Paneer Tikka

Panner Tikka, a perfect party appetizer. The prep can be done ahead of time. And just 15 minutes before the party, just stick it into the oven. and by the time guests arrive, tadaaa, panner tikka ready to be served. 

We can also make it on grill. Great for picnics and campings.  

Ingredients:

• Paneer - 1 packet ( 200g )
• Bell Peppers ( I used yellow, orange, red and green ) - 1 each small size.
• Onion, cubed - 1
• Tomato ( optional ) , deseeded  and cubed. - 1 ( I haven't used )
• Sour Cream or Hung Curd - 3 tbsp
• Besan ( Gramflour ) - 2 tbsp
• Corn Flour - 1 tbsp
• Ginger Garlic Paste - 2 tbsp
• Lemon Juice - 2 tbsp
• Red Chili Powder -1 tsp or to taste
• Tandoori Masala - 2 tsp
• Carom Seeds ( ajwain ) - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Melted Butter or oil - 2 tbsp
• Black Pepper, crushed - 1/2 tsp
• Skewers - as needed

Directions: 

• Dice the paneer into bite size pieces. Keep aside

• Dice Bell peppers and onions and keep aside. 

• Soak the wooden skewers in water for about an hour so that they do not get burnt while cooking. If you are using the metal skewers then you don't need to do this.
• Now in a mixing bowl, take besan, cornflour, ajwain, salt, red chili powder, tandoori masala, ginger garlic paste, lemon juice and little oil or butter. Mix well.

• Now add the cubed paneer and diced bell peppers and onions in this paste and toss it very lighty making sure the paneer cubes do not break and all the pieces are coated with this mixture.

• Cover this bowl with a cling wrap and put it in the fridge for marination. Keep it for about an hour.

• Pre heat the oven on 450 deg F.
• Take a baking tray and cover it with aluminium foil.
• Arrange the paneer, bell peppers and onions on the skewers and put in on the baking tray. I like to use a tray with walls so that I can arrange in such a way that the skewers can be put on the edges and the tikkas can be cooked from all sides. See pic: 

• Stick it into the oven for about 13-15 minutes until the edges of paneer start browning.
• When done brush it with melted butter or oil and serve with green chutney.

Pyaaz Ke Pakode ( Onion Pakoras )

What is the first thing that crosses your mind when the weather is like this:

Don't you want to eat hot crispy pakoras with some tea? I am sure.. haha
That's what I did too... Came home immediately and quickly made some onion pakoras.

Now I am going to give you the basic pakora recipe with the minimum ingredients.
You can modify by adding many more ingredients like ginger, garlic, curry leaves, cilantro, fennel seeds, etc.


Ingredients:

• Onion - 2 medium ( I prefer red onions )
• Besan ( chickpea flour ) -  3/4 cup
• Rice Flour - 1/4 cup
• Red Chili Powder - to taste
• Chopped Green Chilies - 1or 2
• Chopped Cilantro - 2 tbsp
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
• Carom Seeds - 1/4 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Oil - for deep frying

Directions: 

• Slice onions lengthwise. Add salt. turmeric, chili powder, carom seeds to it , mix well and let it rest for 10 min. It will release some water. That way you will not need to add more water to make the mixture.

• Now add besan and rice flour, green chilies, cilantro and mix in such a way that the flour is just enough to coat the onions.
• You might not have to add water at all 'coz of the water released from the onions. But if you think it's not sufficient then add water by teaspoon, very little at a time.

• Heat oil in a pan for deep frying. When the oil is hot, drop small portions of the mixture into the oil and fry till golden brown on all the sides tossing them in between.
• Using a slotted ladle take them out on a paper towel so that the excess oil is drained out. 
• You can sprinkle some chat masala on the pakoras as soon as you take them out from oil. ( optional )
• Serve hot with ketchup or green chutney .along with hot tea or coffee.

Mirchi Bhajji

Mirchi bhajji, stuffed pepper fritters, one of the most common streets foods.
mmmmm..... I remember buying this at the street vendor, he gives these bhajjis accompanied with chopped onions and roasted peanuts, all wrapped in a paper.. haha.... slurrrrp !!! How I love street food !!
This can be made at home with any type of pepper you prefer, like banana peppers or jalapeno peppers .
I prefer banana peppers.

