Chickpea Salad
1/2 cup boiled chickpeas
1 onion, chopped
2 green chillies, finely chopped (optional)
1 tomato, chopped
1 tbsp. fresh coriander leaves, chopped
Salt, to taste
Crushed black peppercorns, to taste
A squirt of lime juice
Balsamic vinegar, to taste
Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl. Check for salt and sourness.
Keep chilled till you’re ready to serve.
This recipe is linked to –
Delectable Tuesday
Tasty Tuesday
A Little Birdie Told Me
Hearth and Soul
Tuesdays at the Table
Tasty Tuesday
Tuesday Night Supper Club
Mangia Mondays
Chole (Garbanzo beans curry)
Chole (Garbanzo beans curry)
100 gms. dried kabuli channa (Garbanzo beans)
2 kashmiri chillies (dried red chillies)
3 onions, peeled and cubed
2 green chillies (or to taste)
1″ ginger, roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic, peeled and roughly chopped
2 tomatoes, roughly cubed
1/2 tsp. turmeric powder
1 tsp. red chilly powder
1 tsp. garam masala powder
1 t 1/2 tbsp. vegetable oil
Salt, to taste
2 tbsp. fresh coriander leaves, chopped
Soak the beans overnight in plenty of water.
Rinse out with fresh water the next day and pressure cook with 2 kashmiri chillies and about 1 tsp. salt. Cook for about 15 minutes after the 1st whistle.
If you aren’t using a pressure cooker, simply cook till tender. Reserve the stock.
In a blender, blitz the onions, chillies, ginger and garlic till you get a smooth paste.
Heat the oil in a pot/vessel and tip in the onion paste. Sauté for a few minutes, stirring to make sure it doesn’t burn.
While this is cooking off, tip the tomatoes in the blender and puree. Keep aside.
When the onion paste has thickened, add the turmeric powder, chilly powder and garam masala powder and stir till well mixed with the onion paste.
Add the tomato puree, stir well and let it cook off on a medium flame till you see a little of the oil at the sides of the masala paste. It should take a couple of minutes.
Add the cooked beans and stir gently. Let it cook in the masala for a couple of minutes.
Add some of the water in which the beans were cooked to the pot till you get the desired consistency. Let it thicken a little.
Check for salt. Adjust if needed.
Sprinkle the chopped coriander leaves and gently mix through.
Serve hot!
**Check back for the next post which will show you another interesting use of boiled garbanzo beans.**
This recipe is linked to –
Not Baaad
Meatless Mondays
Just Another Meatless Monday
My Meatless Mondays
Decidedly Healthy or Horridly Decadent
The Blog Entourage
Mouthwatering Monday
Spicy Goa Sausage Chilly Fry
I hope you enjoy it as much as we do 🙂
Spicy Goa Sausage Chilly Fry
1/3 packet Goa sausages, taken out of casing and chopped
1/2 tbsp. oil
2 onions, chopped
1/2″ ginger
4 curry leaves
2 green chillies, chopped in to 3-4 pieces
1 tomato, chopped
1 large or 2 small potatoes, cubed
Heat the oil in a pan. Add the onion, curry leaves and chillies and sauté till the onions have softened. Add the finger and sauté till the onions have browned.
Add the tomatoes and continue cooking till they have softened.
Add the sausage meat and let it fry a little and release its flavors. Once the aroma has released, tip in the potatoes. Stir fry for a couple of minutes.
Add a splash of water, not too much, cover and cook till the potatoes are done.
Serve hot with bread.
This recipe is linked to –
Whats on the Menu Wednesday
Delicious Dishes
Recipes I Can’t Wait to Try
Strawberry Lassi (Strawberry Yogurt Smoothie)
Summer seems to have found its ways here a little to early. Its as hot as it would typically be during the peak of summer in the month of May. I can only imagine what May will be like. What better way to cope with the crazy heat than a delicious, cool, fruity lassi. Surprisingly the only fruity yogurt we can find here is processed and honestly, doesn’t even taste like yogurt anymore. I’d picked up a whole bunch of strawberries on our last trip to Panchgani and decided to add a few to the lassi. The result was delicious, refreshing and as REAL as real food gets without any funny stuff (read preservatives etc.) added to it and its so simple to make. I used fresh strawberries since they were in season but I’m pretty sure frozen berries will do just fine as well. You can opt to use a sweetener of your choice or if you prefer you can leave it out altogether.
