The month of Sawan has begun. Many people fast during this month and consume fasting foods, including water chestnut flour. Water chestnut flour available in the market is often adulterated. If you want pure, unadulterated flour for fasting, festivals, or for your health, you can prepare it at home. It’s very easy to make. By following a few simple tips and tricks, you can prepare water chestnut flour as fine and pure as the market’s. Learn how to prepare water chestnut flour here.
1. Ingredients
Dried water chestnuts: Buy good quality dried water chestnuts from the market. Ensure they are completely dry and clean.
Mal-batta or heavy rolling pin
High-power mixer or grinder
Fine sieve
2. Method of preparation
Cleaning the water chestnuts: First, wipe the dried water chestnuts with a cloth to remove any dust. If you feel they still have some moisture, dry them in the hot sun for 1-2 hours.
Breaking into small pieces: Dried water chestnuts are quite hard. Putting them directly into the mixer can break the blade. Therefore, crush them into small pieces using a mortar and pestle or a heavy rolling pin.
Grinding: Now put these small pieces into the dry mixer jar. Instead of running the mixer continuously, run them intermittently. This will prevent the flour from overheating and make it easier to grind.
Sifting: Sift the ground mixture through a fine sieve. Put the coarse pieces remaining in the sieve back into the mixer and grind them.
3. These tips will help
Drying water chestnuts in the sun before grinding them makes them crispy, making them easier to grind into powder.
Don’t run the mixer all at once. Grinding in small increments results in a finer flour.
If you want a fine flour like refined flour for fasting, sieve it through a cotton cloth.
4. Proper Storage Method
Store this pure homemade flour in an airtight glass jar. Store it in a dry place, away from moisture and direct sunlight. If you want to keep it fresh for 3-4 months, you can also refrigerate it.