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Showing posts with label easy snacks recipe. Show all posts
Showing posts with label easy snacks recipe. Show all posts

Monday, June 27, 2016

Soya Stuffed Peppers ( A healthier take on Mirchi Bhajji )

There is something about the rains that brings out the foodie in me. The splattering sounds made by the water, the ever present chill in the air and even the lovely smells that the rains unleash gets me into a good mood. Being ravenous is a not-so-desirable side effect of the monsoon showers but these days I am hardly complaining. I have managed to lost a bit of weight by turning partly vegan and have been working out regularly. So, a once in a while indulgence is kinda welcome.

Tea and mirchi bhajjis is one such combination that makes me go weak in the knees. But the amount of oil that goes into making the bhajjis always makes me change my mind at the last moment. However, today I had skipped lunch and ended up quite hungry around 5 in the evening. I wanted something quite filling with my tea . So, I decided to give the bhajjis a healthy makeover by stuffing them with some spicy soya filling and then pan frying them.

It is quite a simple recipe yet it turned out delicious. Read on for my 'Soya Stuffed Peppers' -

















Preparation Time - 20-25 mins

Ingredients -

  • 1 cup soya chunks
  • 1 medium potato
  • 5-6 large peppers 
  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • 1/3 cup besan
  • 1/2 of a medium onion (finely chopped)
  • 1/2 tsp ginger garlic paste
  • 1/4 tsp chili powder
  • 2 pinch garam masala
  • salt to taste
  • 3 tsp oil
  • 1 tsp chopped cilantro

Preparation - Cook the soya chunks and potato in a pressure cooker for 1-2 whistles.

Allow steam to escape. Open lid, take out the soya chunks, squeeze them and rinse 2-3 times in clear water.

Squeeze out all the water from the soya chunks, put in a mixing bowl and mash to a coarse paste. Peel the potato, mash and add to the same mixing bowl.

Add some water, salt and a bit of chili powder to the besan. Mix well to make a paste of medium consistency.

Cooking - Heat 1 tsp oil in pan. Add the chopped onion and ginger garlic paste. Saute for a while till the raw smell goes off.

Add the soya and potato paste along with salt and chili powder. Mix everything together and cook for 4-5 mins.

Finally add the garam masala and chopped cilantro. Mix and remove from the flame. Let it come down to room temperature.

Make a single slit on the side for each pepper. Remove the insides and stuff the soya masala into it.

Dip the stuffed pepper into the besan paste and take it out. Shake lightly to remove excess batter clinging to it.

Spread the oats on a plate. Roll the battered peppers over the oats taking care to form a uniform layer. Repeat this process for all the peppers.

Heat a non-stick frying pan. Add 1 tsp oil to it and place the stuffed peppers. Drizzle some more oil over them.

Fry on a medium flame till they turn golden brown on all sides.

Remove from pan.































Serve hot with mayonnaise and ketchup.

Saturday, January 3, 2015

Chicken Porcupine Balls ( That's one guilt-free snack )

One of the resolutions that I have made for 2015 is to go easy on the oily/fried stuff. And that takes me on a journey to discover and adopt as many steamed/roasted (read 'low calories') recipes as possible without compromising on my family's taste buds. So when I came across this recipe in a magazine, I just had to try it.

Though these cute looking porcupine balls were at first intended as party snacks for the kids, I added green chili instead of pepper powder to up the heat content. One can also add some finely chopped greens/cabbage/carrots/peppers to the chicken mince to get some fiber into this dish. With a little bit of tinkering, one can tailor this recipe in accordance with one's dietary plans.

Read on for my version of the recipe -







Preparation Time - 20-25 mins

Ingredients -


  • 1 cup chicken mince
  • 1/2 of a small onion (finely chopped)
  • 2 garlic cloves (grated)
  • 1/2 inch ginger (grated)
  • 1 green chili (finely chopped)
  • 1 tsp sesame seeds
  • few drops of light soy sauce
  • one egg white
  • 1/4 cup rice (preferably the thin and long variety)
  • few drops oil for greasing
  • salt to taste


Preparation - Wash and soak the rice for 2-3 hours.

