Momos

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

Salt to taste

Water

1/2 kg pork mince

1 large onion chopped very fine

8-10 cloves of garlic chopped very fine

3 tbsps soy sauce

1 tbsp chilli sauce

1 tsp freshly ground pepper

Salt to taste

3 tbsps oil

Method:

Mix the flour and salt to taste and add a little water at a time to make a stiff dough. Heat the oil in a pan and add onions fry till spluttering. Add the garlic till it to turn golden. Add the meat and brown. Add the soy and chilli sauces and mix well. Add the freshly ground pepper, salt to taste and cook till the pork is done. Divide the dough into equal-sized balls and roll into very thin circles.

Dab a tiny bit of water on the edges of the circle. Put 1 tbsp-full of pork in the centre of each circle. Fold the edges over the pork and pinch and twist to seal or fold the Momo in half  and pinch the edges shut. Place the Momos in a steaming dish and cook for 10-15 minutes. Serve piping hot with tomato achaar and Thukpa.

Sweet Kachori

Ingredients:

For kachori: 

250 gm Plain flour 

1 tbsp Corn flour 

30 gm Ghee

For filling: 

200 gm Khoya (mava)

50 gm Milk powder 

1/2 tsp Nutmeg, cardamom, and cinnamon powder

For syrup: 

250 gm Sugar 

1 Cup water 

1 Big pinch saffron 

Ghee for frying 

Method:

Mix khoya, milk powder and other ingredients for filling. Take a big bowl and combine plain flour, corn flour and ghee. Using water, knead it to pliable dough. Now cover it with a wet cloth. Boil sugar and water to form syrup, add one tbsp of milk also. Boil until the syrup is slightly sticky between the fingers. Crush and add the saffron. Prepare small flat balls from the mixture. Divide the dough into small parts. Roll one ball into a puri and put one mixture ball in the centre. Pull up all the sides to seal the mixture, and press in the centre. Make some kachoris. Heat ghee and fry them on low flame until light brown, turning once. Repeat the process for remaining kachoris. Make a small hole in the centre of each , when slightly cool. Pour 1/2 tbsp of syrup and roll kachori around to let the syrup spread. Allow to stand for about half an hour before serving.

Poha Cutlet

Ingredients

1 cup poha

3 med Potatoes,boiled and mashed

2 tbsp Oil 

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

1 med Onion (finely chopped)

2 tbsp Refined flour (maida)

1 tsp Red chilli powder

2 Green chillies (finely chopped)

1/4 tsp Turmeric powder

Salt to taste

2 tbsp Fresh coriander leaves (finely chopped)

10 cashewnuts (chopped)

1 tbsp Lemon juice

Method:

Soak poha for five minutes. Heat oil in a pan. Add cumin seeds, mustard seeds, chopped onion, two tablespoons of refined flour and roast for 2-3 minutes. Add red chilli powder, chopped green chillies, turmeric powder, stir and mix well. Remove from heat and transfer the mixture into a bowl. Add soaked poha, mashed potatoes, salt, chopped coriander leaves, chopped cashewnuts and lemon juice. Mix well. Divide the mixture into 8-10 equal portions and shape each into a cutlet. Heat sufficient oil in a kadai and deep fry the cutlets till golden brown in colour. Drain onto an absorbent paper and serve hot with green chutney.

Mix Dhokla

Ingredients:

For Yellow Dhokla

1/2 cup besan flour 

1/4 tsp fruit salt (Soda) 

1/4 cup curds  

1 tsp turmeric powder 

Salt to taste 

For White Dhokla 

3/4 cup rava 

1 tsp green chilies paste 

1/4 cup fresh curds  

1/4 tsp fruit salt (Soda)  

Salt to taste 

Method:

Prepare two batters by mixing the ingredients of yellow dhokla and white dhokla (except fruit salt) in separate bowls. Pour some water in a pressure cooker / idli steamer and allow it to boil. Grease a deep flat bottomed vessel (Thali) with oil. Make sure the vessel can fit into the cooker. Take some hot water in a cup, add 1/2 tsp oil and the baking soda, pour it into the bowl of yellow batter and stir well till froth appears. This ensures the dhokla becomes soft and fluffy. Then spread the green chutney over it and pour the white batter over it by repeating the same process as with the yellow batter and steam for 10 min. Allow it to cool. Cut square shapes or shapes like diamonds and serve hot with Green coriander chutney and tamarind chutney. 

