Chick peas on a rollercoaster

All twisted up....my mother always told me ‘everything should be done in an orderly manner, each has a right sequence’ rightly said as it applies to life aswell....but here is one spicy-sweet indulgence which even though is all twisted & mixed up tastes just delectable!

When besan rides on a rollercoaster of crisp colocasia with seats of imli to cushion from itchy oxalate shocks along with friends spices & sugar, its a burst of exciting flavours from the tangy-spicy-sweet reunion in every loop n twirl....with the thrilling combination of spices screaming out of every bite mellowed down by the humble sugar. 

Marathi traditional fare is incomplete without this farsan, served as a snack or in meals. The Gujaratis call it Patra which is the sweeter version but the one made at my home is fiery hot!! Eaten in both ways as raw boiled slices & after frying the wadis.

So take this joyride to experience the velocity of flavours that explode in your mouth & make you reach new heights in the seventh heaven!

Roll of a different kind - Alu chi wadi:

Ingredients:
Alu (Colocasia leaves) – 8-10
Besan - 2 cups

Tamarind paste – 1 cup
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Red Chilly powder - 2 tbsp
Jeera powder – 1 tbsps

Dhania powder – 1 tbsps
Asafetida – a pinch
Salt to taste
Sugar - 2 tbsp
Oil to fry
For Garnishing

Mustard seeds - 1 tbsp
Freshly grated coconut – 2 tbsp
Finely chopped coriander leaves

·  Method:

• Wash & wipe the leaves, remove stems & devein.
• Mix besan, turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder, red chilli powder, asafoetida (hing), salt & sugar and make a thick paste of it by adding proper proportion of water.
• Spread on a cutting board the largest leaf with the glossy side down and stalk end towards you. Spread the tamrind pulp on the leaf, then the besan mix evenly. Both should cover the entire leaf surface. Now place another leaf over it in lengthwise reverse direction and repeat above procedure. After 4-5 leaves are placed fold in the edges for about 2" on both sides, smear the folds with tamarind & besan and then roll gently but firmly to get a cylinder.
• Cook the rolls in a pressure cooker on steam for about 25-30 minutes.
• Once cooked, the rolls will be nicely set. Slice the rolls into thin wadis. Can be eaten like this or deep fry the wadis till crispy.

Garnish: optional
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a pan. Add, mustard seeds, when they begin to crackle add grated coconut & finely chopped fresh coriander leaves. Mix in the wadis.

vatli dal

This spicy Maharashtrian dish is easy to prepare, delicious to eat and a rich source of protein. Vatli Dal literally translates into “ground dal”, can be eaten as a side dish or even as a snack. Traditionally, this dish is made using chana dal (Bengal gram) but you could also try with moong dal. 

It is also prepared for Anant Chaturdashi i.e. the last day of Ganesh festival. After immersion of the idol, it is given as a prasad in some families. So I thought of sharing this recipe today with you all.

It is a sweet & sour coarse Bengal gram paste (chanyachi bharad) delicately spiced with a tadka of mustard, hing & chilli. The tang comes best from raw mango(kachi kairi) though lemon juice can also do the job.

I like it plain but can also be a fine accompaniment with chapattis in dabba & some even like it with rice & buttermilk!

This recipe is what my Atya (my dad's sis) makes & I find it the best!

Ingredients –

Chana Dal (chick pea) – 2 cups
Green chilies (chopped) – 4 medium sized
Curry leaves – 6/7
Mustard seeds – ½ teaspoon
Turmeric powder – ½ teaspoon
Asafoetida (hing) – ½ teaspoon
Oil – 3 tablespoons
Sugar – 2 teaspoon
Salt – to taste
Ginger (grated) –  1 ½ teaspoon

Raw mango (grated) – 3 tbsp or
Lemon juice – 1 tablespoon
Coriander springs (finely chopped) – to garnish
Freshly desiccated coconut – to garnish

Procedure –

Soak the chana dal in water for 2 hours. After 2 hours grind this dal very finely in the grinder along with green chillies. Add little water to grind it well. 

