Schezwan potato puffs

The first time I tasted puff pastries was at Monginis, a local bakery chain in India. Hot puffs with coffee is a perfect snack (when you are not counting calories ;) ) Puff pastry is a quick appetizer one can make by using a variety of stuffings, sauces and ingredients. One can make tasty appetizers using spicy stuffings and desserts using the sweeter ones. Here is an idea I thought of to make puffs using chinese sauces. The recipe is given below.
Ingredients
Puff pastry sheets - 1 packet
*Potatoes - 2 medium, sliced and half cooked (3 mins in microwave)
Sesame seeds - 1 Tbsp
Schezwan sauce - 2Tbsp
Cilantro and cheese for garnishing
Oil, salt and sugar
*Potatoes can be replaced with paneer or chicken.

1. Thaw puff pastry sheets for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
2. Heat oil in a pan. Put the sesame seeds, salt, sugar and potatoes in the pan. Fry them well.
3. Then add schezwan sauce and cilantro.
4. Cut the puff pastry sheets in 8 squares. Fill the stuffing inside and give the desired shape to the puffs.
5. Bake the puffs for 15 minutes in the pre-heated oven.
6. Garnish with chopped cilantro and cheese.

Kacchi Dabeli

Kacchi Dabeli is a variety of street food dish from Mumbai, Pune and Gujarat. This is a different version of the more popular Vada-pav ,also known as Indian burger in the US. A mix of spicy potato filling, pomegranate, roasted peanuts, chili -garlic red chutney and sweet chutney with sev stuffed in Pav (Bread) is called Dabeli. Dabeli in Gujarati language means 'to be pressed' or 'sandwiched'. Most of the ingredients are ready-made and easily available.
Recently made this specially for my friend who moved to another city. She just loves this...so I wanted to prepare this for her farewell dinner. Here is the recipe.
Pav / Bread 
Chili-garlic chutney OR Kolhapuri thecha - 2 Tbsp diluted in water  OR (soaked chilies 8-10,garlic,chaat masala, chili powder - 2 tsp) - 1 tsp for 1 dabeli
Sweet chutney - 1 1/2 tsp 
For stuffing - Mashed potatoes - 4, Dabeli masala 1 Tbsp, chaat masala - 1/2 tsp, Onion - 1 small   chopped,   Tomato - 1 small chopped, Oil, salt and sugar.Heat oil in a pan and saute chopped onion and tomatoes, dabeli masala, mashed potatoes, salt, sugar and chaat masala.
Garnishing - Sev, pomegranate, cilantro, roasted peanuts (spicy flavored preferred),Grated cheese ( opt.)
Put the stuffing in the casserole and then spread all the garnishing on it. Make a slit in the bread/pav and make a pocket. Put the stuffing in the bread. Put the sweet and spicy chutneys according to your taste.Garnish it with sev, cilanro, peanuts and pomegranate. Heat the pan and roast dabeli  with 1 tsp butter or just microwave it for 10 sec. Enjoy the recipe.

Aloha sandwich

Alohaaa.... :) That's a Hawaiian word which means Hello or Goodbye... On our way to Hana in Maui, we tasted a dish called the "Aloha sandwich" and really liked it. A few days after coming back home, I tried recollecting the ingredients and here is what became my version of the Aloha sandwich.This is a real quick sandwich recipe for breakfast or an evening snack.

Sandwich bread - 2 slices (I used hamburger buns here but sandwich breads are preferred)
**Refried beans -  (1/2 cup). Add Schezuan sauce (11/2 Tbsp ), Pepper - (1 tsp).Add Paprika - 1 tsp + 1/2 tsp red chili powder to the refried beans spread.
Veggies - Cucumber slices, lettuce, Alpha alpha sprouts (optional) 
Small fruit chunks - Pineapple, papaya (optional) 
Shredded cheese - 1 Tbsp

Salt  - to taste

 Spread the butter ( 1 tsp)  and  Refried beans spread(1Tbsp for 2 slices)  on the bread slices. Arrange all the veggies and fruit chunks. Put the shredded cheese ( opt.) on it and enjoy the sandwich with ketchup ... Alohaa :)
* If refried beans are not available, you can use boiled and blended black eyed peas and add 1 tsp onion powder, 1 garlic powder and salt to taste.





 

Ragda - patties

Though elsewhere it is called as aaloo tikki chaat , but we Mumbaikars call it ''Ragda patties''. This is one of the most popular street snack items you will relish across Mumbai. The main ingredients are mashed white peas curry and potato patties. The curry is garnished with a spicy n sweet chutney , nylon sev and cilantro. I had never tried this dish before marriage. But my hubby is the biggest fan of all chaat items so I tried my hand at this dish.

For patties - Boiled and mashed potatoes (4-5) , fresh bread crumbs (1 cup), salt, chopped green chillies and ginger garlic paste (1 tsp). Mix and knead all the ingredients to form round patties and shallow-fry them.

For Ragda ( white -peas curry) - Boiled and mashed white peas,One small onion chopped, ginger-garlic paste, cumin powder (1tsp), coriander powder (1tsp), Chaat masala ( 1tsp),  sweet chutney (1 Tbsp) and  salt. Heat oil in a pan. Put tempering of jeera or cumin seeds (1 tsp). Fry onions and ginger-garlic paste in the oil. Mix all the above ingredients.