Ingredients:

• Banana Peppers : 8 -10
• Tamarind - gooseberry sized
• Carom Seeds ( Ajwain ) - 1 tsp
• Gram Flour ( Besan ) - 1 cup
• Baking Powder - 1/4 tsp ( optional ) - This helps the make the bhajjis crispy 
• Salt - to taste
• Oil - to deep fry

Directions: 

• Soak tamarind for half an hour, remove seeds. Or for instant result, microwave tamarind with very little water for 30 secs. Stir and microwave again for another 30 secs. Keep aside. Let it cool.
• In a grinder, take carom seeds and give them a pulse. When they are crushed, add tamarind along with water and salt and grind it to a paste. Keep aside
• Now, slit the pepper lengthwise, and remove seeds from them if you do not want it to be too hot. If you like it hot, let them be. 
• Stuff these peppers with the tamarind-carom paste. Let them sit for about an hour. You can make them immediately as well but if you let them sit for a while, it taste better when the peppers absorb the flavours. Also if you are making these for a party, you can stuff and keep these ready for even 5-6 hours and fry them just before the party. 
• Now to make the batter, take besan in a mixing bowl, add salt and baking soda. Mix. Add water little at a time and mix well with the help of an egg beater. The consistency should be just right to coat the peppers, neither hard nor runny. 
• Heat the oil in a deep frying pan. To test the right temperature, add just a drop of batter into the oil. The batter should neither come up too soon nor should it sit for long. It should sizzle for about 2 seconds and then float up. 
• Now, drop the stuffed peppers into the batter and drop them in the hot oil. Deep fry till it is golden from all the sides. Fry them on medium heat. 
• When done, drain the excess oil on the kitchen towel. 

Serving Suggestions: 

• Serve them hot with Green Chutney or Tamarind Chutney 
• Or, along with finely chopped onions. Sprinkle some lemon juice on the onions and some roasted peanuts. 
• Or, after you fry the bhajjis, make another slit lengthwise and fill with these onions sprinkled with lemon juice and serve.
• Or, Slice the bhajjis into pieces and spread on the plate, sprinkle onions with lemon juice and roasted peanuts and sev and chopped cilantro. 
• Enjoyyyyyy !!!!

Variation : 

The above mentioned is usually a South Indian recipe of Mirchi Bhajji.

The North Indian recipe has a different stuffing. The stuffing of boiled potato. 

Stuffing :

• Mashed Boiled Potato - 1 cup
• Chopped Onion - 1/2 cup
• Chopped Cilantro - 1 tbsp
• Grated Ginger - 1 tsp
• Chat Masala - 1/4 tsp
• Lemon Juice - 1 tsp
• Salt - a pinch

Mix all these well and stuff in the slit peppers. The remaining recipe remains the same. 

Roasted Baby Potatoes

Ingredients:

• Yellow Baby Potatoes - 2 lbs
• Garlic Powder - 1/2 tsp
• Onion Powder - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Black Pepper Powder - 1/2 tsp
• Italian Herbs - 1 tbsp ( Oregano, Basil, Thyme and Parsley ) Mix of all or a few. 
• Red Chili Flakes - To taste
• Olive Oil - 2 tbsp

Directions: 

• Cut the baby potatoes into half lengthwise and then cut into half again ( so you will have 4 pieces of 1 potato ) You don't need to peel them.
• Soak them all in a bowl of cold water. 
• Preheat the oven at 475° F.
• In a mixing bowl, Mix all the other ingredients and give it a good mix.
• Pat dry the soaked potatoes with a paper towel. Add those  potatoes in the mixing bowl and toss them well so that all the potatoes are well coated.

• Grease the baking sheet and spread the potatoes in a single layer on it.

• Bake for about 25 minutes, turning the potato fries once in between. Bake till golden brown.
• You can garnish by sprinkling fresh rosemary or mint. 

Eat as appetizer or as side to a soup. Serve hot !!!

Dahi Bhalla

Dahi Bhallas are very popular north Indian street food. It is a cold appetizer which consists of wadas made of urad dal and soaked in spiced curds.
The south Indian counterpart of this is Dahi wada or Avadalu which is slightly different from this one in the way the wadas are made and the way the curds are spiced up.

