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.

Chaula Bara ( A Rustic style Vada from Odisha )

Have you ever wondered if there is a key to your memory ? If yes, is it just one ?  Or do such multiple keys exist which have the power to selectively unlock small sections of one's memories ? To me, the human mind sometimes seems like a beehive with cell upon cell crammed together. But while they may seem identical, each one is unique and holds something specific. And most importantly, there exists a singular key for each cell.

But at other times, digging into the human mind reminds me of looking/ exploring for water /oil under a rocky terrain. Just like the water or oil which is trapped between two layers of solid rock and can be harvested only if we reach a specific depth, neither less not more, the human mind seems to have layer and layers of memories superimposed one upon the other. Reaching for a specific memory thus requires knowledge of a very specific nature which can enable one to penetrate to the particular layer which holds the information.

The reason that I have been ranting about the human memory is because I sometimes fail to recall certain things even after people remind me about them. And then, all of a sudden, things jump at me when I am least expecting it . This recipe for example evaded me till I got to sample some prepared by an Odia neighbor of mine. This old lady is one of the few who still prefer to make 'bara' in this manner while most of us prefer to follow the biri 'bara' recipe.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 30 mins

Ingredients -

• 1 cup split biri / black lentil ( i use the skin variety )
• 1 cup arwa rice ( jeera rice or sona masuri will do )
• 1 tsp whole cumin seeds
• 2-3 green chili ( finely chopped )
• 1 small onion ( finely chopped )
• 2 pinch baking powder
• salt to taste
• oil for deep frying

Preparation -  Wash and soak the biri and rice for 7-8 hours ( overnight ).

Drain excess water and grind into a thick smooth batter .

Keep aside for ferment for a good 4-5 hours .

Mix in the cumin seeds, green chili and onion along with the salt and baking powder. Let it sit for 15 mins.

Cooking - Heat sufficient oil for deep frying.

Drop small balls of the batter into the oil. Cook till brown on one side and then flip to cook on other side as well.

Remove and drain on paper towels.

Serve hot with ketchup and green chilis.

Note - One can also use crushed ginger, curry leaves and cilantro to enhance the flavor. The smaller the size, the more crunchy it will be, so take care to keep them small.

Sabudana Chiwda ( Navratri Special )

The navaratri celebrations ( or fasting ) are drawing to a close. And I have been gloriously lazy this time around and almost skipped doing a special series for the folks who have been fasting. So, this is a last ditch effort to redeem myself with a yummy snack that is going to be in vogue even when the days of fasting are long over.

With 'Sabudana' trending all over the cyberspace in so many different avatars, I was almost tempted to embark on yet another foodventureous voyage. But changed my mind at the last moment and decided to do this simple 'farsan' or mixture. With the schools closed, a continuous supply of snacks is the order of the day . And hence the reason behind picking this recipe.

Read on for the recipe -

Ingredients -

• 1 cup Sago/sabudana ( big pearls )
• 1/3 cup peanuts
• 1/5 cup raisins
• 1/5 cup cashews
• 1/5 cup thin coconut slices
• 1 tsp pepper powder ( as per taste )
• 1/2 tsp black salt (or pink salt)
• Canola Oil for deep frying

Cooking - - Heat sufficient oil in a wok. Take the sabudana pearls ( 2 tsp each time ) in a  metal strainer and dip into the hot oil. Keeping the flame on medium to high, fry each batch till all the pearls are puffed up. Do stir it up in between to ensure even cooking.

Remove and drain the pearls on paper towels. (Pop a few into your mouth to check if done. If they are still hard, fry for a longer duration)

Once all the pearls are done, fry the peanuts in the same way. Drain them on paper towels.

Finally do the cashews and raisins. ( This step has to be real quick else the cashews will brown too much and the raisins will get bitter )

Frying the coconut slices comes the last. Fry them till brown. ( I prefer to do this separately as it changes the smell of the frying medium )

Put all the fried ingredients in one big mixing bowl. Sprinkle black pepper powder and black salt over it. Toss to get everything coated evenly.

Allow the mixture to cool down before you pack it into an airtight container. Lasts almost a week ( that is if you are kind enough to leave it alone )

Beetroot and Tofu Burger ( Vegan Recipe )

Happy Valentine's day everyone !!

Cheesecake. Brownies. Strawberries. Pomegranate. The visuals on social media have been unrelenting in the run up to the V-day celebrations. And that got my man pissed off. Big time. It's not that he hates desserts but he really wanted to see some real food. Given that I am on a healthy eating streak these days, I had to think hard to come up with something that is not too fussy and yet delicious.

