Sesame Honey Chilli Potatoes

Popular Indo-Chinese recipe, Honey Chili Potatoes, owes it flavor to honey and fiery red chilies. I like the deep fried restaurant version but I prefer the healthy home made method where the potatoes are baked before being tossed in a sweet and hot sauce and sprinkled with toasted sesame seeds. Very flavorful and looks appealing in the serving plate.

Ingredients:

3 potatoes, peeled and cut into fingers like for french fries

2 crushed garlic cloves

1 tsp red chilli pwd

2 tsps tomato sauce

salt to taste

1 1/2 tbsps oil

For sauce:

1 tbsp tomato sauce

1 tsp red chilli sauce

2 tsps vinegar

2 crushed garlic cloves

1 1/2 tbsps honey

1 tsp chopped coriander leaves (optional) or spring onion greens

1/2 tbsp oil

1 Combine potato fingers, oil, red chilli pwd, tomato sauce, crushed garlic and salt and place in a ziplock bag and shake well. Grease a baking tray and spread the potato fingers on the tray and bake at 200 degrees C for 35-40 mts. You need to turn the potato fingers once during the baking process. OR you can deep fry the potato fingers to a golden brown shade. If deep frying add a tbsp of cornflour instead of oil to the potatoes and then deep fry. Remove onto absorbent paper and keep aside.
2 Heat a heavy bottomed vessel, add oil, add the crushed garlic and saute on high flame for few secs. Add the red chilli paste, tomato sauce and vinegar and combine. Add the baked potatoes and toss for a mt on medium-high flame. Add the honey and toss the contents till well combined. Turn off heat. Adjust salt if required.
3 Sprinkle toasted sesame seeds and garnish with spring onion greens or coriander leaves and combine. Serve warm as a starter/appetizer.

Crispy Onion Samosa Recipe

 Onion Samosa recipe is one of the most sought after snack recipe by many of my blog readers. I am talking about the addictive, small, crispy onion samosas that are served in the college canteens, railway stations, movie theatres, Irani tea cafes and the like. Seriously, I am no expert in making this classic Indian addictive snack that also goes by the name, Irani samosas. Trying to achieve perfectly crisp onion samosa is not an easy task. Having said that, I will also say that one can make it at home with near perfection. 

Onion samosa is different from the regular Punjabi style recipe in terms of the filling as well as the texture of the outer dough layer. Onion samosa has a super crispy, smooth exterior with a lightly spiced onion filling. The onion filling is mixed with powdered poha aka beaten flat rice flakes which absorbs any moisture that the filling might have. The key to a crisp samosa is in the samosa pastry dough that has to be kneaded to the right consistency, rolled to the perfect thickness which is neither too thick nor too thin and the samosas have to be fried in oil that is not too hot, on a low medium flame to achieve a golden brown, crisp exterior.

preparing of samosas

Ingredients

• Flour - 1 1/2 cups( u can use puff pastry sheets)
• Salt - 1/4 tsp
• Lemon juice - 1 1/2 tsps
• Oil for deep frying
• Flour paste (mix 1/4 cup maida (flour) in little water to make a paste)
• For filling:
• Onion - 1, very large, sliced
• Red chili powder - 1/2 tsp
• Poha - 1/3 cup beaten rice/atukulu), ground to a powder
• Salt to taste
• Coriander leaves - 2 tsps, finely chopped (optional)
• Oil - 2 tsps

Method

1. In a bowl, add flour, salt and lemon juice and mix well. Add warm water, little by little, to make a smooth yet pliable dough. Cover with a damp cloth and leave aside for 20 mts.
2. Meanwhile make the filling. Heat a cooking vessel, add oil. Once oil is hot, add sliced onions and saute on low to medium flame for 3-4 mts. Add red chili powder and mix well. Turn off flame.
3. Add the ground beaten rice and coriander leaves and mix well. Remove to a bowl, leave aside while you prepare the samosa pastry.
4. To prepare the samosa pastry, make lemon sized balls of the dough and leave them covered while you roll the balls into thin rotis.
5. Make two rotis that are 3" in diameter. Smear a little oil all over one roti and place the other roti over it. Sprinkle some flour on the work surface and roll it into a thinner and larger roti. Keep aside the prepared roti and cover with a kitchen towel till you prepare rotis in the same manner with rest of the balls.
6. Heat a tawa or skillet on medium flame. Place a roti on the tawa and allow to cook slightly for approx 18-20 seconds on each side. Do not allow to cook completely. Remove from tawa and slowly separate the two rotis.
7. Prepare with rest of the rotis likewise and keep them covered with a kitchen towel.
8. Cut each roti into two halves and keep aside. Add salt to the onion filling just before you begin to stuff the samosa pastry with the filling.
9. Follow the above pictures on how to fold the samosa pastry sheet along with filling and seal them with the flour paste. Prepare samosas with rest of the pastry sheets. Cover the prepared samosa with a kitchen towel and allow to sit for 10 to 15 mts.
10. Heat oil for deep frying in a heavy bottomed vessel. Once the oil is medium hot, reduce flame to low-medium, add 4 to 5 samosas into the oil carefully and allow to cook on both sides till they become golden brown. Do not cook on high flame.
11. Remove the fried golden brown samosas onto an absorbent paper.serve with tomato ketchup.