Take the chicken mince in a mixing bowl and add all the remaining ingredients (except oil & rice).
Mix well and divide into 12-14 portions. Shape each portion into a ball.

Strain the rice, spread it on a plate and put under the fan for 5-10 mins so that the excess water gets evaporated. Roll each ball over the rice so that the rice grains coat it well.

Cooking - Plug in a steamer. If you do not own one, use an idli stand and spread some banana leaves over the plates. (Or you can even do it in a pressure cooker like we steam dhokla)

Place the balls and close the lid. Steam for 15-18 mins .

Remove from the steamer/idli pot and serve hot with schezuan chutney/sauce.


Friday, December 19, 2014

Oats and Sweet Potato Cutlets

I do not believe in waiting for the New Year to implement any resolutions. So, after returning back from my Odisha trip I have been monitoring my diet quite strictly. This year it is not just about losing a few extra pounds but also getting back to a leaner and fitter self. And that requires a lot of mental discipline as well.

I have switched to cooking with very little oil and have bought a non-stick appam pan in which i toast the dishes which traditionally require deep frying. Vadas, cutlets, koftas are some of the examples. I am yet to perfect the oil-free/ low-oil gravy for my dishes but I keep experimenting with that as well. Have been thinking of investing in an air-fryer. Please leave behind a comment/suggestion below the post if you have had a good experience with it.

This recipe combines the goodness of Shakarkandi/sweet potato with oats. While I usually boil/roast sweet potato and have it with black salt, pepper, chili powder and optionally a dash of lemon juice, this one can also be served as snacks. And all those health-conscious guests out there are going to fall head over heels in love with it. Read on for the recipe -






Preparation Time - 20-25 mins ( including 15 mins of standby time)


Ingredients -

  • 2 medium sized sweet potatoes 
  • 3-4 tbsp masala oats (I used Saffola oats in Curry & Pepper flavour)
  • 1/4 tsp red chili powder
  • 1/3 tsp pepper powder ( skip if using Pepper flavored oats )
  • 2 pinch black salt
  • salt to taste
  • 1 tsp oil


Preparation - Wash and cook the sweet potato in a pressure cooker for 3-4 whistles.

Keep aside till steam escapes. Drain excess water, remove and peel the sweet potato .Transfer it to a mixing bowl.

Add all the remaining ingredients except for oil. Mash together. Divide into 10-12 equal portions and give desired shape (disc, oblong, heart or diamond). (Roll the cutlets over some oats spread out on a flat plate for a better presentation)

Cooking - Heat a non-stick frying pan. Grease with 1/2 tsp oil.

Place the cutlets and fry them on a low flame till small brown spots appear. Flip over and repet for the other side as well.

Remove from pan and serve hot with lemon wedges and sauce/chutney.



















Note - Do remember to leave any suggestions regarding an air fryer if you have used one .

Monday, October 6, 2014

Spinach and Sweet corn Sandwich

The yucky spinach (as most kids would label it) in a different avatar !!! This is one of those simple sandwiches that are healthy, filling and yummy, all at the same time. They make for a great 4 o'clock snack and taste equally good in the lunch-box.

Read on for the easy recipe -




















Preparation Time - 10-12 mins

Ingredients -


  • 1 1/2 cup shredded spinach leaves 
  • 1/2 cup sweet corn
  • 1/2 of a small onion (finely chopped)
  • 1/3 tsp GG paste
  • 1/3 tsp chili powder
  • salt to taste
  • 1 tsp oil
  • 4-6 tbsp grated cheddar cheese
  • 4 slices of bread
  • butter 



Preparation - Blanch the spinach and keep aside to stain excess water. Give it a buzz in a food processor to get a coarse textured paste.

Cooking - Heat the oil in a wok. Add the chopped onion and fry for 1 minute before adding the GG paste. After 2 mins, add the chili powder, spinach paste, sweet corn and salt. Cook for 3-4 mins. Remove from flame and keep aside.

Layer half of the spinach-sweet corn filling over a bread slice.

Top it with 2-3 tbsp grated cheese and close with another bread slice. Repeat the process with the remaining bread slices and filling.

Heat a sandwich maker/tawa. Brush a little butter on the outer sides of the sandwiches and grill/toast for 2 mins. (Cut into triangles if doing it on a tawa).

