After a long break,

Sorry and thanks to all those who sent me mails enquiring about my long absence.  Life is full of surpises, some are pleasant and some are not.  I know we should not get startled with either of them but I got. 

Sorry Valli, I could not post any entry for indian cooking challenge for last 2 months though I had prepared them.  Hence here now I am posting the entry for last month Kara Sev.

Kara Sev Recipe 1

Ingredients needed:

2 1/2 cups Gram Flour (Besan)

1 cup Rice flour
1/4 tsp Chilli powder
1 tsp Black pepper coarsely powdered
2 1/2 tsp Ghee
A pinch of Baking soda (optional)
Salt to taste.
2 pods Crushed garlic (optional, I didn't use it)
Oil to deep fry.

Method:

Sieve both Gram flour and Rice flour together in a bowl and make a pit.

Add chilli powder, Pepper powder, Salt, Ghee, Cooking soda.  If you are using garlic pods crush them and add at this stage.

Mix thoroughly with hands. It should look like bread crumbs. Divide the dough into 4 portions.

Take One portion of this mixture, sprinkle water, knead like Puri dough.

Heat oil in a kadai, Use a ladle with lot of holes (Kara Sevai ladle) or Sev maker. Put some dough on that and rub directly into oil.

It will be like split string. Deep fry in oil , drain excess oil.

After cooling this off, Store this in an airtight container.

Enjoy with a cup of hot tea.

Pani Puri for ICC and my 50th post

Just by hearing the name of pani puri I start drooling.  My elder son & I, both love pani puri.  That's why when I saw Srivalli's Indian Cooking Challenge for this month I decided this will be my 50th post.

Here is the simple recipe of Pani Puri.

Ingredients:

For making Puris

1/2 cup Sooji (Semolina )

1/2 tbsp Maida ( Plain Refined Flour)

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

Salt to taste

Oil for Frying

For Spicy water:

1 1/2 cups Chopped Mint Leaves
1 tbsp Chopped Coriander Leaves
1/3 cup Tamarind
1" Ginger
4-5 Green Chillies
1 tsp Ground Cumin Seed (roasted)

1 1/2 tsp Kala Namak (Black Salt )

Salt to taste

For filling

1 Boiled Potato finely chopped /mashed

Salt to taste
Red chilli.
For Red Tamarind Chutney
1 cup Tamarind
1/2 cup Jaggery
2 tbsp Sugar
1/2 tsp Red chilli powder
1 tsp Dry Roasted cumin powder
1/4 tsp Kali Mirch (Black pepper) powder
2 cloves
2 cups Warm water
1 tsp Oil
Salt to taste

Method:
For Puris:
In a bowl take semolina, plain flour, Cooking Soda, salt, 2 tablespoons of oil and knead well to make a stiff dough, leave it bit stiffer than normal.
Cover it with a wet muslin cloth and let it rest for 15 mins.
Then pinch out very small balls and roll them into small circles.
Remember you will be eating these as whole, so make small circles
Put the rolled out circles back under the muslin cloth while you are rolling the rest and before they can be fried.
Heat oil in a thick bottomed pan, deep fry the puris.
The idea is to puff them and fry them till golden brown.
Take them out and put them on kitchen paper towel, to get rid of the extra oil.
Allow the puris to cool before storing them in an airtight container. Else they will become soggy.
For making spicy water or Pani
Extract pulp from the tamarind.
Add mint leaves, coriander, ginger, chillies and dry roasted cumin seed to the tamarind pulp. Add little water and blend to a smooth paste.
Add salt and black rock salt to taste.
Put it in the fridge to cool down.
Add water as required.
For making Red Tamarind Chutney
Extract the pulp from tamarind.
In a pan dry roast the cumin seeds and the cloves. Pound them into coarse powder.
To the tamarind pulp add jaggery, sugar, red chilli powder, black pepper powder, roasted cumin powder, cloves and salt.
Put the mixture in a pan and heat for 5 minutes on medium heat.
Remove from heat and let it cool down.
This will tend to thicken up, so add warm water if it becomes too thick.
Once it cools, blend the contents in a blender to a smooth paste.
Assembling the Pani Puri
Poke a small hole in the center of the Puri
Add a tsp of mashed boiled potato in the middle of the puri. Add a little of the red tamarind Chutney.
Dip it in the spicy water / pour some spicy water in it.  The idea is to fill the puri with water.
Gulp it down.  It's challenging here, you have to put the puri in mouth without breaking it.
Have fun.

