Shegaon Kachori

SHEGAON KACHORI

(Kachori is a well known snack in many states of India and is made in different ways. All regions enjoy bragging rights for their own way of making Kachori. One such very famous variety originates from Shegaon and hence a favorite of nearby regions of Vidarbha.)

Ingredients

For Covering : 

1/2 Cup Sooji    , 1 cup all Purpose flour , 

1/2 stick melted butter , Salt to taste , Little water to knead the dough.

For Filling :

1/2 Cup Moong Dal soaked for atleast 6 hrs,

1 tspn Roasted Fennel (Saunf) , Salt to taste , 1/4th tspn Cumin (Jeera) , 

1/2 tspn Garam Masala , 3/4 tspn red chilly powder , 

1/4th tspn turmeric , 1.5 tbspn oil , 1.5 tspn sugar 

Oil for frying

Procedure : 

For Cover :

Soak Sooji in little water for 10-15 mins.Add All purpose flour , Salt to taste and 1/2 stick heated butter and knead a dough.

Add minimal water for the dough to come together. Knead the dough well . Make sure the dough is not too soft.

For filling : 

Blend Soaked Moong Dal in very little water. Heat oil in a Pan and add Cumin and turmeric to it. When the Cumin splutters , add the 

blended Moong Dal paste to the Pan and add salt , red chili Powder , Sugar , Garam Masala ,Roasted fennel. 

Stir Well to ensure no lumps are formed. Cover the pan and let cook for 10 minutes on low flame. Uncover and break lumps if any and cook for another 10 mins.

The quantity of spices salt and sugar can be adjusted as per personal tastes. The mixture by itself can be a little spicy as those flavors mellow down when stuffed and fried.Let the Stuffing cool down.

To Make Kachori : 

Roll a Puri Sized Dough ball , and stuff about a tspn full of the Moong Dal Mixture. Roll it again and Deep fry it till Golden Brown.

Hot Shegaon Kachori is ready to serve.Tastes great with Tamarind Chutney and/or Pudina Chutney or just by itself. 

Dal Vada.

DAL VADA

Dal Vada is a popular evening snack and a great accompaniment to Tea , especially on a Rainy day. Dal Vada (Lentil fritters) can be made with Masoor Dal , Moong Dal , Chana Dal or all Dals mixed together. Heres the recipe of Chana Dal Vada .

Ingredients :

1 cup Chana Dal , Salt to taste , 8-10 green chilly ,

1/2 tspn cumin powder , 2 cloves of garlic (optional) ,

1/4th tspn turmeric , 2 pinch asafoetida , 10-12 curry leaves,

1/4th cup chopped Cilantro. Oil to deep fry.

Procedure :
Soak Chana Dal for minimum 8 hrs. Drain all the water and grind the Dal. Grind 3/4th Dal very fine and the rest should be kept coarsely ground. Add salt to taste , cumin powder , turmeric , asafoetida , chopped cilantro , curry leaves.

Heat oil in a pan to deep fry . Make the Vada Round in shape and make a hole in the center . This cooks it all the way through and make it crisp. Serve it with Green chutney.

Egg Sandwich

EGG SANDWICH

Egg Sandwich is popular accompaniment to a hot cup of coffee in most Coffee houses. Making it is indeed a kids play. In fact kids can really help making these sandwiches.

Ingredients :

2 hard boiled eggs , 2 tbspn butter ,

2 small cloves of garlic finely grated , Ketchup ,

Bread slices .

Salt and pepper to taste.

Procedure :

Mix the grated garlic and butter and set aside.Remove the edges of the bread.

Finely cut the hard boiled egg. Add salt and pepper to taste

Apply the butter on one slice , ketchup on the other , Spread the boiled egg on one slice and cover the top with the other slice. Sandwiches are ready to serve with a cup of coffee. Enjoy.

Baked Jalapeno poppers

BAKED JALAPENO POPPERS

Jalapeno Poppers is most likely considered to be an Americanized version of the classic Mexican dish. The combined taste spicy jalapeno and and the mild flavored filling makes it delectable.

Ingredients :

4 Jalapenos , 2 tbspn cream cheese , salt and pepper to taste , 1/4th tspn garlic powder.

For breading : 1 egg , 1/2 cup bread crumbs.

Procedure :

Preheat the oven at 200 degrees.

