Suranache Kaap (Elephant Foot Yam - Maharashtrian style)

 

          Suranache Kaap is a traditional and a very popular Maharashtrian snack recipe. So transform this humble versatile veggie into an amazing appetizer to be relished with green chutney. They turn out very crisp with a coating of semolina and rice flour. 

          Elephant Foot Yam is not too popular with the masses. However, it is a power house of nutrients, dietary fibre, healthy carbs, zinc, calcium and protein to name a few. Fish Fry can be substituted with this Suran Kaap for the vegetarians. So get ahead and prepare this yummy Suranache Kaap by checking out the step by step pictorial recipe. 

Ingredients - 

• 1 medium size Elephant Foot Yam (Suran)
• 3-4 green chilies
• 5-6 garlic cloves
• 1" ginger
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. Kashmiri red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp. cumin powder
• 1 tsp. tamarind paste
• 2-3 tbsp. coriander leaves. chopped
• oil to shallow fry

Coating - 

• 1/2 cup semolina
• 2-3 tbsp. rice flour
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 tsp. Kashmiri red chili powder or to taste

          Wash the yam nicely to remove all the mud. Then apply some oil to your palm and peel the yam. This helps to keep away the itchiness. 

          Cut into thick slices and immediately immerse in water. 

          Steam till it is tender and then keep aside. 

          Blend the green chilies, garlic and ginger with some water into a smooth paste. 

          Transfer to a wide bowl. To it, add salt to taste, turmeric powder, red chili powder, tamarind paste, coriander powder, cumin powder and coriander leaves. Mix well.

          Add the steamed yam and coat them well with this paste. Keep aside for 5-10 minutes.

          In a plate, mix together semolina, rice flour, salt and red chili powder. Coat all the marinated suran with it.

          Heat some oil in a pan / tawa and shallow fry the marinated yam till crisp and golden on both sides. 

          Serve as an appetizer with green chutney or as an accompaniment to khichdi or daal-chawal. 

                Cut into thick slices & immediately immerse in water. 

                  Steam till it is tender & keep aside. 

  Blend green chilies, garlic & ginger with some water into a smooth paste. 

To it, add salt to taste, turmeric powder, red chili powder, tamarind paste, coriander powder, cumin powder & coriander leaves. 

                       Mix well.

In a plate, take semolina, rice flour, salt, red chili powder & red chili flakes. 

                    Mix well & keep aside. 

Add the steamed yam to the paste & coat them well. Keep aside for 5-10 minutes.

                 Coat all the marinated suran with the semolina-rice flour.

              Heat some oil & shallow fry the marinated yam till crisp...

                      ..... and golden on both sides. 

Serve as an appetizer with green chutney or as an accompaniment to khichdi or daal-chawal. 

Mutton Chapli Kabab / kebab

 

           Mutton Chapli Kebab, also known as Peshawari Kebab, is very popular and is commonly found in restaurants world wide. It is also a famous street food in Peshawar and in North India. The word Chapli refers to flat in Pushto language. So these kababs are round in shape and flat with a sliced tomato in the centre. 

          It is prepared with minced mutton, chicken or beef. However, in this recipe, I have used mutton mince and few other basic ingredients. Tried it for the first time and it came out just perfect with incredible flavors. It is a very easy recipe. All it needs to be done is to mix all the ingredients (except oil and tomato slices), make patties and shallow or deep fry. It's that simple. 

            So what are you waiting for? Go ahead and give it a try by following the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it and relish as an appetizer with green chutney. They can also be served as a main course with naan, tandoori roti or pita bread. For a healthier version it can be grilled to perfection. You may also have it as a burger complete with all the toppings of your choice. 

• 1 cup mutton mince / keema, washed & drained
• 2-3 tbsp. roasted chickpea flour
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tomato, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger-garlic paste
• 1 tbsp. raw papaya paste
• 1-2 green chilies, chopped
• 2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• 2 tbsp. mint leaves, chopped
• 1 tsp. salt or to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp. roasted coriander powder
• 1 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tsp. red chili flakes
• 1 tsp. chaat masala
• 1 egg
• few tomato slices
• oil to shallow fry

          Mix together all the above mentioned ingredients (except oil & tomato slices) and marinate for an hour. You can refrigerate it as well.

          Take a large portion from the prepared mix and give a kabab shape. Then place a slice of tomato on each of the kababs.

          Heat some oil in a pan and shallow fry them on a low flame, tomato side first till done on one side. Then flip it over gently and cook the other side till well browned. 

          Drain on a kitchen towel and serve as a non-veg. evening snack, as an appetizer with green chutney or as a main course with naan, tandoori roti or pita bread. 

