Guest Post Series: Besan ki Phulki (a GF snack), by Shaheen Ali

I hope you all liked Shobana Rao's Lobia Suva Bhaji Subzi last week!
My guest today is a young, dynamic & bubbly person who is a die-hard foodie, Shaheen Ali! She hails from a gastronomic family and started her blog Spoonfork&food in 2014 to document and share her experiences with food. Her amazing photography skill makes her blog a visual treat! Her blog recently celebrated it's second anniversary and even better, it just moved to it's new abode! Now that is what I call growth! Shaheen is a young mother with one son. She lives in India with her family.

Like me, she is a physical therapist by profession and understands the importance of eating healthy! Today, she is sharing with us a popular snack from Uttar Pradesh ( a Northern Indian state), Besan ki Phulki. This is a gluten-free snack made with chick-pea flour and served with a spiced, tangy yogurt-based sauce. Shaheen has made this traditionally fried snack healthier by cooking it in the appe pan. Do check this recipe out and also head to Spoonfork&food to check out all the other wonderful recipes and feast on it with your eyes!

Besan ki Phulki is a typical refreshing and flavorful snack of Uttar Pradesh. It's gluten free and makes an amazing snack option for weekend brunch parties. The dish can also be teemed up with mutter ki chaat. Though the original recipe asks for a deep fry technique, but to make it more healthier I opted for Appe Pan. Yes ! with just a few drops of oil, the phuklis get ready in no time and is a blessing to all the weight watchers like me. 

Preparation Time : 5 mins 

Cooking Time : 15 mins 

Total Time : 20 mins 

Course : snack

Cuisine : North Indian 

Yields : 4 servings 

Equipment Required : Appe Pan / Panniyaram Pan

Ingredients :

• Phulki
• 1 1/4 cup chickpea powder/ besan
• 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 to 2/3 cup water
• Pinch Of Baking Soda
• Spiced Yogurt
• 600 gms yogurt, whisked
• 1 tsp black rock salt
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 1 finely chopped green/red chili
• Few drops of oil for pan frying

Steps : 

1. Place all dry ingredients for phulki in a large bowl and stir to mix. Start adding water gradually and whisk to make a smooth batter. Make the batter till pancake like consistency.

2. Whisk yogurt with black rock salt, garlic and green chili until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning. 

3. Heat few drops of oil in each section of Appe pan and drop 1/2 teaspoonfuls of batter gently into each  without overcrowding, close the lid and fry over medium heat for 2-3 mins or until light golden brown. Flip and repeat.

4. Remove the first batch and place them in the serving bowl and top with little yogurt. 

5. Again pan fry the second batch and place them over the topped yogurt. Repeat the same till all the yogurt is consumed.

6. Garnish with freshly chopped coriander, chopped green chilies and also some sev if you prefer. You can also use pomegranate pearls to garnish. 

7. Chill for about an hour and serve as a snack in your brunch parties. 

Enjoy!

I am bringing this delicious dish of Shaheen's to all my friends at Throwback Thursday#40, Fiesta Friday#121  and Saucy Saturdays#47! 

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