Bhakarwadi

Ingredients:

1 cup refined flour (maida)

1 tbsp rawa

2 tbsp oil

100g French beans,roughly chopped

100g Green peas

3 potatoes,boiled and mashed

1/4 tsp Black pepper powders

1 tsp Garam masala

2 tsp Ginger-green chilli paste

2 tbsp coriander leaves

5 tsp Coconut,scraped

Salt to taste

Method:

Knead the refined flour with rava, salt, 2 tbsp oil and sufficient water to a semi-soft dough. Cover with a damp cloth and set aside. Blanch the french beans and green peas separately till soft. Drain thoroughly and mash. Mash together the french beans, green peas, potatoes, salt, black pepper powder, garam masala powder, ginger-green chilli paste, coriander leaves and coconut. Divide the dough into four equal portions and roll out into thin chapattis. Spread the vegetable mixture evenly on all four chapattis. Roll them tightly into cylinders and cut the cylinders into 1/2" slices. Heat sufficient oil in a kadai and deep fry the bhakarwadis, on medium heat, till golden and crisp. Drain on absorbent paper. Ready to serve. 

Thepla

Ingredients:

150g wholewheat flour

1 tsp turmeric powder 

1 pinch of hing (optional) 

20-30 g methi leaves 

2 tbsp dried kasoori methi

1 tsp chilli powder 

1 tsp ground coriander or dhania powder

1 tsp jeera

1 tsp peeled and finely grated root ginger 

3 tbsp oil 

   

Method:

Mix the flour, turmeric, hing, methi, chilli powder, coriander, jeera, ginger and 1 tbsp oil. Add 100 ml tepid (komat) water and knead the mixture for 5 minutes into a soft pliable dough. Leave the dough in a bowl covered in clingfilm for 10-20 minutes. Divide the dough into equal-sized balls. Use a clean damp tea towel to cover those not being worked with to stop the dough from drying out. Take each ball and, with a dusting of flour, roll out into circle shape (thepla). Heat a pan. When it is hot, add 1 tsp of the oil and place a thepla onto the pan. Cook for about a minutes on each side, carefully pressing the thepla firmly down so that the whole surface is cooked. Cover with foil and place in the warm oven while you cook the remaining thepla, adding 1 tsp of oil each time. Serve hot with curd or pickle.

Vada Pav

Ingredients:

8-10 potatoes boiled, peeled and mashed

 1 1/2 tbsp ginger garlic paste

3 green chillies

1/2 tsp tumeric powder

1/2 tsp black mustard seeds

6-7 curry leaves

2 cups besan flour

Oil for frying

6 Pav buns

1 cup tamarind Chutney 

1 cup coriander Chutney

1/2 cup garlic chutney

Salt to taste

Method:

Mix the gram flour with enough water and salt to taste, to make a thick, smooth paste. Keep aside. Grind ginger garlic paste and  green chillies into a smooth paste in the food processor. Mix this paste with the mashed potatoes & add salt to taste. Heat 2 tbsps of oil in a pan on a medium flame and add the mustard seeds, curry leaves and tumeric powder. Fry till the seeds stop spluttering. Add this to the potato and mix well. Make small balls of potato. Smoothen by rolling between slightly greased palms. Heat the oil for deep frying on a medium flame. When the oil is hot, dip one potato ball at a time into the besan flour batter to coat well and then deep fry till golden. Drain on paper towels. Take one pav, slit in half (leave one edge joined) and put a spoonful each of tamarind chutney, coriander chutney and garlic chutney each on it. Place a potato ball on the pav and fold over, pressing down gently. Serve while the potato ball (vada) is still hot.

Mendu Vada

Ingredients:

Black urad dal 1 cup

Water 1/2 cup

Salt to taste

Oil for frying

2 Green chilies (cut in small piece)

Hing 1 pinch

Grind Black pepper 1tbsp

Ginger 1tbsp 

Method: 

Wash urad dal and soak it in some bowl. Put sufficient water in which pulse is completely soaked. Leave the gram pulse dip into water for at least 5 hrs. Now after 5hrs, drain water of pulse and put it in grinder. Add little amount of  water along with pulse in grinder, grind it to get fine paste. Remove grinded paste in a bowl.Then, add hing, green Chilies, black Pepper and  salt. Beat the batter along with all the spices. Take oil in pan and heat it. The flame should not high rather medium. Wet your palm and put small portion of batter on it. Create a little hole in the centre of vada (use your thumb). Put vada into heated oil. Do the same with the rest of batter. Fry it till it gets golden brown in colour on both sides and then remove it in a plate. Serve it with a chutney.

