Put the flour and salt in a mixing bowl and work in the 1 Tbsp of oil. Gradually work in ⅔ cup/150 ml lukewarm water to form a firm dough. On a lightly floured surface, knead until soft, about 10 minutes. Lightly oil, cover, and let rest for 30 minutes.
Roll out the dough with the hands to a thick rope and divide into 12 pieces each about the size of a walnut. Until ready to roll, cover with a damp towel or piece of plastic wrap to keep from drying out.
In a deep skillet or wok, heat 2 inches/5 cm of oil over medium-high heat. The oil is the right temperature when a small piece of dough floats and vigorously bubbles.
One by one, press down the balls of dough and roll out, working in different directions to keep it round, into thin disks about 5 to 6 inches/12.5 to 15 cm in diameter. Carefully pull up the puri and slide it into the hot oil. Lightly force down with a back of a large, slotted spoon and keep it submerged with gentle taps until it begins to puff up and turn a golden brown, 10 to 15 seconds. Gently turn it over. (Do not turn again.) Fry until deep golden brown, another 10 to 15 seconds. Transfer with the slotted spoon to paper towels to drain. Serve hot.
Note: Atta flour is stone-ground, semihard wheat flour. It is sometimes sold as chapati flour. A good substitute is a one-to-one blend of whole-wheat and all-purpose flours.
MASALA OMELET
Another breakfast staple around Darjeeling, feisty and flavorful masala omelets are best kept thin and prepared either individually or for two people.
This recipe serves two. Individual omelets can be prepared without folding in half; simply cook until set and then slide off the pan and onto a plate.
4 large eggs
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 small red onion, finely chopped, about ¼ cup
1 plum tomato, finely chopped, about ¼ cup
1 small green chili, deseeded and minced
2 tsp sunflower, canola, or light olive oil
Finely chopped fresh cilantro (coriander leaves), for garnishing
In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs until spongy. Season with salt and pepper. Fold in the onion, tomato, and chili.
In a 10-inch/25-cm nonstick skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat.
Pour the egg mixture into the pan. Immediately swirl the pan to evenly spread the mixture and to keep the egg from sticking as it begins to set. Without stirring, let the egg firm up, 1 to 2 minutes. Loosen the omelet with a thin spatula, and fold the omelet in half. Let cook for another 2 minutes or so until done but still moist in the middle, turning it over toward the end.
Slide the omelet onto a plate, generously scatter cilantro over the top, and serve immediately.
PORRIDGE
Included in The Englishwoman in India and published anonymously by “A Lady Resident” in 1864, this porridge recipe still familiar in Darjeeling:
Put as many cups of water, or milk, as you require porridge, into a large saucepan: when it boils fast throw in some salt, and shake the oatmeal in with one hand, stirring all the time with the other. Use a stick and not a spoon. Pour it into a deep dish when thick enough, and send a jug of milk to table with it.2
Surely early British settlers in Darjeeling found this dish—slow to digest, slow to release its energy—a perfect way to begin the area’s cold and damp mornings.
It’s no surprise that the Windamere Hotel, which began its life as a boardinghouse for English and Scottish planters, still serves the best in town. Made with Indian-grown oats and served every morning, the flavor is bold, and its texture, far from gooey or clumpy, is fine without being too chewy. While some traditionalists in Scotland demand that just oats, water, and a pinch of salt be used, in the high altitudes around Darjeeling, milk is added, too.
This recipe calls for traditional, noninstant, non-quick-cooking oats.
Serves 4:
1 cup/110 g medium steel-cut or Scottish or Irish oats (noninstant)
1 cup/240 ml whole milk
Salt
Small jug milk, hot or cold as desired, for serving
Brown sugar, for serving
In a medium saucepan, bring 2 cups/480 ml water to a boil. Add the oats and the milk, and stir with the handle of a wooden spoon. Return to a boil over medium-high heat, reduce the heat to low, and simmer uncovered until the consistency is thick and the oats tender but still chewy, about 45 minutes, stirring from time to time. Add in a touch more water or milk if needed.
Remove the pan from the heat, stir in a couple pinches of salt, cover, and let sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Stir again.
Serve in bowls with the jug of milk on the side to pour generously over the top as desired as well as brown sugar to stir in to sweeten to taste.
TO ACCOMPANY AFTERNOON TEA
THE RITZ OF LONDON’S AFTERNOON TEA SCONES
These divine scones are adapted from The London Ritz Book of Afternoon Tea. While the author calls them “austere little cakes, perfect vehicles for jam and cream,”3 do not overwhelm them with such sweet toppings, as the scones themselves have a delicate and delightful flavor.
Makes about 12 scones:
1½ cups/225 g all-purpose flour plus more for dusting
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cream of tartar
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt or slightly less
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, plus more for greasing pan
⅔ cup/160 ml whole milk or buttermilk
Preheat the oven to 425°F/220°C/gas mark 7.
Sift the flour into a large mixing bowl. Add the baking powder, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Work in the butter with the fingertips until the mixture has the consistency of large, flaky crumbs. Stir in the milk using a spatula until the dough is soft.
On a floured surface, roll out the dough to a ½-inch (1.25-cm) thickness. Using a pastry cutter 2 to 2½ inches (5 to 6.5 cm) in diameter or a water glass, press out rounds. (Do not to twist when pressing out, or the scones are likely to bake unevenly.)
Lightly grease a baking sheet with butter. Arrange the rounds on the sheet. Lightly dust their faces with flour.
Bake until they have risen and turned golden, 10 to 15 minutes.
Remove from the oven. Serve warm.
AFTERNOON TEA POUND CAKE
So named for its use of a pound each of its quartet of ingredients—flour, sugar, eggs, and butter—this loaf endures as a favorite for afternoon tea. As the author of an Anglo-Indian cookbook remarked, “A pound cake is a pound cake, as solid and dependable as the British Empire in its heyday.”4 This version has baking powder to give the cake a slightly fluffier note and some vanilla extract to offer a fragrant hint of warmth.
Serves 6 to 8:
1½ cup/150 g all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
Generous pinch of salt
⅔ cup/150 g butter, at room temperature
¾ cup/150 g granulated sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
3 large eggs, at room temperature
Preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C/gas mark 4.
Line the bottom of an 8- or 9-inch/20- or 23-cm loaf pan with parchment paper. Sift the flour together with the baking powder and salt.
In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together for at least 2 or 3 minutes until pale, light, and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and then the eggs, one by one, scraping down the mixing bowl after each. Beat until smooth and silky. While beating over low speed, gradually add in the dry ingredients until incorporated.