Samosa- the most popular Indian fast food.

Hi Friends,
On one of my regular reader's request today I will share the recipe of most popular Indian fast food/snack which has crossed the boundaries and has become  popular in so many western countries too...you guessed it right...Samosa it is and here is the recipe...
SAMOSA:

INGREDIENTS:
Maida (Refined flour)
Salt 
Mirchi (Red chili) powder
Oil 
Potato
Saunf (Aniseed)
Kalonji (Onion seeds)
Whole Red chilies 
Garam Masala
Aamchur (dry mango) powder
Coriander leaves

METHOD:
Add salt and enough oil to maida to give it a texture of bread crumbs. Knead this maida with enough water and keep aside for at least 10 minutes.
For filling cut the potatoes (no need to peel) in small pieces. Heat little oil in a pan and add saunf , kalonji,pieces of red chilies in oil and then add potatoes in it. Fry for 2 minutes and add salt & mirchi powder and let it cook. Now add garam masala, aamchur powder and chopped coriander leaves in it and your filling is ready. 
Now take small balls of maida and roll into oval puris which are thicker than normal puris, Cut it into half -take the half cut piece in your palm and fold into a cone-seal it with a little water. Now put the filling in this cone and seal the open end. Make rest of the samosas same way and  deep fry on medium heat.
Serve hot with chutney of your choice.

TIP: You can add some cashew nut pieces and raisins in filling to give it richer taste.You can also try adding green peas in the filling.

TRICK: To give perfect shape to samosas,  put a pleat on outer side of open end- the one away from vertical seam, after filling and before sealing.This takes care of that extra width at open end and gives samosas a professional look.

Happy cooking...

Besan ka chilla ( Chikpeas pancake )- a delicious and healthy snack/ mini meal.

Hi Friends,

It's a snack/mini meal today...yes, I am going to share a recipe made with besan (chikpeas flour) and we call it Besan ka Chilla...to make this traditional recipe more healthy, I use some vegetables in it...here goes the recipe...

BESAN KA CHILLA:

INGREDIENTS:

Besan (Chikpeas flour)

Pinch of Haldi (Turmeric)

Salt

Curd

Brown mustard seeds

Oil

Hari mirch (Green chilies)

Gajar (Carrots)

Hari Simla Mirch (Capsicum) 

Pyaz (Onion)

Curry patta ( Curry leaves)

METHOD:

Make a paste of besan, a little curd,finely chopped green chilie, salt and a pinch of haldi to give it better looks. Paste need to be of pouring consistency as used for dosas.Let it rest for at least 20 minutes else chillas will not be soft and crispy.

Slice onion and separate the rings, slice carrot and capsicum  in thin slices, wash the curry leaves.

In a non stick pan heat some oil...crackle some mustard seeds and then add some curry patta, onion rings, carrot and capsicum slices...saute for a minute and then pour chilla paste on it and spread evenly like a pan cake. Let it cook on slow heat...once done, sprinkle some oil on it and turn upside down to cook the other side too.

Serve with vegetable side up. These chillas can be served with curd and green chutney.

TIP: To give this healthy recipe a good look, arrange onion, carrot slices and capsicum slices nicely on the pan and then pour the batter. Remember that vegetables should not be over cooked.

Happy cooking....

Chatpati Matar ki chaat

Hi Friends,
Enough of curries and pulaos..let's have some tasty tangy chaat today. The mention of chaat brings a big smile on our faces and so I am sharing the recipe of Matar chaat with you..
Matar Chaat:









INGREDIENTS:
Safed matar (Dried white peas)
Onion
Tomato
Ginger
Green Chili
Coriander leaves
Lemon
Garam Masala
Bhuna jeera (Roasted and ground cumin seeds)
Kala Namak (Black salt)
Salt
Oil

METHOD:
Soak safed matar overnight and cook them with a little salt till they are done.
Fine chop onion, green chilies, ginger, coriander leaves and tomato and mix it with cooked matar. Add bhuna jeera,garam masala and kala namak and make patties of this mixture. Shallow fry these patties on medium heat and add lemon juice. Garnish with chopped onion,coriander leaves, ginger Julian and some bhujia and serve hot.

TIP: This recipe is complete and does not need any accompaniments but if you want, you can serve it with chutney of your choice. If you don't mind using deshi ghee, use it to shallow fry and you will get that typical zyaka from North India.

Happy cooking....

Urad daal kachoris

Hi Friends,

The festive season is around so today we will make daal ki kachori and here goes the recipe...

DAAL KI KACHORIS:

INGREDIENTS:

Maida

Oil

Dhuli urad daal

Saunf (Aniseed)

Mirchi (Red chili) powder

Salt

Garam masala

Aamchur (Dry mango) powder

Heeng (Asafoetida) powder

METHOD:

Soak dhuli urad daal overnight and grind it in a mixer. In a pan heat some  oil and add heeng powder, ground saunf and  ground daal with salt and mirchi powder...fry well and then add garam masala and aamchur powder in it  and your stuffing is ready.

