Semolina Bun

 

           Semolina Bun is soft and spongy. It is shaped like a bun, hence the name. It is prepared in a tadka pan. However, it can also be prepared in a small wok pan or an appe pan. A tempering of mustard seeds, urad dal, asafoetida, onion, curry leaves and green chilies are added to the batter. It is a very quick recipe that can be dished out in a jiffy. 

   

           Do try this amazing and wholesome Bun, accompanied with coconut chutney for a comforting breakfast / meal. It is also a perfect snack or a lunch box meal. So do give this recipe a try and introduce something new to your family and loved ones. Please check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this healthy and wholesome breakfast.

• 1 cup semolina
• 1/2 cup yoghurt
• water as required
• 1 tbsp. oil for tempering 
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1 tsp. urad dal
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 green chili. chopped
• 1 sprig curry leaves, chopped
• 1-2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. red chili flakes
• 1 tsp. flaxseed
• 1 tbsp. soaked chia seeds
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• oil to fry the bun 

          Blend the semolina, yoghurt and water into a smooth batter. Transfer to a bowl. Cover and keep aside for 10-15 minutes. 

          Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a pan and temper with mustard seeds, asafoetida and urad dal. Sauté for a few seconds.

          Add the onion, green chilies and curry leaves. Sauté till light brown. Pour this tempering into the batter.

          Now add salt, red chili flakes, coriander leaves, flaxseed, soaked chia seeds and baking soda. Mix well. 

          Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a Tadka pan and pour 1-2 ladleful of the batter. Cover and cook on a low flame till one side is well browned.

          Then flip it over and cook the other side too, till done.

          Cook more buns with the remaining batter and serve this comfort food with any chutney of your choice.  

In a mixer grinder, blend the semolina, yoghurt and water into a smooth batter. Transfer to a bowl. Cover and keep aside for 10-15 minutes. 

Heat 1 tbsp. oil & temper with mustard seeds, asafoetida & urad dal. Sauté for a few seconds.

      Add onion, green chilies & curry leaves. Sauté till light brown. 

                      Pour this tempering into the batter.

      Add salt, chili flakes, coriander leaves, flaxseed, soaked chia seeds 

                         & baking soda. Mix well. 

Heat 1 tbsp. oil in a Tadka pan & pour 1-2 ladleful of the batter. Cover & cook on a low flame till one side is well browned.

                   Then flip it over & cook the other side too, till done.

                        Serve with any chutney of your choice.  

Mutton Shami Kabab / Kebab

 

            A perfect party appetizer, these Mutton Shami Kabab are a connoisseurs delight. This exotic Mughlai snack is a melt-in-the-mouth delicacy and worth a try. They can be enjoyed as an appetizer with any chutney of your choice. You may also serve as a light meal  with salad. However, I gave a slight twist to this very popular kabab by substituting chana dal that is traditionally used, with mixed lentils. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare these yummy kababs. 

            These Shami Kababs are a great party recip. They 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.

              They can be packed as a lunch box meal in the form of a wrap. 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. 

• 1 cup mutton mince, washed & drained
• 1/3 cup mixed lentils, soaked overnight 
• 1" ginger, roughly chopped
• 4-5 garlic cloves
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2-3 green chilies
• 1 tsp. salt or to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1 tsp. red chili powder
• 1 egg
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 green chilies, finely chopped
• 2-3 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• 1 tsp. chaat masala
• oil to shallow fry

To grind - 

• 5-6 dry red chilies
• 1 tbsp. coriander seeds 
• 1 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1" cinnamon stick
• 2-3 green cardamoms
• 5-6 cloves
• 1/2 tsp. peppercorns

          Grind all the mentioned ingredients (dry spices) into a fine powder. 

          In a pressure cooker add the washed mutton mince, mixed lentils, onion, ginger, garlic, green chilies, the ground spice, salt to taste, turmeric powder and red chili powder. 

          Add 1 cup water and pressure cook for 8-10 minutes on a low flame 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 / mixer grinder.

          Transfer to a bowl. To it add the onions, coriander leaves, green chilies, egg and chaat masala. Combine everything well. Refrigerate for a couple of minutes so that it is easy to form kebabs.

          Heat 1-2 tbsp. oil in a pan. Wet your hands and take small portion of the mix to form into flat round shaped kababs. 

          Shallow fry the Shami kebabs in batches till golden on both sides. Carefully flip them as they are very delicate

          Serve as a tea-time snack, as an appetizer with any chutney or as a light meal with salad.

                               Grind all the mentioned ingredients (dry spices).....

                              ...... into a fine powder.

       In a pressure cooker add the mutton mince, mixed lentils, 

      onion, ginger, garlic, green chilies, the ground spice, salt

turmeric powder and red chili powder.

  

                       Add 1 cup water & pressure cook for 8-10 minutes on a low flame 

                          after the first whistle. Simmer till all the moisture has evaporated.

                    Keep aside to cool. Blend into a fine paste in a food processor / mixer grinder.

                     To it add the onion, coriander leaves, green chilies, egg & chaat masala. 

                        Mix well & refrigerate for some time so that it is easy to form kebabs.

    

                        Heat 1-2 tbsp. oil in a pan & take small portion of the mix & form

                           into flat round shaped kababs.

