Sabudana Vadas (Tapioca Pearls/Sago Patties)

 

Sabudana Vadas 

“Sabudana Vada is a popular crisp fried Indian snack made with tapioca pearls (sago), roasted peanuts, boiled potatoes and herbs”.

Ingredients

1 cup Sabudana (Tapioca pearls/sago)

2 medium sized potatoes

¼ cup roasted peanuts

1 green chopped finely

2 tablespoon coriander/cilantro leaves chopped

2 teaspoon lime juice

1 tablespoon rice flour (this makes it crispy)

Salt to taste

Oil - for deep frying

 Directions

There are two varieties of sabudana/tapioca pearls/sago. I have used the black pepper sized ones. Wash tapioca pearls/sago for 2-3 times in water gently. Soak sago for 4 hours or overnight. I prefer to keep them overnight as they double in size. Next day, drain the tapioca pearls through a sieve and keep aside. Cook potatoes in slightly salted water until just right without over cooking. When the potatoes are cool, peel and mash them gently in a bowl.

Crush the roasted peanuts coarsely and keep aside. Add the well-drained tapioca pearls to the potatoes and mix gently. Add all the other ingredients peanuts, green chillies, coriander leaves, lime juice, rice flour and salt to taste. Check seasoning. Bring the dough together and make equal sized balls and flatten them into patties. Arrange them on a platter, ready to fry.

Heat enough oil in a deep sauté pan. To check if the oil is ready to fry the patties, insert the tip of a wooden skewer in the heated oil, once bubbles start to form around the skewer, the oil is ready. Slide the patties gently and deep fry on medium heat on both sides till golden brown. Drain in paper towel. Serve with sweetened yogurt.

Notes: Soak the tapioca pearls just right, not too long. If you press the soaked sago in between two fingers, the center should be soft.

Overcooking will make the potatoes retain water and make the patties will be sticky and soggy.

Make sure the oil is hot when you drop the patties and later cook in medium flame to ensure even cooking.

Quantity of tapioca pearls/sago should be more and the potatoes is just to bind it together.

Cachapas (Corn Pancakes)

 

Cachapas

 "Cachapas is a popular Venezuelan street food. They are corn pancakes stuffed with queso-de-mano meaning hand cheese. However, most people use mozzarella, I have used Edam slice cheese. You can use any cheese that is melty and stringy once heated. To make it more substantial, add any filling like avocado, ham slices or beans. I stuffed them with mortadella slices and cheese and served with a side of beans. For a vegetarian version, avoid the meat stuffing and add just cheese, serve with hot sauce".

Ingredients

3 cups canned corn, drained and washed

2 eggs

2-4 tablespoons masa harina, which is a type of coarse corn flour (P.A.N type), I have substituted it with all purpose flour 

1 tablespoon cornflour

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

4 teaspoons butter - divided. Half for the batter and half to fry the cachapas

salt to taste 

water, if needed 

For the stuffing: 

a few slices of Edam cheese

a few slices of mortadella or ham

Directions

In a food processer add corn and blend till it forms a paste. Add the eggs and blend further. Add milk and blend. Add salt to taste, 2 tablespoons masa Harina or all purpose flour and cornflour and blend. Add 2 teaspoons butter and sugar and blend. If the batter is too thick, add some water or milk.

Transfer to a bowl and add 1/2 teaspoon baking soda. Mix well and keep aside for 1/2 an hour. 

Keep a non-stick pan on low heat and add some butter. When the butter melts, pour 2 ladle spoons of the batter onto the pan and spread with the back of the ladle. Add another spoon of batter and spread till it's a good size of pancake. Cover with a lid and let it cook on low heat for a few minutes. Open the lid and check to see if bubbles are forming and the underside is lightly brown. Drop 2 small knobs of butter on top of the pancake. Gently flip the pancake over and while it's cooking on the other side, start laying a couple of cheese slices and ham on to one side of the pancake. Flip the other side over it, the pancake should be golden brown. Once the cheese starts to melt, transfer to a plate and serve with hot sauce. You can also make a side dish of beans to make the dish more substantial. 

Watch this recipe video on Pinterest https://pin.it/6yKCI7WoX

Kidney Beans (Rajma) Curry

Kidney Beans Curry

"My easy red kidney beans curry is the best comfort food and is a hearty meal. It is ready in minutes and can be had as a side dish or a main meal with rice, flat bread or tortillas. I have used 3 different spices, but feel free to use a mild curry powder if you don't like it spicy".

