Homemade Tomate Sauce Pizza

Home-made pizza is no comparison to the commercial ones. They have better ovens, automated, perfecto temperatures etc etc. But home-made pizzas have such an earthy taste, so warm. A very simple recipe. using both my Microwave-Grill oven and gas stove. Another plus is the home-made tomato sauce.

Tomato Sauce Ingredients:
10 ripe Tomatoes (Purée in a blender)
1 tbsp chopped onion
1 tbsp minced garlic
2 tsp sugar
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp dried basil
1 tbsp chopped fresh basil
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
salt and pepper to taste

Method:
1. Sauté the Garlic and Onions in the olive oil for 5 minutes and add the other ingredients except the basil.
2. Simmer and cover the pizza sauce for about 15-20 minutes, keep stirring in between.
3. Add the chopped basil when the sauce is ready. If during the simmering, the sauce becomes too thick, add some water.
4. Let the sauce cool down before using.

Now for the pizza. I use a 6" dia base. My oven won't house any bigger.

Pizza Ingredients:
6" dia Pizza base
Chicken Sausages (Italian+Herbed) Cut at an angle
1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese
Processed Cheese Slices
1/2 tsp Thyme
1 tbsp Olive oil

Method
I first heated a skillet on gas stove. Since I was using a Grill with top-heat, cooking the base is equally important.

Spread Tomato sauce over the Pizza base. Sprinkle some Thyme and cover with Sausage slices. Cover with grated Mozerella cheese and Processed cheese slices. Dab on some Olive Oil.

Keep the Base on a Grill-stand, near to heat. Grill for 10-15 minutes till cheese melts. Then take out the Pizza carefully and place it on the skillet. And let the base get brown. Slice and enjoy.

Stuffed Gram Flour Savoury Crepes

Besan ke Cheele, literally, are Savoury Gram/Chickpea Flour Crepes, with stuffing.. Its a very versatile dish and you can make it as rich or as simple you might like. There can be a variety of stuffing, though I have never tried non-vegetarian version yet, but it could be interesting..

Stuffing Ingredients:
Paneer (Crumbled or grated)
Finely Chopped Green Chillies
Chopped Green Coriander
Chopped Green Onions
Cheese Slices (Cut in half, making 2 triangles)
Garam Masala
Red Chilly Powder
Mix well all ingredients. (We have no salt here because Onions leave water when you add salt.. Mixture will become wet, unsuitable for filling.)

Alternatives to Paneer
Mashed Potatoes
Scrambled Eggs
Chopped Chicken Sausages + Chicken Salami

Batter Ingredients:
2 cups Besan (Gram/Chickpea Flour)
1 tsp Black Pepper Powder
1/2 tsp Red Chilli Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
2 tbsp Curd
1-1 1/2 cup water to make batter

1. Put all the batter ingredients except Curd and water in a big bowl. Mix well.
2. Add Curd and mix well.. Then slowly add water, avoiding lumps.
3. Batter should be of pouring consistancy (Honey-like). Thinner than Pancake and Cake batter.
4. If any lumps do happen, leave the mixture for 15 minutes and whip again.
5. Heat a non-stick pan/girdle till smoky and then reduce heat to medium.
6. Oil the surface well. Non-stick surfaces are better.
7. Take big serving spoon and drop 2 spoonful on the pan. Tilt it around to evenly spread the batter.
8. Let one side get evenly brown. Then flip and turn the heat to high.
9. Once the other side is brown, flip again and turn the heat to medium.
10. Put half a cheese slice on one side. Put 2 tbsp of stuffing, cover with another cheese slice.
11. Cover it with the other side of the crepes. Brown it alternately, till cheese melts.
12. Take off the heat, cut into 2 and serve with any sauce.

Chhole-Poori (Indian fried bread-chickpeas curry )

This is not a step-by-step post..Very difficult to shoot while making dinner, no light.. The pictures are from the leftovers I had the next day!!! Now Mom-made Chickpea Curry, is very elaborate.. She soaks them first overnight. Then boils them in a pressure-cooker, with Bay Leaves, until tender. Then she makes the base onion-tomato curry and cooks the boiled chickpeas in them for around 1/2 hour. Mine is different, faster, and easier. Obviously, not a copycat in taste, but still..

Chhole (Chickpea Curry)
Curries are not a demon as everyone makes them out to be. All it needs is a good heavy-bottomed pan, good heat and patience.

Ingredients
Serves 3-4

Chickpeas - 1 cup (Soak them overnight)
2 Onions (Cut roughly in food processor, not a paste)
3 Tomatoes (Paste)
10 Garlic Cloves (Smashed)
1.5" Garlic Stub (Chopped finely)

Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
Red Chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Garam Masala - 1 1/2 tsp
Kitchen King powder - 1 tsp
Kasoori Methi - 1 tsp
Coriander powder- 2 tsp
Bay Leaves
Cloves
Salt
Oil - 2 Tbsp
Coriander leaves- for garnishing

Method:

1. Wash and soak the chickpeas for 8 hours or overnight in water. Soaking in black tea adds to the color and flavor. This step is optional you can soak it in just water too.

2. Heat Oil in a Pressure Cooker with heavy base.

3. Add smashed garlic and chopped garlic. Let it simmer till a nice aroma floats. Then add the Bay Leaves and Cloves. Let them brown.

4. Add Onions and let them brown.. Since it's not a paste, it should brown fairly quickly.

5. Now add Tomatoes and let it cook.. Cook till all the water is gone, and the oil surfaces above the mixture.

6. Now add Salt, Turmeric, Red Chilli, Garam Masala, Coriander Powder, Kasoori Methi, and Kitchen King Powder. Let it fry, till it starts sticking to the bottom..

7. Pour in the soaked channa to this and mix well.

8. Put the lid to the pressure cooker and high heat. Once it whistles, lower the heat and let it be for 25-30 minutes.

9. Don't open immediately. Wait till all the pressure has cooled. Sprinkle chopped coriander before serving.

FOR BEST RESULTS, MAKE A DAY IN ADVANCE AND KEEP. THE FLAVOUR JUST BLASTS ON THE 2ND DAY!!!

Poori is a fried rolled out dough, noted for the savoury flavour. Goes well with spicy curry or Indian Veggie side dishes.
Ingredients:

Wheat flour - 2 cup
Gram Flour - 2 tbsp
Salt - to taste
Chilled Curd/Yogurt/Milk - 1 tbsp
Water

Method:

1. Mix wheat flour, gram flour and salt in a mixing bowl.

2. Add the curd/milk, it keeps the dough soft, gives a unique taste.

3. Knead into a hard dough, and cover it for 1/2 hour.

4. Heat the oil for frying on medium to medium high.

5. Make small balls of dough and roll out using a rolling pin. The size to aim is your palm. Use a bit of wheat flour to prevent them for sticking.

6. Once the oil is hot enough slide in the poori in oil and fry. For that swelling up, let one side get light brown and then turn over. Press lightly with a slotted spoon. It'll immediately swell up.

7. When it starts turning slightly golden brown, take out and keep in a plate that has kitchen towels/tissues to remove excess oil.

8.Serve with Chhole or any side dish of your choice.