Poha Vada

 

            These Poha (Beaten rice) Vada are an ideal tea-time snack. They can also be served as appetizers along with tomato ketchup or green chutney. They are very easy to make and very delicious at the same time. 

          For a healthier version I have used Brown Poha and boiled Raw Banana instead of potatoes. Finely chopped mixed veggies too were added to make them more nutritious. The addition of peanuts gives a bit of a crunch to the end product and the roasted chana dal powder, a binding to the vadas. For a vegetarian version, you can skip the egg and use a slurry of besan or simply skip both and shallow fry them. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this party snack.

   

• 1 cup brown poha (beaten rice)
• 2 raw bananas, boiled, peeled & mashed
• 1/2 cup chopped mixed veggies (beans, carrots, capsicums & green peas)
• 2 tbsp. roasted peanuts, coarsely ground
• 2 tbsp. roasted & powdered chana dal (Bengal gram)
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger, grated
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• handful of coriander leaves, chopped
• 1/2 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. chaat masala
• salt to taste
• 1 egg, beaten
• oil to deep fry

          Wash the poha for a few seconds and keep aside for 10 minutes so that it becomes soft. 

           Mix the poha and all the other ingredients (except egg & oil) and knead into a dough. Divide this mix into equal portions. 

           Take each portion and shape into a round flat patty. Do the same with the rest of the mix. Refrigerate for a couple of minutes. 

          Heat oil in a pan / kadai. Dip them one by one in the egg mix and deep fry them on a medium flame, few at a time, till crisp and golden brown.

          Drain on a kitchen towel and serve with tomato ketchup / red chili sauce / green chutney as a comforting snack. 

     Mix the poha & all the other ingredients (except egg & oil) & 

     knead into a dough. 

       Divide into equal portions. Take each portion & shape into a round flat patty. Do the same with the rest of the mix. Refrigerate for a couple of minutes. 

               Heat oil in a pan. Dip them one by one in the egg mix. 

       Deep fry them on a medium flame, few at a time, till crisp

        & golden brown.

                    Drain on a kitchen towel.

        Serve with tomato ketchup / red chili sauce / green chutney.

Hariyali Paneer Tikka

 

          These are delectable small bites of homemade Hariyali Paneer Tikka, restaurant style, which are absolutely simple to make. In this recipe, paneer cubes are marinated in a green chutney paste and are pan grilled to perfection. To give a smoky flavor, I fire grilled on the stove top. 

          

            They can be served as appetizers with any chutney and salad of your choice. For more variation, you can also roll them in chapattis / parathas along with some sliced onion and chutney for a wholesome snack or a lunch box meal. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this great party recipe,

• 200 gms. paneer cubes
• 2 tbsp. yoghurt
• 1" ginger
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 cup coriander leaves, chopped
• 1/2 cup mint leaves, chopped
• 2-3 green chilies
• 1/2 tsp. lime zest
• 1 tsp. lime juice
• 1 tbsp. mustard oil
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. pepper powder
• 1/2 tsp. roasted cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. roasted coriander powder
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• 2 tbsp. roasted chickpea flour
• 1 tsp. kasuri methi, crushed
• 1/2 tsp. carom seeds, crushed
• few wooden skewers / satay sticks soaked in water for an hour
• few dices of onion, tomato & capsicum
• 1/2 tsp. chaat masala, to garnish

     

          Make a paste of coriander leaves, mint leaves, green chilies, ginger, garlic, lime juice, lime zest, mustard oil and yoghurt in a blender. 

          To it add, roasted chickpea flour, salt, pepper powder, garam masala powder, roasted cumin powder, roasted coriander powder, kasuri methi and carom seeds. 

          Marinade the paneer cubes and all the diced veggies with this green paste for an hour.

          Grease the wooden skewers and thread the marinated paneer and the veggies. 

          Grease the grill pan with some oil and pan grill the skewered paneer in batches till done on all sides. Brush with some oil in between.

          

          To give a Smokey flavor, place the skewers on a steel wire mesh and fire grill on a direct flame on the stove top till it is slightly charred. 

          Sprinkle some chaat masala and serve them hot as an appetizer with any chutney and salad of your choice.

 

                  Make a paste of coriander leaves, mint leaves, green chilies, ginger,                                                  garlic, lime juice, lime zest, mustard oil & yoghurt in a blender. 

                       Add, roasted chickpea flour, salt, pepper powder, garam masala powder, 

                  roasted cumin powder, roasted coriander powder, kasuri methi & carom seeds. 

                        Add the paneer cubes & all the diced veggies.

                         Marinate with this green paste for an hour.

                  Grease the wooden skewers & thread the marinated paneer & the veggies. 

                     Grease the grill pan with some oil & pan grill the skewered paneer

                            in batches till done on all sides. Brush with some oil in between.

          

                     For a Smokey flavor, place the skewers on a steel wire mesh & fire 

                          grill on a direct flame on the stove top till it is slightly charred. 

                     Sprinkle chaat masala & serve with chutney & salad of your choice.

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.

Parwal (Pointed Gourd) Peel Pakora / Fritters

 

           Tea time without any fried snack is not worth it. One can't resist the temptation of fried fritters. A bowl of hot and crispy pakoras are anytime welcome. So here is an unusual snack made out of some discarded parwal (pointed gourd) peels. They contain a lot of fibre and nutrients. They are absolutely easy to make as it requires only some basic ingredients.

           These crispy treats are just perfect with your evening cuppa. They are also ideal as appetizers and can be enjoyed with green chutney, sauce or any dip of your choice. They also tastes yummy with hummus, kasundi or mayo. Last but not the least, they are a great accompaniment to our normal dal-chawal or khichdi. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.     

 

              If it happens to be a rainy day or a cold winter night, then the excitement of having these pakoras reaches to another level. 

              You can also mix all the ingredients and refrigerate till frying time. When required, fry them and serve them hot with the accompaniments. It is super easy and tastes just yum.

          Any leftover pakoras can be made into Kadhi Pakora the next day and enjoy with hot steamed rice / jeera rice for a great comfort meal. You can also dish out pakora chaat for a light dinner. Options are a plenty. So enjoy !!!!!

• 1 cup parwal (pointed gourd) peel, finely chopped
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 2 green chilies, chopped
• 1 tsp. ginger, chopped
• 1 tsp. garlic, chopped
• 1/2 cup gram flour (besan)
• salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp. red chili flakes
• 1/2 tsp. cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp. coriander powder
• 1 tsp. nigella seeds (kalonji)
• 1/2 tsp. garam masala powder
• oil to shallow / deep fry

          In a bowl, combine all the above mentioned ingredients (except oil). Add little water at a time and knead into a dough. Keep aside for 10-15 minutes. 

          Heat oil in a pan. Make round shaped balls out of it and gently drop them, few at a time, into the hot oil. 

          Fry till golden in color on all sides on a medium flame. Drain on a kitchen towel and serve them hot with green chutney or sauce.

                                   In a bowl, mix all the ingredients (except oil).

                      Add little water & knead into a dough. Keep aside for 10-15 minutes. 

Heat oil in a pan. Make round shaped balls out of it & gently drop them, 

                     few at a time, into the hot oil. 

 Fry till golden in color on all sides on a medium flame. 

Drain on a kitchen towel.

                                  Serve them hot with green chutney or sauce.

        

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.