In a thick bottomed pan or a kadhai heat oil. Add the mustard seeds. Let it crackle. Now add the turmeric powder, asafoetida, ginger and curry leaves.

Now add the grounded dal. Add the salt and sugar and sauté on medium flame till the dal completely dries up and there are no lumps left.

Now add the grated raw mango paste/lemon juice and mix well and sauté for another minute.

Sprinkle chopped coriander and freshly desiccated coconut and serve hot.

My Granny's Rushi chi Bhaaji

For those who dont know..... in the Bhadrapad -the 6thmonth as per the Marathi panchang(calendar) the next day after Ganesh Chaturthi day is Rushi Panchami. It is a day of ‘Vrata’ or 'Upvaas' to express respect, gratitude and remembrance of the deeds of those ancient Rishis who devoted their life for the cause of society. In the Konkan region of Maharashtra, women perform this Vrata.

Like the Gujarati Udiyo or the Keralite Aviyal, in Maharashtra, a mixed green leafy veggies bhaji is made on Rushi Panchami. This bhaji is made only of non-sulphurous vegetables of varieties ranging from 10-30 types (vegetables that dont have strong smells) and when I say only vegetables I mean it, no spices or masala/curry leaves or any other flavours are added to this.

Those who know me well, even know that I am more of a fish lover and have a low preference for veggie foods, so they will be surprised to hear this, that I actually like this bland bhaji very much, even I am dumbfounded as to why.....but I really enjoy it.

I am sharing with you the recipe for this bhaaji made by my granny. The preparations will begin a day before when my grandad & dad will bring all the required veggies. Then my granny, my mom & me will start to clean & chop them & keep ready for the next day i.e. Rushi Panchami. In the morning itself the biggest vessel in the house will go onto the gas & my granny will start with the tempering followed by addition of other veggies which will simmer for atleast an hour. After all the ingredients come together its ready to gorge onto with fluffy white 'Dashmis" which only my granny can make with fine perfection! Love you very much & miss you AAJI.

Ingredients:

1cup  pavsaali bhende ( big lady fingers) - chopped

6 aluchi pane (colocasia leaves) - chopped

1 cup padwal (snake gourd) - chopped

1cup lal bhopala (yellow pumpkin) - chopped

2cups hirva math- chopped

1 cup lal math (swiss chard) - chopped
1 cup chavli (black eyed pea leaves) - chopped

1cup pavsali kakdi (big cucumber) - chopped

1cup bajiravi gevda - chopped

1cup doodhi (milk gourd) - chopped

1cup shirali (ridge gourd) - chopped

1cup ghosali - chopped

3 white corns – cut into pieces

Ghee – 4 tbsp

Jaggery – 2 tbsp

Green chillies – 6/8- chopped

Tamarind juice – 2/3 tbsp

Salt to taste

Method:
Heat a pan and add ghee & chillies & then add the prepared vegetables including the corn kernels. Add sufficient water to cover the vegetables. Bring it to a boil. Add salt,jaggery & tamarind juice.Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 1hr or till vegetables & corn are ­­­­­cooked & a slurry/stew is formed. 

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Bangalore manchuri

Bangalore is synonymous with awesome sambar –rice but not many local small time eateries or road side shacks serve other foodstuffs like fast-foods, chaat items, pav bhaji, etc.  But Chinese road-side stalls are a big hit & what’s  the favourite timepass  snack –GOBI MANCHURI.

( I know its actually Manchurian but the locals sometimes call it manchuri ;) :P) 

This dish is not so popular in Mumbai or Maharashtra where I come from, but the kanadika’s seem to love it! Infact they  are hooked to it & thats the reason why in every corner  you will find  a manchuri  stall selling it for as little as rs.20!

Trust me besides south-indian fare like the idlis, dosas  & the eternal  sambar-rice, kanada cooks have learnt to cook manchuri the best!

