Sarva Pindi .. Rice flour flatbread

Whatever I say, I am still not that familiar to all the tastes of South India. Dosa, Idli and Uthapam are not the only South Indian dishes and I know that. Its just I don't get that much chance to try on different types of Rasam and Sambhar. Recently tried Paniyarams and they were good too. Now am travelling towards the breads of South India. Appam and Pindi were the two new things I tried from the list. More so because I have got the challenge from Srivalli for this Month's ICC. 

Sarva Pindi was amazingly good and filling. I just had two in Lunch an dI was full, along with some Raita and chutney off course. It was a great snack with evening tea as well. The only back side of this wonderful pancake is that it takes a lot of time to get cooked completely. And then you have to be really patient all the time else it wont be crunchy. It tastes somewhat like Thalipeeth and Koki combination. Those who don't know what these are, Thalipeeth is a Maharasthtrian pancake while Koki is the Sindhi version of the same. It's indeed healthy but the downside is you have to use the oil generously else it will not be that crunchy and might be under cooked. 

The first batch I made was according to the instruction of Srivalli, but then I realised it was not crunchy due to its size and I could not roll it thinner. So what I did was to make smaller pancakes so that I can make them thin and hence crunchy. It worked well, and yes ! I also mixed 2 tbsp Semolina in the dough which contributed towards goodness and crunch of the final bread.  I have made my own changes to the recipe though.. Addition of Semolina, Chana Dal and Peanuts, all brought that desired crispiness from the Pindi.. 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Rice Flour
• 2 tbsp Semolina
• 2 tbsp Sesame seeds
• 2 tbsp roasted Peanuts
• 2 tbsp  Chana Daal ( soaked for 2 hours )
• 2 Green chilies, coarsely ground or finely chopped
• 1 tsp Cumin seeds, red chili powder each
• 2-3 garlic pods, minced or ground
• 1 Large onion, finely chopped
• Handful of coriander leaves/cilantro , chopped
• 4-5 curry leaves, chopped
• Salt as per taste
• 1/2 cup Water ( you may need more )
• Oil as per needed ( almost ½ cup for 5 pancakes )

Preparations:

• Wash sesame seeds and keep aside.
• Soak the roasted peanuts for 10 minutes in warm water and then grind coarsely. I keep the skin on, like the texture and color of it.
• Drain soaked chana dal and grind coarsely.

Method:

• Mix all the ingredients ( except  oil ) and knead to a dough like mass with the help of little water. You will have to be cautious of the burning sensation of the ground green chilies so you could add it at the end.
• Keep the dough aside for 10 minutes. Roll 5 equal balls of the dough and flatten them by hands. If the dough is sticking to your hands, apply some water to your palms and then flatten them on the top of a generously greased plate.
• Make some small holes in between of the pancake with your finger. Be careful not to break the pancake apart.
• Now heat a griddle and spread and heat oil on it. Keep the pancake over it and let it cook covered on slow flame.
• Pour some oil in the holes in between and also on the edges from time to time. This will absorb a lot of oil. Mine took around 2 tbsp each pancake.
• This pancake will take around 10 minutes to get cooked by one side, now flip and cook another side for next 5 minutes approx..
• Make sure its cooked properly, by touching the sides. It should be crispy not soggy.. Take it off and enjoy hot with chutney.

Notes:

• This pancake does take time to cook, so you will have to patient. What I did was to make two small pancakes and cook it on my wide griddle. This helped in reducing the amount of oil used and also served two people at the same time.
• I have used Chana dal and peanuts both in the same recipe, you could skip one or both. But they did contribute in the crunchiness of the final bread indeed.
• You will have to pour oil frequently for 2-3 times in between cooking time for even cooking.
• You can keep it covered for faster cooking or you can reduce the cover time to half for slower cooking but better crunch.
• The quantity of Sesame seeds should not be reduced since that is one of the main ingredients.
• I added semolina for better nutritional value and easy handling while cooking, you could skip it too.
• You can also grind the onion coarsely and add it to the dough instead of chopping it. I like it that way

for Srivalli's ICC - FEB , Ruth's Dairy Free Breakfast