Tips

• You can use raw onions to make filling i.e you need not saute the sliced onions. I like to slightly saute the onions.
• Coriander leaves is optional.

Phirni Recipe

Phirni

Phirni recipe is a traditional Indian rice pudding that is prepared with full cream milk, paste of soaked raw rice, sugar and cardamom. The cooked creamy rice mixture is set in earthen clay pots or plates, richly garnished with edible silver leaf and garnished with nuts like pistachios and almonds. Phirni or Firni has its origins in the Middle East and has made its way to the Indian sub continent through the Mughals. You will find this easy sweet dessert prepared in the homes of Hindus and Muslims to celebrate festivals like Eid, Holi and Diwali.

Phirni is one of the easy sweet recipes to make for a beginner with minimal ingredients. Variations to the basic Phirni recipe are endless with the most popular ones being Badami Phirni (flavored with almonds), Kesari (saffron), Gulab (rose), Pistachio, Aam (mango), Strawberry and Chocolate. If you are running out of time and looking for a short cut method to make Phirni, use rice flour instead of soaking and grinding the raw rice with milk.

Ingredients

• Basmati rice - 1/3 cup (minus 1 tbsp of rice), soaked for 20 mts in water, drained and ground to a fine paste adding 1/2 cup milk
• Full cream milk - 4 cups
• Sugar - 1/4 cup + 2 tbsps
• Green cardamom powder - 1/2 tsp
• Pistachios - fistful, blanched, peeled and sliced
• Rose petals - few (optional)
• Saffron - 8-9 strands (optional) soak in 2 tbsps of milk

Method

1. Bring the milk to a boil in a heavy bottomed vessel. Simmer till it reduced to 3/4 th of its original quantity.
2. While the milk is simmering, drain the soaked basmati rice and grind to a fine paste add 1/2 cup of the boiled milk. Remove to a vessel, mix well and set aside.
3. After the milk has reduced to 3/4th of its original quantity, slowly add the ground rice mixture and keep on stirring till it blends well into the milk and it starts to thicken.
4. Keep on stirring so that the bottom does not burn. The stirring could take anytime between 12-15 mts. Add cardamom powder and sugar and continue to stir till the sugar dissolves and it forms a nice creamy mixture with no lumps. Turn off flame.
5. Remove to a serving bowl and chill until serving time. At the time of serving, ladle the phirni into serving bowl, garnish with sliced pistachios and rose petals.

Tips

• 1/4 sugar is usually enough but for a sweeter Phirni, you can add another 2 tbsps of sugar.
• If using saffron, add it to the milk mixture at the time of adding cardamom powder.
• If your Phirni has turned too thick, you can loosen it have adding a few tbsps of boiled milk.

Rava Pulihora with Lemon

Fragrant one pot dish using broken rice aka rice rava. Punched up with a good dose of lemon, the crunch of the peanuts and dals are perfect against the soft rice rava.

What I enjoy most about this recipe is the tempering with spices and curry leaves filling the home with a warming aroma. Comes together in a snap and flavor-wise is tremendously good!

Rava Pulihora Recipe.

Ingredients:

2 cups raw rice rava (cook and spread to cool)

salt to taste

juice of 2 large lemons

1/2 tsp turmeric/haldi/pasupu

For tempering/tadka/poppu:

1 1/2 tbsps oil

3/4 tsp mustard seeds

3/4 tsp cumin seeds

3-4 medium dry red chillis

1 tbsp channa dal/split bengal gram/senaga pappu

1 tbsp urad dal/minappapu/split black gram

4 green chillis slit length wise

1 1/4 tsps finely minced ginger

1/4 tsp hing/asafoetida/inguva

15-20 fresh curry leaves

2 fistfuls roasted peanuts

1 Take a vessel, add 3 1/4 cups of water, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp turmeric pwd and bring to a boil. Add rice rava and combine. Place lid, reduce flame and cook till soft. Turn off heat. Once cool, spread out the cooked rice rava on a wide plate.
2 While the rice rava is cooking, squeeze out juice from the lemons, add 1/2 tsp salt and combine. Keep aside.
3 Heat oil in a heavy bottomed vessel, add the mustard seeds and let them splutter. Add dry red chillis, cumin seeds, channa dal, urad dal and fry for a mt till the dals turn red. Next add the slit green chillis, ginger, asafoetida, curry leaves and 1/4 tsp turmeric pwd and fry for 15 secs, cook for 15-20 secs and turn off heat.
3 Add the seasoning and lemon juice to the cooked rice rava and combine well such that its spread all over to the rice rava. Adjust salt and add more lemon juice if required. Finally add the roasted peanuts and combine. Let it sit for at least 1-2 hrs for the flavors to set in.
4 Serve with appadam/chips and curd.

Note:

Pulihora tastes best after sitting for a couple of hours from the time of preparation. You can make this recipe using vermicelli instead of rice or broken rice.

Corn Vada -mokkajonna garelu

Corn Vada is a kid friendly evening snack that is addictive. Its impossible to go wrong with this Andhra style recipe that has Bengal gram as a binding agent along with fresh coriander, onions, green chilis and ginger. Its versatile and adaptable to variations. You can add greens like spinach and methi (fenugreek leaves). Or add peanuts for the crunch factor. Its advisable to use indian corn that is slightly mature as the tender corn will not work well for preparing the Vadas.

Corn Vada is best eaten warm when its crisp on the outside with a soft and chewy interior. Works well as a starter, finger good or a simple evening snack to go with you chai. If you are looking for some Indian corn recipes that are vegetarian, simple to make and delicious.

Ingredients

Ground paste

Ingredients

• Indian corn kernels - 1 cup+1/4 cup
• Chana dal - 1/2 cup, soak in 1 cup water for an hour(optinal)
• Onion - 1, medium, finely chopped
• Green chillis - 2,
• Ginger - 1/2"
• Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp (optional)
• Coriander leaves - 2 tbsps, finely chopped
• Salt to taste
• Oil for deep frying

Method

1. Grind the corn kernels (1 cup) and the soaked and drained chana dal, green chilies and ginger to a coarse paste adding about 1-2 tbsps of water.
2. Remove to a bowl. Add 1/4 cup of boiled sweet corn, chopped onions, coriander leaves, cumin seeds and salt and mix well.
3. Form lemon sized balls with the mixture. Flatten it on your palm to make a patti shape. Prepare patties with the rest of the mixture. Keep in fridge for 10 mts.
4. Heat oil for deep frying. Once its hot, reduce flame to medium and slolwy place the patties in the oil and fry them on both sides to a golden brown color.
5. Serve warm with tomato sauce or any chutney of your choice.

Tips

• You can add a tbsp of corn flour to the ground mixture.
• You can add fennel seeds instead of cumin seeds.
• Pudina aka mint leaves also add great flavor to the vada. Add 5-6 leaves.
• Do not use the tender variety of Indian corn. Use the slightly mature corn cobs. Peel the corn kernels and do not boil them.
• While grinding, do not make a smooth paste but it should be slightly coarse.
• If you do not have maize aka Indian corn on hand, use American sweet corn kernels

Vegetable Kati Roll

Many a night, our dinner comprises of either soup, salad, wrap or sandwich. Last night I made Kati rolls with vegetable filling. Works great as a lunch box treat, one that you kid will surely relish. Makes for a complete meal and super easy to bring together.

Vegetable Kati Roll Recipe

Prep & Cooking: 30-40 mts

Makes 6-7 rolls

Cuisine: North Indian

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Ingredients:

For rotis:

1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour/atta

1/2 cup maida/all purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

water to knead the dough

For filling:

2 cups julienne mixed vegetables, beans, carrot, capsicum, beans and cabbage

1 tsp ginger-green chili paste

pinch of turmeric pwd

1/2 tsp chaat masala pwd

1 tsp Kitchen King Masala (optional)

2 eggs, beaten (optional)