The Cauliflower has a crispy coating and is tossed with a mouth-watering spicy sauce, picked up with a toothpick. At some places cabbage manchuri is available too! 

This recipe calls for some hard work since the preparation is a bit time consuming.

A bowl full of crispy Gobi Manchurian served with tomato chilli sauce is all I need to spend a rainy evening in Bangalore and enjoy it to the fullest!

So, I guess its time for some Gobi Manchurian this time. Let me share this mouth watering dish with you guys… Give it a try, you won’t be disappointed…

Ingredients
4 cup cauliflower - separated into small florets
2 tsp ginger - minced
2 tbsp garlic - minced
3 tbsp maida
2 tsp corn flour
1 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp white pepper powder
2 tsp salt
2 tsp soya sauce
1/2 tsp vinegar

For Saute
1 onion - sliced
1 green bell pepper - sliced
1 green chillies - sliced
1 tsp ginger garlic paste
3 tbsp green spring onions - finely chopped
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp chili-garlic sauce
3 tbsp tomato ketchup
salt to taste
3 tbsp oil (for saute)

2 cups oil (for frying)

Method
Wash the cauliflower florets and semi-boil them in salt water for few minutes. Drain the water completely and pat dry with a kitchen towel.

Mix maida, corn flour, salt, red chilli powder, white pepper powder, ginger garlic, vinegar, soy sauce, and ajinomoto in a bowl. Make a thick paste and add cauliflower and toss in to coat it with the paste.

Heat some oil and deep fry the cauliflower florets and drain the excess oil with a paper towel. Keep this aside.

Now heat 3 tbsp oil in a wide saucepan on high flame. Then saute the red onions, green peppers, ginger garlic, green chilli for a few mins and once they turn slightly tender, add soy sauce, tomato ketchup, chilli garlic sauce and salt. Toss everything and mix well for few minutes. Finally add the green onions ,lower the flame &  add the fried cauliflower until the gravy becomes dry.Garnish with chopped coriander leaves. I won’t say serve coz I know it will be over in no time!

Hostel Kitchen Delite

I'm currently staying in a hostel in Bangalore. Ideally we are not allowed to cook in our hostel, but we have an electric heater where we can boil milk/water & cook some easy-to-cook dishes. I thought of trying out a sabzi from whatever was available! All I had was some onions, potatoes & tomatoes....thought of chopping them & tossing in oil, nothing more can be done on an electric coil after all! So poured the oil in my pan & added my chopped veggies. I was all set for a potato stir fry......but alas the current went off & so did my hopes of cooking up a dish for myself! I thought of giving a shot at asking the mess cooks to let me use the gas coz you never know when the current would be back. After a bit of persuading they agreed!

So there I was finally cooking on gas as I use to at home! Besides my pan was milk bubbling away & on the shelf was the red hot chilli powder & chat masala.........thought of using all these & see the outcome! So in went the chilly & the chat with a whole glass of milk......potatoes cooking away till there was just enough gravy left sticking the potatoes with oil oozing out of the sautéed onions & tomatoes!

It tasted yummy........I did not think that potatoes would go so well with milk & that milk in a spicy gravy would add texture & thicken it to perfection! I had it with bread but i think it'll taste good with just about anything or even plain! Enjoyed the creamy gravy, almost landed up licking the vessel!!

Recipe:

Ingredients:

potatoes - 2 medium

onion - 1 large

tomatoes - 2 small

ginger-garlic paste - 2 tbsp

oil - 3 tbsp

chilli powder - 2 tsp

chat masala - 1 tsp

milk - 250 ml

sugar - 1 tsp

salt to taste

Method:

Heat oil in a pan, fry ginger-garlic paste.  Add onions & fry them. Add potatoes & tomatoes, fry for 2/3mins. Add sugar, salt & milk. Cook till potatoes are cooked. Add water if needed. When potatoes are cooked, dry the remaining moisture till oil starts leaving the sides of the vessel. There should be just enough gravy to coat the potatoes. Now simply enjoy the creamilicious dish with bread or just about anything, even plain!

