Luchi Aloo is a popular breakfast combo from Bengali Cuisine. Luchi is Poori(fired flatbread) made with All-purpose flour and Aloo is spicy Potato gravy that is served with Luchi.
Luchi Aloo is also served along with a Bengali sweet dish.
West Bengal is famous its rich heritage and culture. It's literature, architecture, music, fine arts and of course Food. Almost every Indian is a fan of Bengali Sweets and these need no introduction. When in West Bengal especially Kolkata(Calcutta), one gets mesmerized by the variety of food the cuisine has to offer. Vegetarian or non-vegetarian no one can say No to the chatpata Bengali Khaana(food).
Few years back we had a brief stay in Kolkata. Rajeev got a good job opportunity and so we moved there from Mumbai but then we were there hardly for 4 months and again he got a great offer back in Mumbai and then we again had to move back with full bag and baggage. Oh.. that was one hectic time , as my younger one was just a few months old. Shifting places when you have small kids gets too stressful. But then everything just passes by and you are left with good memories.
We too have some very good memories from the City of Joy in that brief period and especially with the food there. I still remember there was a small shop near a Sai Temple that we visited every Thursday. The man there made excellent Luchi Aloo and Gulab Jamuns.It used to be our dinner most of the Thursdays. I was first introduced to Luchi at this shop. Though it is a breakfast item but we used to enjoy it as our late evening snack/ dinner too.
What is Luchi Aloo
For those who do not know about this .. Luchi Aloo is like the Aloo Poori breakfast of Uttar Pradesh. Aloo Poori is one of the most popular breakfast or lunch item all over India. Be it Luchi Aloo or Aloo Poori nothing beats the taste when you have these freshly made on the streets..Luchi Aloo is a must make for all the Bengalis on their special occasions and festivals.
Luchi
Luchi Dough is made with All-purpose flour. To make it crispy, oil is added to the flour and flour is kneaded with water to soft dough. The rolled dough is then fried in hot oil. Crispy Puffed up luchis are served with spicy Aloo Dum.
Aloo with Panch Phoron
Popular version of Aloo or Potato gravy that is served with Luchis is Aloo Dum. A spicy potato preparation with spices and tomatoes. It is different from the Kashmiri Dum Aloo or Mughlai Dum Aloo or even Pesto Dum Aloo. If you search on net many different versions are there for Aloo Dum.
Bengali Cuisine is incomplete without mention of Panch Phoron. Panch Phoron is a spice mix that consists of Five Spices(Panch).. Fennel Seeds, Cumin Seeds, Mustard Seeds, Nigella Seeds and Fenugreek Seeds. It is widely used in Bengali cuisine. With Luchi I have made Aloo using Panch Phoron spice, as we had it just like this way at the street shop in Kolkata.
I never had Luchis after we came back from Kolkata. Potatoes curries are something quite regular in my house and I make it in different ways.Rasewale Aloo Tamatar, Hing Wale Aloo, Dum Aloo, Aloo Matar, Sookhe aloo or Aloo with Panch Phoron.Potato is such a versatile vegetable and you can play around with the spices and ingredients while making any potato dish.This makes me realize so many dishes that I make for everyday meal are yet to be posted on the blog.
I made Luchi Aloo this weekend for Sunday Brunch and we all had a hearty and chatpata meal. Kids loved the crispy Luchis, though they pointed out the Pooris are different this time. Pooris are made with Atta but since Luchis are made with all-purpose flour, I made the way these are traditionally prepared.
I am taking my Luchi Aloo to my Facebook group Foodie Monday Bloghop. Theme this week Bengali Cuisine was suggested by our lovely group member Sujata Roy. Her blog is a treasure of Bengali recipes. Not only Bengali but also lot of healthy cakes and sweet recipes that there.If you want some healthy bakes or authentic Bengali sweets and desserts do bookmark her blog.. Batter Up with Sujata.
Luchi recipe is adapted from her blog. I have an eye on few of her Bengali desserts too. For the original Luchi recipe click here..
