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Crispy Masala Vada

Posted January 10, 2013 By Maria John

Masala Vada

A South Indian meal on a festival day is incomplete without these masala vada. During my college days, I remember sometimes my Mom used to prepare this during tea time. These crispy masala vadas tastes very good with a hot cup of tea especially during winter/rainy day. I picked up this recipe from my mom and here it is…

Ingredients:

  1. Channa Dal/Split Bengal Gram – 1 cup
  2. Rice – 1 tsp
  3. Curry Leaves – 10 to 15 leaves, torn
  4. Onion – 1 medium, chopped
  5. Cinnamon – 2 small stick
  6. Chilli Flakes – 1 to 2 tbsp (or use green chillies)
  7. Garlic – 4 to 5 pods
  8. Fennel Seeds – 1 tbsp
  9. Salt to Taste
  10. Oil for deep frying

How to Prepare:

  • Wash and soak channa dal & rice for about minimum 2 hours. Drain water and grind coarsely. Reserve 1 to 2 tbsp of whole dal.
  • Crush fennel seeds, cinnamon stick and garlic pods with the help of mortar and pestle.
  • Now, add all the ingredients in a large bowl along with the reserved dal. Mix well to combine.
  • Take little mixture, make small balls and shape them into discs. Repeat the same with the remaining mixture.
  • Heat oil in a deep kadai, and deep fry the shaped discs until golden brown.
  • Transfer these on a paper towel and serve hot.

Masala Vada

Masala Vada

Crispy Masala Vada is ready to serve with a cup of tea..!!

Notes:

  • Adding rice is optional but this makes the vada crispy.
  • Try not adding water while blending the dal, if required just add only 1 to 2 tsp.

 

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Kanda Poha / Simple Onion Poha

Posted December 17, 2012 By Maria John

Kandha Poha is a traditional and a very popular Maharashtrian special breakfast dish. This is a very quick & easy breakfast dish or a snack prepared in just few minutes. This dish is extremely simple with some mild spice flavours and filling dish too.

Onion Poha, Kanda Poha

Ingredients:

  1. Poha/Pressed Rice – 2 Cups
  2. Large Onion (diced) – 1
  3. Mustard Seeds – 1 tsp
  4. Green Chillies – 3
  5. Oil – 2.5 tbsp
  6. Curry Leaves – 10
  7. Turmeric Power – 1/4 tsp
  8. Coriander Leaves – 2 tbsp
  9. Juice of half a Lemon
  10. Salt to Taste

How to Prepare:

  • In a large bowl, soak the poha for just 2 – 3 minutes. Drain water and set aside. Let there be little moisture in the poha.
  • Heat oil in a pan, add mustard seeds. When the mustard seeds start to splutter, add the chopped green chillies, onions and sauté for a minute. Don’t let the onions turn its color.
  • Add turmeric powder, curry leaves and the poha. Sprinkle salt and mix to combine.
  • Cover the lid and cook for 3-4 minute on low heat. Closing the lid keeps the flavor intact.
  • Then, add the lemon juice and mix again. Be gentle while you mix/combine.
  • Garnish with coriander leaves before serving.
Poha | Kanda Poha

 

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Paneer Pakoda/Paneer Fritters

Posted October 5, 2012 By Maria John

Paneer Pakoda

Paneer Pakoda is a crunchy crispy snack or a starter dish. The pokodas are coated with gram flour and spices which is very appetizing. These go together with Mint Chutney or Tomato Ketchup.

Here’s the method:

Ingredients:

  1. Paneer – 200 gms
  2. Besan/Gram Flour – 1 Cup
  3. Chilli Powder – 1 tbsp
  4. Corn Flour – 1 tbsp
  5. Salt – 3/4 tsp
  6. Ginger Garlic Paste – 1 tsp
  7. Oil for deep Frying

Paneer Pakoda

How to Prepare:

  • Cut Paneer into cubes and set aside.
  • Add besan, chilli powder, salt, corn flour, ginger garlic paste and salt in a bowl. Add little water and mix well so that no lumps are formed. Make a medium thick batter.
  • Then, heat oil in a kadai.
  • Dip each paneer cubes into the batter and deep fry them.
  • Transfer the fried pakodas on a kitchen towel to drain excess oil.
  • Serve hot with tomato ketchup/mint chutney.

