Lifestyle Desk – With the beginning of the holy month of Sawan, the worship of Lord Shiva is accompanied by fasting and fruit-eating. During this time, a large number of people abstain from grains and include items like water chestnut flour, buckwheat flour, sago, and amaranth in their diet. Water chestnut flour is used to make many delicious dishes like puri, paratha, cheela, and halwa during the fast.
However, many people have questions about the quality of packaged or loose water chestnut flour available in the market. If you want to use pure and fresh water chestnut flour for fasting, it can be easily prepared at home. The advantage of making the flour at home is that you know the quality of the ingredients used and can help avoid any suspected adulteration.
What is needed to make water chestnut flour?
To make water chestnut flour at home, you’ll primarily need dried water chestnuts. When purchasing water chestnuts, make sure they are clean, thoroughly dried, and free of any signs of mold or moisture. If the water chestnuts smell bad or feel too soft, don’t use them. Let’s learn how to prepare pure water chestnut flour at home.
First of all clean the water chestnuts
First, inspect the water chestnuts thoroughly to remove any dust, dirt, or damaged pieces. If the water chestnuts need to be washed, rinse them quickly with clean water and dry them thoroughly. It is crucial that the water chestnuts are thoroughly dried before making flour, as any moisture can quickly spoil the flour.
Dry thoroughly in the sun
Spread the cleaned water chestnuts out on a clean cloth or a large plate and dry them thoroughly in the sun. Dry them until they are completely free of moisture. If the water chestnuts are already completely dry, this step may be required, but it’s important to check them thoroughly before using.
Follow this trick before grinding in a mixer
Break the thoroughly dried water chestnuts into small pieces. Then, add them to the mixer grinder in small quantities and grind them. Adding too many water chestnuts at once can put pressure on the blade, and the flour will not be evenly ground. First, grind the water chestnuts coarsely and then grind them again to form a fine powder. If you want a flour as fine as the market, sift the prepared powder through a fine sieve. Any coarse pieces that remain can be ground and sieved again.
Keep flour safe like this
Allow the prepared water chestnut flour to cool completely. Then, store it in a clean, dry, airtight container. Avoid moisture in the container and always use a dry spoon to scoop out the flour. If the weather is humid, it may be better to make the flour in smaller batches and use it as needed.
Why is homemade flour a better option?
Making water chestnut flour at home gives you complete control over the quality and cleanliness of the raw water chestnuts. This can help avoid questionable or poor-quality flour available in the market. However, it is important to purchase water chestnuts from a reputable source and to dry and grind them properly.
If you’re preparing to make water chestnut puris, cheelas, or parathas during the Sawan fast, try making fresh flour at home instead of buying it from the market. With a little effort, this flour will not only be fresh, but you’ll also have greater confidence in its purity and quality.