CHEGODILU FOR ICC(LATE ENTRY)

Indian cooking challange hosted by srivalli at SPICE YOUR LIFE is a great chance to try some traditional Indian recipes.As you all know I am very much interested in trying different recipes so when valli announced the challenge I just dropped a mail to her that Iam going to join ICC..., that time I didn't even think is it possible to take challenge or not every month. This month I couldn't post the ICC recipe on time, because of some family problems, but I don't want to miss any recipe from the challenge so I tried the recipe yestarday and recipe is chegodilu, they came out realy so crisp like store brought chegodilu. This recipe is totally different then mine, in my recipe (what i learnt from my mom) I don't boil the water to mix the dough and I mix the rice flour with fried chick pea flour(putnala podi,daliya,porikadalai) any way will post my recipe some other time now here I go with the recipe CHEGODILU from Srivalli s INDIAN COOKIN CHALLENGE


INGREDIENTS:---
Rice flour --- 1 cup
Water -- 1 cup
Split yellow moong dal -- 1&1/2 - 2 tab sp
Cumin seeds -- 1 tea sp
Sesame seeds -- 1 tea sp
Chilli powder -- 1 tea sp
Ghee or oil -- 1 tab sp
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying


METHOD:---

• Soak moong dal in water for half hour to 1 hour
• In a deep bottom pan, boil water, then add salt, ghee and moong dal. Bring it to boil.
• Simmer and slowly add the rice flour.
• Using a rolling pin or the ladle, mix the flour with water by stirring it well.
• When the flour is mixed, turn off the heat immediately.
• Cover with a lid and leave a side for 10 to 15 min.
• Once the dough is cool add chilli powder,cumin and sesame seeds and mix well.
• Knead this dough till you get a smooth dough
• Adjust the spice depending on your taste.

FRYING THE CHEGODILU:---

• Heat a deep frying pan with enough oil to fry 3-4 chegodilu at a time, If you are conscious of not using too much oil then simmer once it gets hot, the temperature should not be smoking hot.
• Grease your fingers with oil and a pinch out a small lemon(golf) size ball and roll between your palms to form a thick rope.
• Bring the two ends together and press to hold the both ends like a ring.
• Make sure the ends are firmed pressed as not to give out during frying.
• Continue with the rest of the dough until you are done with the entire batch.
• You can eaither cover with aplate or a cloth to prevent the dough from getting dried.
• At the same time heat oil in adeep frying pan and check if the oil is in the correct temperature, by dropping a little bit of the dough in to the oil.
• Now gently drop the rings or chegodilu in batches like 4-5 at a time .
• The flame should be on high till the chegodilu come up to the surface, then lower The flame to medium and cook till you get a golden color on the chegodilu
• When the chegodilu are golden all over, using a slotted ladle, remove from oil in to a kitchen towel and cool.
• Store in an air tight container for longer life.

NOTES:-- Remember to turn the heat to medium to high and high to medium for getting the chegodilu golden color and also to be cooked evenly. only this way you get crispy chegodis. this should not be cooked on a low flame as they will absorb more oil and can turn soggy also at times.
VARIATION:-- Instead of cumin seeds and sesame seeds 1 tea sp Ajwain(vamu, omam) can be used along with the chilli powder.