Ingredients :

For Bhallas:

• Urad Dal ( Black Gram without skin ) - 1 cup
• Ginger - 1 inch piece ( grated )
• Green Chilies - 1-2 finely chopped
• Salt - to taste
• Oil - for deep frying

For Curd Mix: 

• Curd - 4 cups
• Water - 2 cups
• Rock Salt - 1 tsp
• Sugar - 2 tbsp
• Red Chili Powder - to taste
• Roasted Cumin Seeds Powder - 2 tbsp
• Chopped Coriander - to garnish

Directions: 

• Soak the urad in water for about 4-5 hrs. Grind into a smooth paste with very little water.
• Take it out in a mixing bowl. Add salt to taste and pat and beat the batter with hands in a mixing bowl for aeration. This is important for getting soft wadas. When you put a small amount of batter in a cup of water, it should float. If the aeration is not done well, the batter sinks and sits at the bottom.
• Add finely chopped green chilies and grated ginger to the bater and mix well.
• Heat oil in a deep pan or wok. Keep a bowl of water ready. Wet your hands and take a small portion of batter and drop in into hot oil. Make 5-6 wadas at a time depending upon the size of your wok.
• Fry until golden brown in medium heat and take them out on a paper towel. Repeat this process with the remaining batter.
• Keep a large bowl of luke warm water ready. Drop all these fried wadas into the water and soak them in water just for about 2 minutes.
• Take them out and squeeze out the water very gently, without breaking them.

• In a wide bowl, whisk curds, water ,sugar, salt, roasted cumin powder, red chili powder.  The curd should be slightly sweet, not much, so do not add more sugar.
• Add the wadas to this curd and sprinkle some more chili powder and roasted cumin powder on top. 
• Also garnish with chopped cilantro.

Variation: 

• Add Green Chutney and Tamarind Chutney on top while serving. Oh !! It tastes amazing. 

Click here for the recipe of Dahi wada or Avadalu .

Cabbage Pakora

cabbage pakoras , as the name says, are made of shredded cabbage, however I like to add some shredded carrots to it too.

Ingredients:

• Shredded Cabbage - 1 cup
• Shredded Carrots - 1 cup ( Optional, you can avoid carrots and use 2 cups of cabbage instead )
• Besan ( Chickpea Flour )- 1/2 cup
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
• Red Chili Powder - to taste
• Salt - to taste
• Carom Seeds - 1/4 tsp
• Oil - for deep frying

Directions: 

• In a mixing bowl add all the ingredients ( except oil ) and mix well. Add just a few tsp of water , just enough for all the masalas to coat the cabbage.

• Heat oil for deep frying on medium heat. Test the oil if it is ready . Drop just a pinch of mixture in the oil. The mixture should go to the bottom of the pan and come up on the surface in just 1-2 seconds. ( should neither come up immediately not should settle at the bottom )
• When the oil is ready, drop small dumplings of the pakora mixture to fill the pan. 
• Let it fry on both the sides till golden brown and crispy.
• Take them out on a paper napkin. Repeat the process with the remaining mixture.
• Serve hot with ketchup or green chutney.

Namkeen Mathri

Mathris , The Indian Salted Crackers . I love having them as my afternoon snack along with a hot cup of chai.

Ingredients:

• All Purpose flour ( maida) - 2 cups
• Sooji ( Semolina ) - 1/2 cup
• Salt - 1 tsp
• Carom Seeds ( Ajwain ) - 1/2 tsp
• Oil - 2-3 tbsp
• Lukewarm Water - as needed to knead a firm dough, say 3/4 cup
• Oil - to deep fry

Directions: 

• In a mixing bowl , mix all the ingredients and knead it into a firm dough with very little water at a time. Do not make the dough too soft. Cover and set aside for about 15 minutes. 
• Divide the dough into approx 40-45 small balls. 
• Roll each ball into approx 1 and a half inch circles.
• Prick each mathri with a fork all over so that they do not puff while frying.

• Get the oil for deep frying ready. Keep it on medium heat.
• Deep fry 5-6 mathris at a time on medium heat, flipping them in between, till they turn golden brown from both the sides. 
• Remove on a kitchen napkin. They would turn crispier on cooling.
• They can be stored in an air tight container for a month or so. 

This is great with tea. Also, this can be had with some spicy pickle or green chutney or ketchup.

Sweet Corn And Vegetable Pakoras

These are the fritters made with sweet corns and mixed vegetables.