1 tbsp lemon juice

2 onions, finely sliced

few tbsps of green chutney

2-3 tbsps olive oil

salt to taste

1 Add salt to the wheat flour and maida, combine, slowly add water to form a soft yet slightly firm dough. Cover and let it rest till you get the stuffing ready.
2 Blanch the french beans for 3 mts and keep aside. Heat a tbsp of olive oil in a vessel, add the ginger-green chili paste and saute for few secs. Add carrots, cabbage and capsicum and saute for 7-8 mts. Add the blanched beans and saute for another 3 mts. Add turmeric pwd, kitchen king masala and chaat masala pwd and combine. Turn off heat.
3 Add the lemon juice and salt to taste and mix. Keep aside.
4 In a separate bowl, combine the raw sliced onions with 2-3 tbsps of green chutney and keep aside.
5 Beat eggs in a bowl, add salt and pepper and keep aside. (Vegetarians can omit this step)
6 To prepare rotis, pinch a large lemon sized ball of dough, dust the working surface with some atta and roll out the stuffed dough to form 6″-7″ diameter circles.
7 Heat a iron tawa and once its hot, place a parantha and let it cook lightly on both sides. Prepare all the rotis and place them in a casserole to keep soft.
8 At the time of serving, drizzle some oil on a tawa, fry the roti on one side for 4-5 secs and on top pour 2-3 tbsps of the beaten egg and flip over the roti so that the egg gets cooked.
9 Remove from tawa, place the egg coated side of the roti up and sprinkle some lemon juice on the egg coated side.Place 3-4 tbsps of vegetable filling in the middle of the roti and sprinkle the onion-green chutney filling over it and roll the roti tightly to form a roll. To serve, wrap the lower part of the rotis in a butter paper or tissue. Enjoy!

Note:

Vegetarians can omit the egg part of the recipe. Use a spread like Guacamole, eggless mayonnaise or green chutney and follow the rest of the recipe.

Fruit and Nut Shortbread Cookies

My baking experience is getting exciting and I love the aroma that fills my home during my baking sessions. My current obsession is shortbread and my most favorite to date are fruit and nut shortbread cookies. The most easy cookies to make – just slice and bake. The good thing about this shortbread recipe is its versatility where you can play around with different flavors and add ons like dried fruits, nuts, zest . The addition of dried fruits like raisins, dried cranberries and nuts like pistachio or almonds accentuate the classic shortbread flavour and take it to a whole new level. And do you know the best part of this shortbread recipe? It is egg less and you can freeze the unbaked log of shortbread dough and bake in a jiffy when friends drop by.
The fruit and nut shortbread cookies are light, delicate and buttery with a slight crunch. The shortbread has the right amount of sweetness, subtly spiced with cardamom and a fragrant zing of lemon-y zest. They make for a perfect accompaniment with a cup of tea or coffee or just serve them as a dessert.My kiddo Avika loves them a lot always asks for a cookie so tried on her birthday.

Frozen shortbread cookie dough 

Sliced cookie dough ready to be baked

Fruit and Nut Shortbread Cookies Recipe

Prep time: 20 min

Cook time: 15 min

Yield: 15

Main Ingredients: flour dried fruits and nuts

Ingredients

• All purpose flour - 1 cup
• Cornflour - 2 tbsps
• Butter - 1/2 cup, room temperature, softened
• Powdered sugar - 1/2 cup (can reduce slightly for a less sweeter taste)
• Salt - pinch
• Vanilla extract - 1/2 tsp
• Cardamom powder - 1/4 tsp (OR clove powder)
• Lemon zest - 1/4 tsp (optional)
• Dried fruits and nuts - 1/4 cup each of finely chopped raisins, dried cranberries, pistachios, almonds

Method

1. In a bowl, add the softened butter, powdered sugar and salt and beat till light and fluffy. Add vanilla extract, cardamom powder and lemon zest and mix well.
2. Add the flour and cornflour and mix to make a soft dough. Add the finely chopped dried fruits and nuts and mix well.
3. Place a 15" by 15" square plastic wrap on the work surface. Place the soft dough on it and shape it into a log as shown in the image above. Wrap the log with plastic wrap and seal the ends. Again wrap it in aluminum foil and freeze for an hour or until it hardens.
4. At the time of baking, pre heat oven to 160 C and remove the dough from the freezer. Unwrap and slice the dough into 1/4" slices and place them on a parchment paper or aluminum foil lined baking sheet. Place them at least an inch apart as they expand on baking.
5. Place baking sheet in the middle rack of the oven and bake for 13-15 mts or until lightly browned around the edges. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.

Tips

• You can add any dried fruits and nuts of your choice.
• The shortbread will be soft on touch after baking and will harden once it is out of the oven and cools down.
• Check from 12 mts onwards as the temperature differs from oven to oven. Sometimes it could take upto 17 to 20 mts to bake.