Split the Jalapenos lengthwise into two. Deseed the jalapenos to reduce the heat (Keeping the seeds tends to make them spicy. You may keep the seeds if it suits your palate).

Mix the cream cheese + garlic powder + salt and pepper together to make the filling. Evenly fill in this mixture into the deseeded jalapenos.

Whip one egg to coat the jalapenos. This helps the breading to hold onto the jalapenos. (Those who prefer excluding egg out of their diet may use a mixture of All Purpose flour + water).

Dip the jalapenos in the egg and then roll it in the bread crumbs. Dip it again in the egg and then in the bread crumbs. This ensures a thick cover on the jalapenos. Place the breaded jalapenos on a baking sheet and bake it for 25 minutes at 200 degrees.

Serve it with the condiment of your choice.

Ragda Patties.

RAGDA PATTIES

Ragda patties is a popular Indian fast food or snack every Mumbaiite can fall for. It is a member of the "Chaat" family and needs no introduction.

Ingredients :

For Ragda : 1 cup white peas soaked overnight , 2 tbspn oil ,

1/4th cup finely chopped onion , 1/4 tspn cumin , Salt to taste , Red chilly powder , sabzi Masala

For Patties : 2 cup boiled mashed potatoes , Salt to taste , Green Chillies + 2 pinch Cumin Powder . 1/4th tspn garlic powder ground together

Other : Sweet n sour tamarind + dates chutney , spicy green chutney , finely chopped onion , cilantro , Chat Masala

Procedure :

For Ragda : Soak white peas overnight. Pressure cook them till they cook well but don't fall apart. Heat oil in a Pan and add cumin followed by finely chopped onion. Saute the onion for couple of minutes , then add the the cooked white peas + red chilly powder + sabji masala + salt to taste . Mix a tbspn full of mashed potato in the Ragda. This gives body to the curry and keeps it from being flowy and watery.

For Patties : Grind green chillies + cumin powder + garlic powder in a blender. Mix the ground mixture to mashed potatoes , add salt to taste and make patties. Coat them with a thin layer of Sooji / Rava and shallow fry them on a medium high heat.

To Serve : Place patties in a plate and ragda on top. Drizzle the sweet and spicy chutneys and garnish it with finely chopped onion , cilantro , chat Masala . Ragda Patties is ready to serve.

Dabeli.

Dabeli

If Vada Pav can drive crowds crazy in Bombay , Hot dogs and burger fans are all around the world , then Dabeli can be a strong contender in the race for snacks On-The-Go. Dabeli , I assume , originated from Gujarat and has not only made a marked there but is also famous in Mumbai.

Ingredients : (Makes 4)

1 cup boiled mashed potato , Salt to taste ,

1/2 tspn red chilly powder , 2 tbspn Dabeli Masala (store bought) , Oil ,

1/2 tspn cumin , 4 Pav (You may use burger buns too) ,

Sweet n sour tamarind and dates chutney , green spicy chutney ,

Fine Sev , 2 tbspn roasted peeled peanuts , Cilantro to garnish ,

finely chopped onion , Butter to roast Dabeli

Optional pomegranate , grapes cut in halves.

Procedure :
Heat a tbspn oil in a pan and add cumin . After a little spluttering add mashed potato followed by salt to taste , dabeli masala , red chilly powder and couple tbspn water and mix well. Take it of the heat and let cool. Water is added to make of the consistency of peanut butter so that it easily spreads on the buns.

The order of assembly of the Dabeli is as follows :

1. Spread little tamarind chutney and green chutney on the bottom half of the Pav.

2. Then a thin layer of the potato masala .

3. Again drizzle little sweet and spicy chutneys.

4. Sprinkle roasted peanuts and pomegranate or grapes.

5. Repeat step 2.

6. Finely chopped onions and cilantro. Place the top half of the Pav to ensure the mixture stays in place.

Once the assembly is done. You just have to butter the top and bottom surface of the Pav and place it on a Tava on a medium high heat just until it crisps up. The open edges of the Pav are dipped in fine Sev just before you serve.

To Make Dabeli Masala at home :

Ingredients : 1 red chilly , 1 teaspoon coriander (dhania) seeds , 1/2" (12 mm.) stick cinnamon , 2 cloves , 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds (jeera) ,1/4 teaspoon fennel seeds (badishop)
Procedure : Roast all the ingredients in a pan for 2 to 3 minutes. Grind to a fine powder in a blender. Use as required.

