Flour Food

Ingredients

• 0.5 seer (approx. 500g / 2 cups) wheat (Whole wheat grains; a seer is a traditional South Asian unit roughly equivalent to about 1 kg, so half a seer is approximately 500g)
• 0.5 seer (approx. 500g / 2 cups) chenna (brown pulse / chickpeas) (Chenna refers to a brown pulse; dried chickpeas or brown lentils are the closest modern equivalent. Use the same quantity as the wheat.)
• 1 handful (approx. 100g / ½ cup) barley (Whole barley grains; 'some barley' is unspecified — a generous handful is a reasonable interpretation)
• 1 portion, to taste curd (plain yogurt) (For serving; use plain full-fat yogurt as a modern substitute)
• 1 pinch, to taste salt (For serving)
• 1 pinch, to taste sugar (For serving; use to sweeten your portion if desired)
• 1 drizzle, to taste melted butter (For serving)
• 1 pinch, to taste red chilly powder (For serving; adjust heat to your preference)
• 1 drizzle, to taste ghee (For serving; clarified butter, widely available in supermarkets)

Instructions

1. 1Measure out half a seer (approximately 500g or 2 cups) of whole wheat grains, the same quantity of chenna (brown pulse / chickpeas), and a generous handful (approximately 100g or ½ cup) of whole barley. Rinse each grain separately under cold running water and drain well. Keep them in three separate bowls, as they will be cooked separately.
2. 2Place the rinsed wheat grains into a medium pot (the original recipe calls for an earthen pot; a heavy-based saucepan works well). Add enough water to cover the wheat by at least 5cm (2 inches). Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a steady simmer. Cook uncovered for 45–60 minutes, or until the wheat grains are completely soft and tender when pressed between your fingers. Drain the wheat using a colander and spread it out on a clean baking tray or large plate to cool and dry.
3. 3Place the rinsed chenna (brown pulse / chickpeas) into a separate pot. Add enough water to cover by at least 5cm (2 inches). Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a steady simmer. Cook for 45–60 minutes (or up to 90 minutes for dried chickpeas), until completely soft and easily mashed. Drain and spread out on a clean baking tray or plate to cool and dry alongside the wheat. Tip: If using dried chickpeas, soaking them overnight beforehand will shorten cooking time significantly, though the original recipe does not mention soaking.
4. 4Place the rinsed barley into a third separate pot. Add enough water to cover by at least 5cm (2 inches). Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a steady simmer. Cook for 30–45 minutes, or until the barley grains are completely soft and swollen. Drain and spread out on a clean baking tray or plate to cool and dry alongside the other grains.
5. 5Once all three grains have been boiled and drained, allow them to cool and dry thoroughly on their trays. They should be spread out in a thin, even layer. For best results, leave them to air-dry for several hours or overnight. The grains must be as dry as possible before grinding — any remaining moisture will make them clump and be difficult to grind into flour. You can speed up drying by placing the trays in an oven on its lowest setting (around 50–70°C / 120–160°F) for 1–2 hours, checking regularly.
6. 6Once the grains are fully dried, grind each one into a fine flour. The original recipe uses a stone mill (chakki). A modern equivalent is a high-powered blender, spice grinder, or food processor — process each grain separately in small batches until a fine flour forms. Alternatively, take the dried grains to a flour mill (chakki shop), which is common in many South Asian communities. Once all three are ground, combine the wheat flour, chenna flour, and barley flour together in a large bowl and mix well to form your multi-grain flour.
7. 7The finished multi-grain flour is ready to eat mixed with your choice of accompaniments. Serve each portion in a bowl and allow diners to mix in their preferred flavourings. For a savoury bowl: mix the flour with a spoonful of curd (yogurt), a pinch of salt, a pinch of red chilly powder, and a drizzle of ghee. For a sweet bowl: mix the flour with a spoonful of curd (yogurt) and a pinch of sugar, with a drizzle of melted butter. The flour can be eaten as a porridge-style mixture, or shaped into small balls. Store any unused flour in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.