Most of you will know that it’s been my long-term dream to have a surprise birthday tandoor at home. Well I still don’t have one. However, my parents bought me a ginormous and Indian-style stacking steamer for my 28th birthday and it’s the best! It’s not beautiful and fancy, it’s a commercial appliance that doesn’t quite fit in my kitchen cupboard unless it’s disassembled. But it’s quickly become my favourite thing. It has multiple layers, baskets and a tight-fitting lid that fluffs up dhokra, muthiya and khichi perfectly.

Khichi, khichu, khichiya and papdi no lot are all names for one iconic Gujarati savoury snack made with rice flour and a few very basic spices. It can be prepared and served in a number of different ways depending on the particular family style and recipe. My favourite way is to shape and steam the rice flour dough for perfect little pucks with a chewy dumpling texture. Other popular methods include cooking it in a pan from start to finish, pressure cooking or even microwaving it.

Traditionally, khichi or papdi no lot (which literally translates to “cooked dough” is served with a bowl of oil. No BS, a bowl of regular plant-based oil like groundnut, sunflower or vegetable oil. Not olive oil, not ghee, not butter. Just oil. I liken it to dipping bread in olive oil in the West, except the point is not to add flavour, but to transform the texture of the dish. The reason why it makes so much sense is because it completely changes the texture of the dish. A slick of oil on the khichi after steaming stops them sticking together and dipping them in oil whilst eating gives the chewy rice flour dumplings a soft, slippery texture that’s not entirely unlike the feeling of eating buttered noodles. Growing up with something as comforting as that gives the most intense cravings!

The combination of ingredients in khichi are always a simple mix so you can really taste the rice flour base. Usually it’s cumin, ginger, salt and chillies. Turmeric and garlic are optional extras. Fresh turmeric is option and adds a gorgeous raw mango flavour and intense colour. I add a little bicarbonate of soda to my khichi to lighten them up a little and ensure they’re not overly dense. They puff up a touch when they steam. Note that adding turmeric and bicarbonate of soda will give your khichi a slight orange hue. You could choose to skip the bicarbonate of soda and add turmeric for yellow khichi or leave both out and make white khichi. I’ve tried them all and prefer to add both. The recipe will work either way. The choice is yours.

Here I’ve shared my recipe for both classic rice flour khichi or papdi no lot, as well as a more playful recipe for a dish I’ve called Sticky, Crispy Chilli Khichi which is perfect for using up leftover khichi. It’s a play on popular Indian restaurant dishes like Chilli Paneer, Chilli Mogo and Chilli Idli which use Chinese ingredients like soy sauce and 5-spice. Similar to the recipe for Sizzling Chilli Idli I posted a couple of years back.

The khichi are dusted in cornflour and fried until crispy on the outside. Right before serving they are tossed in an intense sticky chilli sauce with lots of veg. Don’t be put off by the amount of ginger, chillies and garlic – it’s a lot but necessary to stand up to the somewhat plain rice flour khichi. It’s a delicious starter and a new, creative take on a Gujarati classic. My recipe for Sticky, Crispy Chilli Khichi serves six hungry people.

Khichi or Papdi no Lot (Gujarati Steamed Rice Flour Dumplings)

Makes 20 regular-sized khichi or 40 mini khichi

Ingredients
225g rice flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 green chillies, chopped
1-inch piece ginger, peeled and grated
600ml water
1 tbsp oil

1/4 tsp ajwain
1 tsp cumin seeds

Method

1. Mix together the rice flour and salt. Set aside.

2. In a large saucepan, heat the oil. Add the cumin seeds and ajwain. Allow them to sizzle momentarily. Next, add the chopped chillies and ginger. Sauté until aromatic, about 30 seconds.

3. Add the water and tip in all of the rice flour mixture into the pan and beat with a wooden spoon. The mixture may seem lumpy at first but keep beating and it will come together as a soft dough. Cool for about a minute, beating vigorously all the time. Remove from the heat and allow the mixture to cool slightly.

4. Set up a large metal steamer that fits multiple baskets inside. You’ll need about 2L of hot water in the base and to grease the holed baskets with oil to stop the khichi sticking.

