Pani Puri

Hmmmmmm Mouth started watering with the name itself right. Let’s not talk much and lets proceed straight to the recipe. Here I have used readymade puris.

Ingredients:

30 – 40 Puri

1 cup Imli ki chutney

For Stuffing:

1cup Moong daal

2nos. Cloves

3/4tspn Turmeric powder

Salt to taste.

For Pani recipe:

1cup Fresh Mint leaves

1/4^th cup Fresh Corriander leaves

2-3 Green Chillies

1/2’ Ginger

1no. Small lemon

1tspn Black salt

1tspn regular Salt

1tblpsn Pani puri masala

1tspn Chaat masala

2 – 3cups of Chilled water

Some fried khara boondis (Optional)

Method:

To prepare Stuffing:

   1.   Wash and pressure-cook moong daal with turmeric powder, cloves and salt to taste for 3 whistle. Keep it aside for cooling.

To make Pani:

1.   Grind mint leaves, coriander leaves, ginger and green chillies to a

 fine smooth paste.

2.   Pour this paste in a big bowl. Now add 2- 3 cups of chilled water from fridge, black salt, pani puri masala, chaat masala and salt.  Squeeze lemon juice to it and stir it well with the help of a spoon.

3.   Finally drizzle some boondis in the water (Optional). Now its ready to serve.

How to assemble Pani Puri:-

  1.   Crack open the top of the puri with the help of spoon.

  2.   Add 1tspn stuffing in the puris.

  3.   Add 1tspn Sweet chutney or as per the taste then pour green pani on the puri.

  4.   Serve it immediately. Or the puris will get soggy making it difficult to put in mouth.

Before I could take the pic of my ready to serve pani puri. Hubby came and picked the plate and gulped the puri and said its yummmmm one more please…

NOTE:

• Stuffing can be made of various choice like : boiled potatoes with chopped onion and coriander leaves or ragda ( boiled whites peas).

Irani chappal kabab

These kababs are absolutely mouth watering delicious. They are also known as Peshawari kabab.

Its prepared from simple spices and ingredients but yet has a special taste which tickles your taste buds. It can be served or wrapped in pita breads, or can be had with raita, green coriander chutney and hot naans.

Here I have tried my best to make it in a healthy and easy way. I love making these kababs as they can be made much ahead of time in advance and frozen till your guest arrives. Then just defrost; shallow fry and they are ready to serve. Hope you will also enjoy this recipe as much as my family enjoys munching over it.

I have tried making this kabab in my style

Ingredients:
1 kg chicken mince 
2 medium sized boiled Potato grated
2 cup fresh green coriander leaves chopped

5 - 6 Green chillies chopped
3 tblspn corn flour
1 egg

2 tblspn Kashmiri Chili powder
Salt as per the taste

Oil for shallow frying

Garam Masala mix:

1 tblspn coriander seeds,

1tblspn Cummin seeds

4-5 Dry red chilly

Method:

1. Dry roast the garam masala mix and grind it to fine powder. 
2. In a bowl mix chicken mince, grated boiled potato, coriander leaves, green chilies, cornflour, red chilli powder, grounded garam masala mix 1tblspn and Salt to taste.  Break one egg in it and mix it nicely.

3. Make thin patties of this mixture. You can stick one tomato slice on this patties and shallow fry them in oil till it turns nice golden brown on both the sides.

4.Serve them hot with green coriander chutney.

NOTE:

• You can add green chili as per the spice level of the family.
• Sticking an thin tomato slic on pattice is optional.
• You can make this kababs into pattice and freeze them much ahead of time till your guests arrive. Defrost them and shallow fry.
• These kababs can be made with mutton mince using the same recipe.

Aloo wadi

Aloo wadi

Aloo wadi is a snack made up of Colocasia leaves, which are stuffed, rolled and is a popular cusine in Maharashtra and Gujarat.  Colocasia leaves are commonly also known as Taro leaves. In Hindi they are called “Arbi ke patte, in Marathi “Aloochi paan”. These leaves are mostly available during monsoon (especially Shravan Mass) in India.

While making Aloo wadi selecting the leaves is very important step. There are 2 types and can be easily recognized by their stem color. The green colored stem ones are used to make sabji and the black stems ones are used to make Aloo wadi. These leaves are little bit itchy, which is due to presence of Oxalic acid crystals, which can be easily corrected by adding sour things while cooking it.

Taro leaves are a rich source of Vitamin A, B6, C, Phosphorus, Protein, Thiamine, Riboflavin, Niacin, Folate, Calcium, Iron, Magnesiun, Potassium, Copper, Mangnesium and are good source of dietary fiber too.