 

                      Shallow fry the Shami kebabs in batches till golden on both sides. 

                               Serve as a tea-time snack or as an appetizer with any chutney. 

                        You can also relish as a light meal with salad or pack as a lunch box

                        meal in the form of a wrap. Choice is yours.

Foxtail Millet Cutlet

 

           Millets have been cropping up as wonder foods on menus across the world and people are  replacing rice / wheat for millet substitutes. Foxtail, a variety of millet is highly recommended for its high nutritional benefits. So introduce your loved ones to some healthy and yummy cutlet / tikkis made of Foxtail Millet for an enjoyable tea-time snack. It is made with basic ingredients easily available in your kitchen and can be dished out in no time. 

          They can be enjoyed hot, with some tomato sauce or green chutney as appetizers too. They also tastes great with hummus and can be wrapped in parathas / chapattis for a lunch box meal. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

           As this particular millet is packed with essential nutrients like fibre, protein, iron, etc. it is highly recommended in our diet. So make use of it by preparing these cutlets. Paneer can be substituted with potato as per your preference. 

• 1/2 cup foxtail millet, soaked for 2-3 hours
• 100 gms. paneer
• 2 tbsp. gram flour
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1" ginger, grated
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp. coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp. cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1/2 tsp. red chilil powder
• 2-3 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• oil to shallow fry

             Pressure cook the millet in 1 cup water for 4 whistles. 

           Then blend in a food processor along with the paneer. (Do not add any water) 

  

           Mix with the rest of the ingredients (except oil) and form a dough.

           Make cutlets of any shape out of it and refrigerate for some time. 

 

           Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry the cutlets, few at a time, on both sides till light golden in color.

           Drain on a kitchen towel and serve as an evening tea-time snack or as an appetizer with tomato ketchup / green chutney.

                Mix the blended millet & paneer with the rest of the ingredients (except oil).

                                 ...... and form a dough.

                            Make cutlets of any shape out of it and refrigerate for some time. 

                      Heat oil & shallow fry the cutlets on both sides till light golden in colour.

                                  Drain on a kitchen towel.

                  Serve as an evening tea-time snack or as an appetizer with tomato ketchup / 

                  green chutney.

Spinach (Palak) Paatra

 

          Paatra, a popular Gujarati Snack is also known as Aloo Vadi in Maharashtra and Pathrode in Mangalore. The method of making it, is almost the same. Traditionally, Paatra is prepared using Colocasia leaves that is liberally smeared with a spiced gram flour paste, rolled, steamed, sliced and then shallow fried. 

          However, in this recipe, I substituted it with few spinach leaves. For a healthier option, you can have them steamed. No matter what, it just tastes yummy. You can enjoy this healthy snack as an appetizer / snack with some chutney / tomato sauce or as a tea-time snack too. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare my version of this recipe.

• 10 fresh spinach leaves, preferably large in size, washed & pat dried
• 1 cup gram flour 
• 2 tbsp. semolina
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1`tsp. red chili powder
• 1 tbsp. fresh grated coconut 
• 1/2 tsp. tamarind paste
• 1 tsp. sesame seeds
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• pinch of baking soda
• 1 tsp. coriander-cumin powder
• 2-3 tbsp. mint leaves, chopped
• 1 tbsp. oil
• water as needed

Tempering - 

• 2 tbsp. oil
• 1 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds 
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1 tsp. sesame seeds
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1/2 tsp. chili flakes
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• 1 tbsp. fresh grated coconut

          Make a semi-thick paste with the gram flour and all the other ingredients (except the spinach leaves).

          Take a spinach leaf and smear some paste over it. Take another leaf and place it on the first one. Smear some of the paste on it too, in the same manner. 

          Similarly smear the paste on more leaves depending on the size of the leaves. If the leaves are large then 2 leaves are enough. If not, work with 4-5 leaves. 

 

         Fold them securely. Make similar rolls and steam them for for 20 minutes. When cool, cut them into 1/2 inch slices.

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with mustard seeds. After it stops spluttering, add cumin seeds, sesame seeds, asafoetida and the curry leaves.

          Sauté for a few seconds and add the sliced Paatra. Give it a toss and stir fry on a low flame till they are crisp and light golden in colour on both sides. 

          Garnish with coriander leaves and fresh grated coconut. Serve as an appetizer with chutney / tomato sauce or as a tea time snack.

                   Make a semi-thick paste with the gram flour and all the other ingredients 

                   (except the spinach leaves). 

                                 Take a spinach leaf and smear some paste over it. 

                                  Take another & place it on top of the first one. 

                                  Smear some of the paste on it in the same manner. 

                                 Fold them securely.

                                  Make similar rolls and steam them for for 20 minutes.

                                  When cool, cut them into 1/2 inch slices.

                     Heat oil & temper with mustard seeds. Then add cumin seeds, sesame seeds,                                     asafoetida and the curry leaves. Sauté for a few seconds.

                   Add the sliced Paatra and give it a toss. Stir fry till they are crisp and light

                   golden in colour on both sides. 

                                  Garnish with coriander leaves and fresh grated coconut. 

                       Serve as an appetizer with chutney / tomato sauce or as a tea time snack.