Pistachio Shortbread

 

Shortbread is one of those biscuits that is so simple in its looks but super big on taste. I love it for its unapologetic buttery taste and crumbly texture. Though I had bookmarked this recipe since a long time I finally got a chance to make it this Eid. To say that it is an easy recipe is an understatement. All you need is very good quality butter and some flour and sugar. The pistachios kick it up a notch and makes it perfect for gifting.

Recipe Source - Not Quite Nigella

Ingredients

210 Grams Butter (Salted)

90 Grams Caster Sugar

230 Grams All Purpose Flour

60 Grams Rice Flour

1/4 Cup Finely Chopped Pistachios

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 300 Degree F and line two baking trays with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, cream the butter and sugar till light and fluffy.
3. Add the two flours and mix until just combined. Gather into a dough and divide in two halves. Place in the freezer for 10 minutes just to make it easier for rolling.
4. Flour a rolling mat lightly and place one of the dough halves on it. Roll it out into a large rectangle (approx 1/4 inch thickness). Press the pistachios into the dough and cut into small squares or desired shape. Lift the squares gently and place on prepared tray. Repeat with the other half and place on second baking tray. 
5. Bake for 20 minutes (do not let the biscuits brown) and remove on a cooling rack. Cool completely then store in an air tight container.

TIP - I like to roll out my biscuits between two sheets of parchment paper. This way they don't stick to the rolling pin and makes the transfer easier.

Happy Eating!!

An Iftaar Treat - Chicken Bread Rolls

 

Ramadan Kareem to all of you. The month of fasting is here once again and I have a new recipe to share. This recipe is very easy and comes together in a pinch. A good thing about these is that they are not deep fried. A quick toasting on the pan gives them a crispy exterior.

Recipe
Ingredients
For The Stuffing
200 Grams Boneless Chicken - Boiled and shredded
150 Grams Potato - Boiled and mashed
1/2 Cup Finely Chopped Onion
4 Green Chilies (Finely Chopped)
2 Tsp Oil
1/4 Cup Finely Chopped Coriander
1/4 Cup Finely Chopped Mint Leaves
1/4 Cup Grated Cheddar Cheese
Salt To taste
1/2 Tsp Pepper

For The Roll
10 Bread Slices (Use white bread for best results)
10 Tsp Mayonnaise
2 Tbsp Water
4 Tsp Ghee for frying

Make The Stuffing

1. Heat the oil in a pan and Saute the onions and green chillies till the onions are translucent.

2. Mix all the stuffing ingredients in a medium bowl. Taste and add more seasoning if needed.

Prep the Bread

1. Cut the sides off the bread slices (save them for breadcrumbs).

2. Place each slice on a flat surface and roll it flat with the help of a rolling pin. We want to get it as flat as possible as this helps in easy rolling.

Make the Rolls

1. Take one slice and place two tablespoons of filling in the center. Add 1 Tsp mayonnaise across the top. Wet the bottom edge of the bread with a little water and start rolling the bread from the top edge. Seal well and repeat with all slices.

2. Heat the ghee in a frying pan and place the rolls in the pan. Keep turning gently till all the sides are well toasted.

3. Serve hot with Ketchup.

Happy Eating!!

Chicken Kheema Pakora

These Chicken kheema pakoras are deep fried crunchy bits of goodness. The ingredients for these are pretty simple and the mixture comes together in a pinch. I made these for an iftaar party last year and they make a good quantity to feed a crowd. One thing to keep in mind is to fry them low and slow. If you fry them on high they will brown too quickly and remain raw in the middle. A medium flame is best to get the crunch on the outside.

Recipe Source - Adapted from Sanjeev Kapoor's Kheema Pakora

Ingredients

500 Gms Chicken Mince
1 Cup Finely Sliced Onion
4 Green Chillies (Finely Chopped)
2 Tbsp Besan (Chickpea Flour)
2 Tbsp Rice Flour
1 Egg
1 Inch Piece Ginger (Finely Chopped)
1 Tsp Red Chili Powder
1 Tsp Cumin Powder
1/4 Tsp Turmeric Powder
1/2 Cup Finely chopped Coriander leaves
1/2 Cup Finely Chopped Mint Leaves
2 Tbsp Lemon juice
Salt to Taste
Oil for Deep frying

1. Pour oil for deep frying in a wok and heat till ready.

2. Mix all the remaining ingredients in a bowl. The mixture should hold its shape when pinched. If its too wet add more besan; if its too crumbly or dry add an additional egg or a splash of milk.