Ingredients: 

• Sweet Corn - 1 can ( small )
• Potato - 1
• Carrot - 1
• Onion  - 1
• Chopped Cilantro - 2-3 springs
• Green Chillies - 2 or to taste 
• Red chili Powder - to taste
• Salt - to taste
• Chickpea Flour - 1 cup or as needed
• Oil - for deep frying

Directions: 

• Roughly grind the sweet corn . Do not make a smooth paste. Transfer it to a mixing bowl.
• Grate peeled potato, carrot and add to the mixing bowl.
• Also add finely chopped onions, chopped cilantro, green chillies, red chili powder, salt . Mix well.
• Add besan ( chickpea flour ) and mix. Add very little water as the vegetables will ooze out some water as well. Mix and make into a thick batter. 
• Heat oil for deep frying. 
• Dump spoonfuls of the pakora mixture into the oil and fry on medium till golden brown from both the sides.You can fry 8-10 pakoras at a time. 
• Remove on paper towel. 
• Repeat for the remaining pakora mixture.
• Serve hot with ketchup or green chutney.

Note :  If you think the pakora mixture turns watery half way through as the vegetables ooze more water, you can add either more besan or even bread crumbs. 

Bagel Pizza

We can make pizza of bagels by adding the toppings of our choice. My daughter likes plain cheese bagel pizza but I make veggie bagel pizza for myslef. Sometimes, making the whole large pizza is a lot. So, for a small hunger, this is the best alternative to pizza with a similar taste. This makes a good option for lunch box  for kids as well.

Veggie Bagel Pizza

Ingredients:

• Bagels - 2
• Pizza Sauce - 1/2 cup
• Veggies - of your choice, like bell pepper, tomatoes, onions, broccoli, spinach, olives etc..
• Mozzarella Cheese - 3/4 cup ( grated )
• Chili Flakes - for  seasoning , to taste
• Oregano - for seasoning, to taste 

Directions: 

• Slit the bagels, place them on the baking sheet.
• Spread the pizza sauce .
• Arrange the chopped veggies of your choice on the bagels.  ( Skip the veggies while making cheese bagel pizza )
• Cover the surface with a layer of cheese.
• Bake at 400° F , for around 8-10 minutes or until cheese is melted.
• Season with chili flakes and oregano. ( Avoid chili flakes while making for kids )

Cheese Bagel Pizza

Bread Pakora

Spicy , crispy bread pakoras are absolutely the best snack on a rainy or a snowy day . It can be made very easily and quickly. And if you eat them while sipping your smoking hot chai... mmmmmm    it's magical.
Kids love this finger food. You can have them with ketchup or green chutney or tamarind chutney.

Ingredients:

• Bread ( white or brown ) - 4-5 slices
• Gram Flour ( Besan ) - 1 cup
• Water -  3/4 cup
• Cumin Seeds ( jeera ) - 1/2 tsp
• Carom Seeds ( Ajwain ) - 1/2 tsp
• Chopped Green Chillies - 1 or to taste
• Red Chili Powder - to taste ( optional )
• Chopped Cilantro - 1/4 cup ( optional )
• Salt -to taste
• Baking Soda - a pinch ( optional )
• Chat Masala - to sprinkle ( optional )
• Oil - for deep frying

Directions: 

• Cut each slice of bread into 4 pieces. You can cut either into 4 squares or 4 triangles. You can even cut them in just 2 pieces diagonally, i.e 2 large triangles. keep them aside.
• To prepare the batter, take besan in a mixing bowl, add all the other ingredients( except oil ) to it and mix.
• Add water little by little to make a smooth batter. Batter should be of the consistency of pancake or dosa batter.
• Heat oil for deep frying. To check if the oil is ready, put a small drop of batter in oil, it should sizzle and come up right away. ( if it sits at the bottom for long, the oil is not hot enough whereas, if it comes up and turns black rightaway, the oil is too hot ) Keep adjusting the heat while cooking as needed.
• Now, dip the bread slices in to the batter one by one and carefully drop them in the oil. Depending on the size of your pan, decide the number of slices you want to drop at a time. Do not overcrowd the pan.
• Let it fry till it turns golden brown and then flip to the other side and fry till golden brown.
• Remove them on a kitchen towel.
• Sprinkle a pinch of chat masala on each pakora.
• Serve them hot with ketchup or green chutney or tamarind chutney.  ( Click on the link for the recipe of chutneys )
• Enjoy your cold evenings with hot pakoras and hot chai and do not forget to exercise for 15 extra minutes the next day ;)

Soyabean Crisps

I love to snack while watching movie. This is a nice , yummy and crunchy snack and also most importantly, healthy.

