Beetroot Rose Mathri - Deep Fried Savoury Snack

       
          These are beautiful North Indian Snacks created like a rose. Quite a visual delight. They are usually prepared during Diwali or any festive occasions and very popular indeed. They are made of plain flour and deep fried to be stored in airtight containers. 

           I gave a twist to the usual mathris and added some beetroot puree along with some nigella seeds to make a fusion out of it. So you have beautiful red rose mathris ready to be devoured with any homemade chutney as appetizers or as a tea time snack. Check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare these cute small bites.

• 1 cup plain flour
• 2 tbsp. rice flour
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 tbsp. beetroot puree
• 2 tbsp. melted ghee 
• pinch of baking soda 
• 1/2 tsp. nigella seeds (kalonji)
• 1/2 tsp. red chili flakes
• oil to deep fry

          Mix together all the above mentioned ingredients (except oil) and knead a dough with some water if necessary.

          Keep aside for 10-15 minutes. Divide into 2-3 equal portions. Roll out each portion as thin as possible. Cut with a cookie cutter or with any lid into round shaped discs.

          Then place 5-6 circles overlapping onto each other. Then roll from the first circle to the last into a cylinder shape. 

           Now cut into half with a sharp knife. You get 2 roses out of it. Open the petals with your finger and keep them aside.

          Roll out the remaining dough and make rose mathris. Heat oil in a pan and deep fry them on a low to medium flame in batches, till light golden in color. 

          Drain on a kitchen towel and serve with any homemade chutney / tomato sauce as appetizers or as a tea time snack.

                                 Mix all the above mentioned ingredients (except oil).

                     Knead a dough with some water if necessary. Keep aside for 10-15 min.

                  Divide into 2-3 equal portions. Roll out each portion as thin as possible. Cut 
                  with a cookie cutter or with any lid into round shaped discs.

                                  Then place 5-6 circles overlapping onto each other. 

                     Roll from the first circle to the last into a cylinder shape. Now cut into
                     half with a sharp knife.

                                  Now cut into half with a sharp knife.

                  You get 2 roses out of it. Open the petals with your finger & keep them aside. 
                  Roll out the remaining dough and make rose mathris.

                        Heat oil & deep fry them on a low to medium flame in batches, till 
                        light golden in colour. 

                                  Drain on a kitchen towel.

                                  Serve with any chutney, pickle or tomato sauce.

Mixed Dal Dahi Vada (Fried Lentil Dumplings in Spiced Yoghurt)

          A north Indian Delicacy, this yummy Dahi Vada or Dahi Bhalla is my all time favourite snack. In the South it goes by the name of Curd Vadai and minus the chutneys. They are not only light on the stomach but is also a nutritious and a healthy snack with the goodness of lentils. 

          The vadas are generally made of urad dal (split black gram lentil), but today I would like to share a mixed dal vada that I prepared for some variation. So get going and dish out this delectable snack and relish it in the comfort of your home with family and friends. 

• 1/2 cup mixed dal, soaked overnight
• salt to taste
• 1" ginger
• 2 green chilies
• 1/2 tsp. coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp. cumin powder
• pinch of turmeric powder
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 1 tsp. flax seed
• pinch of baking soda
• oil to deep fry
• 1 cup yogurt, well beaten with some salt
• 2-3 tbsp. green chutney
• 2-3 tbsp. sweet tamarind chutney
• 2 tbsp. sev / bhujia
• 1 tbsp. chopped coriander leaves
• 1/4 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1/4 tsp. pepper powder
• 1/4 tsp. red chili powder

           Grind the soaked and drained mixed dal along with all the ingredients starting from salt to garam masala powder. Then add in the flax seed and baking soda. Mix the batter well.

          Heat oil in a pan and drop spoonful of the batter and deep fry them on a medium flame till light golden in color. Immediately drop them in cold water for a couple of minutes.

           Then squeeze out the water gently between your palms and keep them aside. This is to make the vadas soft and spongy.

          To serve - Arrange the vadas on a serving plate and pour the beaten yoghurt over it. Then drizzle some green chutney and sweet tamarind chutney. 