3. Take small portions of the mixture and place gently in hot oil.

4. Fry the pakoras on medium heat till golden brown. Do not fry on high as they will remain raw from inside.

5. Remove on a paper towel and serve hot with green chutney and tamarind chutney.

Happy Eating!!

Hara Bhara Kababs - Spinach and Potato Patties

Hara Bhara Kababs are the quintessential vegetarian appetizer in all Indian parties. A slightly crisp patty made with mashed potato, peas and blanched spinach it is an easy and yummy snack to rustle up. You can make the patties one or two days before your party and store it in the fridge and fry it just before the guests arrive. I love to add a little bit of feta cheese to my recipe as this gives it a slight tang.

Recipe

Ingredients

150 Gms Fresh Spinach – Blanched and Chopped

1 Cup Peas – Boiled and Mashed

4 Medium Potatoes – Boiled and Mashed

4 Green Chillies – Finely Chopped

3 Tbsp Fresh Coriander – Chopped

1.5 Inch Ginger – Chopped

1.5 Tsp Chaat Masala

Salt to Taste

3 Tbsp Cornflour

100 Gms Feta cheese - Crumbled (Optional)

Vegetable Oil for Shallow Frying

1. In a big bowl add the potato, peas and spinach. Combine well and add the remaining ingredients.
2. Shape into small flat tikkies and shallow fry till golden brown on both sides.
Serve hot with ketchup.

Happy Eating!!

Dahi Vada

Last Saturday was a cooking marathon in my house as we were having guests for tea. As any Indian would know, having guests for tea time in India is big work. You see, you cannot offer them just tea and biscuits and have polite chit chat. There is major work involved here which means laborious time spent in the kitchen and cleaning the house top to bottom. Especially if these are first time visitors. The same thing happened here and I was dead by the end of the night. Thankfully my mom was there to help me and we shared the work between us. She made the Gajar Ka Halwa and Masala Aloo, while I made the Chicken Patties and Dahi Vada. Everything turned out good and I was ready for my guests at 4 p.m only to learn that would not  be arriving until 7 pm!! Grrr...

Making Dahi vada at home is very easy.. It may look like too much work but its done quickly and you have a big quantity of food for a little time and effort.

Recipe - From Everybunny Loves Food

Ingredients

1 Cup Urad Dal
A Pinch of Salt
Oil for Frying
4 Cups Thick Yogurt (Divided)
Sugar As Per Taste
Salt To Taste
Dahi Vada Chaat Masala or Coarsely ground Cumin (Jeera) and Coriander Seed (Dhanya) Powder
Tamarind Chutney (Recipe Below)
Water

1. Wash and soak the urad dal for 4 hours or overnight. Drain the water and grind coarsely with salt to taste. Try to add as little water as possible. The batter should be thick.

2. Heat the oil in a kadai (or a deep bottom vessel) and keep on medium flame till the oil is ready.

(Add a drop of the batter and if it rises slowly to the top the oil is ready to fry. If it rises too quickly lower the heat and if it does not rise at all increase the flame.)

3. While the oil is heating, fill a big bowl (3/4 of the way) with room temperature water and keep next to the gas.

4. Using a tablespoon, drop the batter into the hot oil. Make sure there is some space between each vada to prevent sticking.

Gently turn the vadas after 2 minutes and cook till light golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and put directly into the bowl of water.

5. Once all the vadas are fried and soaked in the water, remove them and squeeze gently to remove the water. Place in a deep serving dish or bowl and keep aside.

6. Take two cups of yogurt and mix with 1 cup water and mix till smooth. Pour over the vadas and refrigerate for 3 hours. (This step is crucial for the vadas to soak the yogurt and become moist.)

7. Mix the remaining yogurt with the sugar and a pinch of salt.

Take the vadas out of the fridge before serving and pour the sweetened yogurt over them. Add tamarind chutney, red chili powder and dahi vada chaat masala. Serve Cold.