Salad Rolls.

SALAD ROLLS

Do you feel appetizers are loaded with calories and restrict your imagination to fried finger food ??? Salad is a healthy appetizer that can not only be served before a larger meal, but can also be a side dish, or a main course. Check out a fun way of serving salad. The only cutlery you need is a serving plate and your fingers to pick and lick.

Ingredients :

1.5 cup shredded iceberg lettuce , 1/2 tspn freshly ground black pepper ,

2 tbspn Mayonnaise , pinch of garlic powder or minced garlic ,

Salt to taste , 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese ,

Rice paper (preferably square shaped available in most Asian Stores)

Procedure :

1. Mix the garlic powder / Minced garlic with Mayonnaise.

2. Take a large bowl half filled with hot water. Hold two corners of the rice paper and dip it into the water. Remember that the rice paper sticks to itself so you need to dip the paper the same way you would dip clothes into a bucket of water and drain the water droplets off. The heat of the water is enough to cook the rice paper. For your reference the rice paper is shown in the picture above before dipping.

3. Lay the rice paper on a flat surface like a chopping board with on corner pointing at you. Lay a bed of shredded iceberg lettuce diagonally across topped with Mayonnaise , black pepper per your taste , salt and cheddar cheese as shown in the picture.

4. Start rolling the tip of the paper away from you. Once you tightly hold the salad in place tuck the two loose ends on either side in the roll. As the paper sticks to itself you do not need anything to glue it up. Make sure you roll it tightly so that it doesn't fall apart when cut.

5. Each roll can be cut into equal parts. It tastes better when cold . So place them in a refrigerator till it is time to serve.

Variation : You may exclude cheddar cheese if you are watching your calorie intake. You may also drizzle a salad dressing of your choice. Make sure you do not add too much of it as it may become watery and the liquid might run out of the rolls when cut.

A welcome drink and salad rolls as an appetizer will definitely fetch a lot of compliments. An interesting appetizer also raises the bar of expectation for the other courses of meal. So make sure you meet the mark.

Potato stuffed Bati with Dal.

POTATO STUFFED BATI WITH DAL

Dal Bati is the most popular item in Rajasthani cuisine. Lentil soup with baked whole wheat flaky round bread very tasty and healthy indeed. Although traditional Bati is a baked dumpling of wheat flour , this recipe offers a variation by stuffing the Bati with mashed potatoes seasoned with spices and herbs. Dal Bati brings in an Indian twist to your weekend Barbeque parties.

Ingredients : serves 4

Dal : 1/2 cup Dal (urad , masoor , chana , tuvar in equal quantities)

1/4 tspn cumin , 1/4 tspn Asafoetida ,1/4th tspn turmeric , Salt to taste ,

1 tbpsn ginger + garlic + green chillies paste , Garam Masala.

Bati : 1.5 cup wheat flour , Salt to taste , 3 tbspn butter .

For Stuffing : 1 cup boiled and mashed potatoes , Salt to taste , cilantro (coriander) ,

1/4 tspn cumin powder , red chilly powder , cilantro.

Procedure :

Dal : Pressure cook the Dal mixture. Heat oil in a pan , add cumin , asafoetida , turmeric followed by the ginger+garlic+green chillies paste. Saute for 10 seconds and add the cooked Dal and about 1/2 cup water . Add Garam Masala . Let it simmer for about 10 minutes .

Bati : For the stuffing mix all the ingredients mentioned above and make Laddu size balls.

For the covering knead a hard dough with butter , wheat flour , salt to taste and water as required.

To make the Bati take a small ball of dough , roll it to make sufficient surface for the potato stuffing to get covered and seal the Bati with the open ends. Preheat the oven @ 375 degrees and place the batis on a baking sheet for about 15 minutes or till they turn brown on the surface. The batis are dipped in pure ghee so that they absorb most of the ghee . However with the daily health regimes , if you are not comfortable dipping the bati in ghee, you may drizzle little bit over the hot baked bati and serve with Dal on side.

Paneer Tikka

PANEER TIKKA

Paneer tikka is a vegetarian version of chicken tikka, paneer placed on skewers and roasted. Firm tofu has a similar texture and consistency so it can be used in place of paneer as a non-dairy substitute.

