Sajuk Tup Chapati AaNi Sakhar

and Many ways to eat it.

The 10 days of being home alone makes it such a pain to cook on week days. I have been enjoying my dinner of fresh fruit salad yet the lunch leaves me wanting to eat food that I have made myself. Today is Thursday, one more day and it would have been the weekend but I did not have the patience. Infact there was no power at home but I was determined. I switched on the emergency lamp and started cooking in the dim light.

In the cooker went in a dal major rice minor khichdi along with onions and tomatoes. I had planned to add some ginger garlic paste but forgot to pound it. I kept aside the mortar and pestle with the peeled ginger garlic left in it. Would I dare to do it when Dad is around. I will wash the ginger and garlic before use, if I cook tomorrow else I'll throw it away.

While it whistled on slow, I made the dough for chapatis. Now in Marathi I learnt to call it PoLi much later but as a kid it was chapati so that is what it is.

I was craving for soft chapatis after eating the oil free ones made at the cafeteria at work, healthy but not a Marathi's style. I realize how finicky I have become about food. I cook every single day when Dad is here with me but now when I was eating out nothing tasted like home.

Since I had already made a khichdi I did not want to make a bhaaji. So I thought Sajuk Tup Chapati Aani Sakhar is what will make my soul sing. Just like Aai, my Mom would make it.

The ghee must be home made Sajuk Tup for this. The Dalda is ok for puff pastries and Nankhatai but has no place in my home for any other use. Sajuk Tup is a must with Varan bhat, on Sheera after it is cooked and with just off the tava chapati!

Ingredients

1 cup wheat flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup water
2 teaspoons Sajuk Tup for kneading

*Sajuk Tup for GENEROUS DOUSING

Rub in the molten sajuk tup into the dry wheat flour. Add salt and water and knead to get a smooth dough.

Now pinch of small parts of the dough and roll out to get a small phulka. Apply sajuk tup lightly dust with flour. Fold it into a quarter then fold 2 more times. Each fold lightly greased with the sajuk tup and dusted with flour. Now press it flat and roll out a chapati. Heat a tava on high. Roast the chapati and press lightly with a cloth or flat spoon. Douse the chapati with lots of sajuk tup before you remove from heat. Do this fast before the chapati turns stiff on the tava. Fold it into half and fold it one more time to get a quarter. Store it in a hot pot.

This chapati has lots of layers and sajuk tup flavor dominate. This is the famous Marathi Ghadichi PoLi. Some might find it very rich. So keep a fizzy drink handy.

There are many ways to serve and enjoy this delicate chapati.

1. Tear into rough pieces and sprinkle sugar on it and eat it with your fingers.


2. Open the quarter folds of the chapati, drizzle the sugar. Pack it for tomorrow's lunch.


3. Even if the khichdi needs to be gulped and cleaned. Roll a little sugar in one chapati and take a bite while watching TV.

Now off to bed.... have to go to work... tomorrow is Friday and then the weekend...

Thought for the night:

"Unconditional love gives one the freedom to be your own self."

Good Night...Sweet dreams :)