Tamarind (Imli) Chutney Recipe

1/4 Cup Tamarind (Imli)
1 Cup Dates (pitted and soaked in water)
1/4 Cup Jaggery (Gud - Chopped in small pieces)
2 Tsp Roasted Cumin Powder
2 Tsp Red Chili Powder
Salt To Taste

Soak the tamarind in some water and remove all the pulp. Discard the waste. Grind the dates to a paste with some water and bring to boil over the flame. Add the tamarind pulp. Add the jaggery, chili powder, cumin powder, salt, garam masala and mix well.

Cook again on medium flame till jaggery dissolves completely and the chutney gets semi thick. Cool completely and refrigerate in an air tight container. If your fridge had good cooling the chutney will last upto 2 -3 weeks.

Note * - If you do not get ready made dahi wada masala use coarsely ground cumin (Zeera) and coriander seed (Dhanya) powder.

Happy Eating!!

Chickpeas - Two ways!

CHICKPEAS OR GARBANZO BEANS
(Image Taken From The Internet)

 This is the first time I am doing a double post and it's all because of Nupur from One Hot Stove who is hosting Blog Bites, the Iron Chef Edition. Well, this months theme was 'One ingredient , Two ways!' All we needed to do was take one ingredient (anything from meat to a spice to a vegetable) and cook it in two different ways. At first I wanted to do a sweet and savory version using the same thing but because I was pressed for time and the deadline was inching closer, I decided to post something I had already made.

The ingredient that I chose is the humble chana! Yes, chickpeas my friend. So basic and yet so versatile. In my house I always have cans of chickpeas ready to whip up a chana masala or a chana pulav in a jiffy. No more soaking overnight and cooking in the pressure cooker.

As you know, I live in the middle east and absolutely love the multicultural cuisines out here. One such dish that I like is the falafel. The perfect falafel is crispy outside and soft and fluffy inside. But this can often go wrong in many places as some vendors fry them at one time and sell them later after they have gone all soft. Thus I decided to make my own and searched for a good recipe. I didn't have to look much and came across the Hummus 101 blog which has fabulous recipes. Do check it out for the recipe and many others. (Do not use canned chickpeas under any circumstances!) I served our falafel with tahini sauce and some pita bread. It can be had with ketchup as well. Anything goes with ketchup I think!

My second recipe is an Italian dish called Farinata, made with chickpea flour and water. Now, I had never eaten this anywhere before nor had I heard about it. But when I came across the dish on Cream Puffs In Venice, my interest was piqued. It sounded very similar to the besan chila or besan cake that we make back home. This is somewhat a cross between the two, the thickness being neither too thin like a chila nor too thick like the cake. Also, this is prepared in the oven and has oil in the batter. Next time I will probably make it a little more thinner as I wanted a crisp bottom. The farinata can be easily customized according to personal tastes (I added caramelized onions to mine) and I prefer it with a nice dipping sauce. Here is the recipe that I used at the Food and Wine website. I made mine in a large non stick stainless steel pan and it worked perfectly.

Happy Eating!!

Chilli Cheese Toast

Eating Chili Cheese Toast is like killing two birds with one stone. You get something filling that is healthy and tasty as well. I ate this for the first time at my best friends house way back when I was in school. The same day I went home and made it for my mom. We all loved it and I have been making this ever since for everyone I know! It is very easy to make and can be had for breakfast, brunch or an evening snack. It requires a little bit of prep work but the cooking time is very quick. This is a great way of using any bread that is being ignored in the bread basket or the fridge. If you have kids at home who don't eat veggies you can sneak in a few more veggies like grated carrots or pureed beans and peas (pre-cooked of course!). They wont know the difference and you will be much happier!

Recipe

Ingredients - Serves 2

4 Slices Wholewheat Bread (White or Brown will also do)

4 Tsp Salted Butter

4 Tbsp Chili, Mint and Coriander Chutney*

1 Cup Finely Chopped Onions

1 Cup Finely Chopped Tomatoes

2 Cups Grated Cheese (Mozzarella or cheddar)

Ketchup For Serving

1. Preheat oven to 180 Degrees C.

2. Place the bread slices on a baking sheet covered with foil.

3. Apply 1 tsp butter on each slice followed by 1 Tbsp chutney. (You can apply more or less depending on  your tolerance to heat).

