Rice & Cheese Balls

 

               A great way to brighten up your evening is to have this yummy snack along with your evening tea or coffee. It is very quick and easy to make. A very good use of any leftover rice is made here by dishing out this mouth watering snack. Instead of the usual chutney and sauce, try having them with some hummus or mayo. It simply tastes awesome. 

• 2 cups leftover cooked rice, mashed
• 3-4 med. potatoes, boiled, peeled & grated
• 1/2 cup cheese, grated
• 2 onion, chopped finely
• 2 green chilies, chopped finely
• 1" ginger, grated
• 2 tbsp. besan (chickpea flour)
• pinch of baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. red chili powder (opt)
• salt to taste
• 1 tbsp. rice flour
• 1 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• 1 tbsp. yoghurt
• oil to deep fry

           Mix together all the ingredients, except oil and knead into a dough. Make equal sized balls out of it. Refrigerate for a while.
 
           Heat oil and deep fry them few at a time till golden brown in colour. Drain and serve with green chutney or sauce. Alternately, the cheese can be stuffed inside the rice balls.

Cabbage Cutlets / Patties

          Have any leftover cabbage curry sitting in the fridge? Fret not. Dish out these yummy cutlets and it will be gone in no time. Relish as an evening tea time snack or as appetizers with any chutney / sauce. 

 

          You can also make kofta curry out of it by adding them to any makhni gravy. Then enjoy with steamed rice, jeera rice, pulao, plain biryani or any Indian bread like kulcha, naan, tandoori roti or just plain chapatti / paratha. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare them.

• 1 cup leftover dry cabbage curry or any other curry
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger, grated
• 1-2 fresh red / green chilies, chopped
• 2 tbsp. fresh coriander roots, chopped
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• pinch of baking soda
• 1 tsp. flaxseed (opt)
• 1 tsp. roasted coriander powder
• 1 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 2 tbsp. roasted gram flour

Batter - 

• 1/2 cup gram flour 
• pinch of salt
• pinch of turmeric powder
• 1/4 tsp. red chili powder
• oil to deep fry

          For the cutlets - Mix together all the above mentioned ingredients into a dough. Divide into equal portions and give a cutlet shape to them. Refrigerate for some time.

          For the batter - In a bowl, mix together all the mentioned ingredients (except oil) and make a batter of pouring consistency by adding required quantity of water.

          Heat oil in a pan. Dip each cutlet in the batter and gently drop them in the hot oil in batches. 

          Fry on a medium flame till they turn golden on both sides. Drain on a kitchen towel and serve them hot with any chutney or ketchup.

                                 Cutlets - Mix all the ingredients into a dough.

                   Divide into equal portions & give a cutlet shape to them. Refrigerate for
                   some time.

                       Batter - Mix all ingredients (except oil) & make a batter of pouring 
                       consistency with required quantity of water.

                           Heat oil. Dip each cutlet in batter & gently drop them in hot oil. 

                                 Fry on a medium flame till they turn golden on both sides. 

                                 Drain on a kitchen towel.

                              Serve them hot with any chutney or ketchup.

Mish Mash Tikki

          Make these yummy Tikkis for snacks with any leftover food that is sitting in your refrigerator. This is a very good way to use them up. I added some cooked rice, chapattis, few idli pieces and semi-dry potato curry. Do try them at home and create an awesome new dish. It will be gone in no time. You can relish them with either green chutney or ketchup. 

• 2-3 chapattis, shredded
• 2-3 idlis, crumbled
• 1 cup cooked rice, mashed
• 1 cup semi-dry potato curry, mashed
• 1 onion, chopped 
• 1 tsp. ginger, grated
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• few coriander & mint leaves, chopped
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1/2 tsp. chaat masala powder
• beaten yogurt to bind (opt)
• oil to shallow fry

          Dry roast the shredded chapatti till crisp. Blend into a coarse powder. Mix it along with the remaining ingredients, except oil.

          Knead into a dough by adding some beaten yoghurt if required. Form into round tikkis and refrigerate for an hour.

          Heat some oil on a tawa and fry few at a time on both sides till it is light golden in colour. 

         Drain on a tissue paper. Fry the remaining tikkis and serve them hot with chutney or sauce.

Leftover Dal Paratha (Lentil Flat Bread)

          This is a great way to use any leftover dal. Such Parathas are not only healthy and wholesome, but they are very quick to make too. You can have them by just smearing some butter on the top or with any pickle, chutney, raita or yoghurt. Anyway you relish them, they simply tastes awesome and satisfying for the fact that you were able to finish the dal in a great innovative way.

• 1 cup Atta (whole wheat flour)
• 1 cup leftover dal 
• 1-2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. red chili flakes
• oil to shallow fry
• Raita to serve (opt)

          Knead a tight dough with the atta, dal, chili flakes and coriander leaves. Leave aside for 15-20 minutes.

          Knead the dough again for a minute and divide into equal portions. Roll out each portion into a circle just like chapatti.

          Heat a tawa / griddle and shallow fry the parathas one at a time to light golden colour on both sides by adding some oil. Serve them hot with some raita.

Tips - You can also add finely chopped onion and ginger while kneading. I omitted as my dal already had them.