Chickpeas salad or Chana Chaat

This is one of our new favorite these days.  Every body especially DH loves this than the chola actually.  This is very easy you can use the canned chickpeas or you can soak and boil on your own.

Ingredients:

2 cups chana/garbanzo beans/chickpeas soaked overnight/6-8 hours
1/2 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup chopped tomatoes
1 raw mango chopped/grated

1 small potato boiled & cubed

1 tsp chaat masala

2 tbsp coriander leaves chopped

1/4 th tsp Red chilli powder

1-2 tsp lemon juice

1/2 tsp roasted cumin powder(optional)

1-2 green chillies, slitted through 

1 tsp black pepper freshly ground

2 tbsp fresh pomegranate seeds(Optional)

1 tbsp chopped bell pepper (Optional)

Salt

Method:
Pressure cook the soaked chana/garbanzo beans/chickpeas for 2-3 whistles.  Add salt before boiling.  They should be soft but not too soft/mushy.
Drain the chickpeas.  Place in a mixing bowl.  Now add the potato cubes, onions, tomatoes, mango, bell pepper & pomegranate seeds, if using.  Add the chopped coriander leaves and green chilli.
Add the  Salt, chilli powder. roasted cumin powder and pepper powder.  Sprinkle lemon juice.

You can serve this chilled as salad or for evening snack as chaat.

Healthy protein-Soy Cutlets

I wanted to prepare these for a very long time, but every time I used to make something else.  But this time I did it.  They were a big hit in my home both my kids loved and liked them.  Here is the simple recipe I used from the nutrela soy granules box and I made some changes according to my family's liking.  Here is the simple recipe.

Ingredients:

2 cups boiled Nutrela granules

3 medium potatoes boiled

10-12 french beans chopped finely

2 fistfuls of green peas, blanched/boiled

1 carrot cubed and boiled

6 green chillies chopped finely

3 bread slices/ 1/4 th cup of bread crumbs, I used bread crumbs.
1 tsp chaat masala
1 tsp amchur powder
Handful of moong sprouts (Optional)
2 tbsp coriander leaves (Optional)
salt
Oil for deep-frying

Method:

In a mixing bowl, keep the boiled potatoes, peas and carrots, and thinly chopped french beans.

Add the boiled and squeezed soya granules to the same bowl.

Add salt, green chillies, chaat masala, amchur powder, moong sprouts & coriander leaves if using.  

Mash and bind with the bread crumbs or soak the bread slices in water for few seconds and remove from water and squeeze.  Make like dough.

Pinch balls and shape like patties.

Heat oil in a kadai/wok or frying pan, deep fry. 

Serve hot with onion slices & Coriander-mint dip.

Soya beans Cutlet

This is the most favorite evening snack in my house.  Everyone like to eat this.  Its very easy and it really fast food.  Its vegetarian but still full of proteins.  The recipe is very simple.

Ingredients:
1 tin Soyabeans, you can soaked and boiled soya beans
1/2 medium Onion chopped
1 tsp Ginger-garlic paste
1-2 green chillies or according to your taste
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 tsp Chaat Masala
1 tbsp chopped cilantro
1 tbsp Soya Sauce
A fist-full of moong beans sprouts (Optional)
Salt to taste
Oil to fry

Method:
Drain and wash the beans in a colander. 
Put everything in a blender except oil and sprouts if using.
Blend till everything comes together.
Don't grind too much.  The soyabeans should be in grain like consistency.
Mix the sprouts if using, and form patties.
Heat a griddle/grill and shallow fry the patties.   
Turn when brown and fry on the other side drizzlling oil around the patties.
Fry on both the sides till done.
Serve with green chutney/ketchup.

Vegetarian Shami Kabab

Last week we had snow again.  I was cleaning my freezer and I found this pack of frozen Suran.  My kids and DH was asking something to eat and I got this idea of using the suran.  My mom used to make them as for evening snack.  