5. When the mixture is still very warm but cool enough to handle, grease your hands with a little oil and make golf ball-sized rounds with the dough. Flatten slightly and use your thumb to make a deep indentation in the middle of each disc. Repeat until you have used up all the dough. Arrange the khichi inside the baskets, leaving space around each one as they will inflate slightly.

6. Place the baskets inside the steamer and close with a tight-fitting lid. Cook on a high heat for 18 minutes exactly. Switch the steamer off and leave covered for 5 minutes.

7. Remove the lid and take the khichi out, placing them on a plate. Brush with oil to stop them sticking together.

8. Serve with oil for dipping.

Leftover khichi can be cut into bite-sized pieces used to make Crispy Chilli Khichi, a delicious starter dish we created and love at home.

Note: if making khichi to use for Chilli Khichi straight away, I like to make little ping pong ball-sized khichi (about half the size of the regular classic kind). If you do this, the recipe above will make approximately 40 small khichis which are perfectly bite-sized.

Sticky, Crispy Chilli Khichi

Serves 6

Ingredients
40 mini khichi
2 tbsp + 3 tsp cornflour
2-inch piece ginger, peeled and julienned
4 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
4 hot thin bird’s eye chillies
3 tbsp sweet chilli sauce (I use Mae Ploy Sweet Chilli Sauce)
4 tbsp light soy sauce
1 tbsp Sriracha
1/2 tsp paprika
2 tbsp vegetarian oyster sauce (I use Mama Sita’s Vegetarian Oyster Sauce)
250ml hot water
1 tbsp light brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp sesame seeds
2 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp Chinese 5-spice
3 mixed peppers, chopped into bite-sized pieces
3 red onions, chopped into bite-sized pieces
1 large tomato, choppef into bite-sized pieces
Oil to deep fry

Method

1. Heat enough oil in a heavy-bottomed pan to deep fry the khichi. The oil temperature should be 180C. Dust the mini khichi in 2 tbsp cornflour and fry in small batches until golden and crispy on the outside, about 5 minutes. Drain on a plate lined with a paper towel and set aside.

2. Heat a large wok until smoking hot. Don’t add any oil. In one go, add in the onions, peppers and tomatoes. Allow the veggies to char lightly and develop a smoky flavour, about 8 minutes. Stir only once or twice. Remove the veggies from the wok and set aside for later.

3. To make the sauce, add 2 tbsp oil to the wok and scatter in the sesame seeds, chillies, garlic and ginger. Sauté briefly. Add the soy sauce, sweet chilli sauce, vegetarian oyster sauce, sriracha, 5-spice, brown sugar, paprika, water and salt. Bring to the boil and allow to simmer for 5 minutes.

4. Mix 3 tsp cornflour with 1 tsp cold water and stir to create a smooth paste. Add to the simmering sauce and stir continually until thickened slightly, about 2 minutes.

5. Heat the sauce through and toss everything together immediately before serving. Garnish with chillies, ginger and sesame seeds.

100% approved by baby K.O!

Love Sanjana

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I first fell in love with the spongy, cloud-like morsels that are Taiwanese folded buns when I sampled them from popular London street vendors, Yum Bun (introduced to me by my friend Cheaper by the Oven). After hearing all the Momofuku hype, these little burger-like buns had finally reached the streets of Britain. My first folded bun was filled with juicy Portabello mushrooms and crunchy, miso-glazed walnuts and they stirred one question in me. Gua Bao, where have you been all my life?!

Re-creating the buns at home has been my mission for the last few months and putting an Indo-vegetarian twist on them was essential. Can you guess what’s coming? I couldn’t imagine anything but replacing the traditional pork belly filling with meaty slices of spicy paneer.

My paneer slices are first marinated in a sticky-sweet soy and 5 spice sauce, then grilled until golden. Stuff the slices into homemade Taiwanese buns, along with wafer-thin cucumber, shredded spring onions, roasted peanuts and a squirt of Sriracha, a fiery Asian chilli sauce.

If paneer doesn’t float your boat, you could also follow in the inspiring footsteps of food blogger and cookbook author, Andrea Nguyen and stuff them with fried tofu.