Ingredients

1 can (400 gms) of red kidney beans, drained and washed

1 large white/red onion, chopped finely 

2 large tomatoes, chopped finely

3 flakes garlic, grated or chopped finely

1 inch piece of ginger, grated or chopped finely

1 teaspoon cumin seeds, whole

2 tablespoons coconut milk powder

1 teaspoon cumin powder

2 teaspoons coriander powder

1 tsp kashmiri red chili powder

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

salt to taste

2-3 tablespoons cooking oil

a few sprigs of coriander (cilantro) leaves, chopped, for garnishing.

Directions

In a pan, heat oil and add cumin seeds. When they start to splutter, add the chopped onions and saute till translucent. Add the chopped ginger-garlic and saute for a few minutes. Add all the powdered spices and stir. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook for a few minutes. Add some water, mix and cook till tomatoes are soft. Add salt to taste and beans and mix well. Add some more water and cook for a few minutes. Add the coconut milk powder and mix thoroughly. Garnish with coriander leaves and turn off the heat. Serve and enjoy with rice, tortillas or any flat bread. 

Watch this recipe video  on Pinterest https://pin.it/2zlSu0pM4

 

Kalakand (Milk Fudge)

Kalakand

"Kalakand is an Indian milk fudge dessert made with full fat fresh milk. It is creamy and delicious and requires very few ingredients."

Ingredients

2 liters Full fat fresh milk

3/4 cup white granulated sugar or more

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

2-3 tablespoon white vinegar or lemon juice

some chopped nuts for garnishing (optional)

Directions

Arrange a deep bowl covered with a sieve and muslin cloth – keep aside for later. In a large pan, heat 2 litres of milk till it starts to bubble. Add 2-3 tablespoons of white vinegar while stirring continuously. The milk will begin to curdle. Lower heat and keep stirring. Once the milk well is curdled and there are huge lumps of cheese, remove from heat and gently pass this mixture (cheese and whey) through the arranged bowl & sieve kept aside earlier. Collect all the thick cheese and return it to the same pan. Keep stirring on low heat and do not let it burn. Add white sugar and mix. Taste and add more sugar if you want it sweeter. Add cardamom powder and bring the mixture together. Turn off the heat. Let the mixture cool down a bit. In the meantime, grease a small round or square cake tin with ghee or butter. Transfer this mixture into mould and press down with a spatula. Cover and leave to cool for 2-3 hours. Keep it in refrigerator for 5 hours or overnight. Turn out the fudge onto a plate and cut into square. Decorate with finely chopped pistachios or almonds.

Thai Mango Sticky Rice

 

Thai Mango Sticky Rice

Ingredients

1 cup Thai rice or glutinous rice

1 can Coconut cream (400ml)

½ cup granulated sugar

½ teaspoon salt

2 medium ripe mangoes

Roasted sesame seeds - for topping

½ teaspoon cornstarch - dissolved in 1 teaspoon of water

Directions

Rinse and drain glutinous rice in tap water several times until water becomes clear, to remove starch. Transfer to a bowl and soak in enough water for at least an hour or overnight.

Drain the water and transfer the rice in a steamer basket lined with a cheese or muslin cloth. Place the steamer basket over the pot with boiling water. Steam for 15-20 minutes or until rice becomes translucent and cooked. Transfer rice to a large bowl and fluff it several times using a spoon so they will not lump together. Cover and rest for 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a large pot or deep pan, combine coconut milk, sugar and salt. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat. Turn off the heat once it simmers and sugar is completely dissolved. Remove from the stove. Take ¼ cup of coconut cream and set aside for toppings.

Pour half of the remaining hot coconut milk to the bowl of still steaming hot rice and gently toss until well combined. Gradually add more of coconut milk to the rice and stir. Do it gently to prevent rice from becoming mushy. You might need to use all the remaining coconut milk or not, the target is to have a grainy but slightly wet and sticky porridge texture. Remember that the hot rice will continue to absorb the liquid as it cools down. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap so the top will not dry out.

Return the reserved ¼ cup of coconut cream to the saucepan and add the cornstarch slurry. Cook over low heat stirring constantly until it thickens a bit. Remove pan from heat and transfer the sauce to a bowl or milk pourer for serving later.