This is a Tarla Dalal recipe with a little variation to suit my taste. I like it spicy so I added chili powder and chat masala too. But if you do not prefer spicy then you can just add salt as in the original recipe.




Ingredients:

• Soya Beans - 1 cup
• Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Red Chili Powder - to taste ( optional )
• Chat Masala - to taste ( optional )
• Oil - 1-2 tsp

Directions:

• Soak the soya beans in water for about 2-3 hours. Drain and discard the water.
• Add turmeric powder, salt and chili powder and chat masala to the soya beans, mix well and refrigerate overnight i.e about 6-8 hours.
• Sprinkle oil to the beans and mix well.
• Place the beans on a microwave safe plate and microwave for 5 minutes. Mix it in between after 2 and a half minutes.
• If your plate is small, do it in batches, say, half at a time.
• Let the soybeans sit for a while till they reach room temperature.
• Store in air tight container and munch on them when u like.

Namak Pare

I had earlier blogged the recipe of shakkarpare, now this is the recipe of namak pare , which is the salty version of sweet shakkarpare.
Very easy to make, this is one of my favourite snacks to munch on. I had made this on this diwali. You can see in the picture, a hint of other sweets and savories I made this Diwali along with Namak Pare.

Ingredients:

• All Purpose Flour - 2 cups
• Whole Wheat Flour - 1 cup
• Carom Seeds ( Ajwain ) - 1 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Red Chili Powder - to taste
• Oil - 2 tbsp
• Water - as required for kneading
• Oil - for deep frying

Directions:

• In a mixing bowl, mix all the ingredients and add water little by little and knead it into a pliable dough. The consistency should be little more stiffer than how we make for roti.
• Rest the dough covered for an hour.
• Heat the oil for deep frying.
• Divide the dough into 7-8 equal portions and roll them out slightly thicker than a roti.
• Pork thoughout with the help of a fork, so that they don't swell while frying. { Be gentle, don't show your frustration on it ;)  }
• With the help of a pizza cutter, cut it into strips.
• Cut through diagonally to form small diamond shapes.
• When the oil is hot, drop them and fry on medium heat. Keep stirring ocassionally.
• Cook till they turn golden and remove on the paper towel.
• Repeat with other portions of the dough.
• Store in air tight container and enjoy your snack along with chai ( tea ).

Vegetable Tofu Stir Fry

Tofu is extremely nutritious which has many health benefits and is a very good source of protein for the vegetarians.  It is low in fat, calories and cholesterol. Isn't that amazing for people who watch their weight.
Tofu by itself is bland, but if cooked with various other ingredients and flavors , it is a treat to have.
So here is one of the many different ways to make a tofu appetizer.

Ingredients:

• Extra Firm Tofu - 1 packet
• Olive Oil - 1 tbsp
• Chopped Green and Red Bell Pepper - 1/4 cup
• Chopped Spring Onions - 1/4 cup
• Garlic Paste - 1 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Pepper - to taste
• Soy Sauce - to taste
• Chinese Chili Sauce - to taste
• Stir Fry Sauce ( Any Flavour ) - 2 tbsp
• Sesame Seeds - 1 tbsp

Directions:

• Drain water from the tofu.
• Wrap it with a paper towel and let is stand for 5-6 minutes so that all the liquid is soaked up.
• Cut it into bite size cubes.
• Heat oil in a pan, add tofu pieces and stir fry till golden brown on all the sides.
• Push the tofu on one side of the pan , and add garlic paste in the oil and stir it for a few seconds.
• Add chopped vegetables ( bell peppers and spring onions ) and toss them along with tofu.
• Add soy sauce, chili sauce, stir fry sauce, little salt and pepper and sesame seeds. Mix well and cook for a couple of minutes till the vegetables are half cooked. Let the veggies remain crunchy. No need to cook till soft.

Variation: 

• You can make the same recipe without any veggies as well. Or You could add more veggies of your choice like onions, broccoli, carrots, snow peas etc .
• You can add plain stir fry tofu to salads or pasta or chinese fried rice or chinese noodles.