Ingredients :

8-10 cube-like pieces of firm Paneer , Salt to taste ,

1 tbspn yogurt/curd , 1/2 green chilly finely chopped ,

1/2 tspn ginger garlic paste , 1/2 tspn red chilly powder ,

Salt to taste , 1 tbspn oil , 3/4th tspn Everest Garam Masala,

Coriander or cilantro to garnish.

Procedure :

Whip the yogurt well to remove any lumps. Add salt + red chilly powder + green chilly finely chopped + ginger garlic paste + Garam Masala and mix well . Add paneer cubes and coat the marinade well over the cubes. Let it sit for minimum 15 minutes in the refrigerator.

Preheat the oven at 350 degrees . Place the marinated paneer cubes on a baking sheet and in the oven for about 3-5 minutes. The yogurt coated over the paneer looses moisture. Drizzle some oil over the cubes . This prevents the tikka from becoming dry and sticking to the baking sheet . Let it roast for another 3-4 minutes .

To make these tikkas in a pan. Place the cubes on medium low heat in a nonstick pan. Cover the pan with a lid. The yogurt gives away water. Remove the lid and crank up the heat to high. Drizzle oil over the cubes and roast for 2-3 minutes.In both cooking processes Paneer might get hard and chewy if it is overcooked.

Serve with a wedge of lemon and garnish with Cilantro / Coriander.

Soya granules and Green Peas Cutlets.

SOYA GRANULES AND GREEN PEAS CUTLETS

Soya Granules are made from soya beans and are hundred percent vegetarian. It is rich in protein for complete nutrition. It can be effectively used as a meat substitute for vegetarians. Soya reduce heart problems , cholesterol level , helps weight control ,and is a good diabetic food.

These cutlets can be made in Minimal oil thus pleases health conscious eaters.

Ingredients : (Serves 4)

1 cup soya granules , 1 cup boiled mashed potato ,

Salt to taste , 1/4 Cup steamed green peas ,

3/4 tspn red chilly powder , 1 tspn ginger garlic paste ,

Cilantro , 3/4 tspn Garam Masala.

Oil to shallow fry .

Procedure :

Boil 1 cup soya granules in 2 cup water + 1/2 tspn Salt for 8-10 minutes. Let cool and squeeze out all the water from the granules.

Blend the Garam Masala , Cilantro , red chilly powder , ginger garlic paste in a blender. Mix it with mashed potatoes , soya granules, steamed green peas. Add salt to taste . Remember you have already added salt to the granules while cooking. If the mixture still has excess moisture or is sticky , use rice flour to reduce moisture. Make patties with the mixture , coat with sooji (semolina) and shallow fry till golden brown. Serve hot with ketchup or chutney.

Veggie Roll.

VEGGIE ROLL

This is an appetizer which is special as it does not only pleases your taste buds but also looks interesting. This is a simple recipe with ingredients available at home.What you need is just

IMAG-E-NATION

Ingredients :

2 cups mashed potatoes , Salt to taste ,

1/2 tspn red chilly powder , fresh spinach

2 cloves garlic , 1/4 tspn Everest Garam Masala.

2 Cups Wheat Flour .

Procedure :

Knead a dough of the wheat flour with salt to taste and make Rotis as would normally do. Roll the Rotis bigger in size.

Grind Garam Masala, Red Chilly powder , Garlic in a blender and mix it with the Mashed potatoes . Add salt to taste.

Lay down the Roti on a flat surface. Evenly spread the mashed potato mixture. Cover the mashed potato layer with a bed of fresh spinach as shown in the picture.

Start rolling the Roti holding the spinach in its place from one till reaches the end . The potatoes may not help to hold the loose end of the roll. Place the loose end below and cut the roll into pieces (approx. 1/2 inch wide) . Prick a tooth pick to hold the loose end of each roll.

Shallow fry these rolls till golden brown. Sprinkle Pani Puri Masala on top. It adds to the aroma. Serve it with Mint /Pudina Chutney

Variation : You may use tortillas to replace Rotis and any kind of minced meat instead of potatoes.

Hara - Bhara Kabab

Hara - Bhara Kabab

(A tasty alternative for those who love kababs but are vegetarian . Hara Bhara kabab gets its name and green colour from the healthy spinach in it.)

