BAKED GHUGRA

                                                     BAKED GHUGRAS                                                                        
Baked ghugra, here is another delectable snack made with a spicy filling of green peas and coconut which balances the bland maida covering. To be frank, making this snack requires skill as giving it its unique shape is not an easy job! the edges have to be folded skillfully to make it looking appealing. While this is how it is traditionally made, with the changing times,ghughra moulds are now being used to make these tasty nibblets.

Add your private note Preparation Time: 15 mins
Cooking Time: 15 mins
Baking Time:  30 Minutes
Baking Temperature:  200ºC (400ºF)
Makes 20 ghughras

Ingredients

For The Dough2 cups plain flour (maida)
1 tbsp melted ghee
1/4 tsp asafoetida (hing) , optional
salt to taste
1/4 tsp oil for kneading

For The Stuffing2 cups fresh green peas
1 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
1/4 tsp asafoetida (hing)
1 1/2 tsp sugar
3/4 tsp ginger-green chilli paste
4 tbsp freshly grated coconut
2 tbsp chopped coriander (dhania)
1 tsp sesame seeds (til)
1 tbsp lemon juice
salt to taste

Other Ingredients1/4 tsp oil for cooking

Method
For the dough

1. Combine all the ingredients together in a bowl and add enough water to make a firm dough. Keep aside covered for 15 minutes.
2. Knead again using oil til smooth. Keep aside covered with a wet muslin cloth.

For the stuffing

1. Blend the green peas in a mixer to a coarse paste. Keep aside.
2. Heat the oil in a pan, add the cumin seeds and asafoetida.
3. When the seeds crackle, add the green peas paste and sauté on a medium flame for a few seconds, while stirring continuously.
4. Sprinkle some water, mix well and cover and cook on a slow flame for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring once in between.
5. Remove the lid and sauté on a medium flame till the mixture becomes dry, while stirring continuously. Cool slightly.
6. Add the sugar, ginger-green chilli paste, coconut, coriander, sesame seeds, lemon juice and salt and mix well. Keep aside.

How to proceed

1. Divide the dough into 20 equal portions and roll out each portion into a 75 mm. (3") diameter circle.
   
2. Place a dough circle on a ghughra mould.
   
3. Place a spoonful of the stuffing mixture in the centre of the circle.
   
4. Close the mould carefully and press it lightly.
   
5. Gently open the mould and remove the ghughra.
   
6. Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make 19 more ghughras.
7. Arrange on a greased baking tray and bake in a pre-heated oven at 200ºc (400ºf) for 20 to 25 minutes. Serve hot.
                       ENJOY!                                                   

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Pizza

Homemade Pizza Recipe| Step by Step

I’m yet to find a person who would not say no to these cheesy gooey Pizza. Though I have made pizzas many a times it has always been with the ready made pizza bases available in the market and this is the first time I’m attempting it from scratch. This is the recipe that my children chose from Sangeetha’s space for the Blog Hop Wednesdays. As I know her space right from the time she started I know her recipe collection very well and hence left it to my children’s choice. Trust me when I say that I will not buy the base from stores any more and it will be always be homemade from now on. There is something to homemade pizza which makes you fall in love with them all over again. 

Do excuse the clicks, it was very late in the evening and the light has started to fade. I forgot to grease the edges of the pizza with oil and hence they appear a bit white but apart from that everything else was perfect. I prefer thin crusted ones to the thick ones and made a few changes according to my family’s preferences but you can always experiment with the versatile pizza. I followed my friend’s tip on how to avoid sogginess and baked the base beforehand and it worked like a charm. 

 

Homemade Pizza

You’ll need:

• All Purpose flour – 1-1/2 cups
• Instant Dry Yeast – 1 packet / 2-1/4 tsp
• Salt – 1/2 tsp
• Sugar – 1 tsp
• Milk / Water – 1/2 cup
• Olive oil / Vegetable oil – 2 tbsp

For the Topping:

• Onion – 1
• Tomato – 1
• Capsicum / Green Bell Pepper – 1
• Mushrooms – 2
• Tomato sauce – 3 to 4 tbsp (I used Del Monte)
• Red chilli powder – 1/2 tsp
• Garam Masala Powder – 1/4 tsp
• Pizza Cheese – 1/2 cup
  
  Method:
  

  Preheat the oven @ 220 Degrees Celsius.

  Mix together flour, salt and sugar in a bowl. Cut open the packet of yeast into it and mix once more. I used a mixture of both and milk and water. Heat till it reaches lukewarm stage and pour over the flour and make into a dough.

  Add oil and smear your hands and form a soft dough. Grease a bowl with oil and place the dough in it and close with a lid or a damp towel and let it rest for an hour. Mine tripled in an hour.

  Now punch the dough to let the air out and place the dough on a board and with the help of a rolling pin gently make a big circle. I used the pan that came with the oven for baking. I greased the bottom with oil and lightly floured it. Transfer the circle of dough to the pan and start to make a circle by spreading with your fingers and palm.

  Here is what I did with the topping: Prick the pizza dough, smear oil on the surface and bake for 5 min. This is to prevent the pizza from becoming soggy after to add the topping. Now take it out, smear a layer of tomato sauce and on top of that arrange the vegetables according to your wish. Grate a thin layer of pizza cheese all over. Sprinkle red chilli powder, garam masala powder and drop big dollops of tomato sauce here and there. Again grate cheese to cover everything.

  
  

  Place in the oven and once again bake for 15 min to 20 min approx. or till the cheese on top melts completely to look like the above picture. A piece of heaven just the way I wanted. Enjoy !!!

  Notes:

  • You need not have to use the entire 1/2 cup of liquid to make the dough. Just use enough else the dough will be very sticky.
  • Remember  to remove the seeds of the tomatoes else the pizza will become slushy.
  • Just 2 mushrooms are enough. The more you stack the more it will start to ooze out water.
  • I normally grate the cheese directly over the pizza for a neat finish else they stick and stack at one place.
  • Use your hands to mix the dough. The body heat also enhances the development of yeast.
  • If using Active dry yeast use the same measurement as Instant yeast but you have to proof it before use and make it rest for a second raise.
                                                               ENJOY!

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