Strawberry Lassi
(Serves 2)
1 tub natural unflavored yogurt (We get it in 400g tubs)
A few fresh stawberries (I used about 8-10 strawberries)
2 spoons superfine sugar (optional)
Place all the ingredients in a blender and blitz till is well incorporated.
Serve.
This recipe is linked to –
This Week’s Cravings
Decidedly Healthy or Horridly Decadent
Sweet Tooth Friday
Sweets for a Saturday
Crunchy Bombay Duck Fillets
As a child, I hated fish, or so they thought. My mum and nana would try everything they could think of to try and get me to eat fish. Of course, I wasn’t a stubborn child except where eating fish was concerned so they had their work cut out for them. Eventually they realized that the reason I wouldn’t eat fish was that I was okay with eating fish but what I actually hated having to debone the cooked fish before eating. Ironically I didn’t mind eating fried sardines and fried karli (silver barfish), the boniest of the varieties available here, go figure! So my loving grandma would patiently sit and debone the fish on my plate, which I would very willingly eat up. Oh, the memories.
Anyway, moving on to the current day scenario, I love fish. And one of my current day favorites are crunchy (fresh) bombay duck fillets. The best part is, my husband, Ashley, is a genius at filleting these guys. Lucky me!!! Nothing could be simpler that making this dish. You really should try this. I want you to enjoy something this delicious. This is not so much a recipe, but simple pointers to making the fillets. Please adjust flavors to your liking
Crunchy Bombay Duck Fillets
Bombay ducks, cleaned and filleted
Turmeric powder
Red chilly powder
Salt, to taste
Lime juice to taste
Apple cider vinegar, to taste
Besan (chickpea flour)
Bread crumbs, to coat
Oil, for frying
Wash the fish and pat dry. Lay the fillets out flat on a plate.
Sprinkle the salt, turmeric powder, red chilly powder, lime juice and apple cider vinegar over the fish. Gently, turn over to make sure that both sides are seasoned. Its hard to give you quantities for the spices, since everyone has different preferences. I make sure that there is a little sprinkling of the spices on all the fish on both sides. Handle lightly as this is a delicate fish.
Sprinkle some chickpea flour over the fish on both sides till lightly coated. You can add a few drops of water to help you with this. The chickpea flour will help the fish stay together so please don’t omit it. Since this is a delicate fish, leaving it out will result in the fish breaking up while you try to move it around in the pan. You don’t want a thick layer or a chickpea batter coat, just a light sprinkling to bind it.
Keep aside for about 15 minutes.
Heat a couple of tablespoons of oil in a pan.
Dredge the fillets in breadcrumbs to coat them well. This will give you a crunchy fillet.
Shallow fry on a medium flame. Do not move the fish around in the pan, till a crust has formed on the bottom. Moving it to early will break the fish up. Once the bottom side has formed a nice brown crust, turn over and cook on the other side till done.
Serve hot.
This recipe has been linked to –
Delectable Tuesday
Whats Cooking Thursday
Full Plate Thursday
Fun with Food Friday
Bombay Street Food Special #2 – Bhajiyas (Vegetable Fritters)
For the second edition of the Bombay Street Food Special, I’ve chosen Bhajiyas. These are nothing but vegetable fritters. My mum used to make this for us as an after school snack and we always enjoyed it piping hot with some spicy tomato sauce. Today I’m going to share with you not one, but two, yes two types of bhajiyas and based on these, there’s a whole range of vegetables you can use to increase the variety. Have this with a piping hot cup of tea, there’s nothing better than this on a rainy day.
This one’s for all the potato lovers out there.
Aloo Bhajiyas (Potato Fritters)
2 potatoes, peeled and sliced and kept aside in salted water (Take some water in a bowl, drop in about 1/2 tsp. salt and stir.) till you’re ready to fry.
Oil, for deep frying
For the batter –
1/2 cup besan (chickpea flour)
Salt, to taste
A pinch of turmeric powder
A pinch or two of red chilli powder
1/4 tsp. ajwain (carom seeds)
Water
Mix all the dry ingredients together and gradually add the water, a little bit at a time, till you get it to a dripping batter. It shouldn’t be too thin, it should coat the back of a spoon. (If its too thick, add a little water, if its too runny, add some more besan). Ensure you are left with a lump free batter.
Heat oil for deep frying.
When the oil is hot, pick up the potato slices from the salted water and drain off any excess water, dip well in batter till its coated and carefully drop it into the oil.
Fry on both sides till it gets a nice golden brown on a medium flame. Drain on some kitchen paper.