Funnily enough, many recipes for Gua Bao call for readymade folded buns (fresh or thawed from frozen), but I had trouble finding them in my local Chinese supermarket. Luckily, I don’t give up that easily and hunted down a great family recipe from a friend. If you’re vegetarian and do manage to find readymade buns, double check the ingredients because some may contain lard.

These buns are not to be compared to any old sandwich or burger – they take fast food to the next level. McDonald’s, you’re missing a trick.

Paneer Gua Bao – Taiwanese Folded Buns
Makes 8 buns, serves 4

Ingredients

For the buns:

180ml water
285g plain flour, plus more for rolling
7g dried fast-action yeast
2 tbsp sugar
½ tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
Sunflower oil, for brushing

For the filling:

320g paneer, sliced into ‘steaks’, about 5cm x 3cm
60ml dark soy sauce
130ml water
65g dark brown sugar
1 tsp ground Chinese 5 spice

To serve:

Cucumber, sliced thinly
Spring onions, sliced thinly
Red chillies, sliced (optional)
Handful roasted peanuts, crushed roughly
Sriracha chilli sauce

Method

1. First make the bun dough. Mix the flour, sugar, yeast and salt in a large bowl. Bring the water to hand hot temperature (not too hot as this will kill the yeast) and add to the flour. Bring together with a spoon, then your hands. Knead on a floured surface for around 5 minutes until smooth, soft and elastic. Place the dough in a large oiled bowl and cover loosely with cling film. Allow to rise in a warm place for about two hours.

2. Next, make the marinade for the paneer. In a small saucepan, bring the soy sauce, water, brown sugar and 5 spice to the boil and allow to reduce by half – between 5-8 minutes.

3. Place the paneer steaks in a shallow dish and cover with the hot marinade. Allow to sit until you’ve finished making the buns.

4. Once the dough for the buns has risen, knock all the air out and knead in the baking powder. Divide the dough into 8 equal portions and cover 7 with cling film whilst you roll out the first bun.

5. Dust a floured surface with flour and roll the first ball of dough into an oval, about 10cm x 6cm. Using a pastry brush, brush half with oil and fold half the dough over the other half from the shortest side to get a half-moon bun shape like in my pictures. Place on a piece of greased parchment paper and cover loosely with cling film. Repeat this for the remaining 7 pieces of dough. Allow the formed buns to rise again in a warm place for another 30 minutes.

6. Set up your steamer. I used a bamboo steamer inside a wok but if you have an electric steamer or a couple of pans with a steaming basket inside one another, use them. Place each bun dough (still on its parchment paper) inside the steamer (do not stack them). Allow to steam for 10-12 minutes. Once cooked, remove from the steamer and set aside.

7. Lift the paneer steaks from the marinade and grill until slightly crusty on the outside.

8. Brush the inside of the buns with some remaining marinade or Sriracha, stuff with a slice of paneer, cucumber, spring onions, chillies, roasted peanuts and a squirt of Sriracha.

I promise you this – once you sink your teeth into one of these buns, you’ll forever think about them every time you crave a burger or sandwich. Enjoy.

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The prospect of an Indian breakfast is sometimes just the kick I need to pull myself from my cosy bed. This usually only ever takes place on weekends or during time-off from the day job, so it’s always a welcome treat.

Along with a spicy breakfast, there’s nothing more satisfying than using up leftovers. This recipe for Dudhi Na Muthyia hits both of those spots. They’re made using grated bottlegourd (doodhi/lauki), cold leftover rice, chickpea flour and a medley of subtle spices. The dumplings are then formed into log-shapes and gently steamed to lock in plenty of flavour and moisture. Once cooled, the cooked muthiya are quickly sautéed with sesame seeds and curry leaves to add that final dimension of flavour and a gorgeously crisp, golden texture.

So many people prefer them straight from the steamer without sautéing them first – perhaps a consequence of impatience more than anything else. I have been known to finish them off before I actually finish off the recipe, not that I should actually be admitting to this.

I add coarse semolina to these steamed dumplings as it gives them a softer texture in the middle and once they’re sautéed, a better crisp on the outside.

Don’t have bottlegourd? Muthiya taste just as good when they’re made with courgettes, cabbage, carrots or even fenugreek. Use your imagination and don’t be afraid to play with your food.