As the rice cools down, peel the mangoes. Cut the flesh from the pit on both sides and cut them in cubes or slices.

Assembly: Fill a small cup with sticky rice and invert it into a plate or bowl. Add slices of mangoes on the side. Pour some coconut cream sauce on top of the rice and mango slices or serve it in a saucer as a dip. Sprinkle with some roasted sesame seeds. Serve warm or cold. 

Carrot and Garlic Pickle

Carrot and Garlic Pickle

"It's a national holiday in Spain and I thought I'd use the spare time to make a pickle that we can enjoy with our favourite homemade meals. I made this garlic and carrot pickle for the first time and it turned out really well. I hope you will try and enjoy it with your family". 

Ingredients

500 grams carrots

200 grams garlic

3 tablespoons finely chopped ginger

2 teaspoons fenugreek seeds

2 teaspoons mustard seeds

1 teaspoon yellow mustard powder

2 tablespoons Kashmiri chili powder (adjust according to taste)

1/2 cup white vinegar

100 grams grated jaggery or palm sugar

salt to taste

1 cup cooking oil

Directions

Dry roast fenugreek seeds in a pan. Grind to a powder in a spice grinder and keep aside. Peel garlic and wash. Keep garlic on a clean kitchen towel to absorb all the water. Wash carrots, wipe them with a clean kitchen towel and peel them. Cut them in the desired shape. I made thin small slices. If you prefer to have smaller garlic pieces of the large flakes, you can cut them in two or three pieces. 

In a skillet, heat oil and add the chopped ginger. Fry for 2 minutes and add mustard seeds. Then add garlic and fry for 2 minutes. Then add the sliced carrots and fry for 2-3 minutes. If you like carrots soft, fry for 2 minutes longer. Add fenugreek seeds powder, red chili powder, turmeric powder and salt to taste. Mix well. Add vinegar and jaggery/palm sugar. Turn off the heat and check seasoning. If you like it tangier, you can add more vinegar. Cool down the ready pickle and store in clean, dry airtight glass jars. Serve with lentil curries, dal or any pilaf. 

 

Eggplant Pickle

 

Eggplant Pickle

Ingredients

½ kg eggplants cut into bits and salted.

2-3 green chilies slit (deseeded)

1 tsp Kashmir chili powder

1 tsp turmeric powder

1 cup oil

225 gms sugar

Salt to taste

¼ bottle white vinegar (use some for grinding and some later for cooking).

 

To be ground to a paste

15 gms ginger

30 gms garlic

30 gms cumin seeds

For tempering

15 gms mustard seeds

A few curry leaves

Directions

Keep the chopped and salted eggplants in a bowl for an hour. The eggplants will release some water. Discard the salted water. In a blender grind ginger, garlic and cumin seeds with a little white vinegar to a paste. In a wok, heat cooking oil and add mustard seeds, when they begin to splutter add curry leaves. Add turmeric, red chili powder and the ground paste and fry well. Add eggplants and the green chilies. Add sugar and salt to taste. Add vinegar and cook till eggplants are a bit soft. The oil will start releasing at the sides of the wok. Turn off the heat and check seasoning. Cool and then bottle in a clean sterilised jar. Store in refrigerator. Before serving, remove required amount in a dish and bring to room. Serve with dal or any curry or use as a relish on bread for sandwiches.

Capsicum Chutney

Capsicum Chutney

Ingredients

2 Medium sized Capsicums (preferably one red and one green)

3-4 dry red Kashmir chilies (deseeded and soaked in a bowl of warm water)

1 medium sized onion, quartered

2 medium sized tomatoes 

3 flakes garlic, peeled

1/2 inch piece of ginger, peeled 

a few peanuts, roasted

salt to taste 

For tempering

3 tbsp oil

1/4 tsp fenugreek seeds

1/4 tsp mustard seeds

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

Directions

On direct heat, with the help of tongs roast the capsicums and tomatoes till the skins turn black. Place in a bowl and cover with cling wrap. After a few minutes remove the cling wrap and peel the black skin from the capsicums and tomatoes. Cut the tomatoes in quarters and the capsicums (remove the seeds from capsicums and discard them. In a blender grind the capsicums, tomatoes, onion, hydrated red chilies, peanuts, ginger and garlic to a thick paste. The paste should be a bit coarse and not fine. Pour this in a serving bowl, add salt to taste and keep aside. For tempering, in a small pan heat oil and add the mustard seeds, when they turn grey, add the fenugreek seeds. Add turmeric powder, stir and turn off the heat. Pour this over the ground paste. Mix gently and taste seasoning. Serve with dosas or rotis. 

