Tangy Potato Nests

Busy weekday calls for simple dinners at my home. So i keep my dinners light and easy to cook types. So did this make you think that the dinners in my house are boring??? No way!! That can never be the case coz my husband and i crave to eat something good once we are back home from work, to assuage our office traumas! :P :P 

So even though the dinner is simple and easy, there has to be variety when it comes to taste. Hubby dear is extremely difficult to please when it comes to food. For past two days he had been telling me to prepare some chaat at home and i kept declining the offer thinking, it requires so much of preparation. Just when i was thinking over his chaat proposal and looking for something less extensive and elaborated for a weekday, i was struck with this recipe of potato nests. Trust me, initially it was just a random thought and further contemplation made me draft the complete recipe. 

Yesterday, i decided to surprise my darling hubby with a stylish new twist to the traditional chaat. Oh yes! I am the innovation queen and for me its a big NO NO to follow a recipe as it is. A twist is my signature style to any dish. So before hubby was back home, i began with the preparation. Easy peasy steps and easily available ingredients made my tasks a cakewalk!

20 minutes of kitchen work and all was set and served :) My Mr.Tripathi entered the home sniffing around, enjoying the aromas and looked happy conjecturing that wifey had made something special for him. He knows me too well! Mr. Husband was right! His eyes gleamed at the site of the pretty little nests that were waiting to get devoured. First bite and his eyes said it all. He looked spell bound and later confessed that he overate BIG TIME!! :) No wonder, he always blames me for his cute little bloated tummy :P Nevertheless, for me that growing belly is a sign of happiness and contentment!

So here's how you make a contemporary chaat or a tangy starter!

Ingredients:-

For the Dough

1 cup flour (Maida)

2 tsp carrom seeds (Ajwain)

2 tbsp Oil

1 tbsp Dried fenugreek leaves (Kasuri Methi)

Warm water for kneading 

Salt as per taste

For the Potato Stuffing

4 big boiled potatoes (broken into small pieces by hand. Do not use knife here as the potatoes should have a rough broken look. You may choose to use a knife if needed)

2 tsp red chilli flakes (Kuti lal mirch)

2 tsp nigella seeds (kilonji)

1 tbsp roasted coriander seeds (sabut dhaniya)

3 tsp Fennel seeds (saunf)

3 small green chillies (finely chopped)

sprig of coriander leaves

4-5 tbsp chaat masala

1/2 tsp asafoetida (hing)

2 tbsp Oil for tempering 

Salt as per taste

Green Chutney

 
1 cup Coriander leaves
2 or 3 (If you like it to be spicier, you may add more) Green chillies
1/2 tsp Cumin seeds

1 small peeled onion
Salt to taste
Juice of 2 lemon (or adjust as per your taste)

Sonth (Tamarind Chutney)

 
2 cup tamarind pulp (soak dried tamarind overnight in water and then mash it next day and pass the fluid through a seive to get the pulp)
2 tbsp roasted cumin seeds powder
1 tsp red chili powder
1 cup sugar or as required - adjust as per your taste
rock salt or black salt as required
1/4 cup kishmish
Handful of ginger cut into julienne

Steps to follow:-

For the Dough

Combine all the ingredients and knead it to a stiff dough. Once done, let it rest for 15-20 mins while you prepare the stuffing.

For the Potato Stuffing

1. Heat oil in a pan.

2. Throw in asafoetida, green chillies and saute for 1 min

3. In a mortar and pestle, roughly pound the roasted coriander seeds and fennel seed 

NOTE: Do not make a powder. Just roughly ground them

4.  Now add nigella seeds, fennel seeds and coriander seeds and red chilli flakes.

3.  Let the spice splutter for a while and then add broken potatoes and saute them on medium-high flame.

NOTE: Since the potatoes need to be crisp and browned well, hence the medium-high flame recommended. Ensure, while the flame is high, you continuously toss the mixture else all will burn. 

6. Add salt and chaat masala 

NOTE: The mixture needs to be tangy, so you may increase or decrease the chaat masala according to the sourness required by you. 

7. Keep tossing on medium-high flame until the potatoes look crispy and well browned.

8. Once potato mixture is ready, sprinkle chopped coriander and transfer the mixture to a bowl and let it cool

Green Chutney

 
Blend all the ingredients mentioned for green chutney and squeeze in the lemon juice once all has blended well. 

Sonth or Tamarind Chutney

 
1. Place a wok on the gas stove and let it warm up.
2. Pour in the tamarind pulp in the wok and let it come to a boil.
3. Bring down the flame to medium and now add roasted cumin seeds powder, sugar, ginger julienne, red chilli powder and kishmish and salt as per taste.