Ingredients :

2 cup mashed potato , 1/4th Cup Spinach Puree ,

1/4th tspn ginger garlic paste , Salt to taste, 1 tbspn green chilly paste , 2 pinch cumin powder

2 tbspn rice flour , 3 tbspn bajra flour (can be substituted with additional 2 tbspn rice flour)

8 - 10 cashews cut into pieces

1/2 tspn Pani Puri Masala (Optional)

Procedure :

Use minimal water when making the spinach puree so that the potatoes remain as dry as they can . Add mashed potatoes rice flour , bajra flour , salt , ginger garlic paste, green chilly paste , Cashews , cumin powder and mix well . Rice flour helps to absorb the moisture from the spinach puree and sticky texture of potatoes. Bajra flour gives it a smoky taste and can be substituted with additional rice flour.

Make Kabab shapes of the batter. Roll them into rice flour for a thin coat. Deep fry them in oil heated on hight tempreture.

Kababs can be sprinkled with Pani Puri masala. This is optional. It gives a Tangy taste to the Kabab.

They are ready to serve hot with any condiment like green chutney , Imli Chutney or any cheese dip.

Aloo Chaat (आलू चाट)

ALOO CHAAT (आलू चाट)

(Heres a favorite of all Chaat lovers. No one can wait too long to eat Aloo Chaat. So lets not waste time describing it.)

Ingredients :

2 Cup Mashed Potatoes , Salt to taste, 3 tbspn Sooji , Oil for shallow frying.

1.5 cup Yogurt / Curd , Sugar 2 tbspn ,

Imli Chutney , Red Chilly powder , Cumin powder , Chat Masala ,

Sev , Finely chopped , Coriander

Procedure :

Mix Mashed Potatoes and salt to taste . Make small tikki (patty) , coat it with Sooji and Shallow fry till golden brown.

Mix Yogurt / Curd and Sugar and salt to taste .

Place the Aloo Tikki in a plate and pour yogurt over it. Sprinkle red chilly powder , chaat Masala , cumin powder . Drizzle Imli Chutney and garnish with cilantro / Coriander and sev.

Aloo Chat is ready to serve.

Frankie

FRANKIE

(A Wrap filled with variety of Veg - Non Veg stuffing is a crowd pleaser at all times. It may be served for snack parties. You may enjoy the Frankie per your tastes buds . Heres a chat version of the Frankie.)

Ingredients :
For the wrap: 1 cup All Purpose Flour , 2 pinches Ajwain , Salt to taste , Oil.

For the stuffing : 2 medium size boiled potatoes , Salt to taste , 1/4th tbspn red chilly powder , 1/4th tspn Chat Masala , 1/4th tspn Garam Masala , 1/4th tspn Cumin powder , Salt to taste , 1/2 tbspn Lemon juice.

1 Onion , Chat Masala ,1 egg , Butter.

Procedure :

Knead the dough with All purpose flour , salt , ajwain and Oil. Set it aside till you make the filling.

Heat oil in a pan. Add Cumin Powder and finely chopped boiled potatoes . Also add other seasonings as listed for stuffing. Mix well and mash the potatoes with spoon . Do not mash them too much because you will enjoy chunnks of potaotes i between. Let the filling cool down toroom tempreture.

Cut onion into long strips and heat them with a tspn oil just so that you can get the raw flavour outof the onion but still have the crunch. Do not completely cook them. Add a pinch of salt.

You may now roll the dough to form a roti. Roast it completely on one side and keep it half done on the other.Place the half roasted side of the roti on a flat surface and evenly spread the potato filling across the wrap. Top it with the onions. You may add slices of tomatoes if you like. Sprinkle little bit of Chat Masala and then fold the frankie to wrap the filling.

Break an egg and apply it to hold the two free ends of the frankie. Place it on the Tawa and brush both sides of the frankie with egg and butter. Roast till its Nice and crisp. Ready to serve hot with any sauce you like.

Variation : You may use spinach , Boiled Egg , Soya chunks , Minced Meat fillings per your mood. You may also add soya sauce , chinese sauce , or cheese to enjoy more variety.

Bruschetta.

BRUSCHETTA.