Paneer Pakoda

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Murukku / Chakali

Posted January 11, 2012 By Maria John

Murukku

This is a traditional Indian savory snack prepared with rice flour as the main ingredient. This crispy savory snack is usually prepared during festivals. My Mom usually prepares this during Christmas season. It was so simple that even I tried to prepare this crispy spiral and tasted very good.

Try this and I’m sure you will also like it.

Here goes the recipe..

Ingredients:

500 gms Rice Flour, 2 tbsp Urad Dal(roasted & powdered), 2 tbsp Roasted Gram Flour/ Pottu Kadala Maavu, 2 tbsp Sesame Seeds , 1 tsp Ajwain/Carom, 1 Pinch Asafoetida, 50 gms Butter, 8-9 Dry Red Chilli(optional), Salt to Taste, Oil for deep frying

How to Prepare:

Dry roast dry red chillies and give it a whirl in the mixer.

Sieve together rice flour, urad dal powder and roasted gram flour. Now, add asafoetida, ajwain, sesame seeds, chilli flakes, salt and mix well. Now, add butter to this dry mixture and start to knead with your finger tips.

Add water little by little and mix till everything comes together and knead into soft dough. Prepare the murukku press/mould by greasing the insides with little oil. I used the single star nozzle and triple star nozzle. You can use any nozzle of your choice.

Put a large lump into the mould and start pressing the dough to give it round shape or any shape and set aside.

When the oil is hot, put one by one carefully in the oil and fry till golden brown. Put them on a kitchen towel to remove excess oil. Now, allow them to cool down and store in an air tight container.

This goes for Let’s cook #11 ~ Rice event hosted by Radhika of Tickling Palates

 

 

 

 

 

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Soya Chunks & Potato Cutlet

Posted December 20, 2011 By Maria John

Soya is generally referred as a vegetarian meat. This is a very healthy food as this is rich in protein. Soya potato cutlet a snack gives a spicy touch with the spice powders added. I’m sure you will like this dish as an evening snack with a cup of hot tea.

Soya Chunks & Potato Cutlet

Ingredients:

1 Cup Soya Chunks, 2 Medium Potato(cooked & mashed), 1 Large Onion(chopped), 3 Green Chillies(chopped), 1 tsp Chilli Powder, 1/2 tsp Garam Masala, 1/2 tsp Cumin Powder,1/2 tsp Amchur Powder, 1/2 tsp Chaat Masala, Salt to Taste

For Frying:

1 Egg (beaten), Bread Crumbs(optional), Oil

How to Prepare:

Soak the soya chunks in hot water for about 30 minutes and squeeze excess water. Put the soya chunks in a blender and grind coarsely.

Add all the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix well. Now, shape a handful of cutlet, like a round cookie 2-3 inches in diameter and 1 inch thick. Dip each cutlet in the beaten egg and roll in bread crumbs to give it a thin coating. Repeat the same process to the remaining mixture.

Drop 2 tbsp of oil on a pan and fry until golden brown. Gently turn them and fry. Remove from pan and serve hot with tomato sauce.

Note: You can use 2 tbsp of maida mixed with little water instead of egg. Dip each cutlet in this batter and continue the same process.

In my recipe I have not used bread crumbs.

Soya-Chunks-Potato-Cutlet

Submitting this recipe to Snack Mela

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Aloo Samosa

Posted June 15, 2011 By Maria John

Ingredients:

For the filling:

4 Potatoes(boiled and mashed), 1/2 Cup Peas(boiled), 4 Green Chillies, 1/2 inch grated Ginger, 1 tsp Cumin Powder, 1/2 tsp Garam Masala, 1/2 tsp Coriander Powder, 1/2 tsp Chilli Powder, 1 tsp Amchur Powder,  2 tbsp Oil

For the Dough

4 tbsp Oil, 1 1/2 Cup Maida, 1/4 Luke Warm Water, Salt to Taste

How to Prepare:

In a bowl, put salt, maida, oil, water. Knead for 5 minutes to make soft dough. Keep the dough aside for 15 – 20 minutes.

Heat oil in a pan and add all the masala ingredients, green chillies, grated ginger and salt. Cook for few seconds. Now, add mashed potatoes, peas and cook for 5 minutes.

To make Samosas

Divide the dough into equal sized balls and roll them into a think chapattis. Cut the rolled chapattis into half. Now, take the first half and make a cone and stick the sides with using water. Add the filling prepared and seal it. Follow the same steps for the remaining dough. Deep fry these on low heat. Serve hot with green chutney or tomato sauce.

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