  

Gnudi

Gnudi

Ingredients

Serves 2

For the Gnudi Balls

1 cup (250 gms) ricotta cheese

1 small garlic clove, grated or minced

1 egg yolk

½ cup all-purpose flour

¾ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, divided

½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

For the Brown Butter sauce

¼ cup unsalted butter

¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 clove or garlic, crushed or minced

rest of the Parmesan grated cheese

Salt to taste

Fresh Basil for garnishing (optional)

2 cups ready-made tomato pasta sauce

Directions

You can buy store bought ricotta cheese. However, I made my own ricotta cheese with 3 litres of full fat milk. To make homemade ricotta cheese: heat the milk till boiling point and add ½ cup of white vinegar while stirring. The milk will start to curdle. Turn off the heat and drain the thick curds through a muslin cloth. Discard the whey. Collect the ricotta cheese in the muslin cloth and hang the pouch till all the water is drained.

To make the Gnudi balls, combine ricotta cheese, garlic and egg yolk in a medium bowl.  Stir in flour, nutmeg, parmesan, salt and pepper just until combined. Dust a rimmed baking sheet with some additional flour and using a tablespoon or small cookie scoop, scoop gnudi into approximately two tablespoons (30 gram) portions. Roll into balls and place on prepared sheet. Toss or roll gnudi on baking sheet to coat in flour; set aside.

For the Brown Butter sauce: Place butter in a large stainless steel pan set over medium heat. Allow the butter to melt, foam and then bubble, stirring occasionally until butter is beginning to brown.

As soon as the butter is golden, add in the black pepper and allow it to toast for about 30 seconds. Add in garlic (do not burn), remove from heat and set aside.

Boil a large pot of water. Add gnudi ten at a time and cook until they float, about three to four minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer gnudi into brown butter mixture.

When gnudi have all been cooked, turn butter pan back on to medium heat. Add tomato pasta sauce to the pan and simmer for five minutes. Season with salt. Sprinkle with Parmesan-Reggiano. You can garnish with fresh Basil.

Paneer Jalfrezi

Paneer Jalfrezi

Ingredients

1.5 cups of cubed paneer (Cottage Cheese)

1 tbsp of oil

½ tsp of Nigells seeds (kalonji)

½ tsp of cumin seeds

1 cup of thinly sliced onions

1 tsp of freshly minced ginger

1 tsp of freshly minced garlic

¾ tsp of red chilli powder (adjust to taste)

2 tsp of coriander powder

¼ tsp of turmeric powder

1 cup of green capsicum, cut into long strips

½ cup of cubed ripe tomatoes

1 tsp of garam masala 

One large pinch of kasuri methi (dry fenugreek leaves)

Directions

1.       Heat oil in a large pan and add the cumin seeds and nigella seeds.

2.       When the cumin seeds sizzle and turn a golden brown, add the sliced onions.

3.       When the onions turn soft and translucent, add the ginger and garlic. Sauté until fragrant, about 2 mins or so.

4.       Add the chilli powder, coriander powder, and turmeric powder. Fry for 30 seconds, taking care not to burn the masala.

5.       Add the tomatoes and capsicum. Stir fry for a few minutes

6.       Add the paneer and cook for another 3-4 mins.

7.       Finally, add the kasuri methi and garam masala. Mix again, add salt, and remove from flame.

8.       Serve Paneer Jalfrezi hot with rotis, pulao, or rolled up with a wrap.

Kimchi Fried Rice

Kimchi Fried Rice 

Ingredients

1 cup ready-made kimchi, coarsely chopped

4 tablespoons canola oil

½ cup carrots, thinly shredded

½ cup frozen green peas

¼ cup kimchi juice, reserved from the packet of kimchi

1 garlic clove, minced

1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger

3 cups leftover cooked short grain rice

2 green onions, thinly sliced, reserve some for garnishing

3 teaspoons soy sauce

1-2 teaspoons sesame oil

3 large eggs

Directions

In large skillet, heat 4 tablespoons canola oil over medium-high heat. Add the white part of the spring onions and stir for a few seconds. Add the frozen peas and stir for a few seconds. Add kimchi, carrots, kimchi juice, garlic and ginger; cook 2 minutes longer. Add rice, some of the green onions, soy sauce and sesame oil, stir frying frequently. Divide the rice to 3 portions in serving dishes or bowls.