These rolls can be made a day before and then tempered or shallow fried. They can be served plain or with green chutney or as a side dish with steamed rice and curry. They are also a nice teatime snacks during monsoon season.

Ingredients:

6 – 7 Taro leaves

1 ½ cup Besan (chickpea flour)

2 tblspn Red chilly powder

1 tblspn Garam Masala powder

1tspn Turmeric powder

Pinch of Hing (Asafoetida)

1tspn Corriander powder

1 big lemon size ball of tamarind pulp

½ cup Jaggery

½ cup thick Coconut milk

Salt to taste

Oil for shallow frying

1tblspn Seasme seeds (Optional)

Method:

    1.    Soak the tamarind with jaggery in hot water for half an hour.

    2.    Cut the stalks and veins from the backside of the leaf, this makes them easier to roll. Now wash and pat dry the leaves.

    3.    In a medium sized bowl take besan, red chilly powder, Garam masala powder, coriander and turmeric powder with a pinch of hing and slat to taste. Mix it well.

    4.    Now add 1/4^th of the tamrind- jaggery pulp water and mix it well. Add the coconut milk to make a thick paste. You can add a tblspn of Seasme seeds for nutty flavor (Optional).

   5.    To start making the rolls use the leaves size wise, using the larger leaf first. Ensure that the dark side of the leaf is kept at the bottom. Sprinkle some tamarind- jaggery water on the leaf then apply the besan paste evenly all over the leaf. Now take another leaf and place the leaf tip in opposite direction. Placing the leaves in the opposite direction helps to roll them easily.  Sprinkle it again with tamarind-jaggery water and apply the besan paste. Repeat the process for all the three leaves.

   6.    Now fold the leaves from both the sides and apply the besan paste. Start rolling the leaves tightly. I have made two rolls of  6 Taro leaves, taking three leaves in each roll.

   7.    Place the rolls in the steamer and steam them for 15- 20 mintues.  After steaming allow them to cool at room temperature.

   8.    Cut the rolls into ½” inch thickness and shallow fry them till golden in color. Garnish it with sesame seeds, freshly grated coconut and  fresh coriander leaves.

NOTE:

•      Avoid using more than 3 – 4 leaves in a roll, as it will make difficult to roll the leaves.
•           These rolls are ready to eat after steaming. But I like mine shallow fried, as I have grown up eating it in that way. As shallow fried ones are nice and crunchy to taste.
•     Always remember to use the leaves as per the size. Starting with the biggest first.
•     Extra rolls can be stored in the refrigerator they remain fresh for as long as 2 months if packed tightly in an air tight container lined with silver foil.

Tortilla Roll ups

Tortilla Roll ups

Why is Tortilla called as Tortilla?

The Spaniards named them Tortilla because they were similar to the crisp circular fried cake known in the Spanish heritage as the “Tortillita”.
With Holidays, Summer vacations, picnic, outings and parties coming up, I thought of sharing these beautiful, yummy and super easy to make party snack.

One of my favorite reason about these Tortilla roll ups is that they are best made much ahead of time, saving up the last minute party preparations and slicing it up just before serving!!!

Ingredients:

Tortilla wraps large sized

225 gms Cream Cheese

225 gms Cream

Garlic powder to taste

3 cups Sharp Cheddar cheese

1 cup chopped Spring Onions

1 cup chopped Olives (Green and black)

1 cup Capsicum diced (color of your choice)

1 teaspoon Paprika powder

1 teaspoon Pepper powder

1 teaspoon oil

Salt to taste

Method:

 1. Heat oil in a pan and sauté the diced capsicum till they are little soft but still crunchy.

 
2. In a bowl mix well cream cheese and cream.

3. Add the cheese and sprinkle some garlic powder.

 4. Now add chopped spring onions, olives, capsicum, paprika powder, pepper powder, salt and mix it well.

5. Spread cheese mixture on each of the tortillas.

6. Roll up tortillas tightly and wrap them in cling wrap tightly.

7. Place the tortilla roll ups in the refrigerator for overnight.
8. Right before serving slice up the tortilla rolls in 1” slice and serve them. I have kept the wax paper in between the roll ups.

Note:

• This is veggie version of tortillas but can always experiment with it by adding shredded chicken or crab meat.
• Tortilla roll ups needs to be chilled for minimum 3 hours before serving. But overnight refrigeration is the best.
•  The best thing about this appetizer, is that it can be made much ahead of time and kept in refrigerator till the guests arrives.
• Adding of paprika powder is completely on ones taste buds; you can always keep it as per your taste.