4. Sprinkle a little cheese on top, followed by the onion and and tomatoes.

5. Finish by adding cheese and covering the top completely.

6. Place in oven and bake for 10 - 15 minutes till the cheese has melted and the bread is toasted. Serve hot with ketchup.

*Note - To make the chutney, simply grind together mint leaves, coriander leaves and green chilies with a little water and salt. Quantities are to be adjusted according to personal taste.

Tip - If you do not have an oven, make this in a sandwich maker or frying pan. Butter the outside of the bread and place it on the heated pan (buttered side down). Apply all the toppings on the other side, cover and cook on a low flame till the bread is crispy and the cheese has melted.

Happy Eating!!

An Iftaar Treat - Dahi Bread

During ramadan there are some days when I just don't feel like going to the kitchen and preparing something elaborate. Well, this is what happened recently and I knew I had to make something for iftaar but didn't want to labour away for long. Then I saw some bread on the counter and immediately remembered this dish that I have always eaten in a relatives house during ramadan. It is easy to make and tastes good. Though I didn't know the exact way to make it  I started off with my own quantities and it turned out perfect. The amount of yogurt used was just right as the bread soaked it up nicely but did not become soggy which is something that can easily happen in this dish. I think whole wheat bread is really good for this as it is not very soft to begin with. But Latifs' aunt (from whom I learnt this) always uses white bread so I guess its just a matter of choice.

Recipe

Ingredients  - Serves 4 - 5

5 Whole Wheat Bread Slices (White or Brown will also do)

1 1/4 Cup Thick Yogurt (Divided)

3/4 Cup Water (Divided)*

3 Tbsp Sugar

Pinch of Salt

Red Chilli Powder - As needed

Cumin (Zeera) Powder - As needed

1/4 Cup Finely Chopped Onion
1/4 Cup Finely Chopped Coriander Leaves (Cilantro)
Plain Sev for Topping

* Note - If your yogurt is not thick do not add water. Whisk well and use as is. You may need to increase the quantity of the yogurt.

Trim the sides of the bread slices with a sharp knife to get a square shape. Keep aside.

Combine 1 cup of the yogurt with 1/2 cup of water, sugar and salt. Whisk well till the sugar is dissolved.

Take an 8X6 rectangle glass dish (or a similar dish with high sides). Pour 1/4 cup worth of the whisked yogurt on the bottom and arrange two slices of bread on top.

Sprinkle a little red chilli powder and cumin powder according to taste.

Repeat with the remaining yogurt and two bread slices ensuring that all the bread is completely soaked in the yogurt. Trim the 5th slice of bread and fit it into the corners where the bread slices are missing.

Combine the remaining 1/4 cup thick yogurt and 1/4 cup water and pour evenly all over the top. Sprinkle with red chilli powder and cumin powder.

Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for at least an hour. Remove from the fridge just before serving and garnish with the onions, coriander leaves and sev. Cut into 9 equal portions using a sharp knife and serve immediately.

Happy Eating!!

An Iftaar Treat - Moong Dal Bhajiya

When I was making the kachoris, I had soaked a little extra dal by mistake and after grinding the dal I realized that it would be too much. So I kept aside the excess in the fridge and thought of making something else with it. I had no clue what could be done with moong dal and just decided to make the bhajiyas on a whim. These bhajiyas are very simple to make but taste great. I didn’t know how they would turn out I just added whatever ingredients I had on hand. Ultimately I was very happy with the results and Latif loved them too!

Recipe - An Everybunny Loves Food Original

Ingredients

1/4 Cup Moong Dal (Washed and Soaked)
1/2 Cup Onion (Finely Chopped)
1/4 Cup Tomato (Finely Chopped)
2 Green Chillies (Finely Chopped)
1/2 Tsp Ginger Garlic Paste
Salt to Taste
Pinch of Turmeric
Oil For Frying

Drain the moong dal of all excess water and grind to a coarse paste. Mix together with all the other ingredients. Heat oil in a frying pan and drop the batter using a small teaspoon. Fry on both sides till golden brown. Serve with tomato ketchup.