Enjoy  !!  :)

Dahi Wada ( Aavadalu )

Dahi wada is a melt-in-mouth appetizer, called aavadalu in telugu. Deep fried wadas are soaked in spiced yogurt and served cold. This is a south Indian dish and is similar to it's north Indian cousin, Dahi Bhalla.  They both are mostly same with few variations. The main difference being the shape. Wada is the one with the hole, Bhallas are round dumplings. There is a slight variation in the curd. The curd of dahi bhalla is slightly sweetened and is seasoned with red chili powder and roasted cumin powder whereas, the curd of dahi wada is seasoned with mustard seeds, urad dal, etc.
Here's the recipe of Dahi Wada.

Ingredients :

For Wada:

• Urad dal ( slit black gram ) - 1 cup
• Salt - to taste
• Black Peppers - 1/2 tsp ( optional )
• Oil - to deep fry

For Dahi:

• Curd - 4 cups
• Green Chillies -4-5
• Ginger - 1 inch
• Cumin Seeds - 1/2 tsp
• Curry Leaves - 1 spring
• Fenugreek Seeds - 4-5 seeds
• Urad Dal - 1 tsp
• Mustard Seeds - 3/4 tsp
• Asafoetida - 1/4 tsp
• Red whole chillies - 2
• Salt - to taste
• Chopped Cilantro - for garnishing
• Boondi - for garnishing

Directions :

For Wada Batter:

• Wash and soak urad dal for about 5-6 hours.
• Grind the dal using the minimum water required for grinding. The consistency should be thick and not runny.
• Add salt to taste and pat and beat the batter with hands in a mixing bowl for aeration. This is important for getting soft wadas. When you put a small amount of batter in a cup of water, it should float. If the aeration is not done well, the batter sinks and sits at the bottom.
• You can add black peppers to the batter, if you like.
• Keep the batter aside while we prepare the curd.

For Dahi:

• Whisk the curd in a bowl. Add salt. Mix well.
• Grind green chillies, ginger and cumin seeds. Add this paste to the curd and mix well.
• Add chopped curry leaves to the curd.
• Heat oil in a small pan, add mustard seeds, let them splutter. Add urad dal, fenugreek seeds and let them turn reddish. Add asafoetida and torn red chillies.
• Pour this tempering over the curd and mix well. Keep aside while we make wadas.

For Wada:

• Keep a bowl of water ready. We shall dip the wadas or garelu in water for about 1-2 minutes after deep frying. This will make the wadas soft.
• Heat oil in a pan for deep frying.
• Wet your fingers and take a portion of batter and make a hole in the center and drop it into the hot oil.
• The wadas will float on the surface of oil after a couple of seconds of dropping in the oil.
• Make around 2-3 wadas at a time. Do not over crowd the pan.
• Turn the wadas to the other side after a minute, and fry till golden brown.
• Remove from heat and drop then into the bowl of water for a couple of minutes , then remove them on a serving bowl.
• Pour the spiced dahi over the wadas into the serving bowl and let it soak for around 30 minutes to 1 hour before you serve. The wadas will absorb the spiced curd and will become soft and melts in mouth.
• Just before serving , garnish with chopped cilantro and boondi.

Variation:

• The wadas soaked in sambar is yet another delicacy, called Sambar Wada. When I make sambar wada, I prefer to make sambar without any veggies, just onions and tomatoes.
• They can also be soaked in rasam and are called Rasam Wada.

Enjoy !!!

Click here for the recipe of  Dahi Bhalla. 

Fried Plantain

Plantains are the sort of banana which are used for cooking in contrast to the fruit banana which can be eaten raw or used in shakes or puddings.
Plantains are green in color which gradually turn yellow and eventually black.
When the plantains are green, we use them to make currys, when they turn yellow, you can make these fries , and when they turn black, do not throw them, you can still make fritters with them, by adding flour to it.

Fried Plantain is the quickest appetizer. It is just a 2 step recipe: cut and fry. simple.
You must use the ripe plantain, i.e when the skin is turning yellow and has some black spots on it.

Ingredients:

• Plantains - 2
• Salt - 2-3 pinches
• Oil - for deep frying

Directions:

• Peel the plantains. Chop them diagonally of about half an inch tickness.
• Sprinkle salt over the pieces and toss them well.
• Deep fry the plantains in hot oil and fry till they turn brown from both the sides.
• Remove on kitchen towel.
• They can be eaten by themselves, however you can have them with a dip of your choice.

Vankaya Bhajji ( Baingan Pakora )

Pakoras are famous savory fritters in India made of various vegetables like potato, tomato, eggplant, cauliflower, peppers, onions, paneer etc, covered with chickpea flour and some spices which are deep fried.