I am yet to find a bloke how can say no to a burger. And that kinda set the stage rolling for a vegan burger which is also low on calories. Giving in to the fascination with hues like pink or red, I added some beetroot for color (and health too) !.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 30 mins

Ingredients -

• 100 gm tofu
• 1 small potato
• 1 small beetroot
• 2 tsp finely chopped onion
• 1/5 tsp ginger paste
• 1/4 tsp garlic paste
• 2 pinch cumin
• 2 pinch coriander
• 1/4 tsp chili powder (optional)
• 2-3 tbsp roasted and crushed peanuts
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp oil 
• oil spray for pan frying the burger patties

For the crust -

• 1 tbsp cornflour
• 1 tbsp besan
• a pinch of salt
• 2 slice of whole wheat bread

For final assembly -

• onion rings
• lettuce
• tomato ketchup
• Burger buns
• 2 tbsp vegan mayo
• a dash of pepper

Preparation - Boil the beetroot and potato in a cooker for 2-3 whistles. Keep aside till steam escapes.

Remove from cooker, peel and grate them into a mixing bowl.

Grate the tofu into the bowl. Mix everything together.

Mix the besan, cornflour and salt with a few teaspoons of water to get a thin batter.

Tear up and throw the bread slices (removing the sides) into a mixer jar. Buzz for a few seconds to get fresh bread crumbs.

Cooking - Heat the oil in a wok. Add the onion and let it sweat a bit. Add ginger paste, garlic paste, cumin powder, coriander powder and chili powder . Cook for a minute before adding the mashed mixture of tofu, beetroot and potato. Season with salt. Cook for 2-3 mins.

Keep aside to cool. (best to keep it aside for an hour or two so that the flavors get to gel together)

Just before shaping the mix into patties, add the crushed peanuts. Mix and divide into 3-4 equal portions. Shape each one into a round patty ( go for a heart shaped patty if you are feeling extra mushy).

Dip the patties in the batter and roll them over the bread crumbs.

Spray some oil onto a pan. Heat it and place the patties on the pan. Fry on both sides till brown.

Assembling the burger - Toast the burger buns. Layer one with mayo and place the burger patty on it.

Throw on some onion rings and lettuce . Finally season it with some pepper powder and tomato ketchup. Top it with another bun.

Grab it and dig in !!!

Fresh Basket Potlis ( The perfect morning after snack for New Year )

Wishing all my readers and subscribers a Very Happy and Blessed New Year 2016 !!!

What's an morning after snack ?? Something that is light and easy on the stomach while being delicious at the same time while not being too 'hatke' for the occasion. I am of course referring to the first day of the New Year when a steady stream of friends and relative will trickle down your doorsteps for offering their New Year Wishes. Most of them would still be reeling under the after effects of the partying and not in the mood for anything too heavy or spicy.

These fresh basket potlis are the perfect solution to your dilemma. The 'fresh basket' of course refers to the fresh winter produce. The whole imagery is that of the freshest winter vegetables stuffed into a basket. One finds the seasonal variety of green peas, cauliflower, french beans, carrots, corn and peppers in abundance in the local farmers market and this is just the right occasion to leverage nature's bounty. While I have deep fried the potlis keeping my traditional guests in mind, one can also bake them to cut down on the calories. Serve a few of these bundles of goodness with some freshly squeezed orange juice and watch them disappear.

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 30 mins

Ingredients -

For the potlis -

• 2/3 cup maida
• 1/3 cup atta
• 1/2 tsp kasuri methi
• 1 1/2 tsp ghee
• salt to taste
• cold water for kneading into a tight dough

For the stuffing -

• 1/2 cup green peas
• 1/4 cup cauliflower florets
• 1/4 cup french beans
• 1/4 cup bell peppers
• 2-3 pinch amchoor
• a pinch of chili powder
• a pinch of garam masala
• 1 tsp coriander leaves
• 2 tsp oil 
• salt to taste

Preparation - Take all the ingredients for dough into a mixing bowl. Rub together. Then add water little by little to make a tight dough. Smear it with a little oil and cover with a moist kitchen towel. Keep aside for 30 mins.

Take all the veggies into a blender and give a quick buzz. We need a coarse mix of veggies not unlike what we use for stuffing into paratha.