Happy Eating!!

An Iftaar Treat - Kachori

                                   

I know I am really late in posting an iftaar treat with Ramadan already half way done (wow, time flies so quickly). But this year I have not been making any fried delicacies as I am trying to eat healthier. I don't know what there is about this month but it is the only time of the whole year when we eagerly look forward to eat all the possible fried snacks in the world. Ramadan is the holiest month of the Islamic calendar and a time for fasting and abstinence. Unfortunately most of us turn the fasting into feasting as soon as dusk arrives. Whenever I try to avoid making any of this my husband starts craving these things! It is so funny seeing him making all his demands everyday. Make the samosa, no the bhajiya, no the batata wada..lol! It is he who somehow got the kachoris planted in my mind (even though he doesn't like it as much as I do) and then I saw the recipe on Padmajhas' blog and just couldn't stop myself. The kachoris are really amazing and the covering is tender, flaky and crispy all at the same time. I changed the filling a little bit to suit our tastes as we prefer a sweeter filling. It may look time consuming but I like to make it assembly style so that it is easier to make. I prepared the dough and filling the night before and assembled and fried them in the evening. Just make sure to remove the dough from the fridge at least an hour prior to making the kachoris.

Recipe

Ingredients - Makes 8 Kachoris

For The Dough

1 Cup - All purpose flour (Maida)

1/8 Cup Oil/ Ghee

1/2 Tsp Salt

Water For Kneading

For The Filling

1/4 Cup Split Moong Dal (Yellow)

1 Tsp Cumin Seeds

1/4 Tsp Asafoetida (Hing)

8 - 10 Curry Leaves

2 Green Chillies (Finely Chopped)

1 Tsp Ginger Paste

2 Tsp Fennel Seeds Powder (Saunf)

1/2 Tsp Garam Masala

1/2 Tsp Red Chilli Powder

2 Tbsp Sugar
1 Tbsp Oil

Salt to taste

Make The Dough
Mix the maida, ghee and salt to get a course crumb texture. Add the water very little at a time (Just enough to bind the whole dough) Knead well for 5 - 8 minutes to get a soft and smooth dough. Cover with plastic wrap and keep aside.

Make The Filling

Soak the moong dal in water for 1 hour (Maximum 4 hours) Drain all the water and grind it coarsely in the food processor.

Heat the oil in a large pan, add the asafoetida, cumin seeds and curry leaves. Once the cumin seeds splutter, add the dal and roast it on medium heat till browned. Add all the remaining ingredients, mix well and remove from the heat. Let it cool.

Make the Kachoris

Divide the dough in 8 equal rounds.

Take one portion and roll out to a small disk (around 8 - 9 cms).

Place 2 Tbsp of filling in the center of the dough and start closing over the filling by pulling the excess dough to the middle. Make sure to pinch together the dough to avoid any filling from getting out.

Press the kachori lightly by keeping it in one palm and pressing with the fingers of your other hand. This will flatten the kachori and give it its shape. Keep aside and repeat with remaining portions of dough.

Fry the Kachoris

Heat the oil in a kadhai or frying pan. The oil must be well heated. To test, add a small piece of dough to the oil. If it comes up slowly, the oil is ready. If it comes up too fast the oil is too hot and if it does not come up the oil is not hot enough.

Add the kachoris two at a time (depending on the size of your kadhai) and fry until golden brown. Turn the kachoris and fry the other side as well. Drain on tissue and serve hot with tamarind chutney or ketchup.

For detailed instructions and pictures check out Padmajhas blog Seduce Your Tastebuds

Happy Eating!!

Masala Fried Idlis And How to Dupe Your Husband

This idli is one of my favorite snacks. I often make extra idlis just so that I have leftovers which I can transform into this! Leftovers are a big problem in my house as Latif will not touch them. I have no problem in eating anything that is 2-3 days old but how much can I eat alone? So , what I do is I change the dish and transform it into something new. Like my Shepherd's Pie became Meat Cutlets and leftover Mutton Curry became Egg Curry!!. Latif has no idea as to what I did (of course I tell him once he has finished eating) and both of us are happy at the end of the day! Sneaky me eh??