So, let's see now how I make Luchi Aloo..
Luchi Recipe
Luchi
Ingredients
- 2 Cup All-Purpose flour
- 1 tsp Salt
- Oil for Frying
Instructions
- Mix salt, whole wheat flour and oil in all-purpose flour.
- Rub the flour with fingers, so that the oil incorporates uniformly in flour and it resembles bread crumb like coarse mixture.
- Knead to a stiff dough using water.Cover and keep aside for 10 minutes.
- Divide the dough into small tennis ball sized portions. Roll each portion into a small circular disc. Refer the pic for the same. Similarly roll all the dough portions.
- When ready to make, heat oil for frying ina kadhai or heavy bottomed pan.
- For frying, heat enough oil in kadhai or heavy bottomed pan.
- Drop a small dough portion when it rises instantly,deep fry in hot oil. till golden brown.
- Serve hot with Aloo Dum or any potato gravy and it even goes well with Chole Masala.
Notes
Aloo with Panch Phoron
Aloo Dum with Panch Phoron
Ingredients
- 10-12 Baby Potatoes
- 2 Tomatoes(Medium)
- Ginger piece(small 1/2")
- 1-2 Green Chillies optional
- 1 tsp Red Chilli Powder as per spicy tolerance optional
- 1 tsp Panch Phoron spice mix
- 1/2 tsp Asafoetida/Hing
- 1-2 Bay Leaves
- 1 tsp Coriander Powder
- 1 tsp Cumin Powder
- 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
- 1 tsp Sugar
- Salt as per taste
- 2 tbsp Mustard Oil or any good vegetable Oil
Instructions
- Boil and peel potatoes. I have used baby potatoes, you can use big potatoes and halve them.
- Puree ginger, green chillies and tomatoes.
- In a kadhai, add mustard oil, heat it till it's smoking point. Switch off the gas and let it cool a for 1-2 minutes.
- Add panch phoron spice mix and hing, when the seeds crackle, add tomato puree.
- Cook tomato puree for 2-3 minutes, then add cumin powder, coriander powder, garam masala and sugar. Cook for few minutes till the masala leaves oil.
- Add potatoes and mix well. Masala should coat the potatoes. well. Add 1/2 -1 cup water.
- Cover and cook for 5-10 minutes. Keep the consistency of curry as per your liking. I made it on the drier side as we I also had made Chole Masala along with it.
- Garnish with finely chopped fresh coriander leaves. Serve hot with Luchis or Pooris. the se go well with rotis or paranthas also.
Do make Luchi Aloo my way and enjoy a hearty Bengali Brunch this weekend. The spice level in Aloo curry can be adjusted as per your taste..
Aloo with Panch Phoron can also be also be enjoyed with Pooris. Paranthas or with fresh hot Chapatis. Add more water and keep the gravy with potatoes,it can be relished with Fresh Mint and Peas Rice Pulao or simple Steamed Rice.
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poonampagar
I am drooling over this delicious Bengali breakfast combo Swaty ! Luchi Aloo look super tempting !
Batter Up With Sujata
Your post made me hungry. White fluffy luchi is a all time favourite. But these days trying to avoid deep fried. I make luchi or kochuri only when my kids are at home. Aloo looks super tempting. Excellent share.
Swati
Thanks Sujataji!! Glad you liked it.
ARCHANA
Love the combo. There was a time when luchi meant greedy in my limited vocabulary but now it means amazing food. As for the aloo it is almost 5 am and I am hungry.
Swati
Hahaha Archna.. when we heard this term in Kolkata for the first time we too had this meaning in our vocabulary..?!!
sizzlingtastebuds
can I be ur neighbour Swaty ! that combo is sooo inviitng and perfect for a lazy sunday meal for me ...
Megala
Love this delicious pair!
Swati
Thanks Megala!!
The Girl Next Door
I love the Luchi & Aloo Dum combination. Your version looks so good! 🙂
Bengali Aloor Dum is a class apart, definitely, with its slightly sweet, tangy and spicy flavours. Yum!