Serve hot with some spicy tomato ketchup.
If you have any excess batter, you can either slice up some more potatoes and make some more of these delicious fritters or you can use it for the next kind of fritters. You’ll see how in just a bit.
In the same manner, you can make fritters using cauliflower florets or spinach leaves (dip whole spinach leaves into the batter) instead of the potatoes and the same batter.
Kanda Bhajiyas (Spicy Onion Fritters)
Aloo Parathas – Whole Wheat Flatbread with a savory potato stuffing
Aloo Parathas
For the dough –
3 cups wholewheat flour
1/2 tsp. salt
Water
Mix the flour and the salt well.
Bind with a little water at a time to form a soft pliable dough. The dough should not be sticky.
If you find the dough sticky, add some more whole wheat flour. If the dough is too dry and difficult to knead, add a little water.
Knead well, roll into a ball, cover with a damp cloth and keep aside while you make the filling.
For the filling –
3 potatoes, boiled
1-2 onions, finely chopped
1-2 green chillies, finely chopped
2 tbsp. fresh coriander leaves, finely chopped
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
1/4 tsp. cumin powder
1/4 tsp. amchur (dry mango) powder (optional)
Salt, to taste (Make sure the mix is sufficiently salted)
Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and mix well to make sure all the ingredients are well mixed. Adjust seasoning, if needed.
Shape into balls about the size of a ping pong ball and keep aside.
To assemble –
Shape the dough into balls a little bigger than the ones made for the filling.
Roll the dough into 4″ disc on a lightly floured surface, making sure it doesn’t stick to the work area. Don’t flip the dough over while rolling.
Place the disc in the palm of your add, add a few drops of clarified butter / ghee on the side facing you and spread it out on the disc.
Place a ball of the filling in the centre and bring the sides of the dough together and press to seal the edges. Roll between your palms to form a ball again, without pressing. (The layer of dough around the filling shouldn’t be too thin or else the filling will come out and burn while roasting).
Roll this out to a disc on a floured surface. Don’t roll too thin.
Place this on a well heated tawa / griddle and roast for a while moving it around till light brown spots appear on one side. Turn over and cook on the other side till light brown spots appear on the other side as well.
To finish off, spoon a few drops of clarified butter on the paratha and spread. Flip over and repeat this on the other side letting it roast for a few seconds after you add the clarified butter to the side.
Serve hot with butter and a mug of hot coffee.
You can leave out the clarified butter if you want an even healthier version, but it does wonders for the taste.
If you have any dough or filling left over, simply refrigerate and use the next day.
You can also make a plain paratha by simply rolling out the dough, spreading with ghee, wrap, re-roll and roast it without the filling. This can be served with your favorite jam or cheese or scrambled eggs or an omelette or anything else you’d fancy.
This recipe is linked to –
Meatless Mondays @ Midnight Maniac
Mouthwatering Mondays @ A Southern Fairytale
Decidedly Healthy or Horridly Decadent
What’s Cooking Wednesday
Just Another Meatless Monday
My Meatless Monday
Vanilla Custard In Guava Cups
Vanilla Custard in Guava Cups
For the Vanilla Custard –
1/2 litre milk
2 tbps custard powder
3-4 tbsp. sugar, superfine or to taste
Mix the custard powder and the sugar with the cold milk.
Place on a medium flame, stirring continuously till it has thickened.
Cool and refrigerate.
For the Guava Cups –
3 guavas, ripe but firm and not bruised (Use as many guavas as you would need to serve the number of people for the meal. You can serve half a guava to a person.)
1 1/2 cup water
1/3 cup sugar
5 cloves
Wash and cut the guavas in half. Cut off the brown parts near where the stem would’ve been.
In a large vessel, place the guavas cut side up.
Pour enough water to reach a little over the top of the guavas and add the sugar.
Bring to a boil and continue cooking till the seed portion of the guavas start popping out of the flesh.
At this point, you can pick out the guavas using a slotted spoon, cool the stewing liquid and place the guavas back in it and refrigerate till you’re ready to serve.
I picked out the guavas and let the sugar syrup continue boiling till it had thickened a little.
The stewed guavas are delicious even by themselves.
For Assembly –
When you’re ready to serve, scoop out the guava seeds and discard. Place the guava on the serving plate/bowl.
Spoon out the chilled custard into the guava cup. I always like a little extra custard for me.
Enjoy!