Take maida and add little salt and enough oil to give it bread crumb like  consistency. Kneed this maida with water and leave it for about 10 minutes.

Make small balls of the maida and stuff it with daal mixture. Deep fry on medium heat and your kachoris are ready.

These kachoris go great with dry masala aaloos and khatti meethi chutney made with Imli( Tamarind) and Khajoor (Dates)...I am sure you can make this dry aaloo sabzi of you choice and chutney too but in case you want me to share these recipes, I will do so in my further recipes.I always look forward to your suggestions and requests.

TRICK:To avaoid sticking of ground daal paste in ur pan, you can make daal bhajiys with salt and  mirchi power in it ...once cool, you mash it well...add garam masala, heeng powder, roasted ground saunf, aamchur powder in it...this trick was invented by my mother and we used to eat some bhajiyas with chutney too.

Happy cooking...

Healthy stir fry without any preservatives...

Hi Friends,
Sorry for the delay in posting today's recipe...actually I had a hectic day helping someone with doctor and medicines but here I am to share today's recipe with you. Today it will be a Stir Fry but without any preservatives..after all we need to keep it healthy.. so here we go...

STIR FRY WITHOUT PRESERVATIVES:

INGREDIENTS:
Paneer (Cottage cheese)
Red Bell Pepper
Yellow Bell Pepper
Green Bell Pepper
Sweet Corn
Onion
Tomato
Lemon
Salt
Sugar
Oil
Ginger garlic paste
Oregano

METHOD:
Wash and dice all the vegetables into 1" cubes. Boil sweet corn .
Heat little oil in a pan and add ginger garlic paste...fry for a minute and add all the vegetables. Remember you have to do it on high flame else vegetables won't be crunchy.Toss vegetables for about 5 minutes or till they are done and then add salt, freshly ground pepper, oregano, sugar and salt and mix well till sugar melts.Take it off and add lemon juice. Serve hot.

TIPS: You can use many more vegetables like Broccoli, Mushrooms, Baby corn, Asparagus or anything which has same cooking time.
If you want it more spicey, you can use fresh green chutney too but remember we want to make it healthy so choose your ingredient wisely.

Happy cooking...

Lucknawi Sewaiyon ki kheer

Hi Friends,

Sewaiyon ki kheer is farmaish of my kids for today's post and so here it is...

SEWAIYON KI KHEER:

INGREDIENTS:

Sewaiyan ( Vermicelli)

Milk

Sugar

Chironji

Kishmis (Raisins)

Almonds

Desi ghee

Choti elaichi (Green Cardamom)

METHOD:

Put a little desi ghee in thick bottomed pan. Add ground choti elaichi and fry sewaiyan in it till they are golden brown.

Add milk and let it cook till milk reduces to half.

Add sugar, chironji, almond pieces and raisins and give it another 3-4 boils.

Your delicious sewaiyon ki kheer is ready to serve.

TIP: To thicken the milk you can use Milkmaid too but add it when sewaiyan are properly cooked in milk.Remember that Milkmaid is sweetened so adjust sugar accordingly.

Stuffed Bhindi (Okra) North Indian style.

Hi Friends,

Let's share the recipe for stuffed bhindi (Okra) today....You all must be cooking Okra in your styles and every style has a unique taste too...let's see how you like stuffed okras in a typical North Indian Style.

STUFFED BHINDI (OKRA):

INGREDIENTS:

Bhindi (Okra)

Onion

Garlic

Dhania (Coriander) powder

Haldi (Turmeric) powder

Mirchi (Red chili) powder

Methi dana (Fenugreek seeds)

Saunf (Aniseed)

Kalonji (Nigella seed)

Aamchur (Dry mango) powder

Salt

Oil

METHOD:

Wash and slit bhindis and keep them aside.

Grind onion and garlic and fry it in hot oil. Add dhania powder, haldi powder and mirchi powder in it and fry well.

In a separate pan roast Methi, Saunf and Kalongi in a proportion of 1:3:1 and grind coarsely. Add this masala in the other masala with aamchur powder and fry till the masala starts leaving oil..that's the indication that masala has been fried.

Let the masala cool a little and fill it in bhindi.

Now take a pan...smear it with little oil and place all bhindis in it.Cover it with the lid and let it cook on low heat...keep turning gently so that stuffing doesn't come. Serve hot.

TIP: The same masala can be used for stuffed baigan (brinjal/egg plant), stuffed, taroi (ridge gourd) or karela (bitter gourd)....I use a little jaggery/sugar too when I use this bharwa masala for karelas.

Happy cooking....