Serve hot or cold.






















Note - The cheese is optional. One may skip it or even add some crumbled paneer instead.

Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Sabudana Vada

Sabudana being loaded with carbohydrates (starch) is an ideal choice for fasting days. Most of the recipes are easy, quick and tasty. One such example is the Sabudana Vada, crispy and lightly spiced fritters of sago, potato and peanuts.

Quite happy with my first attempt. The vadas turned out crisp on the outside and soft inside without absorbing too much oil. Read on for the recipe -







Preparation Time - 15-20 mins

Ingredients -

  • 1/2 cup sabudana
  • 1 cup mashed potato
  • 1 tsp cornflour
  • 3-4 tbsp roasted and lightly crushed peanuts
  • 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
  • 1 tsp grated ginger
  • 1/2 tsp finely chopped green chilis
  • 1/2 tsp red chili powder
  • 1 tsp finely chopped coriander leaves
  • 1/2-1 tsp lemon juice
  • salt to taste
  • oil for deep frying


Preparation - Soak the sabudana overnight (or lesser time for smaller pearls). Strain to remove all excess water (this is important)

Take the sabudana in a mixing bowl. Add all other ingredients except for the oil. Mix into a dough.

Grease your palms with a little oil. Pinch small portions of the dough, roll into balls and flatten them. Make sure they are not very thick as the center will not be cooked properly.

Cooking - Heat sufficient oil in a wok. Add the flattened dics 2-3 at a time. Fry on both sides till light brown. Make sure that the flame is kept medium high so that the vadas do not absorb excess oil.

Remove from the wok and place on a paper towel to absorb the excess oil. Repeat for the remaining dough.

Serve hot with a chutney.




















Note - It is important to test the soaking time of the sabudana before making the vadas. The tiny varieties need only half an hour to become soft and mushy. 

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

Shakarkandi Chaat (Navratri Special)

Shakarkandi Chaat is a famous Delhi street food that it very common during the winters. While I have never seen it in any of the cities that I have lived in, I came to know about it from a neighbor of mine. We happened to be discussing pregnancy cravings and she mentioned that she had lost all her appetite during those nine months. "Lucky you", all the ladies chipped in. A very natural reaction (and laced with some envy too) for all those who had experienced such cravings and were still in the process of losing all those pounds gained as a result of gorging on sweets and other high calorie stuff. Coming back to my neighbour, as she continued to share her stories about how people around her would try and get her to eat, one particular recipe caught my attention. The description of a yummy sweet potato and fruit chaat prepared by her grandmother-in-law almost reduced my mouth into a pool of saliva. This was something I had to try at least once.

I made a small change in her recipe by omitting the fruit. And it turned out to be just yummylicious. Read on for this simple 'phalahari' chaat which is very apt for the Navratri -






Preparation Time - 10 mins

Ingredients -

2 cups boiled/baked, peeled & cubed sweet potato
1/4 tsp roasted cumin powder
1/4 tsp chili powder
1 tsp lemon juice
rock salt as desired

Preparation - Take all the ingredients in a mixing bowl. Toss well.

Serve immediately.


Note - One can also add sliced bananas, pomegranate, nylon sev, amchur/chaat masala, coriander leaves, green chilis, etc to spice it up further.


Friday, September 19, 2014

Cheesy Quesadillas ( Three Cheese Quesadilla )

The third and final post for the Indusladies Kid's lunchbox event. This time I have chosen to do a three cheese quesadilla as most kids happen to love the cheesy filling in almost everything. Quesadilla's are quite healthy if one substitutes the white flour for the whole wheat version. The cheese provides the much needed proteins that children require and the veggies pack in an impressive amount of fiber and nutrients.

Read on for the recipe -






Sending this as a contribution to the Indusladies event 100 Kids Lunch Box Recipes. Check out more details here - http://www.indusladies.com/food/kids-lunch-box-recipes/







Preparation Time - 25 mins (plus some standby time)

Ingredients -

For the Tortilla/rotis -

  • 1 cup wheat flour or maida
  • 1 tsp butter
  • salt to taste
  • a dash of pepper
  • warm milk for kneading

For the filling and final touches -

  • 1 cup chopped vegetables ( I used lettuce, peppers and tomatoes )
  • 4 tsp grated Cheddar cheese
  • 4 tbsp cream cheese ( one can also substitute it with softened/crumbled paneer )
  • 4 tbsp grated processed cheese (I used Amul processed cheese)
  • pinch of pepper
  • a bit of grated garlic
  • a dash of vinegar/lemon juice (optional)
  • salt to taste
  • EVOO for brushing the quesadillas.