In another large skillet, heat some canola oil over medium-high heat. Break eggs, one at a time, into pan; reduce heat to low. Cook sunny side up. Serve over each bowl of rice. Garnish rice with some green onions and sprinkle some red pepper powder on the eggs.

Rice Balls with Coconut Chutney

Rice Balls with Coconut Chutney

Ingredients

For the rice balls

1 cup rice flour

1 tablespoon oil

salt to taste

1 cup water

Coconut chutney

1 whole freshly scraped coconut

4-5 kashmir chillies, deseeded and soaked for 30 minutes

1 tsp cumin seeds

4-5 black pepper corns

1 green chilli

2” piece ginger

1 tsp sugar

Juice of one lime

salt to taste

For tempering

1 tsp mustard seeds

1 tsp cumin seeds

some curry leaves

Directions

Grind the ingredients for the coconut chutney to a paste with a little water and keep aside. Check seasoning.

In a pot heat 1 cup of water, add salt to taste and about a tablespoon of oil. Add a cup of rice flour gradually and keep stirring. Once the water is absorbed and the batter thickens, it will resemble a thick dough. Turn off the heat and let it cool. Once cool, knead it well till it is a smooth dough. Add some chopped coriander and chopped green chillies to the dough and mix. Make small balls, about 16-20 balls and set aside. Steam the balls in a steamer for 20 minutes. In a pan heat 2-3 tablespoons of oil, add some curry leaves, mustard seeds and cumin seeds, Add the ground coconut chutney and sauté for a few seconds. Add the rice balls and toss well carefully. Serve hot. You can also serve these rice balls separately with coconut chutney. See my recipe for coconut chutney here.

Rava Dosas

Rava Dosas

"Rava means semolina in Hindi. There are thin, crispy and savoury pancakes served for breakfast or as a meal. It originates from the South pf India and is a popular street snack available all over Mumbai".

Ingredients

Dosa batter
1 cup fine semolina
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup rice flour
1 tbsp ginger finely chopped or grated
1 tsp cumin seeds
t tbsp green chilie finely chopped
salt to taste
1/4 cup yogurt

1 large red onion, finely chopped
a handful of coriander leaves finely chopped.


Directions

Mix the finely chopped onion and coriander leaves in a bowl and keep aside. In a large bowl mix all the above ingredients for the dosa batter. Add a cup of water and mix. Add another cup of water and mix well Set aside for 15-20 minutes. Add 2 cups of water to the batter. The consistency of the batter should be very thin/watery. Place a flat non-stick pan on medium heat. Spread oil evenly using half of an onion or a silicon brush. You can also use a cooking spray. Spread about a tablespoon of finely chopped onion and coriander leaves. Pour a ladle full of the semolina batter all over. You will see there are little holes in the dosa, which is what we want. Drizzle a little oil over the dosa and cook till the bottom is slightly crisp. Fold the dosa in half or quarter and remove on to a serving plate. Repeat the process till you've used all the onion-coriander mixture and the dosa batter. Serve hot with coconut chutney. See my recipe for coconut chutney here.

Medu Vadas

Medu Vadas

"Medu Vada is a South Indian breakfast and is also a popular street snack. They are savoury lentil doughnuts and is often eaten with coconut chutney and sambar (lentil curry)."

Ingredients

2 cups Urad dal also known as Vigna Mungo in English
2 onions, chopped finely
1 tsp cumin seeds
5-6 curry leaves, chopped
1 tablespoon finely chopped ginger
1/3 cup chopped coconut pieces (optional)
2 green chillies, chopped finely
2 tsp rice powder (makes them crispier)
salt to taste
Cooking oil for frying

Directions
1. Wash Urad dal and soak in water for 4-5 hours or overnight. Drain through a sieve.

2. In a blender, grind the dal to a paste using very little water if necessary. You can grind this in batches. The batter should be thick or else you won't be able to shape the vadas.

