I’m in absolute love the way my plants are coming back to life and blooming; especially the bougainvillea and lemon balm. And, this week, I went to art class without any sweater! It was such a great feeling to drive my two-wheeler without any jacket or muffler. Winters are almost gone. And I’m so happy the summer wave will hit us soon.

I have been listening to a lot of spiritual chanting tracks of late. Singing makes my heart weep, and I get really emotional when I sing these classic spiritual numbers, like the Ram Stuti written by Tulsidas, I believe. There is a nine-year-old girl called Sooryagayathri who sang a few lines from this Stuti and I downloaded it on YouTube to hear it again and again. Solace, I must say.

This year, I wanted to use more of pulses and lentils in my kitchen, and not stress only on vegetables. And this Monday, I happened to see this jar of coarsely pound split green mung dal. It then struck me that mum must have sent me this for Korme ki Roti. So I called her to know the recipe, and had it for breakfast. She always used to make Korme ki Roti for our travels and even for those hectic or slow holiday mornings.

Korma

Korma soaked in water

coriander seeds

Korma is nothing but slightly ground split green mung dal. Take a few cups of it in a jar, and grind it once or twice to get a coarse and slightly powdered texture. It’s made in Rajasthan, and is a common kitchen ingredient. You need to soak it for an hour before making this Roti. Also, I love the texture that coriander seeds in my Korme ki Roti. I’m used to eating the dry and slightly grainy Korme ki Roti since childhood, and it’s really filling.

So, if you’re looking for healthy breakfast recipes, you know what to try next. My mum used to make lots of Korme ki Roti and keep it wrapped in a muslin cloth in a Roti box for later. Perfect for those 4PM hunger pangs! I have to have something at 4PM; it’s dreadful for me when I find nothing to eat in the kitchen. So, a Roti box is a no else blessing.

Recipe: Korme ki Roti

Ingredients

wheat flour – 2 cups
spices (coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chilli powder) – as your preference
coriander seeds – 2 to 3 tbsp (coarsely ground)
Korma – 3 to 4 fists (soak it clean water before an hour; strain the mung flakes and water and then add it to the flour)
salt to taste
oil – 1 tsp (optional; we use it to make a tight dough)
bajra flour – 1 tbsp (optional; this makes the Rotis softer)

Method

1. Make a dough with all ingredients. But, be extra careful when you add water. Somehow, it’s extremely easy to bind these ingredients together and this dough takes less water. So, you can add ¼ cup of water, or may be less, initially. And then add more water, if required. After about five to 10 minutes, knead it for 30 seconds with a hint of oil to make it easy for you to roll the balls.
2. Now, just as we make rotis, you need to make one with a small ball of this dough. Roast it with a hint of oil or ghee on the griddle.
3. Serve your Korme ki Roti with mango pickle or garlic chutney. I love it with plain curd. And make sure you make some extra rotis for later.