Chakki ki shaak

Ingredients

• 2 cups wheat flour
• Water to knead
• 1 cup curd, whisked
• 1 tbsp besan
• 2 tbsp oil
• 1 tsp cumin
• A pinch of hing
• 2 cloves and 1 bay leaf
• 1 onion, finely chopped (optional)
• 1 tsp ginger-garlic paste (optional)
• 1 tsp red chilli powder
• ½ tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp coriander powder
• ½ tsp garam masala
• Salt to taste

Method

1. Knead the flour into a soft dough and leave it covered for 30 minutes.
2. Wash the dough in a bowl of water, squeezing and kneading, changing the water several times until the starch is washed away and a rubbery lump of gluten (chakki) remains.
3. Shape the gluten into a flat cake, steam or boil it for 15–20 minutes until firm, then cut into cubes.
4. Lightly fry the cubes in oil and set aside.
5. Whisk the curd with besan and the spice powders. Heat oil, add cumin, hing, cloves and bay leaf, then onion and ginger-garlic if using, and fry until golden.
6. Lower the heat, add the curd mixture and stir until it boils. Add the chakki, salt and a little water and simmer for 10 minutes. Finish with garam masala.