3. Remove the paste into a large bowl and add the rice powder, chopped onions, ginger, herbs, spices and coconut. Add salt and check seasoning. Mix in a clockwise position for a few minutes to gather air into the batter.

4. Heat oil in a wok. Keep a bowl of water ready. Wet the palms of your hands and take a lemon size ball of the batter. Shape well and flatten. Make a hole in the center like a doughnut. Slide the vada into the hot oil carefully (the oil should not be too hot or the vadas won't cook inside). Continue making them and fry the vadas 4 at a time on both sides till golden brown. The vadas should flat on the oil. Remove and drain on a paper towel.

5. Serve with coconut chutney and sambar. See my recipe for coconut chutney here.

Coconut Chutney

Coconut Chutney 

Ingredients

To be ground to a paste

1 whole freshly scraped coconut
2 tsp yellow split lentils (channa dal)
1 tsp cumin seeds
4-5 black pepper corns
1 green chilli
2" piece ginger
1 tsp sugar
Juice of one lime
salt to taste

For tempering
1 tsp mustard seeds
6-7 curry leaves
2 tablespoon cooking oil

Directions
1. In a pan slightly roast the yellow split lentils. Grind this together with all the ingredients to a fine paste using a little water as required. Check seasoning.
2. Remove the paste in a bowl and set aside.
3. Heat oil in a ladle or small pan and add the mustard seeds, once they change colour add the curry leaves. Turn off the heat and pour this tempered oil over the ground coconut paste. Mix and serve with Dosas (rice pancakes).

Garlic and Rosemary Focaccia Bread

Garlic and Rosemary Focaccia Bread

Ingredients

400 g strong white bread flour or all purpose flour, plus extra for dusting

2 tablespoons rosemary

3-4 flakes garlic, minced

1 sachet dried yeast

½ tablespoon granulated sugar

300 ml lukewarm water

2 tablespoons olive oil

¼ cup olive oil, to finish

¼ cup water

Directions

Place the flour and ½ tablespoon of sea salt into a large bowl, and make a well in the middle. Add the yeast and sugar to the lukewarm water, and mix with a fork. Leave this for a few minutes and, when it starts to foam, slowly pour it into the well, mixing with a fork as you go.

As soon as all the ingredients come together, which may take a minute or so, knead vigorously for around 5 minutes until you have a smooth, springy, soft dough. I used a mixer with a dough handle attached. Add some olive oil while mixing the dough.

Lightly oil a large bowl with some olive oil and transfer the dough to the bowl. Dust with a little extra flour, cover with a tea towel and leave to prove in a warm place for 30 minutes until doubled in size.

Using a garlic presser, press the flakes of garlic and keep aside. If you don’t have one, finely mince the garlic with a knife.

When the dough has risen, pound it, then place on a baking tray and spread it out to cover the tray. Push down roughly on top of the dough like a piano to make lots of rough dips and wells. Leave it to prove for another half an hour. When the dough has risen, sprinkle rosemary all over the bread and the minced garlic. Finish with a good sprinkling of sea salt.

Preheat your oven to 220°C/425°F/gas 7.

In a bowl mix the ¼ cup olive oil along with the ¼ cup water, whisk well. Pour this evenly over the focaccia bread and bake for 20 minutes, until golden on top and soft in the middle. Remove from oven and let it cool. While it is still slightly warm, cut into squares and serve. You can slice it from the middle horizontally and stuff any filling of your choice. Makes a lovely sandwich.

Kachori (Potato Balls with coconut filling)

Kachori 

"Kachori's are small potato balls stuffed with a sweet and savoury coconut filling and often had with sweet yogurt. It is a snack originating from the Indian district of Maharashtra and is a popular street snack."

Ingredients

For the potato balls

4 medium sized potatoes (about 500g)

Salt to taste

3 tablespoons corn flour or more

250 ml of ghee or oil for frying or 
Non-stick cooking spray if using an airfryer 

For the filling

1 cup freshly grated coconut

1/2 teaspoon cumin seeds

1 teaspoon sesame seeds

1 tsp poppy seeds

2 teaspoons lime juice – around juice of one lime

A bunch of finely chopped coriander leaves

10-12 raisins, chopped

¼ cup cashew nuts, broken into bits

1 green chilli, finely chopped

¼ cup sugar

Salt to taste

Yogurt sauce

2 cups full cream yogurt

A pinch of salt

4 teaspoons or more sugar

Directions

Whisk yogurt, salt and sugar and keep aside.