Grilled Sandwich

Ingredients:

Brown bread - 8 slices

Cottage cheese (paneer) (100 grams) - 4 slices

Onion - 1 medium

Cucumber - 1 medium

Tomatoes - 2 medium

Green capsicum - 1 medium

Chaat masala - 1 teaspoon

Cheese (optional) - 4

Green mint and coriander chutney - 4 tablespoons

Tomato ketchup - 4 tablespoons

Salt to taste

Method:

Cut onion, cucumber, tomatoes into cut into round slices and capsicum into thin strips. Arrange paneer, onion, cucumber, tomato, capsicum slices on four bread slices. Sprinkle salt and chaat masala over them. Top with a cheese slice. Apply one tablespoon green chutney on each of the remaining four slices. Top it with one tablespoon of tomato ketchup. Place these slices over the cheese slices with the chutnied side facing down. Press lightly. Place the sandwich on the grill and grill till both sides are golden and have the grill marks. Serve hot. 

Corainder Vada

Ingredients: 

Chillies 3-4 nos.

Coarse Moongdal 100 g

Coriander 1 bunch

Ginger garlic paste 1 tbsp

Oil to fry

salt to taste

Method: 

Chop the Coriander and Chillies in to a very small size and mix them well with salt ,ginger garlic paste and coarse moong dal with little bit water (enough to handle as vada) knead it well and keep aside for 1 hour and take divide the mixture into small balls and press them as vada shape and fry them in the oil and wipe them with kitchen towel to absorb excess oil. Serve with coconut chutney or can be taken along with rice as a side dish.

Bhel Puri

Ingredients:

Puffed rice – 3 cups

Boiled potatoes – 2 (peeled and cut in small 1’ pcs)

Chopped tomato – 1

Onion – 1 large (finely chopped)

Green chilies – 2 (finely chopped)

Tamarind chutney – tsps

Mint coriander chutney – 1 tsp

Garlic chili chutney – 1 tsp

Coarsely crushed papdi – 1 handful (a biscuit like snack made from flour)

Barik sev – 1 cup (vermicelli type snack made from gram flour)

Chopped coriander leaves – 1/2 cup

Method:

Puffed rice (mudi), papadi and barik sev are all commonly available in Indian shops. Mix the puffed rice, potato, tomato, coriander and green chilies nicely in a large bowl. Add the tamarind chutney, garlic chili chutney and mint coriander chutney according to taste preferences. Garnish well with lots of sev and papdi. Serve and eat immediately to retain the crispness

Vegetable Sandwich

Ingredients :

Sliced bread - 1 loaf

Butter - 100 gms

Mint chutney - 3 tbsp

Cucumber - 1

Carrots - 2

Tomatoes - 2

 Green chillies - 6

Onions - 2

Chopped coriander leaves - 2 tbsp

Salt, Pepper powder - As required.

Method :

Remove outer skin and cut the vegetables into thin slices. Mince green chillies and coriander leaves. Trim brown edge crusts of the bread slices with knife or scissors. Apply butter on one side of bread slices. Take one buttered bread slices. Spread little chutney on top of butter. Arrange sliced cucumber and carrots on that. Put one more buttered slice as second layer on top of vegetables. (Butter applied side should face up). Now arrange onions and tomatoes slices with minced chillies and coriander leaves. Sprinkle salt, pepper with a squeeze of lime on the vegetables. Top with third slice of bread (buttered side facing down). Press well and cut into four square pieces with sharp knife. Dot with tomato ketchup and serve immediately.

Bread Pakora

Ingredients:

1 cup gram flour (besan)

1.5 cup oil for deep frying

6 tbsp corn flour

6 tbsp refined flour

5 to 6 bread sliced into four pieces Or into 2 pieces

1 tbsp ginger-garlic paste

1 tbsp baking powder

1/2 tbsp coriander seed powder (dhaniya)

1/2 tbsp turmeric powder (haldi)

1/2 tbsp cumin seed powder (jeera)

1 t/s red chili powder

1/2 tbsp fennel seed powder

1 tbsp garam masala powder

1/2 t/s asofoetida (hing)

1/2 t/s raw mango powder Or lime juice

rock salt/ salt as per taste

1 green chili chopped

1/2 cup chopped coriander leaves

1/2 onion finely chopped

7 to 8 tbsp water

Method:

Slit bread into 2 pieces Or into triangular shape. Keep them aside. Take a mixing bowl. Mix all the ingredients except oil and water. Lastly add 2 tbsp oil and water. Beat this mixture with a spoon. Ensure no lumps are formed. The batter should be of thick consistency. If your batter is thin add some more flour to it. Place a frying pan with oil on medium heat. Allow the oil to get hot. Dip sliced bread into the batter. Coat from all sides. Gently leave them in hot oil. Fry from both sides until nice golden brown in color. Repeat the same with other sliced bread. Place them on tissue napkins to absorb excess oil. Serve hot on a platter with chutney, sauce along with a hot cup of tea. Served my bread pakoras with garlic coconut chutney.