            Mix together all the ingredients (except oil & tomato slices) 

                      Marinate for an hour. You can refrigerate them as well.

              Take a large portion from the prepared mix & give a kabab

              shape. Then place a slice of tomato on each of the kababs.

         Heat some oil in a pan & shallow fry them on a low flame, tomato

         side first till done on one side.

               Flip it over gently & cook the other side too. till well browned.

                              Drain on a kitchen towel.

                                 Serve as an appetizer with green chutney.

Shikampuri Kebab - Hyderabadi style

 

         A perfect party appetizer, this Hyderabadi style Mutton Shikampuri Kebab is a connoisseurs delight. This exotic Mughlai dish is stuffed with hung yoghurt that makes it slightly different from the usual kebabs. This melt-in-the-mouth delicacy can be enjoyed with some mint-coriander chutney. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this yummy kebab. 

          Shikampuri kebab can be made out of both mutton or chicken. either boneless or mince. I used mutton mince in this recipe and it was my first try.

          You can also use any leftover kebabs as a patty in a burger / sandwich or can be served as a side dish with naan / kulcha / tandoori roti. It just tastes awesome. 

• 400 gms. mutton mince 
• 1/2 cup chana dal, soaked overnight
• 1 onion, roughly chopped
• 1 tomato, roughly chopped
• 1 tbsp. ginger-garlic paste 
• 2-3 green chilies
• handful of coriander & mint leaves
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp. coriander-cumin powder
• 1 tsp. garam masala powder
• salt to taste
• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1 tbsp. lime juice
• 1 egg, beaten
• oil to shallow fry

 Stuffing - 

• 1/2 cup hung yoghurt
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 green chilies, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp. coriander & mint leaves, finely chopped
• pinch of salt
• pinch of red chili flakes

          Pressure cook all the ingredients (except egg and oil) along with 1 cup water for 10 minutes after the first whistle. 

          Simmer further till all the moisture has evaporated. Keep aside to cool. Then blend into a fine paste in a food processor.

          For the stuffing - In a small bowl, mix together all the ingredients and keep aside. 

          Now apply some oil on your palm and take a dollop of the mince dough. Flatten it like a disc and stuff a tsp. of the yoghurt mix. 

         Close it gently and keep aside. Make all the kebabs in the same way and refrigerate for some time.

          Heat oil in a pan. Gently dip the kebabs, one at a time, in the egg mix and shallow fry them on both sides till golden brown in colour. Drain on a kitchen towel and serve with mint-coriander chutney.

                        Pressure cook all the ingredients (except egg and oil) along with 1 cup

                        water for 10 minutes after the first whistle. 

                       Simmer till all the moisture has evaporated. Keep aside to cool. Then 

                       blend into a fine paste in a food processor.

                           For the stuffing - In a small bowl, mix together all the ingredients.

 

                     Take a dollop of the dough. Flatten it & stuff  a tsp. of the yoghurt mix.

                         Close it gently & keep aside. Make all the kebabs in the same way &

                         refrigerate for some time.

                                 Dip the kebabs in the egg mix .

                                 Shallow fry them on both sides till golden brown in colour. 

                                 Drain on a kitchen towel.

                                 Serve with mint-coriander chutney.

       

                   

Kerala Fish Fry

 

           One of the most popular item on a Kerala menu platter is this spicy King Fish Fry. It is quite popular among all fish lovers. Only a mix of ginger-garlic paste, lime juice and red chili powder gives this fish fry a delectable taste and flavour. It is great as an appetizer to any meal. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it. 

• 2 large King Fish steaks, cleaned
• 1 tbsp. ginger-garlic paste
• salt to taste
• 1 tbsp. Kashmiri red chili powder
• 1 tbsp. oil to marinate
• 1 tbsp. lime juice
•  2 tbsp. coconut oil to shallow fry

   

          Make a paste of ginger-garlic paste, salt, chili powder, oil and lime juice and little water. Rub this paste on the fish steaks and marinate for 2 hours.

          Heat 1 tbsp. oil on a tawa / pan and shallow fry the steak. When done on one side, flip it over and fry the other side to a golden colour.

          Serve, garnished with coriander leaves, onion, lemon & fresh chilies.

                   Make a paste of ginger-garlic paste, salt, chili powder, oil and lime juice &

                   little water. Rub this paste on the fish steaks and marinate for 2 hours.

                                  Heat 1 tbsp. oil on a tawa / pan & shallow fry the steak. 

                        When done on one side, flip it over & fry the other side to a golden colour.

                        Serve, garnished with coriander leaves, onion, lemon & fresh chilies.