Cooking - Heat 2 tsp oil in a wok. Add the veggie and saute on high for 2-3 mins. Add all the seasoning, mix in and remove from flame after 30 seconds. Keep aside till it is cool.

Divide the dough into 10 portions. Roll out each one into a circle. Put some stuffing in the center. Draw a smaller circle with wet fingers about 1 cm inside the diameter of the circle. Gather the sides,making pleats as you do it, and finally give a twist to close the potli or bundle. 

Repeat the same procedure with the remaining dough and stuffing.

Heat sufficient oil in a wok /pan for deep frying the potlis. Add a few at a time to the hot oil, making sure that they not getting clumped together. Drizzle hot oil over the potlis with a slotted spatula for even cooking. Once they turn brown, remove and place on paper towels to absorb excess oil.

Serve hot with some pudina and ajwain chutney.

Note - One can also make the potlis a few hours in advance and keep it under a slightly moist towel.

For the baked version, brush the potlis with egg (preferred) or oil . Place on a baking tray lined with butter paper and pop into the preheated oven set at 180 degree Celsius. Takes about 30 mins or so. 

Alu Papdi Chaat

During my initial years of engineering, our college functioned out of a leased premises. Other than a canteen that served bad meals but great tasting bread pakoras, there was nothing to munch on during the short breaks. And then, all of a sudden, this guy selling Papdi chaat perched himself near the gates at a predetermined time every day. Though he dished out a rather frugal version of the Papdi chaat that was sans any 'dahi' or chutney, it tasted awesome and was eagerly gobbled by the college students. His stuff would be sold out in less than an hour's time and he would count the money before treading home. With the chaat priced at just rupees ten per plate, he hardly made fortune. But he never thought of increasing the price or buying a bigger 'thela' so that he could sell more number of plates and make more money.

Then a year later, we shifted to a new campus and forgot all about this guy. But one day when I was looking into the ever burgeoning finances of our household, I was reminded of this poor soul after many years. How did his simplistic approach towards life fare in the face of rising inflation? How many plates did he still sell and is it enough to feed his family ? Is that guy covered by the financial inclusion plans that has been rolled out by the new government and if yes, how will it help him in the long run ? Can we trade our aspirational lifestyles in favor of something more simpler without being branded as social outcasts ?  Such questions kept hounding me for days and yet I was at a loss for any convincing answer.

Since this is a very minimalist recipe that can also be consumed on 'no onion no garlic' days, one can give more bite to it by adding some boiled chickpeas/yellow peas/kala channa, chopped cucumber and tomatoes/raw mangoes. Recipe here -

Preparation Time - 30 mins

For the Papdis

• 2/3 cup maida/ all purpose flour
• 1/3 cup atta/ whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp semolina
• 2-3 tbsp split gram dal ( I forgot to add this)
• 2 pinch ajwain/ carom seeds 
• 1 tbsp oil
• salt to taste
• oil for deep frying

For the chaat -

• 10 papdis
• 1 small potato (boiled, peeled and cubed)
• 1/4 tsp red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp lemon juice
• black salt as per taste
• a pinch of chaat masala
• cilantro for garnishing

Preparation - Take the maida, atta, semolina, oil, carom seeds and salt in a mixing bowl. Mix well and then add water little by little to bring everything together into a smooth dough. Cover with a moist cloth and keep aside for 20 mins.

Knead the dough once again before dividing into 3-4 portions. Roll out each portion on a flat surface. Take a circular cookie cutter or even a sharp edged bottle lid/cap and cut out small circles. Using a fork, punch holes in the small circles to prevent them from puffing up during frying.

Heat sufficient oil in a wok. Add the papdis, a few at a time and fry them on a medium flame. Lower temperature will turn the papdis chewy while high heat will brown them too quickly leaving the insides under cooked. Adjust the flame accordingly. Remove and place them on paper towels to absorb excess oil.

Allow them to cool down completely before storing in airtight containers. Stays good for 8-10 days.

For assembling the Alu Papdi Chaat -

Layer 10 puris/papdis on a plate. Throw the cubes potatoes over them. Sprinkle chili powder, chaat masala, lemon juice, chopped cilantro and black salt. Mix in and consume immediately.

Horse gram Sundal

Sundal is a popular roadside snack from South India (mainly Tamil Nadu). Boiled pulses stir fried with simple spices and garnished with fresh coconut, lemon juice and cilantro, it is high in fiber and low in calories.