(About Bruschetta : This is a food that consists of toasted/grilled bread topped with a variety of sauces. The sauce can be refrigerated in glass containers for several days . Can be served for evening snacks or as starters)

Ingredients : (Serves 3)

2 Tomatoes , Salt to taste , 2 pinches Crushed Pepper , 2 Garlic cloves ,
1/4th Cup Chopped Onion , ½ th tspn Dried Oregano , A pinch of Ajwain , 1 tbspn Oil ,
½ tspn red chilly powder , ½ tspn sugar ,1/2 tspn All purpose flour .
6 slices of bread , ½ Cup mozarella cheese , ½ cup steamed corn niblets.

Procedure :
Boil Tomatoes in water to cook. Blend them in a Mixer to make a puree.

Heat Oil in a pan . Add finely chopped Garlic and onion. Cook well. Add all purpose flour to the pan and stir it well . (This acts as a thickening agent and by mixing it to hot oil we remove the raw flavour out of the flour) . Add Tomato Puree , salt , oregano , Ajwain , sugar , chilly powder . Let it come to a boil. The sauce is ready. Let the sauce cool down before you spread it on the bread.

Remove the edges of the bread . Toast the bread slices on both sides . You may do it on a Tawa. It becomes more crisp if you toast it in the oven (375 degree Approx 3 mins each side).

Spread the tomato sauce on one side of the toast . Top it with a layer of mozarella cheese and spread some corn niblets over the cheese. Bake it in the oven for another 5-7 mins (till the chees on top melts) . You may garnish it with dried oregano and red chilly flakes.

Bruschetta is ready to serve. Tastes best when served hot.

Variations : Advisable variations in sauce may include spinach sauce. You may use white bread or wheat bread as a base.

Samosa.

SAMOSA

INGREDIENTS :

For the crust :

1/2 Cup All purpose flour (Maida) , 1 tbspn Sooji (Rava) ,

1 tbspn Besan ,1 tbspn Rice flour , 1/2 tspn Ajwain (Ova),

2 tbspn Oil ,Salt to taste .

For the filling :

3 Boiled Potatoes , 1 tbspn Oil , Cumin powder , 1 tbspn Garam Masala ,

1/2 tspn Chilly Powder , Salt to taste , 1/4 Cup green peas ,

1/2 Teaspoon Amchur powder or 1 tbspn Lemon juice.

OIL to fry...

PROCEDURE :

Mix all the ingredients of crust to form a dough. Ajwain adds to the flavour of the crust however is optional. Let it set for minimum 30 mins.

Heat oil in a pan . Add green peas , chopped boiled potatoes , cumin powder , Garam Masala , Amchur powder or lemon juice , salt to taste.

Please refer the diagram for further steps. Fold the straight edge of the roti near the red dot , so that the tips of the arrows meet. This forms a cone in which you can stuff the filling and use the circular edge of the cone as a lid to seal the Samosa. Similarly make all the Samosas .

Heat oil to deep fry the samosas till they turn golden brown. Samosas are ready to serve.

They taste best with Sweet Tamarind Chutney.

Dhokla.

Dhokla

Ingredients :

1.5 Cup Chana Dal , Salt to taste , ginger paste

1/2 tsp Soda , 1/2 Tspn turmeric powder , 1/2 tbspn lemon juice.

For Tadka :

1 tbspn Oil , pinch of Asafoetida (Hing) , 8-10 Curry Leaves ,

pinch of turmeric powder , 1 tspn Mustard seeds (Mohri) ,

3 tbspn water , 3 tspn sugar.

To garnish : Grated Coconut and Chopped Cilantro (Coriander).

Procedure :

Soak the Chana dal for minimum 8 hrs.

Grind the soaked Chana dal to form a fine paste . Add salt to taste , lemon juice , ginger paste , turmeric and soda.

The bater is now ready to be steamed in a doible boiler for 25 mins over high heat. Remove the dhokla on a flat surface , preferably a plate .

To make the Tadka , heat oil in a pan , add mustard seeds.When the mustard seeds crackle add asafoetida, pinch of turmeric , curry leaves 3 tbspn water and sugar. Evenly spread the Tadka over the dhola. Let it percolate through the pores.

Garnish with coconut and (cilantro) coriander . Cut into even size blocks. Dhokls is ready to serve.

Tastes best with Green and sweet tamarind chutney.