Batters, Flours, Mixtures  
Introduction
This section has been composed to simplify the job of following the various combinations of grains, lentils, etc. in flours or mixtures of flours for various purposes. I am not giving detailed recipes for the dishes, since the recipes are already online. This is meant to be a ready reckoner for the various flour mixtures and batters that we can have, as also a list of options that we can cook given the flours that we do have.

Following points should be kept in mind:
1.When dry flours are required to be made, one may get it done at the commercial flourmills that are available at any nook and corner of any town all over india. Or, one may grind it at home in the domestic flour mill. However, though grinding flours is possible in a heavy duty mixer-grinder, it will put a lot of load on the mixer, and may damage parts if done too often.
2.Dry roasting of grain should be done in a heavy large pan which allows easy stirring and movement of grain. While dry roasting, put grain in pan, do not add any oil, etc. and keep stirring grain bottom to top, for even roasting. Unless mentioned, roasting should be done, just enough to dry up moisture,and make the grain light, not to give it colour.
3.Batters to be ground may be done either in mixers, or by stone grinders, the electrical versions are now a household name. In India however, there are still many areas where there are grinding shops who will grind you batter for you in their wet grinders, for a very nomina, charge, and save you a great deal of hassle. They are a godsend! However the best results are still got from the traditional stone grinder, operated by hand. Cheers for the stone age, and for those who have the time, this procedure tones your biceps, arms and upper back like no other exercise!
4.Make sure to add water a little at a time, to batters. This allows the incorporation of air so important in making the end product light and fluffy. To much water added right at the beginning will only make the batter liquid fast, but heavy since air will not get incoroporated into it.
5.Make sure to add salt to wet batters just before you use the it. This is if you plan to refrigerate the batter and use it much later than its regular usage period. Cover the batter with a banana leaf while refrigerating. This will keep the batter from getting sour sooner.
6.With all dosa batters one may make the thin papery crisp dosas or the fluffy thick soft one, depending on how you spread it on the skillet. Allow the thick ones to cook covered on a low flame.
7.Shelflife mentioned is only shelflife of flour mixture/dough and not that of the end product.

FLOUR MIXTURES

DHOKLAS - Instant
1. Rava dhoklas:
1 cup medium fine semolina mixed into a thick batter with 1- 1 1/4 cups thick buttermilk. Add salt and chopped green chillies as per taste. Just before steaming add 1/4 tsp. baking soda dissolved in 1 tbsp. oil. Beat well pour into steaming plate while foamy.

2. Gramflour or besan dhoklas (Anadi Khaman):
1 level cup gramflour. 1/2 tsp. citric acid and 1 1/2 tsp. sugar place in a cup. 1 tsp. baking soda place in another cup. Warm 1 cup water, pour a little over each cup ingredients. Pour rest over flour, mixing well to a smooth paste. Add salt, ginger, chilli, etc. as desired. Dissolves ingredients in cups. Just before pouring batter to steam, add sugar solution, beat very well till whitish and fluffy. Add soda solution, beat again, pour int plate while foamy.
Shelflife:irrelevant.

3. Dhoklas - dry prestored flour:
4 cups rice, 2 cups bengalgram dal, 1 cup urad dal. Wash and soak in plenty of water for 2-3 hours. Drain, spread on a clean large kitchen cloth till dry. Dry roast till all moisture is dried up. Grind to a flour of the texture of fine semolina. This may be done in a home flour mill or at the commercial flour mills. Store in dry airtight container. Soak in buttermilk, 2 hours before steaming, to make a medium batter. Add salt, oil (1 tbsp. to 1 cup dry flour used), a big pinch soda bicarb.
Shelflife: 1 month.

THALPEETH
1 cup wheat, 1 cup jowar, 1/2 cup rice, 1/2 cup bengalgram dal. Roast lightly in a heavy pan, individually. Mix, cool and grind to a flour. Cool, store in airtight container, in dry area. Add water to knead to a smooth dough when required.
Proceed to pat thick chappati, sprinkle finely chopped coriander, onion , chillies, etc. over it,press in. Make small hole in it with blunt end of hand churner. Roast on hot griddle over low flame till roasted crisp.
Shelflife: 10-12 days.

VEGETABLE MIXED PARATHAS
Basic mixture of the dry flours: 1 cup wheatflour, 1 tbsp. gramflour, 1 tbsp. rice flour, 1 tbsp. plainflour, salt to taste, 1 tbsp. oil. To this mixture add whatever veggies, chopped, drained, chillies, garlic, ginger, etc. as required to make a slightly stiff dough.

MOOTHIYAS
1 cup coarse wheatflour, 1 tbsp. fine wheatflour, 1/2 cup well boiled leftover cold rice, salt, 2 tbsp. oil, lots of grated bottlegourd (doodhi),nicely pressed with hand, chopped spinach, grated cabbage, or any desired veggies. Add chillie powder, cumin, dhania powder, etc. as desired or as per recipe online. If coarse wheatflour is not available, then used regular wheatflour, adding 2 tbsp. semolina to a cup of flour.