NOTE: The tamarind pulp will reduce in quantity so add the spices accordingly

4. Stir continuously and would observe the mixture would start to thicken
5. When cooled, store the saunth chutney in an air-tight dry jar or container. refrigerate and serve the sonth chutney whenever required with chaat or snacks. 

Final assembling of potato nests

1. Make small balls of the dough and roll them into thin chapatis. (You don't have to cook them on a tava/griddle)

2. With the moulds open surface facing you, place the rolled chapatis onto the mould

3. Use your fingers to press the rolled chapati on the mould letting it take the shape of the utensil.

4. Press it hard and ensure there is no air passage anywhere.

5. Trim the excess dough from the rim of the moulds.

6. Prick the dough (stuck to the muffin mould) with a toothpick or fork everywhere

7. Heat oil in a wok and deep fry the nests in the oil.

NOTE: When you are deep frying, you have to add the muffin mould( which has the dough stuck to it still) into the oil. 

9. Once the top surface of the nest is cooked, flip the mould and it will automatically leave the dough and you can fish it out of the oil then.

10. Now fry the nests in the oil just like mathris with flame switching between medium and high.

11. One the nests are light brown in color, take them out of the oil and transfer to a kitchen towel.

12. Make the nests from the remaining dough following the above steps and let the nests cool for sometime before final assembly.

13. Arrange the nests on a platter and add potato mixture till the level of rim.

14. Put some green chutney and sonth on top and serve.

Peas Croquettes

Whether it be a long winter break or the festivities during the cold months, the winter season is a great time. Its last week of October and winter is just round the corner. So soon we will be digging into our lofts and beds for warm winter wear. The cold months of the year are so much fun. Foggy mornings, days without Sun and gloomy evenings..I per say don't really enjoy winters much coz they make me a bit lazy but still i have a few reasons to look forward to them. Cladded with heavy woolens, i always wish to tuck myself inside a warm cozy blanket! Lethargy seeps into my system..totally!

One of the reasons why i look forward to Winters is the variety of flowers available all around. Oh yes! i love flowers..they make me smile...they seem to spread happiness with their vibrant colors..without a miss, i bring flowers at my home and meticulously arrange them in my vases and place them in the corners of my living room. They give me such a high! 

The second being the plethora of calorie filled food we all gorge on. I don't bother about those extra calories in my meal. Cold winters and a bowl of hot gulab jamuns..worth it! worth it! Ohhh..i cant wait to grab some now! Its just a matter of few months and i enjoy to the fullest. Winters bring along with it a wide range of vegetables and you can do soo much with it. Phew! Its insane. Stuff it and make parathas or deep fried delicacies. Love them in whichever they are made. I truly live to eat. :D After all Life is meant to be lived once and i wish to live it to the fullest. I hate to regret later for anything which i missed.

Warm sunny days and cold nights are the apt time to feast with your family. Barbecue parties are so much fun. A sunny day with mild winter breeze, aromas from the barbecue grill and gossips with friends is my perfect idea of a winter Sunday. So my today's share is a perfect starter for a winter affair!

Peas or matar (as known to Indians) is available during winters and for sure its a delightful veggies for many of us. I love it in any form, be it just a Peas Pulao in Lunch or mildly tempered peas with ginger and chilly for breakfast. They are delicious. Truly appetizing. So today, i bring forth a delectable dish made out of peas which is not only different but is loaded with flavors and trust this is a right snacks or starter for those Sunday BBQ feast or the one of those evening when you have surprise guests. Quick to make if all ingredients are handy. Even those who don't relish peas otherwise will dote on this new avatar of peas.

Ingredients:-

1 cup grean peas (I used frozen ones, you could use fresh ones as well)

½ cup soaked soya granules (soak them for 30 mins)

1 cup mashed potatoes

2 finely chopped green chillies

2 tsp grated ginger

Handful of chopped fresh coriander leaves

1 tsp cumin powder

2 tsp coriander powder (freshly roasted coriander seeds roughly ground it in mortal & pestle)

1/4 tsp black pepper powder

1/2 tsp garam masala

1/3 cup bread crumbs

3-4 tbsp flour (maida)

2 tbsp kasuri methi

3-4 tsp red chilli flakes

Salt to taste

Oil for frying

Chaat Masala

Steps to follow:-

1. If using fresh peas, then blanch them with little salt and when soft drain and spread on a kitchen towel to remove all excess water.

2. If using frozen, then blanching is not needed as they are already blanched before being frozen.

3. Transfer the peas to a mixing bowl and add finely chopped green chillies, chopped coriander and grated ginger and thoroughly mash them.

4. Now drain the water from the soya granules and ensure there is no excess water.

5. Now add the soya granules to the peas mixture and mix well.

6. Add mashed potatoes and ensure everything gets together well.

7. Then add the cumin powder, salt to taste, roughly ground coriander powder, black pepper powder, garam masala, kasuri methi & red chilli flakes and mix well to incorporate everything together.