Cab Must Magic

Cabbage is a tasteless vegetable & as a sole ingredient in a dish would be a complete flop....but here is a recipe which makes this boring veggie a spicy side dish!

Ingredients:

2 cups cabbage

1 green chilly, chopped

1/2 cup coriander, chopped

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

pinch of pepper

1 tsp oil

1/2 tsp mustard paste

1/2 tsp sugar

1 tsp lemon juice

salt to taste

Method:

Heat oil in wok. Put mustard seeds, let them crackle. Put pepper powder, chilly. Switch off the gas, put the ramaining ingredients & mix well. Your salad is all ready to eat!

Garlic Veggie

Healthy & tasty food is a rare but much needed combo. The goodness of mushrooms,mayo, corn combined with the awesome taste of garlic,pepper & italian herbs all stuffed into crisp butter toasted bread.....& there you have a sumptious brunch option!

Ingredients:

4 slices bread (whole wheat for the health consious)

4 tbsp mayo

1/2 tsp oregano

pinch of pepper

6 boiled mushrooms, finely chopped

4 tbsp capsicum,  finely chopped

4 tbsp  spring onion, finely chopped

4 tbsp boiled corn

1 tbsp garlic,  finely chopped

salt to taste

Method:

Mix all ingredients except bread. Apply butter to bread(optional) spread the mixture on bread & grill the sandwich. If grill is not available toast bread slices & stuff the filling inside & njoy!

corned idlis

Here's to healthy and delicious eating! Here's a delicious, corn filled idli recipe that can be enjoyed as a snack or the main dish. Simply transform your plain and boring idlis into a delicious snack by stuffing it with spicy & chatpata corn & no deep frying in oil! 

Cooking Time: 20 mins.

Ingredients

For serving

sambar or white chutney


For the idli batter
1 cup rice
1/3 cup udadh dal 

salt 

to taste 

For the stuffing 

1 cup corn paste 

1 tsp green chilly paste

coriander

1/2 tsp chat masala 

1/4 cup onion

1/2 cup cheese (optional)

method

grind rice & udadh dal into smooth batter & keep overnight for fermentation.

in the idli maker apply thin layer of ghee/ oil, put thin layer of idli batter then add 1 tbsp of corn mix, cover it with another layer of idli batter. steam the idlis for 15mins & the delicious & healthy snack is ready to eat!!

yummy crispy goooey cheese balls

Cheese balls are yummy. Melted cheese will give you a gooey feeling and the aroma is just wonderful. As soon as the weather turns a bit chilly or humid, everyone at our home starts craving for fried food! Bhajias are a hot favorite in pretty much any Indian household during rainy cold days. But you don't really need an excuse to enjoy fried food. It is extremely comforting, and that is enough reason to indulge, at least once in a while! 

These cheese fritters are so easy to make, and they are so tasty, you'll be eating away the entire bowl in no time! The crispy exterior with the soft gooey cheesy interior make them perfect finger food, and your kids would especially like them a lot. You can jazz it up by adding chopped onions, maybe some cilantro or basil, even chopped spinach would be great with cheese. Remember to serve them hot, with Ketchup or some dipping sauce, with a hot cup of tea or coffee.

Only seven ingredients combine to make an unforgettable classic cheese ball with the distinctive flavor of cheddar cheese!

Ingredients:

1 cup grated cheese

1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon black pepper powder
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup bread crumbs
oil for frying
salt to taste

Method:

Mix shredded cheese, chilly powder, pepper powder & salt. Make small round balls. Make thick paste of flour, salt & baking powder. Dip balls in paste followed by bread crumbs & deep fry till golden brown.The cheese will become nice and gooey but due to the maida paste and the bread crumbs, the Cheese Balls will still hold their shape.