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.

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.

        

Garlic Bread

          Yummy and very easy to make, these garlic bread is a must try. So now prepare these pizza hut special garlic bread at home with few basic ingredients available in your kitchen and surprise your loved ones. They are ideal as tea-time snacks or appetizers with hummus. Choice is yours. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it. 

• 1 French Bread, cut into thick slices
• 80 gms. butter (room temperature)
• 2 tbsp. olive oil 
• 2-3 garlic cloves, grated
• 1/4 tsp. dried herbs
• 1-2 tbsp. coriander leaves, chopped 
• 1/4 tsp. red chili flakes
• pinch of pepper powder

         Mix together all the ingredients (except bread) into a smooth paste. Spread the butter mix onto the sliced bread.

          Grill for 5-10 minutes or till it is evenly browned. Enjoy as a tea-time snack or as appetizers with tomato ketchup.
          

                      Mix together all the ingredients (except bread) into a smooth paste. 

Spread the butter mix onto the sliced bread.

                 Grill for 5-10 minutes till it is evenly browned.

     

                            Enjoy as a tea-time snack or as appetizers with tomato ketchup.

Oats Semolina Dhokla

          Dhokla is a healthy and nutritious steamed Gujarati savoury snack usually made of besan (gram flour) and sometimes with sooji (semolina). So today I tried with oats for some variation and it turned out very yummy. 

          This is an instant version and I added some semolina to it too. It can be served with any homemade chutney. But it goes especially well with green chutney. They can also be relished for breakfast, can be packed as a lunch box meal or had as a tea-time snack.

• 1 cup oats, dry roasted and ground to a fine powder
• 3/4 cup semolina
• 1 tsp. eno fruit salt
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp. flaxseed
• 1/2 tsp. nigella seeds
• 1/2 cup yoghurt
• 1 tbsp. oil
• 1" ginger, grated
• 1-2 green chilies, finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 1/4 tsp. asafoetida
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder

Tempering - 

• 1 tbsp. oil
• 1/2 tsp. mustard seeds
• 1 tsp. sesame seeds
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• pinch of red chili powder
• 1 tsp. sev / bhujia
• pinch of roasted cumin powder
• 1 tsp. coriander leaves, chopped
• 1 tsp. fresh grated coconut

          Heat oil in a pan and temper with mustard seeds. After it stops spluttering, add the cumin seeds, asafoetida, ginger and green chilies. Saute for a few seconds and then add the semolina and turmeric powder.

            Fry for 2 minutes. Set aside to cool. In a bowl, mix together ground oats, spinach puree, semolina, salt, yoghurt, flax seed, nigella seeds and required quantity of water to form a batter. 

           Set aside for 15-20 minutes. Add more water if required to make a batter of pouring consistency. Just before steaming, add the eno fruit salt and 1 tbsp. water. 

           Mix everything well without any lumps and pour the batter on a greased steel plate. Steam for 15-20 minutes. Set aside to cool down and then flip it over on a serving plate. Cut into desired shapes. 

          For the tempering, heat oil and saute the mustard seeds till it stops spluttering. Now add the curry leaves and sesame seeds. 

          Saute for a few seconds and switch off the flame. Pour this tempering over the prepared dhokla.

          Garnish with red chili powder. cumin powder. coriander leaves, coconut and sev. Serve with green chutney.

Mixed Dal Palak Pakora (Mixed Lentil Spinach Fritters)

          A bowl of hot and crispy pakoras is anytime welcome. If it happens to be a rainy day or a cold winter night, then the excitement reaches to another level. So how about trying out some mixed lentil and spinach pakoras / fritters? Enjoy these yummy small bites as a tea-time snack or as an appetizer with any chutney of your choice or tomato sauce. 

• 1/2 cup mixed dal, soaked overnight
• salt to taste
• 1" ginger
• 2 green chilies
• 2-3 tbsp. spinach puree
• 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

          Blend together all the above mentioned ingredients (except flax seed and oil) into a smooth paste. Add very little water only if needed. 

          Add the flax seed and the baking soda. Whisk well and refrigerate for an hour. 

          Heat oil in a pan and drop spoonful of it and fry on a medium flame till light golden in colour. Drain on a kitchen towel and serve with any homemade chutney or sauce. 

Spanish Potato Omelette with Indian Flavour

           Omelets are an all time favorite for a typical hassle free breakfast. They are yummy and wholesome. So try making this delicious Spanish Potato Omelet with some Indian flavor. Serve with green chutney, tomato sauce for breakfast / brunch or just relish as a tea-time snack. You can also serve them on toasted bread. To make it more nutritious, few chopped veggies can also be added. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it. 

• 1 med. size potato, boiled & mashed / grated
• 2-3 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
• pinch of red chili flakes or to taste
• pinch of pepper powder or to taste
• 1-2 green chilies, chopped
• 2-3 tbsp. mint leaves, chopped
• 1 tsp. flaxseed (opt)
• 1 tbsp. oil

          In a bowl, mix together all the above mentioned ingredients (except oil) into a batter like consistency. There should not be any lumps.

          Heat oil in a pan and pour the mix. Gently swirl around and cook, covered on a low flame till one side is done. Then flip it over and cook the other side too till it is light golden in colour.

          Transfer to a serving plate and cut as desired. Serve with green chutney, tomato sauce for breakfast / brunch or just relish as a tea-time snack.

                          Mix potatoes, salt, turmeric powder, pepper powder, red chili flakes,

                                  eggs, milk,

                                 chopped mint leaves and ....

                                 flax seed.

                    Heat oil & pour the mix. Swirl around & cook, covered till one side is done.                                        Then flip it over & cook  other side too, till it is light golden in colour.

                                 Transfer to a serving plate & cut as desired. 

                      Serve with green chutney, tomato sauce for breakfast / brunch or just 
                      relish as a tea-time snack.