And quite interestingly there are lots of variations even for such a simple recipe. Some prefer to make it with the sprouted lentils while others prefer to add grated carrots/beetroot/cucumber to it. The regular version has lots of onions (and sometimes even garlic) going into it while the one made on festive days especially 'Ganesh Chaturthi' or 'Vinayaka Chaturthi' is sans these condiments.

Click here for more horse gram recipes !!

Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 20 mins

Ingredients -

• 1 cup horse gram /kolotho/kollu
• 1 large onion (chopped into medium sized pieces)
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/4 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp urad dal
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 2-3 dry red chili
• a pinch of asafoetida
• a pinch of turmeric
• 2 tsp oil
• salt to taste
• freshly grated coconut/ finely chopped cilantro for garnishing

Preparation - Wash and soak the horse gram overnight.

Cook it with 2/3 cup water, a pinch of turmeric and salt to taste in a pressure cooker. Allow for 4-5 whistles. Remove from flame and keep aside till steam escapes.

Open the lid and strain the boiled lentils. Do not throw the water as it can be used for making rasam.

Cooking - Heat oil in a wok. Add the broken red chilis, urad dal, mustard seeds and cumin seeds. Once the urad dal starts turning a little brown, add asafoetida, curry leaves and onion. Fry till onion turns translucent.

Add the boiled lentils and stir fry for 2-3 mins. Adjust the salt if required.

Remove from the wok and garnish with fresh coconut/cilantro. Serve as a healthy afternoon snack .

Note - Add a little lemon juice and finely chopped green chili to add extra zing.  Avoid the onions when making it for Navratri or on any other fasting occasion !!

Vegan Empanadas ( A LATAM cousin of the desi Karanji/Gujiya )

Ok....plz try not to look too shocked/septical!! Why on earth is she calling the good old Karanji/Gujiya something so alien ? Empanadas......what next ??? Long forgotten memories of a grandmother stuffing up the rolled out dough with a sweetened coconut/mawa filling and crimping it before frying it in oil evoke a strong sense of nostalgia which makes the rebellion even more poignant.

I would like to share that even my first reaction was on the same lines. It was the market challenge of Masterchef Australia Season 6 that made me aware of the existence/popularity of this fried/baked snack in the Latin American region. It is simply defined a snack made by folding dough around a sweet or savory stuffing. The savory variety is definitely more popular going by the sheer number of recipes on the net and it could be anything ranging from meat, cheese, corn, mushrooms and even sauteed/fried veggies.

The baked variety is healthier in comparison but as far as the taste is concerned, the fried stuff definitely takes the crown. Maybe I will stick to the baked variety on regular days and just save up on the calories for a festive occasion. Read on for the recipe -

Preparation Time - 1 hour

Ingredients -

For the dough -

• 1 cup all purpose flour
• 2 tsp hot oil
• 1/2 tsp pepper powder
• 2 pinch baking powder
• salt to taste
• cold water for making dough
• oil for deep frying

For the stuffing -

• 1 1/2 cup green peas
• 1 small potato (boiled & peeled)
• 1 small onion (finely chopped)
• 1/ 3 tsp grated ginger
• 1/3 tsp grated garlic
• 1/2 tsp red chili powder
• 1/4 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 pinch garam masala
• 2 pinch turmeric
• 2 tsp oil
• salt to taste

Preparation - Take the all purpose flour, baking powder, salt and pepper in a bowl. Add the hot oil and rub in. Then add water, very little at a time and knead into a stiff dough. Cover with a damp cloth/little oil and keep aside for sometime. Knead it once again after 30 mins. It should feel smooth else repeat the process once again.

Cooking - Heat 2 tsp oil in a wok. Add the cumin seeds followed by the onion, ginger and garlic. Fry for sometime till the raw smell goes away. Add the potato and the green peas along with all the spices. Cook covered for 5-6 mins. Lightly mash the potato and green peas mixture with the back of a heavy spoon. Allow it to cool down to room temperature.

Pinch small portions of the dough and shape into a flattened disc. Dust a working surface and roll out the discs into small circles. Put some of the potato and green peas mixture in one half of the circle leaving out some space on the edges. Apply water along the circumference before folding it into a half moon shape. Use a fork to make crimp patterns on the sealed edge. Repeat the process with the remaining dough and stuffing.

Heat sufficient oil in a wok. Add the empanadas one or two at a time. Fry on one side till brown before turning over and frying the other side as well.

Serve immediately.

Note - If preparing for Navratras, leave out the onion and garlic. Add some shredded cabbage or grated carrots instead. Add some raisins and nuts also if you like.