This is a picture of brinjal or eggplant pakora . However, you can make pakoras with other vegetables of your choice in just the similar way.

Ingredients:

• Sliced Vegetables - 1 cup
• Oil - for deep frying
• Chat masala - Just to sprinkle ( optional )

for batter :

• Besan ( chickpea flour ) - 1 cup
• Water - 1/2 cup or as needed to make a batter.
• Ajwain ( Carom Seeds ) - 1/4 tsp
• Cumin Seeds - 1/4 tsp
• Asafoetida - a pinch
• Turmeric powder - 1/4 tsp
• Red Chili Powder - 1/4 tsp
• Salt - to taste

Directions:

• In a mixing bowl, take all the ingredients required for batter , except water and mix well.
• Add water gradually, little by little and make a thick batter.
• The consistency of the batter should not be too thick or too thin.
• Heat oil for deep frying in a pan on medium .
• Thinly slice the vegetables. Dip these slices into the batter and coat both the sides and slowly slide them into the hot oil one by one.
• you can fry around 6-10 pakoras at a time depending upon how but the pan is.
• Let them fry for 2-3 minutes then, toss them to fry the other side.
• When they are crisp and golden brown, remove them on kitchen towels to drain the excess oil.
• You can sprinkle a pinch of chat masala on pakoras and serve them hot with ketchup or green chutney or tamarind chutney.

Corn Cutlet

Cutlets made of sweet corn and potatoes make a delicious snack. Goes extremely well with green chutney or even ketchup.

Ingredients:

• Sweet Corn Kernels - 2 cups
• Boiled Potatoes - 1 big or 2 small
• Bread Crumbs - 3 tbsp
• Green Chillies - 2 or to taste
• Red Chili Powder - to taste
• Cumin seeds- 1 tsp
• Chopped Cilantro - 2 -3 tbsp
• Grated Ginger - 1 tsp
• Salt -to taste
• Asafoetida - a pinch
• Oil - for shallow frying

Directions:

• Boil the potatoes, mash them up , keep aside in a mixing bowl.
• Boil Corn kernels, let it cool, drain all the water, grind coarsely, mix it with the mashed potatoes.
• Add finely chopped green chillies, chopped cilantro, grated ginger, cumin seeds, salt, red chili powder, asafoetida and mix well.
• The mixture might be too moist, so we need to add bread crumbs to bind them together. If you think 3 tbsp of bread crumbs it too less and the mixture is still too moist, add some more bread crumbs.
• To shallow fry the cutlets, heat around 3-4 tbsp of oil in a pan. Take a lemon sized ball of the mixture, flaten it a bit and carefully drop it in the oil.
• Place around 4-5 such cutlets in the pan at once, depending upon how big your pan is.
• Let it fry for 3-4 minutes on medium heat and then toss it to the other side . Let the other side also fry till the cutlets are brownish and crispy.
• Remove on a paper towel to drain out the excess oil.
• Serve hot with green chutney or ketchup.

Vegetable Puff / Paneer Puff / Egg Puff

Vegetable Puff , alternatively called as curry puff, takes me back to my college days memories, in Hyderabad. We used to go to bakeries during lunch break or after college and order a puff and a coke religiously.
We can make Vegetable puffs by stuffing mixed vegetables into the puff. Similary, if we stuff boiled eggs, we can make Egg Puffs or stuff paneer mixture to make Paneer Puffs.
I shall tell the recipe of vegetable puff here. You can try paneer puffs or egg puffs in a similar way.

Ingredients:

• Mixed Vegetables - 1 cup
• Puff Sheets - 2
• Chopped Fresh Cilantro - 2 tbsp
• Coriander Powder - 1/2 tsp
• Roasted Cumin Powder - 1/2 tsp
• Green Chillies or Red Chili Powder - to taste
• Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tsp
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
• Lemon Juice - 1 tbsp
• Salt - to taste
• Chat Masala - 1/2 tsp
• Oil - 2 tbsp

Mixed Vegetables: ( Boiled )

• Potato - 3/4 cup
• Carrots - 2 tbsp
• Peas - 2 tbsp
• Beans - 2 tbsp

Typically these vegetables are used, however, you can use any other you like.