NOTE: You can alter the measurements for red chillies, green chillies, black pepper powder based on the level of spiciness required & your choice of taste. The existing measurements mentioned will give mildly spicy croquettes.

8. Then add the bread crumbs and flour (maida) and mix it well.

9. Now moisten your palm with bit of oil and make roundels.

10. Place a wok on the gas stove and add oil to it for frying.

11. One by one add the croquettes to the oil and deep fry and monitor the flame by alternating between low and medium.

12. Flip the croquettes when one side is golden and sieve them out when cooked well from both the sides.

12. Sprinkle chaat masala on these croquettes and serve hot with your favorite tomato ketchup or any dip/chutney of your choice.

Variation:-

1. Switch your oven to bake mode and preheat the for 20 mins at 170 degree celcius

2. Place a parchment paper on the cookie tray and lay the croquettes onto them and brush them with a tsp of oil on both sides.

3. Bake in two batches for 10-15 minutes, turning every time until both sides are well cooked and appear goldenish brown in color.

Vada Pav...Aamchi Mumbai's much acclaimed street food

Pulsating, Alive, On the move, Vibrant & Fun..these words very appropriately define my feelings for Mumbai. The city that never sleeps is a fascinating town with a compact mix of traditional & the modern. 

Visit to Mumbai was on my cards for long. Little did i know, that after my post grad, the city of dreams as known by everyone across the globe, would be the destination for onset of my professional odyssey. The fast-paced life here is crazy!! It really gives one a lifetime experience. This is in every way the city of dreams and the city of unflinching strength. 

I have grumbled about the city, rued the dearth of infrastructure & civic sense, complained about the fast deteriorating public transport system & the high cost of living & my escalating expenditures, yet I felt life, I felt love, and more than that I felt me in all the moments which made me smile for no reason. Yes, Mumbai holds a very special place in my memories and in my heart. 

The city is home to people from all walks of life where millionaires retire to their plush homes, the middle-class make their way to another day defined by the train timetable and the homeless find their sweet spot on the pavements. Trust, its a confluence of varied class,  cultures & traditions. 

Mumbai is a bustling example of unity in diversity and not to miss out the phenomenal gastronomical adventures that this city has to offer to its residents and to those who happen to visit this hot-spot melting point. More than the big cities famous fine dining experiences, the various food capitals across the globe are known for there scrumptious street food. Similarly, Mumbai streets serve some of the most lip-smacking delicacies that are, in fact, preferred over those served in plush restaurants. The fast-moving life has given rise to hordes of "junk-food outlets" on almost every road, offering delectable choices of city's very own pav bhaji, bhel puri or the well-known Vada Pav, a road-side food, which is an omnipresent feature of urban India.

While today i had an urge to revisit the cherished memoirs of my stint in Mumbai, i decided to recreate the flavors of the much acclaimed Vada Pav with homemade 'cutting chai' in my kitchen. One bite and phewwww..!! You will be convinced why this dish is simply patronized by everyone from all the socio-economic levels.

 

Ingredients:-

1 Packet of Ladi Pav

Butter for basting

7-8 fried green chillies (slit lengthwise, deseeded and the deep fried) 

Amchoor and Salt for coating the fried chillies

Aloo Bondas

 4 big potatoes (boiled, peeled and mashed)

2 green chillies

3-4 garlic cloves minced (from bigger sized garlic pods)

1/2 tsp black mustard seeds

Sprig of curry leaves

1 tsp tumeric powder

2 tsp coriander powder

Coriander leaves for garnishing 

1/2 tsp Asafoetida

Oil for tempering

1/2 cup besan

1/2 cup rice flour

Water

Green Chutney(Dip)

1 cup Coriander leaves

1/2 cup Mint leaves

2 or 3 (If you like it to be spicier, you may add more) Green chillies

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds

Salt to taste

Juice of 1 lemon

Dry Garlic Chutney(Dip) Powder 

1 cup peanuts

1/2 cup grated dessicated coconut

6-8 garlic cloves (from bigger sized garlic pods)

4-5 dried red chiliies

Steps to follows:-

1. Dry roast all the ingredients for garlic chutney separately in a pan.

2. Once the roasted ingredients have cooled down, blitz them in a blender.

3. The powder will be coarse & sticky in texture due to oil released from coconut and peanut.

4. Spread the powder on a sheet of paper, allowing the excessive oil to get removed.

5. Now blend all the ingredients mentioned for green chutney and squeeze in the lemon juice once all has blended well.

6. Heat oil in a pan.

7. Throw in asafoetida, mustard seeds, curry leaves and let them splutter.

8. Add in minced garlic, turmeric and coriander powder and saute.

9. Add the mashed potatoes now and mix everything thoroughly.

10. Add salt and chopped coriander leaves. The aloo mix is ready.

11. Transfer it to a plate and once cooled, make medium sized balls (as shown in the picture)

12. In a bowl add the besan and rice flour with some salt and turmeric.

13. Slowly add in water to the besan-rice flour mix ensuring no lumps are formed. (Use a whisk while doing this)

NOTE: The consistency of the batter should not be very flowy nor too thick. The consistency should resemble that of an idli batter.