It’s the same with these idlis. You know how fast idlis can become stale and hard. And if there is no chutney or sambhar to accompany them it is even more difficult to consume them. Don’t worry though coz you will love this masala version of the humble idli and make extras just for this.

I am submitting this recipe for the Scrumptious Delights From Leftovers Event at Seduce Your Tastebuds

Recipe

Ingredients

4 Idlis (Cut in 3 parts)
1 Tsp Mustard Seeds
1 Tsp Red Chili Powder
1/4 Tsp Turmeric Powder
2 Tbsp Curry Leaves
2 Tbsp Cooking Oil

Heat the oil on medium flame in a pan. Once Hot, add the mustard seeds and let them splutter. Add the curry leaves and powders. Roast the powders in the oil (be careful not to burn them) and add the idli. Fry for a few minutes till it is slightly crisp on the outside and the idlis are coated with the masala. Serve hot with ketchup!

Happy Eating!!

Gosht Aur Chana Dal ke Kebab (Meat Kebabs)

If you go to my parents house in Mangalore and open their freezer door, there is a 99% chance of you finding a box of these kebabs in there. My mom always keeps a batch of these ready in the freezer for unexpected guests or those sudden hunger pangs in the evening. These are melt in your mouth delicious and every guest who has ever eaten them will vouch for them. When I asked my mom for the recipe she was not able to give me any quantities as she never cooks by measurements (what is it with these mothers and guesstimates??). Anyways, I made them over the weekend and with a few changes I think I got the quantities right. These can be made either with Mutton or Beef but I prefer the beef ones. You can whip a batch and freeze them on a tray. Once they are frozen, remove and place in a plastic freezer bag to save space. They hardly take any time to thaw and make a great sandwich on bread with ketchup!

Recipe

Ingredients - Makes 18 Kebabs

1/2 Kg Boneless Beef or Mutton Pieces
4 Whole Red Chilies
4 Cloves Garlic
2 Tsp Garam Masala
1 Tsp Cumin Seeds (Zeera)
1 Cup Chana Dal (Bengal Gram)
1 Egg
1 Cup Onion (Finely Chopped)
1/2 Cup Mint Leaves (Chopped)
1/2 Cup Coriander Leaves (Chopped)
Salt To Taste

Place the meat, red chilies, garlic, garam masala, cumin powder and salt in a big pot with a little bit of water. Cook on medium heat till the meat is tender and evaporate any remaining water. Alternatively you can cook the meat in a pressure cooker. Boil the chana dal separately in very little water till soft. Once it is soft, keep stirring till all the water is evaporated and it is completely dry. Cool the meat and chana dal, then grind them with the egg in a food processor. Remove in a big bowl and add the chopped onion, chopped coriander, chopped mint and green chilies. Mix well. Oil your hands slightly to prevent it from sticking and form 18 small balls the size of a lemon. Flatten each ball in the palm of your hand to get a smooth round patty. Shallow fry on low heat in very little oil till the outside is slightly crisp. Serve hot with ketchup.

Happy Eating!!

Fish Cutlets

After making the Fish Biryani I still had a lot of fish left to cook with and decided to make these cutlets. This recipe is also from my mom and while making these I realized that the recipe is very similar to my chicken cutlet recipe. These cutlets are absolutely yummy and no they do not smell fishy at all!! These are very easy to make and freeze very well. After shaping the cutlets, line them in a tray or a freezer box. After one layer, line with plastic wrap and repeat with another layer. Cover completely with plastic wrap and freeze. To cook, simply remove from the freezer, thaw for a few minutes and proceed with the dipping and breading. Since all the ingredients are already cooked they just need to brown on the pan. My colleagues told me that they make fish cutlets with canned tuna. Though I have not tried it, I think that would also work well here.