Preparation- Take the flour in a wide plate. Add salt, pepper and butter. Rub in.

Add milk to the flour, little by little and keep on mixing so that it is well incorporated into the dough. We want a soft dough. It is ok if it is slightly sticky but too sticky means more flour should be added.

Cover dough with moist cloth and rest aside for 30 mins.

Take the veggies in a mixing bowl. Add the cheddar cheese, cream cheese, pepper, vinegar/lime juice, garlic and salt. Mix well and keep aside.

Pinch small balls from the dough. Dust a working surface with flour and roll out into thin circles.

Cooking - Heat a tawa/flat pan. Put the roti/tortilla on it. Wait till small bubbles begin to form. Add some of the veggie filling to one half of the circle. Sprinkle processed cheese on the veggies. Fold over the other half so that the veggies and the cheese are sandwiched inside.

Slightly press with a spatula for 1 minute or so to allow the cheese to melt from the heat. Brush some olive oil on the side. Flip over and brush more olive oil on the other side. Cook for 30 seconds.

Remove from tawa and keep aside. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling.

Serve immediately or cover tightly with a foil wrap before putting in the lunchbox.
























Saturday, September 13, 2014

Hash Brown Sandwich

I am totally into sandwiches these days. Most of them are vegetarian and quite easy to prepare which works well given that I am feeling quite lazy to cook. Came up with this one last week when I prepared Hash Browns (Rosti) for my son. If your kids do not like potato, this is something that you should try.

While Hash Brown's/Rosti's are traditionally made from shredded raw potatoes, a few chef choose to boil the potato a bit before coarsely grating them. After trying both methods, I also prefer to make them this way as it becomes easier to work with. It gives that perfect crisp on the outside and moist on the inside texture. This method is preferable for the younger kids/toddlers.

Read on for the easy recipe -




















Preparation Time - 10-12 mins ( if you have boiled potatoes at hand else add 10 mins )

Ingredients -


  • Burger buns or any plain buns
  • 1-2 boiled potatoes ( about 3/4 cooked is preferable )
  • 1/2 cup coarsely mashed avocado
  • 1 tbsp mustard sauce
  • 1 1/2 tbsp honey
  • 2 tbsp vegan mayonnaise
  • few slices of tomato
  • few lettuce leaves
  • freshly ground pepper
  • butter
  • salt to taste


Preparation - Take the avocado, honey, mustard sauce and a bit of salt in a bowl. Mix togather.

Grate the potato into a mixing bowl. Add some salt and pepper and lightly toss togather.
Using very little pressure shape into patties.

Cooking - Heat sufficient butter in a pan . Add the potato patties and fry for 4-5 minutes till it firms a bit. This side should be golden brown and crisp. Then flip it over and fry the other side till it develops a similar texture. Remove from pan and place on a paper towel to absorb excess oil.

To assemble the sandwich/burger -

Layer on some of the avocado-mustard-honey sauce on the bun. Place the Hash Brown over it. Layer it with tomato slices and lettuce. Spread some mayonnaise on the other bun and place it over the lettuce layer. Dig in.

Sunday, August 10, 2014

Chuda Kadamba ( Avalakki/Poha Laddoo )

Chuda santula (Poha). Chuda Kadali Chakta. Chuda khera. Chuda payas. While there are many ways of consuming beaten rice ( or 'Chuda') in  Odisha, I came across this one very recently. 'Chuda Kadamba' or laddoos made of powdered beaten rice are not only easy to make, they taste great and are super healthy too!! They do sound like manna from heaven for folks on a strict diet regimen ( one can cut down on the quantity of ghee by half and use skim milk instead ) .