Ingredients:
340gms Suran cut into cubes (I used 1 full bag of frozen Suran)

2 tsp Ginger-Garlic Paste

1-2 green chilies

2 tbsp cilantro

2 tsp lemon juice

2 tsp cumin powder

3 tsp coriander powder

1/2 tsp garam masala

1 tsp red chili powder
salt to taste
1/2 cup bread crumbs

Method:

Oil the hands and then peel and cut the suran.  I need not do this since I was using frozen and cubed suran. 

Boil them in water added with turmeric and salt till soft. I microwaved the suran cubes with salt and turmeric.

Drain the water completely.

In a food processor put the cooked and cooled suran, ginger-garlic paste, coriander leaves, lemon juice, all spices and grind to a fine paste.
Remove in a bowl, adjust the salt and then gradually add bread crumbs till you get a binding texture.
Make flat Kababs about 2 inches diameter and shallow fry in oil on a medium flame till it turns golden brown in colour and nicely crispy on one side and then turn over to the other side.
These are very delicate and needs gentle handling, especially while turning over. 
A perfect veg version of Shami Kabab.

Serve with pudina chutney and raw onions.  I will post the recipe of pudina chutney sometime later.

Chegodilu/Chekodilu for ICC

I heard and made this crispy crunchy irresistable snack for the first time.  I followed the recipe given by Srivalli for Indian Cooking Challenge.  So go ahead and give a try.  I am sure you will enjoy it.

Ingredients:

Rice flour - 3/4 cupAll purpose flour/ Maida - 1/4 cup

Ghee - 2 tbsp

Ajwain - 1/4 tsp

Red chilli powder - 1/4 tsp

Turmeric really a pinch

Salt as per taste

Oil to deep fry

Method:

Boil 1 cup water in a bowl, add salt to it.  When the water starts boiling, remove from stove, add ajwain, red chilli powder, turmeric and flours. Stir with a ladle to make sure it is mixed well. Pour ghee on it and cover.

Once it cools, knead it to form smooth dough.  Grease your fingers with oil and pinch out a small lemon size ball and roll between your palms to form a thick rope. Bring the two ends to together and press to form a rope. Ensure the ends are firmed pressed as not to give out during frying.

Continue with the rest of the dough until you are done with the entire batch. You can either cover it with a plate or a cloth to prevent the dough from getting dried.

Check if the oil is in the correct temperature, by dropping a tiny bit into the oil. Then gently slide the rings or the chakodis in batches of 4 -5. The flame has to be on high until the chakodis come up to the surface, then lower the flame to medium and cook till you get a golden colour on the chakodis.

When the chakodis are golden all over, using a slotted ladle, remove to a kitchen towel and cool. Store in an air tight container for longer shelf life. 

Dahi Batata Sev Puri

I am from Mumbai and I love chaat. I love chaat items and I am lucky that my hubby enjoys it too, my elder son can eat pani-puri for breakfast, lunch & dinner and this he can do for n no. of days.  So as we all love Chaat we often make it and sometime its our dinner...:) Unlimited chaat. 

Dahi batata sev puri is made rarely in my home since my picky elder one doesn't enjoy them much.  Sev is the thin noodles kind of snack made with gram flour. You can easily get it in any Indian grocery store. Batata means Potato in Mumbai local language, dahi is curd/yogurt and Puri is puri.

I think enough of my chaat puraan, lets go to the recipe.

What you need:

20-30 Puffed deep fried Puris (store bought or home made)
½ - ¾ cups Sev
1 Red Onion, finely chopped
1 tomato finely chopped
1/4 cup coriander leaves chopped finely
1 tbsp Red chilli powder (optional)
Potato Filling:
1 large Potato, boiled, cooked and mashed
Black salt
Chaat Masala
Table Salt to taste

Sweet Tamaring-Dates Chutney
Spicy Green coriander-mint chutney

Curd/Yogurt Filling:
2 cups Yogurt, beaten till smooth
1 tsp roasted Jeera/Cumin Powder
A pinch of Black salt
Table Salt to taste

How to assemble:
First boil the potato, peel and then mash it.  Add black salt, chaat masala and the salt to taste.

