Mitho lolo ( sweet flat bread ) and mirchaan ji bhaaji( chilli sabji)

MITHO LOLO
Those familiar with sindhi cuisine would know about koki or loli as we call it, the top comfort level breakfast for any sindhi😊, paired with yogurt and papad. In my home its a sunday breakfast.

Mitho lolo, is the sweet version of loli.
Mostly made on certain festivals like Satai or Thadri as its known. Food is generally cooked a day prior to Thadri, and eaten cold the next day, items which keep well are pakoras, puris, seeras, and rice which is mixed with yogurt, and mustard powder. No fire is lit to cook on Thadri.
Ladies go thier parents homes and just enjoy for the day. This year it falls on 29th August.
My late mother in law would make make mitho lolo’s every Thadri, she would make the dough patiently, rolling out the lolas and send them to the kitchen, where I had to roast them on the tawa at a very low heat..
patience 😊is the key to make good lolas.
I rarely make lolas nowadays, bcoz there are some home chefs who sell them in jakarta. I tried making them this year and they were quite good. We pair mitho lolo with a chillie sabji. Sharing both recipes today. Do try the recipe. Thank you.

Mitho lolo
250 gms whole wheat atta
6 tbsps of oil
125gms grated jaggery
2 tbsps powdered sugar
1 tsp cardamom powder.
Extra 1 cup oil for dipping.

In a bowl add grated jaggery, sugar and about 4 tbsps of hot water. Mix well till jaggery disolves.

Prepare a deep plate with about one cup of oil in it to dip the lolas.keep aside

In a big bowl or plate, put the flour( atta)
And add the oil, add 5 tbsps first and mix with finger tips. If you can gather the flour in your hands like a ball, that means oil is enough otherwise add 1 tbsp more. Add the cardamon powder and liquid jaggery, and knead gently. Try your best not to add any water. I needed to add 1 tbsp. The dough shd be tight. We need to use the dough Immediately, to avoid gluten formation, which will make the lola soft. The lola should have a crisp bite to it, and be just a little soft inside.Now divide the dough into about 5 balls, cover with a wet napkin, take one ball and smoothen it on the rolling board. Roll out to about 1 cm thick, plus minus. Prick all over with a fork. Roast on a preheated tawa on a very low heat, gently press with a wooden chapati press or napkin. Brush with very little oil, When both sides are golden brown remove onto the oil filled plate, soak for just a minute and drain.
Stack in a plate. Lolas have a long shelf life, if you store them well. In airtight boxes.

you can add cut nuts while rolling out the lolas. We like them plain.

Mirchaan ji bhaji
( chillie sabji)

250 gms green chillies( I used the thick variety)
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp hing
1.5 tbsps besan
2 tbsps grated jaggery
2 tbsps tamarind pulp
Salt to taste.
Wash and cut the green chillies into 3 to 4 pcs..

Heat about 4 to 5 tbsps oil in a pan, add cut chillies, and saute till the chillies turn white. Drain and reserve the oil.
Take the chillie oil in a cooker and add
Mustard seeds, cumin seeds and hing.
Next add the besan and saute till fragrant, add turmeric powder.
Next add chillies and half cup of water.
Close the lid and cook for 4 to 5 whistles.
Open the lid and cook till water almost dries up, at the same time mashing the chillies with a wooden whisk.
Finally add jaggery, tamarind and salt.
You shd be able to balance all the flavours here. Done.

Kumaoni Raita/ Pahari Raita

Raita, the unique ways in which yogurt is used in India. Most often than not, fresh raw  vegetables such as tomato, onion, cucumber, cilantro are chopped and added to whisked yogurt, which is then gently spiced up with salt , pepper etc. Raitas are served as an accompaniment with main meals to cool and refresh the palatte. The varieties of Raitas in Indian cuisine are endless, some like it sweet with fruits like pineapples added to yougurt , or some like it with Boondi( fried gramflour droplets ) in it.
Todays recipe THE KUMAONI RAITA comes from the hilly region of north India, UTTARKHAND. And uses cucumber and mustard seeds as the main ingredient.


When you talk about Uttarkhand, immediately you think of beautiful scenic mountains , high up in the clouds, where the  ice caped mountain  kiss the fluffy clouds which seem like Gossamer., and beautiful valleys and Rivers.
Also Known for  the famous pilgramage places such as Rishikesh, Mukteshwar, Haridwar and pretty hill stations like Nainital and Mussorie.
Uttarkhand has an awesome variety of food, which is simple and easy to put together.
One day I would love to visit this beautiful province, whose panaromic views have attracted me so much. Sigh!

Growing up in Pune, Yogurt in our home was served plain ,or sometimes it was made into a  potato or Boondi raita with a tadka of Rai and jeera,or if mummy was in a good mood,soft sweet dahiwaras were made , mostly on leisurely sunday afternoons . Those were the days when sunday was an important part of the week . That day was a movie date day for mummy and daddy, after which they took us to the local parks in Pune. Either Sambhaji park, or Peshwa park and sometimes to Bund garden . Childhood pleasures were simple but the memories left behind were priceless.
Koi lauta de mere  beete hue din..nostalgia.

On to the recipe, try to use cucumbers with less seeds.. My suggestion is to make the Raita in the night, to let the awesome flavours  of fresh mustard seeds merge into the yogurt. Or at least make it 6 hours before serving. This is a very simple no fuss recipe which comes together in no time. The tartness of mustard seeds, reminds one of wasabi flavours. Do try it.

Ingredients
300 gms fresh yogurt
300 gms cucumbers/ kheera
1.5 tsps mustard seeds
2 tsps cumin seeds
1 green chillies
1/2  tsp turmeric powder
Salt to taste
1/4 tsp asofoedita /hing
1 tbsp mustard oil
2 dry red chillies..broken into smaller pieces
Red chillie powder and chopped cilantro for garnish

Method.
1. Whisk the yogurt in a bowl
2. Grate the cucumbers,DO NOT squeeze the water from cucumbers.
3. Grind together green chillies, cumin seeds, mustard seeds , turmeric powder.( I have used the mortar and pestle, to grind manually) you could use a mixer grinder.
4. Add the mustard paste to the whisked yogurt and mix well. Season with salt.
5. Add grated cucumbers. Mix well, cover bowl and refrigerate for minimum 6 hours.
6. Heat mustard oil in a small pan and add hing , dry red chillies.
7. Pour this tadka over the yogurt, garnish with red chillie powder and chopped corriander. Serve chilled.
Kheere ka raita is ready to be served.

I love having this kumaoni raita with Aloo pitika and luchis and sooji ka seera.

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