I was inspired to make this for my kid who is on a snacking spree these days. Store bought stuff can be unhealthy at times ( MSG, too much sugar, artificial sweeteners) and he is always looking for more variety. Hence I tried these laddoos which did not call for much effort and are low on white/refined sugar too !!! While I have added some cashews and raisins to my version but one can also omit the same. Read on for the quick recipe -






Preparation time - 10 mins

Ingredients -


  • 2 cups thin poha/chuda (beaten rice)
  • 5 tsp brown sugar/jaggery
  • 2 green cardamoms (powdered)
  • 1 tsp ghee
  • 4 tbsp freshly grated coconut
  • 4-5 tsp warm milk ( or as needed for binding )
  • a pinch of edible camphor (optional)
  • 3-4 tbsp broken cashews (optional)
  • 2 tbsp raisins (optional)


Preparation - Heat 1/2 tsp ghee in a pan. Add the cashews and raisins and fry for 10-15 seconds. Keep aside to cool down.

Grind the beaten rice to a fine powder.

Next add the cardamom and brown sugar/jaggery to the same blender jar and buzz till mixed.

Add freshly grated coconut, ghee, fried cashews and buzz for 1-2 seconds.

Finally add the milk little by little and give it a buzz. All the ingredients should come together like a dough. If not add more milk by the teaspoon ( be careful at this stage ).

Rub ghee on your hands, take a little of the mixture and try to form a ball/laddoo. If it is binding well, remove the mixture from blender jar into a mixing bowl else add more milk . Add raisins and camphor. Mix well.

Make into small balls. Pop into the fridge for a few hours. Keep refrigerated and consume with 2-3 days.


Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Rajma Galouti Kebab

Had my eyes on this for a long time but finally got a chance this week as I was running a little short on vegetables. A good thing that my timing coincides with the holy month of Ramzan as this would be great on the 'iftar' menu. Read about it for the first time in one of those handy cookbooks written by the late Tarla Dalal and quite liked it for its simplicity. Then came an episode on Khana khazana featuring another strikingly different version of this delicacy which seemed to have originated in some far away universe. The latter was loaded by spices and too much of nuts I felt.

I decided to go with my favorite cook's recipe and modify/tweak it a bit while making the best use of ingredients available in my pantry. But when I made the first lot, I realized that the rajma gives a dry texture to these kebabs. Typical of any lentil fritters. So the potato/panner/khoya/nuts paste are very much required to impart that silken melt-in-the-mouth kinda texture to the kebabs. The addition of ghee is also crucial for the same reason. They turned out fine with the addition of more potato and unsweetened khoya.Read on for my version -






Preparation Time - 30 mins

Ingredients -

1 cup rajma/kidney beans
1 medium sized potato (boiled & peeled)
1/3 cup grated paneer
4 tbsp grated/crumbled unsweetened khoya
1 medium sized onion
2-3 green chilis
1 tsp finely chopped ginger
2-3 tsp chopped coriander leaves
1-2 tsp chopped mint leaves
1/4 tsp coriander powder
1/5 tsp cumin powder
1/3 tsp red chilli powder
2 pinch garam masala
1/3 turmeric
salt to taste
5-6 tsp oil/clarified butter (gives a more authentic taste)


Preparation - Wash and soak the rajma beans overnight.

Finely chop the onions and green chillis.

Cooking - Transfer the rajma to a pressure cooker with salt, turmeric and 1 1/2 cups water. Pressure cook for 3-4 whistles till soft but not too mushy. Allow steam to escape naturally. Then drain the kidney beans and keep aside.

Heat 3 tsp oil in a wok. Add the onions and fry till translucent.

Add the ginger and saute for 30 seconds. Add the powdered masalas and fry for another 20-30 seconds.

Add the kidney beans along with the grated potato, paneer and khoya. Use a heavy spoon or ladle to mash up the beans and get a uniform mix of the ingredients. Adjust salt.

Finally add the chopped green chili, mint and coriander leaves. Mix well. Remove from flame and keep aside till it cools down a bit.

Take small portions from the above mixture and shape into flattened circles or tikkis.

Heat a flat non-stick pan and brush with some oil/ghee. Place 3-4 of the flattened circles on it. Let it cook on one side for 3-4 minutes on low to medium flame. Brush on some oil/ghee on the top of each before flipping it over. Let it cook on this side for another 3 mins. Remove and keep aside.