Tip:

You could just use gram flour instead of corn flour and refined flour. I wanted a combo of all hence used all of them. You could use baking soda instead of baking powder. Another variation would be fry paneer Or tofu in the same batter instead of bread. Ensure once you frying the heat is on low mode else your pakoras wouldn’t fry properly inside. You could use any herb you want for these pakoras. If any batter remains don’t worry store them into fridge. Use this batter for frying pakoras next time voila.

Dhokla

Ingredients:

Besan flour/Kadala mavu 1 cup

Curd 1/2 cup

Water 1/2 cup

Green chilli 2

Ginger 1 inch piece

Sugar 1 tsp

Lemon juice 1 tsp

Eno fruit salt 1 & 1/2 tsp

Salt As needed (1 tsp)

Turmeric powder 2 pinches

Coriander leaves 2 tblsp

Coconut,grated 2-3  tblsp

To temper:

Oil 1 tsp

Mustard 3/4 tsp

Asafoetida 1/8 tsp

Method:

Grind ginger and green chilli with little water *(refer notes). Take besan in a bowl, add the  round ginger green chilli, water, curd, lemon juice, turmeric, sugar and salt to it. Mix well and keep aside. Take a wide flat bottomed vessel, (use cooker container) grease it generously with oil. Mix the eno salt to the besan mixture, at the time you are going to steam. Make sure to mix well. Steam this mixture for 10-12 minutes. Steamed in the pressure cooker, without the pressure valve. Insert a knife to check if its done. It should come out clean. Keep for 5 minutes to cool down and then invert to a plate. Cut into desired shape. Temper with the items given under ‘To temper’ table and spread it over the pieces and garnish with coriander leaves,grated coconut. And serve it with green chutney. Cut them into squares, you can even cut it like we cut Pizza.

Tips:

When you grind with water, use it from the 1/2 cup water that I have mentioned in the ingredients. Do not use excess water. If you use excess water than mentioned then it will turn out gooey. Make sure to use ginger and asafoetida for nice aroma. Never add more turmeric, you may not tolerate that smell. If you don’t have eno fruit salt you can replace it with 1/2 tsp cooking soda.

Pani Puri

Ingredients:

6-7 cups cold water

1/2 cup packed pudina leaves

1 green chilli

small piece ginger

1 tbsp amchur pwd

1/2 tsp chaat masala pwd

1/4 tsp cumin pwd

pinch of black salt (optional)

fresh coriander leaves for garnish

salt to taste

Method:

Make a paste of mint leaves, green chilli and ginger and keep aside.Take a vessel, add the cold water in it, followed by the green mint paste and combine well. Add cumin pwd, chaat masala pwd, amchur pwd, black salt, salt to taste. Garnish with coriander leaves. Chill in refrigerator till use.

Assembling Pani Puri:

Take a small puri in your palm and lightly press the top to make a hole in the puri. Stuff with a tsp of spiced mashed potato, 1/2 tsp of chopped onions, 1 tsp of sweet chutney, pour 2 tbsps of the prepared chilled mint pani and stuff the whole puchka into your mouth. Then savor the explosion of flavors.

Puri/Puchka 

Ingredients:

1/4 cup maida/all-purpose flour

2 tbsps urad dal flour

1 1/2 cups ravva/semolina/sooji (very fine variety)

1 tbsp oil or ghee

salt to taste

water for kneading

oil for deep frying

Method:

Combine all the mentioned ingredients (except oil for deep frying), adding water slowly and make a dough. Leave aside covered with damp cloth for 30 mts. (very imp step) While the dough is resting. Prepare the pani (water) required for the puchka. Boil two potatoes, peel and mash. Combine the mashed potato with little salt and red chilli pwd and keep aside until use. Chop a large onion finely and keep aside until use.Knead the dough again. Pinch off some dough and make very small balls. Roll out small thin rotis, using the rim of a container to cut out the round shape. Heat enough oil for deep frying in a heavy bottomed vessel. It should be on medium high (the oil should not be piping hot) and once its hot, slide few rotis into the hot oil and using the back of the ladle, press in the center and along the edges and you will find it will puff. Flip over and fry the other side till light golden brown. Don’t fry too much as it will turns too dark. Remove on to absorbent paper. Cool and store in an air tight container and use when required.

Note: Ensure the oil is hot enough before frying the puri. If the oil is not hot enough, the roti will absorb a lot of oil. If made ahead of time, lightly warm in oven for 3-4 mts before serving. Ensure to roll out very think puris. And use very fine sooji.