Recipe - Makes 24 Cutlets

Ingredients

For the Marinade
2 Tsp Ginger Garlic Paste
Salt To Taste
1 Tsp Turmeric Powder (Haldi)
2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
For the Cutlets
500 Gms Hamour
400 Gms Potatoes (Boiled)
1 Cup Bread Crumbs
1 Cup Onion (Finely Chopped)
4 Green Chilies
1 Tsp Red Chili Powder
1 Tbsp Chat Masala
1 Tsp Black Pepper Powder
1/2 Cup Coriander Leaves (Finely Chopped)
1/2 Cup Mint Leaves (Finely Chopped)
Salt To Taste
For Frying
2 Eggs (Lightly Beaten)
Bread Crumbs For Breading

Oil For Frying

1. 
   
   Mix the marinade ingredients in a small cooking vessel and keep the fish pieces in it. Coat thoroughly with the marinade and keep aside.
2. 
   
   Peel and mash the potatoes. Flavour with salt and pepper.
3. 
   
   Sauté the onions and green chilies in a pan with a little oil. Remove and add to the potatoes. Add the bread crumbs, coriander and mint leaves and all other spices. Mix very well and taste. Adjust seasonings as per taste.
4. 
   
   Place the cooking vessel with the fish in it on low heat and let the fish cook. There will be some liquid in the marinade. Once the fish has cooked let all the liquid dry up and then turn off the heat and cool the fish. Remove all the bones, skin and fat from the fish. Flake the fish using a fork or your hands. Mix with the potato mixture and taste. Adjust seasonings. 
5. 
   
   Keep ready a tray to prepare and place the cutlets. Have a small bowl of vegetable oil to grease your hands while forming the cutlets. Take a small amount of mixture (the size of medium lemon) and roll it into a ball. Gently press between the palms of your hands to get a flat patty with neat edges. After every cutlet, grease your palms with the oil to prevent the mixture sticking to your hands. I generally prefer to work in an assembly line way and do each step with all the cutlets before going to the next step. Keep the bread crumbs in a small plate and next to it keep the bowl with the beaten eggs (season the eggs lightly with salt). Dip each cutlet in the egg (hold to remove excess) and then gently coat with the bread crumbs. Place it back on the tray or start frying. I prefer to dip and bread all of them before starting the frying process. To fry the cutlets, heat a frying pan with a little oil and shallow fry on low heat till golden brown. Turn once to brown both the sides. Serve hot with ketchup.

Happy Eating!!

Home made Poha Chivda

I first tasted this chivda at my house in Mangalore when my mom made it. We kids were eating her head to give us something to eat in the evening and she quickly whipped this up for us hungry souls. And I have loved it ever since. Poha is made of beaten rice (yes it is rice that is flattened) and is usually eaten for breakfast. I guess it is a dish native to Maharashtra though we do have other versions of it in Karnataka and other states as well. This chivda is a sweet and spicy variation made by roasting the add ons in a little bit of oil and then mixing the crispy beaten rice flakes to it. It’s great to have as a tea time snack with hot chai and is a breeze to make.

The original chivda contains peanuts in it but since I didn’t have any peanuts on hand (thanks to a certain somebody who always eats the stock I keep) I substituted them with cashew nuts. You can add both as well!

Recipe

Ingredients

3 Cups Beaten Rice (Poha - Thinnest variety)

1/4 Cup Peanuts (Peeled)

2 Tbsp Roasted Chana Dal (Dalia)

5-6 Curry Leaves

4 Green Chilies (Slit Halfway Vertically)

1 Tsp Mustard Seeds

2 Tbsp Oil

2 Tsp Sugar

Salt to Taste

In a big vessel, dry roast the beaten rice till the flakes curl slightly and are crispy. Keep stirring continuously to avoid burning. Alternatively you can roast them in the microwave or oven. Spread it in an oven safe pan and place in pre heated oven for 15 minutes or microwave on high for 2 minutes. Remove and keep in a bowl. In the same vessel, heat the oil and add the mustard seeds, chilies, chana dal, peanuts and curry leaves. (Keep all these ingredients ready on a plate as they need to be added quickly to the oil. If you delay it will get burned!!!) Stir and roast all ingredients on medium flame for 2 minutes. Add the roasted beaten rice, salt, turmeric powder and sugar. Taste and adjust salt. Mix well for a minute and turn of the heat. Cool completely and store in an airtight container or finish it immediately like I did!!

You can also add thin flakes of dried coconut, sesame seeds and other spices like cumin powder, asafoetida (heeng) etc for a variety of tastes!