Serve hot with mint-coriander chutney/ketchup or even a yogurt dip.



















Note - There kebabs are actually meant to be deep fried but I wanted to keep the calories in check with all the ghee and khoya going into it. Hence pan-fried them.

Monday, July 14, 2014

Easy Vegetarian Quesadillas

Having got bored with the usual breakfast menu, I was looking for a change. Something more filling and healthy was what I wanted. That is when I came across someone's post of Quesadilla on FB. Not that I had not seen it before. But it never occurred to me that I could make this super easy snack at home whenever I wanted instead to buying it from outside everytime. That way I could also decide what filling I wanted to put inside it.

While the totillas are made from bleached wheat flour or maida, I decided to stick to the usual multi-grain wheat flour that we use on a everyday basis. For the stuffing, I have used peppers, spring onions and tomatoes but one can add anything from mushrooms to paneer along with loads of leafy stuff like cabbage, spinach, lettuce, etc. Read on for my version -





























Preparation Time - 25 mins (plus some standby time)

Ingredients -

For the Tortilla/rotis -

  • 1 cup wheat flour or maida
  • 1 tsp butter
  • salt to taste
  • a dash of pepper
  • warm milk for kneading

For the filling and final touches -

  • 1 cup chopped vegetables ( I used spring onions, peppers and tomatoes )
  • 1/2 tsp olive oil
  • pinch of cayanne pepper
  • pinch of pepper
  • salt to taste
  • 4 tbsp grated cheese (I used Amul processed cheese, use can use any other too)
  • 2 tbsp mayonnaise (optional but give a great taste)
  • EVOO for brushing the quesadillas.

Preparation- Take the flour in a wide plate. Add salt, pepper and butter. Rub in.

Add milk to the flour, little by little and keep on mixing so that it is well incorporated into the dough. We want a soft dough. It is ok if it is slightly sticky but too sticky means more flour should be added.

Cover dough with moist cloth and rest aside for 30 mins.

Cooking - Heat the olive oil in a frying pan. Add the vegetables to it and sprinkle pepper and salt. Saute on high for 2 mins max. Keep aside to cool down.

Pinch small balls from the dough. Dust a working surface with flour and roll out into thin circles.

Heat a tawa/flat pan. Put the roti/tortilla on it. Wait till small bubbles begin to form. Add some of the stir fried veggies to one half of the circle. Sprinkle mayonnaise and cheese on the veggies. Fold over the other half so that the veggies and the cheese are sandwiched inside.

Slightly press with a splatula for 1 minute or so to allow the cheese to melt from the heat. Brush some olive oil on the side. Flip over and brush more olive oil on the other side. Cook for 30 seconds.

Remove from tawa and keep aside. Repeat with the remaining dough and veggies.

Serve hot with a hot sauce/sour dip of your choice.

Thursday, June 19, 2014

Falafel with Tahini Sauce

Made falafels for the first time yesterday using one of the All-stars recipe from Foodnetwork.com. As I scanned the ingredients list, I could vaguely recollect having made something similar but could not put my finger on it. However once the fritters were ready, I took one bite and the truth dawned upon me. Nothing short of a bollywood potboiler from the 70's, it was a long separated sibling of our very own 'piaji'. The cliched story of two brothers one of whom grows up to be an upright police officer while his good-at-heart sibling lurks on the fringes of the underworld flashed in front of my eyes. Made with garbanzo beans/, the Falafel is spiced with ingredients that are indigenous to the Middle east while our Piaji is made with gram dal and used local spices. Check the recipe for Piaji (here).

While opinions vary on the texture of Falafel, it is agreed upon that it should have a crunchy exterior while retaining a moist and fluffy core. The texture of the chickpeas paste plays an important role in this. Too coarse and it falls apart while too fine a paste makes the falafels dense. To achieve the right texture I made a fine paste out of half of the beans while leaving the other half coarse. The baking powder should always be added just before frying as it gets activated as soon as it comes in contact with water. The refrigeration time is also crucial as it allows the flavours to blend in. 

It is served with tahini sauce, a sesame-olive oil paste with lots of lime added for tang.