Cover potatoes with water in a saucepan and bring to boil.  Boil potatoes uncovered for 20 minutes or until soft. Test with a knife. Allow to cool, peel and mash with a masher or a ricer. Don’t overcook the potatoes, because if skins break, and the potatoes absorb water, they will get soft and soggy. Add cornflour and salt to taste and knead till you get a doughy consistency. Cover and keep aside till you make the filling

For the filling, in a bowl mix the grated coconut along with the rest of the ingredients. Check seasoning, if you like it sweeter, add more sugar. Keep aside.

Make equal portions of the potato dough, about 1.5 to 2 inches each. Roll a ball in the palms of you hand and flatten. Add a tablespoon of the coconut filling and gather all the edges of the dough carefully from all sides. Seal any edges that open up with the potato. Smoothen the ball on the palm of your hands and continue making the kachoris till all the potato balls and filling is used.

In a pan heat some oil and shallow fry the kachori, only 4 at a time, until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel. I used an airfryer by spraying the kachoris with a non-stick cooking spray. The kachoris were soft inside and crispy on the outside. Serve warm with sweet yogurt. 

Hungry Jack Biscuits

Hungry Jack Biscuits

“Sometimes you are craving a quick snack and you’re looking for something available in the pantry – these quick and easy biscuits made with Hungry Jack Pancake mix is the ultimate snack or a side to go with any leftover gravy or some fried chicken. I glazed it with honey and paprika which gives it a slightly sweet & spicy taste. “

Ingredients

No-Stick Cooking Spray

½ cup sour cream

1 tablespoon water

1 cup Hungry Jack Complete Buttermilk Pancake & Waffle Mix (Just Add Water)

2 tablespoons butter, melted

For the glaze

1 tablespoon honey

2 tablespoons water

Pinch of paprika

Directions

Pre-heat oven to 180°C. Spray cookie sheet with no-stick cooking spray. In a small bowl mix honey and paprika with water and keep aside. Mix sour cream and water in medium bowl until well combined. Add pancake mix. Stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. Drop by rounded tablespoons or an ice cream scoop onto prepared cookie sheet, making 8 biscuits. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until lightly browned. Brush with melted butter; then spread the honey glaze with a brush.

Serve warm.

For Cheddar Garlic Biscuits: ADD 2/3 cup shredded Cheddar cheese and 1 teaspoon minced garlic

to dough before baking. Bake at 185°C for 8-10 minutes.

Hyderabadi Mirchi Ka Salan

Hyderabadi Mirchi Ka Salan

Hyderabadi Mirchi Ka Salan

Serves 2-3

Ingredients

6-7 green chillies, large variety, medium sized

½ cup peanuts

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

2 tablespoons coconut

2 onions, sliced

1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste

2-4 flakes garlic, crushed

4-5 dry red chillies

¼ tsp Nigella seeds

¼ tsp fenugreek seeds

1 tsp mustard seeds

½ tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp cumin seeds

6-8 curry leaves

½ tsp coriander powder

2 tablespoons tamarind pulp or lemon juice

Salt to taste

½ cup cooking oil

Directions:

In a pan add peanuts and roast for a few minutes. Add sesame seeds, coconut and roast for a few minutest till light brown in colour. Remove and keep aside in a bowl. In the same pan, add some oil and sauté onions till light brown in colour. Remove and transfer the onions and the roasted sesame, peanut-coconut mixture to a blender and grind to a fine paste with a little water. Keep aside. Wash and wipe the green chillies dry. Slit the green chillies and remove seeds, taking care not to break them. In a deep pan or wok heat some oil and fry the chillies for 2-3 minutes. Remove and keep aside. Add some more oil and add crushed garlic, dry red chillies, nigella seeds, mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds and curry leaves and sauté for a few minutes. Add turmeric, cumin seeds and ginger garlic paste and fry for a few seconds. Add coriander powder and then the blended mixture. Add salt to taste and mix well. Add the tamarind pulp or lemon juice. Add the fried green chillies, mix and simmer for 3-4 minutes. Check seasoning and turn off the heat. Serve hot with any flatbread or rice.