Directions:

• Chop and boil all the vegetables and keep aside.
• Heat oil in a pan, add ginger garlic paste, saute for few seconds then add turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin powder, Chili powder ( or green chillies ).
• Add the boiled vegetables and salt and fry for a couple of minutes and turn off the heat.
• Add chopped cilantro, chat masala and lemon juice. Let this mixture cool down.
• Take a puff sheet, place 3-4 tbsp of stuffing on it and fold it into half and seal it.
• To seal it better, you can apply water on the edges of the sheet and press it gently from all the sides.
• Pre heat the oven at 450° F .
• Bake the puffs for 10 -12 minutes.
• Serve hot with ketchup.

Khaman Dhokla ( Instant )

Khaman Dhokla comes from the land of Gujrat, however eaten in the entire country.
Traditionally, it is made of chana dal, but this recipe is the instant version which does not require any soaking, grinding and fermenting like in the traditional way. This is made of besan ( bengal gram flour ).
I always wondered how mom made these, so out of curiosity , I, one day, decided to stand next to my mom in the kitchen while she was making these, and was pleasantly surprised to see how easy and quick they are to make.
I never tried the traditional way of making dhokla, I prefer instant. Call me lazy ;)

Ingredients:

• Besan ( Bengal Gram Flour ) - 1 cup
• Sooji ( Semolina ) - 1 1/2 tbsp
• Ginger-Green Chili paste - 1 tsp
• Citric Acid - 1/2 tsp
• ENO Fruit Salt - 1 1/2 tsp
• Salt - to taste
• Turmeric Powder - 1/4 tsp
• Mustard Seeds - 1 tsp
• Slit Green Chillies - to taste
• Hing ( Asafoetida ) - a pinch
• Chopped Cilantro - for garnishing
• Water -1 cup + 1/2 cup
• Sugar - 2 tsp

Directions:

• In a mixing bowl , mix besan, sooji, ginger-green chili paste, citric acid, turmeric powder and salt. Add 1 cup of water and make it into a smooth batter with no lumps.
• If you do not have citric acid , it can be replaced with 1 tsp of lemon juice.
• Heat the steamer and keep it ready while you prepare the mixture. If you do not have a steamer, you can as well use a pressure cooker, but with no weight.
• Grease the dhokla plate with cooking spray and keep aside.
• Add ENO fruit salt to the batter and give it a good mix. It will instantly raise the batter to double the quantity.
• Immediately pour this batter onto the dhokla plate and place it in the steamer or cooker.
• Cover and cook for 7-10 minutes. Then turn off the heat. Insert a toothpick into the dhokla, it should come out clean if it is cooked.
• It should now look like a spongy cake.
• Take the remaining half cup of water and mix sugar in it. Pour this water all over the cake evenly with the help of spoon. This will make the dhoklas juicy and a little sweet. You can adjust the amount of sugar depending on how sweet you like it. 

Tadka :

• Dhoklas now need some tempering. Heat oil in a small pan , add mustard seeds. Let them splutter.
• Add hing and slit green chillies. Saute for just a few seconds.
• Pour it all over the dhokla evenly.
• Cut the dhokla into equal pieces and garnish them with chopped cilantro.
• You can also garnish with grated coconut , if you like. 

Serve it hot or cold with green chutney. It can also be eaten without any chutney, just like that. Just bite into it and it will melt in mouth. Yummmmm !!!!

Punugulu

Punugulu are made of idli batter. When we make idli for the breakfast and little batter is leftover which is not sufficient for the next set of idlis, we usually use that batter for making punugulu, a perfect evening snack.
Punugulu are also made of whole wheat flour, the recipe of which I will blog some time soon.

Ingredients:

• Idli Batter - 1 cup
• Finely Chopped Onions - 1 medium
• Finely Chopped Green Chillies - 2 or to taste
• Chopped Cilantro - 3 tbsp
• Salt - to taste
• Oil - for deep frying

Directions:

• Mix all the ingredients in the idli batter.
• Heat oil for deep frying in a deep pan.
• To check if the oil has reached the right temperature , drop a very small amount of batter in the oil. It should touch the bottom for 2 seconds and then float on the surface. It should neither sit for too long at the bottom, nor float up immediately.
• Take a teaspoonful batter and drop into the oil. If you like it small size like me, drop only half a tsp. I like it small so that I can eat them as whole without having to bite it into half.
• You can make around 7-10 punugulu at once ( of course depending upon the size of your pan )
• Toss all the ponugulu to the other side . Fry them till they are golden brown from all the sides.
• Remove on a paper towel to drain excess oil.
• Serve them hot with coconut chutney.