Once I was traveling by train, my co-passenger was a Rajasthani. When I introduced myself that I am from Durgapur, He smiled and told me that he also got the opportunity to stay for a month in Durgapur for thermal power training. Then he narrated the mess life and told whenever the breakfast was prepared luchi –aloobhaja; the Bengali mates used to shout with rejoicing “dada Aaj luchi aloobhaja ache breakfast e taratari cholun sesh hoye jabe”(Brother Today’s breakfast is luchi aloobhaja, come fast otherwise won’t get). So I need not explain the Bengali’s craziness of luchi aloobhaja. Julian-shaped potatoes are fried in mustard oil and small flatbread made of maida is deep-fried, this is How To Make Luchi Aloobhaja.
Luchi, made of all-purpose flour, originating from the eastern part of India mainly Bengal; and is popular in the Indian states of West Bengal, Assam, Tripura, and Orissa and neighborhood countries like Bangladesh. It goes well with aloo bhaja. ghugni or kosha mangsho. As there is no rice in this so during Ekadashi or any other worship, people believe in rituals are taking luchi as a meal with any other veg curry. Also during any offering to God, the main dish is also luchi-torkai.
Traditional luchi is made from all-purpose flour, but if you take it frequently better use half a portion of whole wheat flour which is healthier. Here I am using half all-purpose and half whole wheat flour.
Main equipment required
A Kadai or a frying pan
Serving plate
Skimmer/jharna spatula
INGREDIENTS for alubhaja
5 Potatoes
1 cup Curry leaves
5 silted green chilies
2 whole red chilies
½ tbsp mustard seeds
2 tbsp mustard Oil
1 tbsp Turmeric powder1 cup
Salt to taste
INGREDIENTS for luchi
1 cup all-purpose flour
whole wheat flour-
oil for moyan-1 tbsp
Pinch of salt
2 cups oil for frying the luchi
How To Make Luchi Aloobhaja
How To make aloo bhaja
- Wash and cut the potatoes in Julian’s shape.
- Wash curry leaves
- Take an iron Kadai and season it by pouring oil in a high flame; let the smoke come out; then make it lower, now the potatoes will not stick with the Kadai body. Now throw some mustard seeds and dry chilies for tempering.
- Once sizzle and tempered add the curry leaves and stir fry for two minutes.
- Then add the Julian cut potatoes and stir fry for 3-4 minutes
- Add turmeric powder and salt mix it and fry it another 2 minutes and cover the lid, and allow it to cook for 5-6 minutes in simmering.
- Open the lid and mix it well and check that a single potato is not stuck in the pan.
- Take it out from the oven.
How To make luchi
- Add 1 cup all-purpose and 1 cup whole wheat flour to a big mixing bowl, and add a pinch of salt and oil for moyan. Mix it for two minutes, then add water in two to three stages and knead the dough and cover it with a kitchen napkin for 10-15 minutes.
- Now divide the dough and make 15 small sphere size balls.
- With the help of a rolling pin make the ball flat with a 4-5 inches circle.
- Take a deep bottomed pan /Kadai and heat oil in a medium flame
- Drop the luchi and deep fry it; While deep frying the luchis, apply gentle pressure on it with the help of a jharna spatula or skimmer, to get the perfect puffed luchi, once done on one side, then turn it over to another side
- Same way to fry all the luchis.
- Serve hot with aloo bhaja.
How To Make Luchi Aloobhaja
Equipment
- A Kadai or a frying pan
- Serving plate
- Skimmer/jharna spatula
Ingredients
For Aloobhaja
- 5 potato
- 1 cup curry leaves
- 5 green chilies
- 2 whole red chili
- 1/2 tbsp mustsrd seeds
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 tbsp turmeric powder
- salt
For Luchi
- 1 cup All purpose floue
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 tbsp oil for moyan
- 2 cup oil to fry luchi
- pinch of salt
Instructions
How To make aloo bhaja
- Wash and cut the potatoes in Julian shape.
- Wash curry leaves.
- Take an iron kadai and seasoned it by pouringoil in a high flame; let the smoke come out; then make it lower, now thepotatoes will not stick with the kadai body.Now throw some mustard seeds anddry chilies for tempering.
- Once sizzle and tempered add the curry leavesand stir fry for two minutes.
- Then add the Julian cut potatoes and stir fryfor 3-4 minutes
- Add turmeric powder and salt mix it and fry itanother 2 minutes and cover the lid, and allow it to cook for 5-6 minutes insimmer.
- Open the lid and mix it well and check that asingle potato is not stick witTa the pan.Take it out
How To make luchi
- Add1 cup all purpose flour and 1 cup whole wheat flour in a big mixing boul, addpinch of salt and oil for moyan. Mix it for two minutes, then add water in twoto three stages and knead the dough and cover it wiyh kitchen napkin for 10-15minutes.
- Now devide the dough and make 15 small spheresize balls.
- Withthe help of a rolling pin make the ball flat with 4-5 inches circle.
- Takea deep bottomed pan /kadai and heat oil in a medium flame
- Dropthe luchi and deep fry it; While deepfrying the luchis, apply gentle pressure on it with the help of a jharnas/patula or skimmer, to get the perfect puffed luchi, once done on one side,then turn it over to another side
- Same way fry all the luchis.
- Serve hot with aloo bhaja.