          Next sprinkle the sev, coriander leaves, roasted cumin powder, pepper powder and red chili powder. Voila!! Your Mixed Dal Dahi Vada is ready to be devoured. Bon Appetit!!

Dahi Bhalla (Fried Lentil Dumplings In Yoghurt - North Indian Style)

          A North Indian delicacy, 'Dahi Bhalla' or 'Dahi Vada' is an universal favourite. There are many versions to it. It is served in South India too but with a different name - 'Curd Vadai' minus the chutneys. My personal favourite, I can never get tired of it.

         They are not only light on the stomach, but is also a very nutritious and a healthy snack. It is basically vadas or dumplings made of soaked urad dal (split black gram), deep fried and served dunked in beaten yogurt. It is then garnished with green chutney, tamarind sweet chutney, coriander leaves, etc.

• 1 cup urad dal (split black gram), soaked overnight
• 1 tsp. ginger, chopped
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• pinch of asafoetida
• 1 cup yoghurt, beaten with some salt
• 1 tsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• 1 tbsp. aloo bhujia (opt)
• 1/2 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. red chili powder
• salt to taste
• oil to deep fry

Green Chutney-

• 2 cups of coriander leaves, chopped
• 1 cup of mint leaves, chopped
• 1 tbsp. lime juice
• 1 tsp. ginger, chopped
• 1 garlic clove
• 1 green chilly
• salt to taste

Tamarind Chutney-

• 1 tsp. tamarind paste
• 2 tbsp. sugar
• 1 tsp. red chili powder or to taste
• 1/4 tsp. roasted cumin powder

 For the Green chutney, grind all the following ingredients from coriander leaves to salt to taste with very little water into a paste. Keep aside.

          For the Tamarind chutney, mix together the tamarind paste, sugar, cumin powder and the chili powder along with some water. Keep aside.

          Grind the soaked urad dal, ginger and green chilies into a smooth  batter by adding some water. Add salt and asafoetida and mix the batter well. This makes the vadas very soft.

          Heat oil in a pan. Take some batter on your palm and give it a patty shape. Slide them gently in the hot oil and fry on low flame till golden in cooler. Drain on a paper napkin and immediately drop them in water for 20 minutes.

          Then squeeze them between your palms and keep aside. Now to serve,  place the vadas on a plate and pour the beaten yoghurt over it.

          Then add the coriander chutney, tamarind chutney, roasted cumin powder and red chili powder. Serve, garnished with coriander leaves and aloo bhujia.

   

Mathri (Deep Fried Crackers - Snack)

       
             Mathris are favourite snacks usually popular in the Northern regions of India. There are many versions to it where the ingredients differ from one region to the other. Whatever the reason they simply tastes delicious and yummy to enjoy these crunchy snacks along with a cup of hot beverage.    

          Mathris are basically prepared with a dough of maida, atta and other spices. They are then deep fried to get that crunchy texture. So go ahead and give it a try by following a step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 1 cup plain flour
• 1/4 cup wheat flour
• 1/4 cup gram flour
• 1 tbsp. semolina
• salt to taste
• pinch of turmeric powder
• pinch of baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. carom seeds
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/2 tsp. crushed pepper 
• 3 tbsp. oil / ghee to knead
• oil to deep fry

          Sift together all the flours, semolina, salt and baking soda. Add 3 tbsp. oil to it and mix well to form into breadcrumbs.

          Then add remaining ingredients (except oil) and knead into a tight dough with the help of required quantity of lukewarm water. Set aside for 30 minutes.

          Divide the dough into equal portions and roll each ball of dough into a circle / oblong shape. Cut into small roundels with a help of a cutter.

          Heat oil in a pan and deep fry the mathris in batches till light golden in colour. Drain on a kitchen towel and when cool, store in an air tight container. Enjoy as a tea-time snack or with any pickle.

Divide the dough into equal portions & roll each ball of dough into a circle / oblong shape. 

                     Cut into small roundels with a help of a cutter.

                            All the roundels are ready to be deep fried.