Dhebra Recipe Gujarati Bajra Methi Dhebra Whiskaffair

on Feb 13, 2021, Updated Dec 22, 2023 If you want to try a few more Gujarati recipes, here are some from my blog: Gujarati Kadhi, Gujarati Dal Dhokli, Fajeto, Mango Matho, and Kathiyawadi Chaas. The Gujarati community is known for its love for food. They love it so much that they carry it everywhere they go. Be it long train journeys or even plane journeys, you will never find a Gujarati without his dabba, which is full of thepla, dhebra, khakhra, gathiya, etc. They also carry a lot of pickles and chutneys to serve with these items. A Gujarati school friend brought delicious Gujarati specialties in her lunch box, which was my first exposure to Gujarati cuisine. Everything used to be so simple yet so delicious that there is no doubt why they love their food so much.

About Dhebra

Bajra Methi Dhebra, also called Methi na Dhebra is a popular Gujarati snack made using Bajra Flour (Pearl Millet) and fresh fenugreek leaves. It can be served for breakfast or an evening snack with a hot cup of tea. Dhebra also tastes great with plain yogurt (dahi), aam chunda, green chutney, or garlic chutney. It is specially made in winter when fresh methi is readily available. Once the dough to make dhebra is ready, you can roll it in 2-3 different ways. The final texture of dhebra will depend on how you roll and cook it. Dhebra is considered excellent for diabetic patients due to its highly nutritious ingredients. Avoid deep-frying and pan-frying if making it for diabetic patients. These are also great to pack while traveling as they stay at room temperature for 3-4 days. Bajra Flour is extremely popular in winter. It is gluten-free, which makes it a healthy choice. Whole wheat flour helps bind the dhebra. You can also add other flours, such as jowar (sorghum), makai (corn), or besan (chickpea) while making it. Methi – I always use fresh methi (fenugreek leaves) to make this dish, but you can use Kasuri methi if fresh is not available. Frozen methi will also work well in this recipe. Just thaw it and squeeze out all the liquid before using it. If the methi leaves are too bitter, add salt to the chopped leaves and keep them aside for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, rinse them off with cold water and squeeze out all the water before adding it to the recipe. You can also add grated lauki (bottle gourd), carrot, or palak (spinach) to the dough instead of methi. Seeds – To add a nice flavor and texture, you will need cumin seeds, carom seeds (ajwain), and white sesame seeds (til). Spice Powders – To give it a nice color, add some turmeric powder, and to add heat, add a little ground black pepper. Ghee – Ghee is added to the dough to make the dhebra crispy. Yogurt – Adding yogurt (dahi, curd) makes the dhebra soft. Jaggery – A little jaggery is mixed with water and added to the dough, giving bajra methi dhebra a slight sweetness. If you don’t like it to be sweet, you can skip adding jaggery. But this is a must ingredient if you want to make it traditionally. Others – You will also need green chilies, cilantro (fresh coriander leaves), and salt. You can adjust the green chilies as per your spice level. Wash the leaves well with water a few times to remove the dirt. Drain the water well and chop the leaves finely.

1.5 cup pearl millet flour ¼ cup whole wheat flour 2 cups of chopped fenugreek leaves 2 tablespoon chopped cilantro 2 teaspoon finely chopped green chilies 2 tablespoon white sesame seeds 1 teaspoon carom seeds 1 teaspoon cumin seeds ½ teaspoon turmeric powder ½ teaspoon ground black pepper 1 and ½ teaspoon salt 1 tablespoon ghee 1 tablespoon jaggery dissolved in 2 tablespoon water ¼ cup yogurt

Now mix the flour again with your fingers and try to bring it together. Add water little by little (1 tablespoon at a time) and knead to make a slightly tight dough. Do not add a lot of water at once; otherwise, the dough can become sticky. The amount of water will depend on the quality of the flour used. Cover the dough with a kitchen towel and sit it on the counter for 20 minutes. Take one piece and make a smooth ball from it. Press it in between your palms. Dust it with some dry flour and gently roll using a rolling pin to make a thick circle (0.5 cm) Roll 3-5 balls into circles and keep them on a plate in a single layer. Keep the remaining dough covered with the cloth to avoid drying. When the oil is hot, reduce the heat to medium-low. Drop 3-5 dhebra in hot oil and fry until they are browned from the bottom (4-5 minutes). Note – Don’t turn the dhebra until they are browned and set. Otherwise, they may break while turning. Fry on medium-low heat only. Keep flipping them once in a while frying. Once the dhebra are browned well and crispy, drain them on a plate lined with paper tissues. Serve warm or at room temperature. Once one batch is fried, roll the other dough pieces. Increase the heat to high to heat the oil well. Reduce the heat once the oil is hot, then drop the next batch in oil. Fry all the dhebra in the same manner. Cool and store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days.