NIPPAT
4 cups rice, dry roasted. 1 cup phutana (lightroast chickpeas which are very very light) also called dalia. Grind together to a medium fine flour. Store in airtight container, till required. While making dough add a small fistful of whole split phutana and split skinned gourndnuts. Proceed as per recipe online.
Shelflife: 1 week.

MURUKKU
(Also called chaklis). 4 cups rice, 1 cup yellow moong dal (without skin), wash dry, grind to a flour. Add turmeric, asafoetida, sesame seeds, salt, chillies, etc. as required. Proceed as per recipe online.
Shelflife: 1 week.

RICE ROTI
1 cup rice flour, 1 1/2 cups water. Put water to boil in a deep vessel, dump all flour at once on the boiling water, cover and simmer for 5-7 minutes.Add salt, take off fire, stir with wood ladle or spatula till form a smooth mixture. Turn out on plate, knead to a very smooth dough.
Shelflife: Rice flour 2-3 weeks, dough instant.

FINE RICE SEVAI: (RICE VERMICELLI, WET)
1 cup rice flour, 1 1/2 cups water, same procedure as above, instead of kneading dough, make idlis, steaming again for 5-7 minutes. Take out sevai through a sevai maker, while they are still hot. Season as desired.
Shelflife: Rice flour 2-3 weeks, sevai instant.

BASIC MIXTURE FOR BISCUITS, NANKHATAIS etc.
900 gms. plainflour, 500 gms. ground sugar, 500 gms. ghee chilled. If any other variety like coconut, chocolate are required, reduce 100 gms. flour, add same amount of crushed almond/coconut/cocoa, etc. as desired. Beat chilled ghee in a large plate with the flat of the palm in circular motion till white and fluffy and stir in sugar proceeding to mix it in the same motion. Fold in flour and other ingredients, lightly mixing to a dough. Do not overknead or the biscuits will lose the air incorporated and turn out hard.
Shelflife: refrigerated 2 days

ROOMALI ROTI
1 1/2 cups wheat flour, 1/2 cup plainflour, 1/2 tsp. salt, 2 tbsp. melted ghee. Sift, rub in fat, knead to a smooth dough with enough cold water. Knead for 4-5 minutes till elastic, cover and keep for 30 minutes, knead once more. Proceed as per recipe online.
Shelflife: irrelevant

VEGETABLE PANCAKES
1/2 cup gramflour, 1/2 cup rice flour, 1 tbsp. plainflour, 1 tbsp. semolina, 1/2 tsp. baking soda. Grate and add veggies as desired, spinach, carrots, gourds, fenugreek greens, anything. To season add ground chillies, garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, etc. 1 tbsp. oil. Proceed to make a medium batter, and spread as for dosas.
Shelflife: irrelevant

RICE IDLI
2 cups rice semolina, 1 cup urad dal (soaked for 3 hours, then ground to a very fine thick paste and kept overnight). Soak semolina for 2 hours, wash well by draining top water 2-3 time till it is white. Mix into the ground dal batter, beat till very light and fluffy, after adding salt. Do not keep the batter too thin. Proceed as for idlis in idli steamer.

VARIOUS BATTERS

ASSORTED BHAJIYAS
Basic batter: 1 cup gramflour, 2 slices bread, 1 tbsp. very hot oil, a few grain ajwain seeds, 1/4 tsp. cumin seeds, finely chopped green chillies as desired, salt to taste, plus whatever chopped/greated/crushed veggies, Eg. Carrots, gourds, cabbage, spinach, onions, babycorn, cornkernels, fenugreek greens, fresh carom leaves, beetroot, radish, etc. Make sure to press out all excess water from prepared veggie, before adding to batter. Bread must be moistened and crushed into the batter just before making bhajjias.
Shelfife: Instant

COATING BATTER FOR DIPPED BHAJJIAS
1 cup gramflour, 1 tbsp. rice flour, 3/4 tsp. salt, few ajwain seeds, pinch of asafoetida, 1/2 tsp. cumin powder,2-3 pinches baking soda, 2 tsp. hot oil (after batter has be prepared). Make a batter which will coat the back of a spoon thickly, when dipped. One may add ground garlic, ginger, chillies, as desired. Dip chunks of paneer, or sliced capsicums, cucumbers, potato, onions, zuchinni, whole hot green chillies, boiled whole babycorns, etc.
Shelfife: 3-4 hours

COATING BATTER FOR FRITTERS
1 cup plainflour, 1 tbsp. cornflour, 1 tsbp. rice flour, 1/2 tsp. salt, ground ginger, garlic, chillies for taste. Add enough water to make a batter which will coat the back of a spoon thinly when dipped. Dip chunks of cauliflower, babycorn, etc. which should have first been boiled to be tender but mushy. Chill the boiled veggies before frying. One may even fry thick rings of onion, capsicums, etc.
Shelfife: 4-5 hours