This recipe is linked to –
Decidedly Healthy or Horridly Decadent
Fun with Food Fridays
Sweets for a Saturday
Crumb fried prawns
Crumb Fried Prawns
15 prawns, shelled and de-veined (Simply adjust the number of prawns based on the number of people you need to serve)
Salt, to taste
Juice of about 1/4 of a sour lime (A dash of apple cider vinegar can be used instead of the lime or a combination of the two. The apple cider vinegar adds a nice flavor to any sea food.)
1/4 tsp. turmeric powder
1/4 – 1/2 tsp. chilly powder
A bowl of bread crumbs, to coat
1-2 tbsp. oil, for frying
Sprinkle the salt, lime juice, turmeric powder and chilly powder over the cleaned prawns. Toss the prawns well in this marinade.Set aside for atleast 15 minutes. (If you are in a hurry then minutes will do, but if it sits in the marinade a little longer, the prawns are well flavored.)
After resting the prawns in the marinade, dredge the prawns in the bread crumbs, making sure that each prawn is well coated with the bread crumbs.
Heat the oil in a frying pan. Fry the prawns on a medium flame, adding more oil if needed.
Watch the pan closely and don’t allow the prawns to burn. Drain the prawns well and serve with a wedge of lime. (The lime wedge is optional.) All the little crumb pieces that fall away are really delicious too. I never throw them away. I simply add them to the serving plate.
Remember, all the measures of the ingredients need to be adjusted to taste. So have fun and let me know how it goes!
Bombay Street Food Special #1 – Batata Vada (Deep Fried Potato Dumplings)
Here’s a peek at what it looks like –
And here’s what the inside looks like –
Batata Vada
(Makes 7-8 pieces depending on the size of the potatoes used and the size of the vadas.)
2 potatoes, boiled and mashed roughly (You don’t want the potato mash to be creamy, leave it just a little lumpy)
A pinch of turmeric powder
Salt, to taste
1 tbsp. vegetable oil
A pinch of mustard seeds
2-3 curry leaves, roughly torn into 2-3 pieces each
1 green chilly, finely chopped (optional)
1 tsp. chopped fresh coriander leaves
1/2 cup besan (chick pea / garbanzo bean flour)
A pinch of red chilly powder (optional)
Water
Oil for deep frying
Add a pinch of turmeric powder and salt to taste to the mashed potato and mix well.
In a small pan, prepare the tempering or tadka. Heat the vegetable oil and add the mustard seeds. When it sputters, on a low to medium flame add the curry leaves, green chilly and saute a little till all the flavors are released, taking care to not burn the spices.
Add the potato mix to this and stir the oil and spices have mixed with the mashed potato, for a few seconds.
Take it off the pan and into a bowl. Add the chopped coriander leaves and using your hand mix it well. Check for salt and spice and adjust accordingly. Don’t under salt the potato mix.
Shape into balls and keep aside.
For the batter –
In a bowl, mix the chick pea flour, with a pinch of turmeric powder, chilly powder and salt to taste. Add a little water to form a batter. Make sure there are no lumps and the batter is nice and smooth.
The batter should have a pouring consistency but shouldn’t be too thin. It should be thick enough to form a nice layer around the vadas.
If it is too thick, add a little water to thin it out. If it is too thin and watery, simply add some more chick pea flour.
To make the vadas –
Heat the oil for deep frying. The oil should be hot but not smoking. One way to tell if your oil is hot enough is to carefully insert a drop of the batter into the oil. If it bubbles and rises to the top immediately, the oil is ready.
Dip the prepared balls in the batter and make sure that the batter coats the potato mix well. I think it easiest to use your hands for this.
Carefully insert the batter dipped vadas into the oil and let them fry on a medium flame till they are a nice golden brown. Turn them while they fry to ensure it cooks evenly on all sides. Don’t use high heat as the outside will burn without warming the insides through.
Drain off the excess oil and place on some kitchen paper to get rid of any oil on it.
Serve hot with some tomato sauce.
And oh, please don’t discard any of the pieces of excess batter that have broken away while frying the vadas. They are nice and crunchy. Simply drain them too while you’re extracting the vadas from the oil. My brother fights all of us for these scraps 🙂
Enjoy!!!
This recipe is linked to –
Recipes I Can’t Wait to Try @ At Home With Haley
My Meatless Monday @ My Sweet and Savory
Just Another Meatless Monday @ Hey What’s For Dinner Mom?
Meatless Monday @ Midnight Maniac
Mouthwatering Mondays @ A Southern Fairytale
Rook No.17