Beat the curd well if you feel it is too thick add little water.  Add the roasted jeera powder, the black salt and the table salt.

To Assemble the Dahi Batata Sev Puri:

Arrange puris in a plate, making small opening on top of each puri with the thum, big enough to add the fillings.

First fill each puri with a tsp of Potato filling. Add the chopped onion, and then the tomato.  Then fill it with ¼-½ tsp of both the chutneys.  Now start filling the puris with the yogurt mixture.  Then sprinkle some coriander and sev on each puri.  Sprinkle some more chilli powder if you like it hot like us.

Serve this delicious plate of Dahi Batata Sev Puri immediately as if kept for long it will become soggy. Remember to use your finger to eat it no spoon please.  Enjoy this finger-licking delicious Chaat.

Very soon I will post the recipes of the sweet tamarind dates chutney and the spicy green coriander-mint chutney.  But for now you can buy these from any Indian grocery store. 

Jantikalu/Murukku for Indian Cooking Challenge

This is a very simple recipe Srivalli has given. I feel I am very lucky that I got included in this cooking challenge. I came to know about this event after 2 months it was started. Better late than never. Hence I missed the first two challenges but still Srivallt included me in this event from third month. For a budding blogger like me this is the best opportunity.

Ingredients:
Raw Rice - 4 cups
Urad Dal - 1 cup
Water - app 1/2 cup or more
Cumin seeds - 1 tsp
Sesame seeds- 1 tsp
Asafetida/ Hing - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Butter - 75 gms


Method to prepare:
Wash and drain the rice. Shade dry the Rice for 1/2 hr. Dry roast the Urad dal to light brown. Allow it to cool. First grind rice into a fine flour, keep it aside. then grind the urad dal to fine powder.

In a big wide vessel, take both the flours along with salt. Mix well. Add cumin, Sesame seeds to the flour, mix well. Mix hing in water, make sure it is dissolved before adding to the flour.
Mix in the hing to the flour and finally add the butter. Gather everything well and you will get more of a crumbling mixture. Now slowly add water and knead in a soft dough.
Heat a kadai with oil enough to deep fry. Once the oil is hot enough, simmer to low flame.
Divide the dough into equal balls. Fill the greased Muruku maker with the dough.
Press over a paper and gently slide the murukku down the hot oil. You can press it directly over the kadai.
Cook over medium flame, using a slotted spoon, turn it over to other side to ensure both sides turn golden colour. Remove to a kitchen paper and store it in a air tight container.



This is my entry to the cooking challenge started by srivalli.

Sabudana khichadi & JFI-Peanut

This is the most simple khichadi one can make with very few ingredients & very little time excluding soaking. For roasing peanuts, you can use stove top method if you have lot of time with you or the microwave method. I always keep roasted peanuts ready with me, hence I make this khichadi very frequently since everybody in my family likes it.

Ingredients:

1 C Sabudana/Tapioca/Sago soaked for 4-5 hours

3/4 C Peanuts Powder/ crushed peanuts

1/2 tsp Jeera/Cumin Seeds

2-3 Green Chillies cut into medium pieces

1 tsp Oil/Ghee

1/4 tsp Sugar

Salt to taste

1 Tbsp coconut fresh/frozen (Optional)

How to make it....

Heat oil/ghee in a deep kadhai. Mix the peanuts powder, salt & sugar in sabudana.

When the oil is hot enough add Jeera & green chillies, and then the sabudana mixture.

Give a nice stir. Add the coconut. Reduce the flame & put a lid on the kadhai.

Open it after 5-7 minutes, give a stir again. Switch off the cooking range & seve hot with some curd. Tastes the best with curd. Normally,we make it for every fastings i.e. upwaas.

I am sending this to Pavani's JFI-Peanuts which is brainchild of Indira.

Vada Paav & RCI-Mumbai Street Food

When I saw the announcement of this event, I had made Batata Vada, since it was readily available, I decided to participate in this Laksmi's RCI event hosted by Acquadaze. Here is the recipe for this all time all age favorite street food.