MOONG DAL BHAJIYAS
1 cup green gram dal with skin, 3 green chillies, 1 tsp. grated ginger, 1/2 tsp. crushed garlic, salt to taste, 1/4 cup chopped coriander, 1/4 tsp. coarsely crushed coriander seeds, 1/2 tsp. coarsely crushed cumin seeds, 3-4 pinches baking soda, 1 tbsp. hot oil. Soak dal for 2 hours, grind to a paste chillies, ginger, garlic, adding as little water as possible. Add all other ingredients just before making pakoras.
Shelfife: 3-4 hours refrigerated

MASALA VADAS
1 1/2 cups bengal gram dal soaked in water for 3 hours, 1 bunch dill leaves finely chopped, 1 small bunch coriander leaves finely chopped, green chillies, salt, finely chopped onions, (other veggies like carrots as desired). Drain dal, save 1/4 cup aside, grind rest to a batter with minimal or no water. Add all other ingredients, proceed as per recipe online to fry vadas.
Shelfife: 1-day refrigerated

MEDU VADA
4 cups urad dal, 1 cup short grain rice. Soak for 5-6 hours, grind not too fine with minimal water. Just before frying beat well till light, add whole blackpeppers, coconut gratings, ginger slivers, green chillies, etc. Proceed as per recipe online to fry vadas.
Shelfife: 2-days refrigerated

HANDVOH
1 cup rice, ½ cup channa dal, ¼ cup toor dal, 1 tbsp. each, moong, udal dals.Soak for 5-6 hours, grind with green chillies, salt, curds, and keep aside for 2-3 hours. Add some oil and other veggies before making. Proceed as per recipe online.
Shelfife: 1-day refrigerated

PADDUS
4 cups rice, 1 cup urad dal OR 2 cups rice, 1 cup urad dal, 1 cup green gram dal
Wash soak in water for 2 hours, grind to a fine paste, keep overnight. Add finely chopped green chillies, coriander, salt, onions, cabbages, grated carrots, etc. as desired. Heat a greased paddu pan on gas, put batter in each hollow to 3/4 full. Drizzle some oil on each, cover and cook on low till golden, carefully flip with a knife, allow base to become golden. Remove serve hot with chutneys.
Shelfife: 1-day refrigerated

APPAMS
1 1/2 cups raw rice, 1 1/2 cups parboiled rice, 2-3 tbsp. urad dal. Soak for 4 hours in water, wash well, grind to a fine thick paste, keep overnight. Morning add 1 cup coconut milk, 1/2 tsp. soda bicarb, 1 tsp. salt, beat well. Proceed to make the appams.
Shelfife: 2-days refrigerated

DOSAS
1. REGULAR:
2 cups parboiled rice, 2 cups plain rice, 1/2 cup urad dal, 1 tbsp. channa dal,1 tsp. fenugreek seeds. Soak all together for 4-5 hours. Grind to a fine paste, but with a grain texture.Keep overnight, add salt, 1/2 tsp. baking soda, and curds. Proceed as for dosa recipe already online.
Shelflife: Refrigerated, almost a week, if salt has not been added.

2. RAVA:
1 cup semolina, 1 cup rice flour, 1/4 tsp. baking soda, salt to taste. Mix batter in buttermilk, keep aside for 1 hour, stir, add seasoning, spread dosa. Pour a ladleful in centre, and tilt pan in a rotatory motion, to spread thinly. Do not use spoon to spread. Proceed to roast as per regular dosa.
Shelflife: 2-3 hours.

3. POHA (BEATEN RICE):
2 cups rice, 1 cup poha, 1/4 cup curds, salt to taste. Soak both seperately for 2 hours. Grind seperately, mix both, and blend well by beating together. Add salt, keep overnight, add curds, proceed as for regular dosas.
Shelflife: 1 day.

4. PLAIN FLOUR:
2 cups plain flour, 1 cup gram flour, 2 tbsp. beaten curds, 1/4 tsp. baking soda, salt to taste. Mix batter thin enough for dosas with water, spread thin, proceed as for regular dosas. Can be made instantly.
Shelflife: 2 hours.

5. MIXED DAL:
2 cups rice, 1/4 cup channa dal, 1/4 cup moong dal yellow, 1/4 cup urad dal, 1/2 tsp. baking soda, 1/4 cup curds. Soak all grain together for 2 hours, wash and grind to a fine batter. Keep overnight, add salt, soda and curds, beat well. Proceed as for regular dosas.

6. PUFFED RICE (MURMURE):
2 cups rice, 1 cup puffed rice,1/4 cup curds, salt to taste. Soak rice for 4 horus, puffed rice for 1 hour. Gently drain out puffed rice, leaving the dandy residue undisturbed. Grind rice 3/4, add puffed rice, proceed to grind to a fine batter. Keep overnight. Add curds and salt, beat well, proceed as for regular dosas.