My favourite way of enjoying muthiya is with a steaming cuppa sweet masala chai and absolutely nothing else.

Dudhi Na Muthiya
Serves 4-6

 For the dumplings:

1 bottlegourd, grated (about 400g)
260g chickpea flour
1 ½ tbsp coarse semolina
400g cold cooked rice or khichdi
140g plain flour
4 green chillies, minced (or to taste)
2 ½ tsp salt (or to taste)
1 tsp turmeric
90ml oil, plus more for greasing
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 ½ tsp sugar
Juice of ½ lemon
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp bicarbonate of soda

To temper:

2 tbsp oil
1 tsp mustard seeds
1 tbsp sesame seeds
6-8 curry leaves
¼ tsp asafoetida
1 tbsp chopped coriander to garnish

Method

1. In a large, deep pan (one that comes with a steaming basket), boil -2L water. Grease the basket with 1 tbsp oil and pop it into the pan so it suspends above the water but doesn’t touch it.

2. Take a large mixing bowl and combine all of the ingredients for the dumplings. Do not add water as the bottlegourd will release plenty as you mix. Keep going, gently squeezing the mixture until you get a batter.

3. One by one, roll into seven logs and place them into the steaming basket. You may need to do them in two batches if your steamer is small. Place a lid on and simmer on a medium heat for 20-25 minutes or until a skewer poked into the middle of one comes out clean. Remove the basket from the steamer and allow to cool completely.

4. Remove the logs from the steaming basket and cut each log into 2cm pieces. Set aside.

5. To temper the spices and sauté the muthia: in a large non-stick pan, heat the oil and add the mustard seeds. Wait for them to pop, then add the sesame seeds, curry leaves and asafoetida. Add the dumplings and sauté on a high heat for 5 minutes or so, turning every so often – make sure you don’t break them when turning. When golden, remove from the heat and garnish with chopped coriander. Serve hot. Note: Dudhi Na Muthiya can be kept in the fridge for up to three days, but I doubt these will last that long.

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Guess who’s back? Over the next four weeks I’ll be running a series called Indian Cooking Step-by-Step in which I’ll be exploring classic recipes from a handful of Indian regions. Join me as I prepare Khaman – a Gujarati favourite in under 50 minutes.

I’m not too proud to admit that I’m a terrible teacher, but when it comes to cooking Indian food, I can’t help but put my two pence in. I become a wannabe Gujarati (hailing from the state of Gujarat in western India) Mary Poppins who’s full of the old-school tips I picked up watching various female family members squabble over how much ginger to put in the daal.

Khaman are fluffy, steamed, savoury cakes made with chickpea flour and a divine topping of tempered mustard seeds, sesame seeds, curry leaves, shredded coconut and coriander.

The tempered topping is the most magical part of the recipe, as hot oil with sizzling spices is (very carefully) splashed with water, and then drizzled over the top of the delicately-spicy savoury cake.

The result is a light hot and sour cake drenched with an aromatic, sweet emulsion and finished with an intense freshness from the colourful garnish. It makes for the perfect starter when served with my Coriander and Lime Chutney.

Ever attended a Gujarati wedding? Every menu almost certainly features Khaman, along with our other characteristic obsessions: Samosas, fluffy rice and buttermilk soup or daal.

Getting up to be served food, guests will moan about stingy portions of Khaman then, during dinner and without asking, the same people will slip several pieces onto your plate whilst you’re not looking because they come to realise their eyes were bigger than their bellies.

Read more about Khaman and get the recipe here.

Missing you all so much. Happy cooking – I’ll be back in a jiffy.

In the meantime, if you’re at all interested in my daily musings, food-related chit chat with just a little of the real, unedited Sanjana thrown in, follow me on Twitter or become a fan on Facebook. Would love to see you there.

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The past few days have been spent planning an elaborate baking mission composed of sweet treats to make your heart cry out for a detox – though I’m not yet ready for said detox.

Biryani is a bit like a newborn kitten – except you don’t cook nor eat newborn kittens. It requires heaps of concentration, patience and love.

Each individual component needs to be prepared to just the right level before the ingredients can be assembled in a harmonious fashion, and then gently steamed to create an insanely delicious smelling and tasting dish to fight over at the dinner table.