Read on for my recipe -





Preparation Time - 30-35 mins 

Ingredients - 

For the Falafel -
  • 1 cup dry garbanzo beans/kabuli chana
  • 1/2 of a small onion
  • 2 fat garlic cloves
  • 1 tsp chili flakes
  • 1/4 tsp coarsely grounded pepper 
  • 1-2 tbsp coriander leaves
  • 1/2 tsp dried parsley (use the fresh flat-leaf parsley if you get it)
  • 1 1/2 tbsp all purpose flour/maida
  • 2/3 tsp baking powder
  • salt to taste
  • oil for deep frying
For the Tahini sauce -

  • 2 tbsp sesame seeds
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 3-4 tbsp water
  • salt to taste
  • a dash of pepper (optional)
  • a bit of minced garlic (optional)

For making the Falafels -

Preparation - Soak the beans for 12-15 hours. Drain all the water and dry with paper towel before transferring to a food processor.

Pulse 2-3 times and remove half of the still coarse paste. Add all the remaining ingredients except baking powder and oil to the food processor. Pulse till everything is incorporated into a smooth paste. Add the coarse paste removed earlier and mix thoroughly using a spatula.

Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours (atleast) before using ( can be kept upto 48 hours ). Remove and add the baking powder.

Cooking - Heat oil in a wok. Once it reaches optimal temperature (not too hot nor too cold), make small balls out of the mixture and flatten them slightly. 

Let them into the oil, 3-4 nos at a time and fry till they turn brown on both sides. It usually takes about 6-7 minutes per lot. Remove and place on a paper towel to absorb excess oil.



To make the Tahini sauce

Roast the sesame seeds on a low flame till they start to pop. Keep aside to cool down.

Transfer to a food processor and blitz to powder them. Add the olive oil, cool water, lemon juice and salt. Buzz to get a smooth sauce. Add more water if the consistency is still thick. If it is too thin, stir in some hung curd.

Serve with the Falafels.




Tuesday, June 3, 2014

Chuda Bhaja

Whenever I used to fall ill or catch a cold as a kid, my mom would find it a very difficult task to feed me. Everything tasted like sawdust and I refused to open my mouth. It was during those times she gave me mudhi bhaja or chuda bhaja, puffed rice/flattened rice fried with some onions, chilli and topped with some JB mixture/farsan . Now the JB mixture thing is a legend with most Rourkela-ites but sadly not available in other parts of the state. While it was quite simple and healthy, it tasted wonderful to my ravaged taste buds. In fact the taste and the memories still linger on in my mind. And that is why I made this recently when my son was suffering from a cold. The little one quite enjoyed it. Sadly I had to do without the JB mixture as I did not have any in stock. (Even the little one likes it, maybe it is in his genes.)

While I do make this with the addition of oats ( you will find it on my blog ), I never thought of posting it. But this time I made a note to do it. Some of the harried moms' will surely find it useful. Read on -


















Preparation Time - 10 mins

Ingredients -


1 cup chuda or poha or flattened rice
a fistful of peanuts
4-5 curry leaves
1 dry red chilli (broken into 2-3 pieces)
1 small onion finely chopped
2-3 tsp oil for frying
a bit of red chilli powder  (optional)
Some mixture/farsan for topping
salt to taste


Cooking - Heat oil in a wok. Add the red chilli and curry leaves. Fry a bit.

Add the peanuts and turn up flame so that they start popping.

Add a little chuda at first. Allow then to soak up some oil and get puffed. Then add in the rest of the stuff. Fry for 5-6 mins till they turn crispy. Add salt and mix in.

Add the onions at this stage and fry on high for 1 minutes.

Finally remove from flame and add the mixture.

Serve immediately else it tends to get soggy. (If you want to store it, do not add onions or add them at the beginning and fry to a crisp.)

 

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

Panasa Cutlet ( Low calorie recipe )

Cutlets are a great way of making use of any leftovers. Every time we have any leftover vegetables or even fish/chicken, I fashion them into cutlets which give them a fresh lease of taste and look. However, since cutlets seemed so mundane to me, I never thought of featuring them in my blogs. However, I have been seeing quite a few cutlet recipes floating around these days, so thought of adding my bit too.

