Topic: Chicken Sagwala Kushi Recipe

[Malc.]

Phil, i'm sorry I haven't tried white flour.

[Peripatetic Phil]

Yes, on looking at my library once again, I see the authorities are split on this one, with more favouring the atta approach than the white.  The only two I have been able to find so far who support my white thesis are E P Veerasawmy, who writes

The very finest flour, called Mydah, is used, but ordinary pastry white will answer the purpose

and Meera Teneja, who simply advocates plain flour.  My impression is that the frozen ones are indeed made with white flour while BIRs in general use atta, making the latter rather heavier than the frozen as Ray has already noted.

** Phil.

[Razor]

Hi Phil,

My impression is that the frozen ones are indeed made with white flour while BIRs in general use atta, making the latter rather heavier than the frozen as Ray has already noted.

Mmm, not really Phil, the folding process is to some extent, similar to making flaky or puff pastry. of course, the frozen varieties are lighter than the BIR version but only slightly.

The Kushi method (ABC) is good too, whereby you roll out the dough as thin as you can, brush with a good amount of butter ghee.  Then, you roll it up like a Swiss roll, then spiral the dough around it's self, flatten, and roll out.  This method pretty much guarantee's an even 'round'.

Ray

[Razor]

Just another observation on the frozen ones.

To me, they almost seem to be more of a frozen 'batter' than a dough.  I've not tried this but I wonder what would happen should I let one defrost completely?  Would it turn to liquid?

Ray

[Peripatetic Phil]

OK, I think we've done this one to death (!) but in passing I have just checked the Shania pack of frozen paratha, and that definitely claims to contain wheat flour rather than wholemeal; the colour (almost pure white) would tend to support this.

On a vaguely related track, I bought some cumin papad from my local grocer (because they were so cheap), and being only half as thick as my usual Madras pappadom they were real hell to cook, but they are very nice and definitely "moreish".  About GBP 1-10 for 200g (maybe 20 to 24 in pack).  The manufacturer (Madhu) recommends frying at 200C one at a time for no more than three seconds, then draining vertically.

** Phil.

[Peripatetic Phil]

I've not tried this but I wonder what would happen should I let one defrost completely?  Would it turn to liquid?

No, they just go soft and still cook just fine.

[Malc.]

There is another method of folding whereby the dough is rolled out then concertinaed  before being rolled in a spiral, this produces a very flaky paratha when cooked.

Phil, the advantage to making your own at home is that you can also flavour the dough with anything you like, such as cumin, chilli, methi, etc.

We should have started another topic for this, sorry Frank.

[Peripatetic Phil]

Phil, the advantage to making your own at home is that you can also flavour the dough with anything you like, such as cumin, chilli, methi, etc.

True.  It's just that the day is so short (only 24 hours, in most cases), and there's so much to do once you have retired ...

We should have started another topic for this, sorry Frank.

Signature changed accordingly !

[Razor]

Malc,

Just about to knock this up but straight away I need to ask you a few qusetions mate;

a) Did you use 8 cloves?  Seems a hell of a lot for 1 portion?

b) Did you fish out all the whole spices before serving?  I don't fancy crunching down on that lot during my meal.

Hurry, I'm about to start

Ray ;D

[Malc.]

Probably to late now but did you mean this recipe or the Prawn Sagawala in the book? If you meant the book recipe, yes I did follow it to spec. I tried heartedley to fish out all the hard spice but failed to find the cardamon and and but four of the cloves. The cardamon was never found so I must have eaten it but the clove was, boy do you get a kick of it when you crush that bewtween the teeth!