Ingredients for Vada:

4 Boiled Potatoes peeled & cubed

1 Onion chopped

1/2" Ginger

1-2 Garlic cloves

3-4 Green chillies

6-8 Curry leaves

1 Tbsp Chopped Coriander leaves

1 tsp Mustard & Cumin Seeds

1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder

Salt to taste

2 tsp Oil for tempering

Oil for deep frying

For Cover :

4-5 Tbsp Besan/Chana flour

1 tsp Rice flour

1/2 tsp Red chilli Powder

Salt

a pinch Soda

Few Carom (Ajawain)Seeds

Water

Mumbai Laadi paav/Burger buns

Garlic Chutney

Green Chutney

Tamaring dates chutney

Finely chopped onion (Optional).

What to do:

Mix all the ingredients of cover together except oil for deep frying. Make batter adding water slowly. Not too thick not too this. Just perfect. No lumps should be there. Set it aside.

Grind Ginger Garlic & Chillies without adding any water.

Heat 2 tsp oil in a kadhai, for tempering. Add Mustard-Jeera Seeds, curry leaves, onion and the ginger garlic chilli paste. Saute till the onion softened. Add Turmeric powder salt & the boiled potato cubes. Mix together sprinkle the chopped corinder leaves. Take off from gas & let it cool down. After the mixture cools down to handle, make small balls of table tennis ball size or flattern the balls like pattice.

In a frying pan heat oil. To check if the oil is hot enough test is drop little covering batter in the hot oil. It is springs on top of the oil, then the batter is hot enough to fry the vada. Deep the potato ball/pattice in the batter & carefully drop it in oil. Deep fry till light brown. Drain on paper towel.

Cut the bombay laadi paav in the middle vertically just like we cut it for burger but not all the way. Leave the bottom attached. If using burger buns you don't have to do this. Spread the green chutney, tamaring date chutney & garlic chutney. Sprinkle some chopped onion if you like on both the halves of paav. Place the Vada in between & then attack.

Vada Paav is poor people's burger in India or u can say its Indian burger.

Ragda Pattice - Mumbai Street Chaat

Interesting....me too !!! started with blog. Many many thanks to my DH S who made this happen. Anyways lets start with the aamchi mumbai's favourite street chat Ragda Pattice.

Here comes the recipe so that you can still enjoy Mumbai favourite at your home outside Mumbai the Mumbai way still healthy & hygienic.





What u need:

For Ragda:
1 Cup Dried White/Yellow/Green Peas or Kaabuli Chana/Garbanzo Beans
Baking Soda (Optional)
1 Tbsp Cooking oil
1 Medium Onion
1 Small Tomato
1 tsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Red Chilli Powder
1/2 tsp Coriander/Dhania Powder
1/4 tsp Cumin/Jeera powder
1 tsp Chaat Masala
1 tsp Sabzi Masala (Optional)
Salt to taste

How to prepare:
Soak the peas/beans for 5-7 hours. Wash the soaked beans in 3-4 changes of water.
I used the white/yellow peas as the street hawkers of Mumbai use the peas. Take the peas in a pressure cooker add salt, haldi powder & soda if using and water.
Pressure cook the peas till soft.
In a pan heat oil, add ginger garlic paste, onion. Saute till onion turns pink.
Add tomato and saute till they turn soft. Add some salt. Make a thick paste of Haldi powder, chilli powder, Dhania-Jeera Powder, Chaat Masala and Sabzi Masala if using.
Add a cup of water and then the cooked peas. Cover & boil for a minute. Check for salt.
Ragda is ready.

Now comes the pattice:

Ingredients:
3 Medium Potatoes boiled
2 Bread slices or 1/2 cup bread crumbs
Salt to taste
Cilantro/Coriander Leaves
Oil for shallow frying.

Method:

Mash together all the ingredients. Make small balls of the mixture flatten the balls & shallow fry till golden brown.

Assembling:
In a plate/bowl, keep two pattice, top the ragda on it.
Sprinkle some green chutney & tamarind dates chutney.
Sprinkle some finely chopped onion & coriander leaves.
Some fine sev(available in indian store) & serve hot. ENJOY!!!!!!!!

Note: U can top it with some beaten curd/yogurt.