Now its time to fry the aloo bondas!! Yayyyyy!!!

14. Heat oil in pan for deep frying.

15. Dip each ball in the batter and ensure it well coats the aloo and slide it slowly in the pool of oil.

16. Keep the gas on the medium flame and fry until the bondas turn golden yellow.

17. Follow the steps for the remaining balls as well.

Now time for the final assembling of the Vada Pav

18. Cut the pav into halves.

19. In a pan, heat some butter and let it melt.

20. Put the pavs on the pan and toast them very lightly (DO NOT make them crisp, just till hey start to brown slightly)

21. Get the pavs on a plate, apply the coriander chutney on the pav and sprinkle some dry garlic chutney, now place the aloo bonda and again sprinkle some more garlic powder on top of the aloo bonda and finally place the second half on the top.

Your Vada Pav is now ready and if you wish for some more tongue tickling flavour, accompany it with some green chillies, slit length wise, de-seeded and deep fried. Further sprinkle some salt and  amchoor powder and give its a toss. Have it with a hot cup of ginger tea and re-live those fond memories.

Duchess Potatoes..with a twist!

I have just returned from a heavenly retreat in placid hills of Kumaon. Long vacations are always rejuvenating! Especially if they are with your loved ones. Its so much of a joy to share pleasure moments with your folks. Uninterrupted chats on long drive, stopping by a breathtaking view & posing for some random shots and for sure, needless to say, the debates over food menu when stopped off at roadside restaurant for a scrumptious family meal. Aahh!! Sounds so amazing. Infact just a thought of it is so reinvigorating! There's a wonderful quote which truly reflects my idea of vacation. 

There’s nothing quite like big, family style dinners filled with good wine and conversation - Anonymous

Well, my idea of a true vacation is incomplete if it has no good food memories. I hail from a family of foodies and fortunately have been married to a true epicure who as well descends from a family of gluttons...We talk, breathe, cook, eat and just loooooove food. Period. Nothing else can dare to take precedence whens its FOOD on our mind.

So, vacations, gets you near to the Family, Food and Nature. Blissss! But to be honest its the time when i sincerely miss my Kitchen. So today, when i got back, i had this urge to dream up a delicious snacker, 'Duchess Potatoes'.. and it certainly gave a kick start to my day.

Potatoes, are unanimously, everyone's favorite. We Indians have this unusual practice of including these lovelies in most of our dishes. Reflects our love for them in true sense. Today, some potatoes in my kitchen got lucky to be a part of my culinary province, in a rather special way. 

Ingredients:-

3 big potatoes
1 egg yolk
2 tablespoon butter
1/2 tsp carrom seeds
1 or 2 finely chopped green chillies
Plenty of freshly ground pepper
1 whole egg (for the egg wash)
Chopped spring onions for garnish

Steps to Follow:-

1. Boil the potatoes in a pressure cooker upto 3-4 whistles.
2. Once soft and pliable, drain the potatoes and set aside to cool slightly.
3. Once the potatoes are no longer hot to the touch, peel of the skin and mash them ensuring there are no lumps or any uncooked hard piece.
4. Add the egg yolk, butter, carrom seeds, salt, pepper and green chillies and vigorously mash again.
5. Preheat the oven to 190 degree celcius and line a baking tray with parchment paper (do not grease).
6. Put the mashed potatoes in a piping bag fitted with a large star nozzle.
7. Pipe the potatoes into 3 inch round fancy circles on the parchment paper.(Just like you do it while icing a cake or cupcakes)
8. Once all the potato mix has been piped, refrigerate for upto 60 mins, wrapped in a cling foil.
9. After an hour, whisk the whole egg with a fork and gently brush over the potatoes
10. Bake the potatoes for 25-30 minutes at 190 degree celsius or until you see them browning along the ridges.  
11. Remove from oven, garnish with chopped spring onions and serve immediately with your choice of tangy spicy dip

I served my Duchess potatoes with a spicy Harissa dip as it best complimented the simplicity of the delicacy. The recipe for the dip can be found here. 

So here's toast to the much cherished food memories and good times spent with our dear ones. 

Adios!