Happy Eating!!

Banana Buns with Potato Bhaji

My in laws have come to Dubai to stay with us. Life over here is completely different from what they are used to in their hometown Karwar. We took them around to see the various shopping malls, taste some of the local and international food, had picnics at the beautiful parks, and did a little bit of shopping. It’s almost time for them to go back and I hope they enjoyed their stay at our place.

As I work 9 to 5 I have developed my own style of cooking, I usually do one pot dishes of rice with meat or veggies or simple dishes requiring least amount of time with roti. I also don’t make breakfast coz I don’t have time in the morning (or maybe coz I’m too lazy to wake up early and cook hehehe) Ammi (mother in law) cooks breakfast everyday and makes the traditional breakfast items like dosa, idli, poha etc. The other day we had a few ripe bananas (which no one was ready to eat… poor things...) and she decided to make buns. Buns are a very common breakfast item in Karnataka and I love the taste of them which are usually served with Green chutney. Once when I was in Goa we went to a restaurant for some traditional Goan breakfast. The last thing I expected was the owner to tell us that Buns bhajji is a very popular item. They serve Buns with a potato gravy. I was skeptical to try this but the combination was awesome and I loved it. Yesterday I made the potato gravy and we had it with hot and crispy buns for dinner. The below measurements are approximate. These did not have the spongy interior like those we get back home. Guess we will have to learn a lot more!!

Recipe

Banana Buns

Ingredients

2 Ripe Bananas (Large Ones eg. Chiquita)

1/2 Cup Jaggery Pieces

1/4 Tsp Baking Soda

1 1/2 Tsp Cumin Seeds

½ Cup Yogurt

1/8 Tsp Salt

1 1/2 Cups All-purpose Flour (Maida)

1/2 Cup Wheat Flour

1/2 Stick Unsalted Butter

2 Cups Oil (Or More For Frying)

Place the peeled bananas, yogurt, jaggery, baking soda and salt in a blender and make a smooth paste.

Pour into a kneading bowl, add the softened butter and mix well. Start mixing the maida and keep kneading to make soft and smooth dough. Add the wheat flour and knead well. If the dough is sticky add as much flour required to make it smooth and non sticky just like a Chapatti dough.

Cover the dough with a wet cloth or place in an air tight container and keep for 1-2 hours. When ready to fry, make small balls out of the dough and roll out with a little flour to prevent sticking. You can roll out all the buns before starting to fry for easier handling.

Heat the oil and slowly leave one rolled out bun into the kadai. The buns will puff up only if the oil is hot so ensure the oil is well heated before frying. Turn the bun once and remove when golden brown. Serve hot with green chutney or potato bhaji.

Potato Bhaji

Ingredients

2 Large Potatoes (Boiled and Quartered)*

1 Large Onion (Chopped)

1 Medium Tomato (Chopped)

Few Curry Leaves

1 Tsp Mustard Seeds

1 Tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste

1/2 Tsp Turmeric Powder

4-5 Green Chilies (Slit Vertically Half Way)

Salt To Taste

Fresh Coriander (Chopped)

4 Tbsp Oil

Water For Cooking

Heat oil in a pan, add the mustard seeds and let them splutter. Add the curry leaves, green chilies and onions. Fry till the onions are translucent. Add the tomato pieces and the ginger garlic paste. Cook till the tomatoes are soft. Add the potato pieces, turmeric powder, salt and enough water to cover the potato pieces. Stir well, cover and cook on low heat till the potatoes are cooked. Mash slightly with the back of the spoon and garnish with coriander leaves. Serve Hot!

*- as I mentioned I am often pressed for time to finish cooking, so I got this quick and easy way of cooking a potato in the microwave. There is no need to boil the water and wait for ages till the potato is done.

Take a potato and wash it well. Prick it all over with a fork and place it in a microwave safe bowl. Place the bowl in the microwave and cook it for 3 minutes. Remove from the microwave, turn it around and sprinkle some more water on it. Place it back in the microwave and cook it for 3 more minutes. Insert a knife to see if it is done. Remove and peel. Ta da!!! Instant baked potato!!

Happy Eating!!