In the last post we discussed the origins of Mughlai cuisine and what makes it so majestic, and this fruity, nutty aromatic rice is right on point. Juicy apricots and pineapples are layered up with fluffy rice, spicy potatoes, sweet onions, aromatic saffron and kewra water (screwpine extract).

I’m not going to lie to you, you are likely to do a double take when you see the ingredients list. Take courage, my recipe provides you with a straightforward process to follow to create a true masterpiece. In truth, the assembly of biryani is not unlike the process used to make lasagne – it’s all in the preparation, so be prepared.

The following method is very detailed because I want to give you a complete guide full of handy hints and tips to make the perfect biryani for any occasion, and not only this one.

(serves 6, or 8 as part of a large meal)

400g basmati rice
340g baby new potatoes, cut into quarters
320g onions, sliced into thin strips
60g dried apricots, chopped, chopped into 2cm chunks
20g dried pineapple, chopped into 2cm chunks
20g whole almonds
20g whole pistachios
10g unsweetened desiccated coconut or 30g fresh coconut, grated
1 pinch saffron soaked in 4 tbsp hot water
1 tbsp kewra water
250ml hot water + more for boiling the rice and potatoes
4 tbsp oil or ghee
Salt

1 ½ tsp minced ginger
2 tsp minced chillies
1 tsp cinnamon powder
4 whole cloves
1 tsp ground green cardamom seeds (flowery, aromatic flavour)
¼ tsp ground black cardamom seeds (smoky, heady flavour)
¼ tsp whole fennel seeds
¼ tsp pomegranate seed powder (sharp, sour taste – available in most Indian shops)
1/8 tsp ground mace
1 small pinch ground nutmeg
1 tsp salt

Method

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This dish of fluffy, buttery rice with peas alongside a bowl of kadhi encapsulates everything it means to be Gujarati. Ever been to a Gujarati wedding? If so, you’ve probably eaten this before. You’ve heard me say it a hundred and one times before but I know I’ll be saying it again and again; hot, sweet, sour, savoury, fresh and aromatic. These are the flavours of matar bhaat and kadhi and the flavours of Gujarat. I’ve eaten these dishes so many times that a fillet of Sanjana probably tastes similar. That’s not an invitation- you know very well that this is a vegetarian blog.

Well, you get the picture. Hot, sweet, sour… blah, blah, blah.

(serves 6)

Ingredients

170g fresh peas, washed and shelled with both the inner and outer membranes removed (you could also use mange tout with a handful of frozen peas)
350g white basmati rice
300g new potatoes, washed and quartered
¼ tsp turmeric
2 ½ tbsp ghee
2 tsp cumin seeds
8 curry leaves
¼ tsp asafoetida
2 tsp salt (or to taste)
700ml boiling water

Method

1. Gently wash the rice around 5 times in cold water. This will help to remove some starch and give you perfect fluffy rice. Leave the rice to soak in a bowl of cold water for 30-40 minutes and drain before you need to use it in step 3.

2. Boil the potatoes in salted water with ¼ tsp turmeric added for colour until al dente. Drain and set aside.

3. Heat the ghee in a large non-stick pan (one that comes with a lid). Add the cumin seeds, curry leaves, asafoetida and peas. Sauté for a few minutes then add the rice. Combine gently until the rice is coated in the ghee and spices.

4. Add around 700ml boiling water, 2 tsp salt and the boiled potatoes. Bring to the boil. The water should come up about ½ an inch to an inch above the surface of the rice.

5. Turn the heat to low/medium and cover the entire surface of the rice/water mixture with a piece of tin foil. The foil should just sit on top of the contents of the pan so that the steam doesn’t escape.

6. Cover the pan with a lid and leave on a low/medium heat for 10-15 mins. I would suggest checking the rice after 10 minutes. If it is almost, but not quite done, turn the heat off and put the foil and lid back on for a further 5 minutes. The rice should finish cooking perfectly in the steam.

7. Inhale the beautiful earthy, sweet scent of the steaming rice. Note: Don’t burn your face.

8. When your rice is perfectly cooked, allow it to cool for a little while and then gently separate the grains with a fork.

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