TAPALA CHEKKALU - TELANGANA SPECIAL

--------HAPPY DIWALI 2012 TO ALL THE FOOD LOVERS------

                                      This is a South-Indian dish popular among the Telangana part of Andhra Pradesh ,made with rice flour as main ingredient. The speciality of this dish is its unique way of cooking over on inside base of aluminum utensils covered with a plate filled with some water to allow steaming effect inside. I was introduced to this dish by my lovely grandmother while I was in college. Everybody in the house liked its taste and my mom&dad shared their childhood memories connected to this dish while relishing it. I really consider this as an authentic Telangana dish prepared in rural parts.
                                  But due to lack of aluminum utensils in USA, I tried making them over the nonstick kadai's I had at home and covered them with just lids(no water filled in them). This method still works for me as long as I can connect back to those days. So people please try this and let me know the taste.

INGREDIENTS:

Rice flour ----------------- 2cups
 

Jalapenos------------------4 coarsely ground

Sesame seeds-----------1tbsp 

Chana Dal------------------3tbsp soaked in water for 1/2hr

Pea Nuts------------------- 3tbsp roasted and slightly crushed 

Cumin seeds--------------1tsp 

Curry leaves---------------10 chopped coarsely

Onion------------------------1/2 of a large one chopped  

Spring onion --------------1 chopped

Coariander leaves-------2 tsp chopped

Ginger Garlic paste---- 1 tsp

Turmeric--------------------a large pinch

DIRECTIONS:

1. Mix the ingredients listed above one by one properly. Now add enough salt to taste and mix thoroughly.

2.Add water slowly and mix till a nice soft dough forms. The dough will not of regular roti dough consistency but will be falling apart as its rice flour. So the dough should not be tight as we will not be able to spread over uniformly. 

3.To test the consistency ,you should be able to form nice large balls and spread out nicely in shape of circle on an aluminum foil smeared with 1/2tsp oil without falling apart. This will tell you whether you need extra water.

4. Once the exact dough consistency is achieved, smear a nonstick kadai or small frying pan with oil. You might require 2 kadai's or 2 pans to cook two of them simultaneously saving time.

5.Now take a large hand full dough make a ball and gently press 
spreading the ball with your finger tips to all over the kadai or pan 
starting from center.

6.The dough should not too thick or too thin just a little thicker than chapati. Now use some oil over the edges and on top.Cover them with lids and place on burners turned to med-low setting for 10-17mins.

7.They are ready to be removed when the edges start having light brown color. No need of turning it over for cooking. They are now ready to be served. They stay fresh for 2-3 days.