRYING EACH OF THE FLAT BREAD

PROCEDURE :

Take all the ingredients along with 2tbsp ghee in a wide mouthed bowl.

Then, rub well for 2 minutes.

Then, add water little at a time to prepare a soft, smooth yet firm dough. This may take some 7-8 minutes.

Tear off small portions, smoothen between your palms. Do you wash them before touching food items? A must!

Dust with flour before starting to roll. I do it, experts do not I have heard so.... not dusting gives you softer breads they say.

While rolling, I faced the trouble of uneven, split ends. Never mind, use your cookie cutters or container caps to shape.

I was happy that the impatient me could show some amount of patience, you can too! To test my patience level, I did not take help from Cristine.

Now, we are ready to cook them. Heat the tawa / griddle enough. Place one flat bread first. Toast one side for 30 seconds. Turn over and toast 30 seconds. Add ghee... 1tsp and cook both sides well. They would turn light brown.

Serve them with your choice of sides.