I have seen quite a lot of folks avoiding them as they are invariably cooked/fried with a lot of oil. My sincere request to all of you to invest in a good quality non-stick tawa/frying pan and enjoy these yummies without the guilt. This is a classic odiya style recipe sans the breadcrumbs bit. If we are having it with hot rice or pakhala, I do not use breadcrumbs. But it is a must when the cutlets are to be served as a snack. One can also avoid the potatoes if one has high sugar levels. Use some soya kheema and a bit of chuda powder instead.

Read on -

















Preparation Time - 20 mins

Ingredients -



  • 3 cups boiled jackfruit cubes
  • 1 cup boiled potato cubes
  • 1 medium sized onion ( finely chopped)
  • 1/2 tsp grated ginger
  • 1/2 tsp grated/crushed garlic
  • 1/2 - 1 tsp red chilli powder
  • 1/2 tsp cumin powder
  • 1/2 tsp coriander powder
  • 1/4 tsp garam masala
  • a pinch of turmeric
  • 4-5 tsp oil
  • salt to taste


For the outer layer


  • 2 tsp besan
  • 2 tsp rice flour
  • a pinch of salt
  • a pinch of chili powder
  • 1/2 cup breadcrumbs


Preparation - Mash the jackfruit and the potatoes. Break any lumps but do not make it too smooth.

Make a thin batter out of the rice flour, besan, salt and chilli powder.

Cooking - Heat 2 tsp oil in a wok. Add the onions and fry till translucent.

Add the ginger and garlic and fry for 2-3 mins. Now add the mashed jackfruit and potatoes. Sprinkle all the
powders except garam masala. Mix and fry for 4-5 minutes on medium flame.

Sprinkle garam masala and coriander leaves. Mix and switch off flame.

Allow to cool down to a tolerable temperature. Then pinch small balls out of the mix and fashion into round/diamond/heart shaped cutlets.

Dip into the batter and gently roll over the bread crumbs to make a uniform coating. Make similar cutlets out of the remaining mix.

Heat a non-stick tawa/frying pan. Drizzle with a little oil or use a oil spray.

Place the cutlets over it and cook on both sides for a few minutes till little brown spots appear. Remove from the tawa/frying pan.

Serve immediately with some ketchup or even as a side dish with hot rice and dal.




Monday, March 24, 2014

Mayonnaise and Veggie Sandwich

The 4 o' clock snack time is turning out to be a big headache for me. My little one is always looking for variety and I keep looking for different ways to please him. God, kids are really getting bored of everything these days. I swear we were not like this when we were young. I will have my Mom vouch for that.

Since the heat is increasing these days, I wanted to skip the fried snacks and get something healthy for him. Leafing though my old notes (yeah, I keep making a note of everything), I found this sandwich recipe that I had not prepared for a long time. With loads of veggies, this one is a very healthy option. One can always replace the mayonnaise with some hung curd seasoned with mustard sauce and garlic. Read on for the recipe:



















Preparation Time - 10 mins

Ingredients-


  • 2 slices of sandwich bread
  • a few thin slices of cucumber
  • a few thin slices of tomato
  • a few thin slices of capsicum
  • some iceberg lettuce
  • a few thin slices of onion (skip this for toddlers...optional for older kids)
  • 1 tbsp mayonnaise
  • a sprinkling of pepper (optional)
  • a dash of ketchup
  • grated cheese (as much as you like)
  • salt



Preparation: Place the bread slices on the kitchen counter.

Spread mayonnaise on one half.

Layer on the vegetables. I put cucumber first, then tomato, then capsicum and finally the lettuce.

Sprinkle grated cheese and pepper. Add a dash of salt.

Sprinkle tomato ketchup on the other slice.

Finally place the slices one over the other and close the sandwich. Press lightly.

Cooking : Heat a sandwich maker and place the sandwich in it. (Most have auto-cook function but if not then cook for 2 minute till lightly browned.

Else heat a flat dosa tawa. Place the sandwich over it and cook for 1 minute on both sides.

Place the sandwich on a flat surface and cut into smaller portions (triangles).

Serve immediately with some ketchup.

































Note - Pleas excuse the badly clicked pics!! Kiddo was busy pulling the plate away from my hands even as I was trying the click the final pics!!

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