For sweet chutney - Soaked dates (10 -12), soaked tamarind (1 Tbsp), chili powder (1/4 tsp), jeera powder (1/4 tsp),sugar (1 Tbsp). Blend all the ingredients to make sweet chutney.

For Spicy chutney - Mint leaves, cilantro leaves, green chillies, ginger (1/2) inch, black salt, Chaat masala  (1 tsp) and lime juice. Blend all the ingredients to make green chutney.

Garnishing - Chopped cilantro, onions, tomatoes and Nylon sev. sweet chutney, spicy chutney

Mix sweet and spicy chutneys with ragda in a plate. Then place the patties. Garnish with above ingredients. and enjoy !!!

Baked chicken fritters / chicken kababs

Ingredients -

Ground / chopped chicken - 250 gm
Egg - whites - 2
Lime juice - few drops
Ginger paste -  1tsp
Garlic paste  -  1 tsp
Green chilies -  3-4 ( chopped )
Onion - 1 med. ( chopped )
Red chili powder -  1 tsp
Turmeric - a pinch

Cilantro , salt - 
Cornstarch - 1 Tbsp

Salt

Recipe  -
1. Mix all the above ingredients.
2. Beat the egg-whites and mix it with above mixture.
3. Make the small balls. Grease the tray with the cooking spray and place these kababs.
4. Preheat the oven at  350 degree F. and then bake it for 25 minutes.

5. Serve with dips available or mint chutney or sauce.

I  have used  egg- whites instead of the whole eggs and also, baking saves few calories here !!!  Enjoy the recipe !!!

kakdi nu pudala / Cucumber pancakes

Ingredients -
Cucumber  ( Grated ) - 2
Rice flour    -  1 cup
Wheat flour  - 1 cup
Semolina OR rawa - 1 tbsp 
Curd            -  1/2 cup
Green chilies  - 3-4
Ginger           - 1 tsp
cumin seeds   - 1 tsp
Amchur OR dry mango powder - 1/2tsp
Cilantro, salt
Oil  - 

Recipe -
1. Grate cucumber and then mix all the ingredients in the bowl.
2. Then add the water and make a pancake like consistency.Use semolina only if the coarsely ground rice flour is not available.
3. Grease the pan or put some oil in the pan and heat it .
4. Put these pancakes or pudalas.
5. Put a lid n let it cook for 2-3 mins and then turn it.

6. It  should be served with the hot tomato chutney, lasun chutney or thecha ... tastes awesome !!!

This is again one of my favorite recipe and nutritious too !!!  Actually my neighbor use to make these n I use to love it. She taught me how to make these.
Fresh cucumer  has a very high water content ( 95% ) and they are low in calories 15 kcal/ 100gm. They are fair source of iron, potassium, Vitamin A and Vitamin C. Peeled cucumber have only the traces of Vitamin A. It is cool , refreshing, filling and not fattening.
Also, according to the practitioners of herbal medicine, the consumption of cucumber induces copious urination which helps the body to get rid of the excessive water. ( Foods & Nutrition Encyclopedia )

Sago Khichdi

Ingredients -

Sago ( soaked)  -  2 cups
Peanuts ( roasted ) - 2 Tbsp
Potato ( opt.) Boiled & cubed - 1/2 cup
Green chilies  - 4 no.

Cilantro  -
Cumin seeds   -  1 tsp
Curry leaves   -  4-5
Olive oil  OR ghee -  2 tsp
Sugar  -  1 1/2 tsp
Recipe -
1. Soak the sago for at least 6 -8 hrs.
2. Roast the peanuts and crush them. Some people prefer to totally grind  them. But, I don't.
3. Mix the soaked sago and crushed peanuts, sugar and salt in a bowl. It will keep the sago grains separated from each other. and microwave it for 3 minutes.
4. Heat the olive oil or ghee in the pan. I prefer the olive oil.
5. Put the tempering of cumin seeds, chopped chilies, curry leaves, boiled and cubed potatoes.
6. Put the cilantro and garnish it.
7. Serve hot with the curd.
I hardly know someone who doesn't like Sabudana Khichdi. Its a very popular dish. I had some misconception that I can't prepare it without at least 2-3 Tbsps of ghee. But using this microwave option saves many calories that comes from fat and that too without spoiling the texture and consistency of the dish.

Sago is the starch extracted from the trunks of  various tropical palms. It  is the basic food in the southwest pacific where sago meals are used for making various puddings, soups and cookies. To make the sago , the trunks of the palm trees are cut into pieces.The bark is taken off and the inner portion is soaked in water to remove the starch.The pulpy paste that results is dried and used as a sago meal.  When the paste is rubbed through a sieve, it results in the pearl sago.  ( The nutrition and health dictionary - By Percy Russell, Anita Williams )

cabbage thalipeeth

Ingredients -

Bengal gram flour - 1 cup
Rice flour  -  1/2 cup
Wheat flour -1/2 cup
Cabbage    - 1 1/2 cup chopped
Onion        -  1 med. chopped
Green chilies - 3-4
Cilantro -
Red chili powder - 1 tsp
Ginger garlic paste- 2tsp
Turmeric - 1/4 tsp
Cumin seeds - 1/2 tsp

Recipe -
1.  Mix all the ingredients and make a sticky dough. Take the  plastic sheet or a bag. Spread the 2-3 drops of water on it. and then take a dough .
2. Now lightly place the dough on the plastic bag. Use the fingertips to pat the dough -ball  into flat pancake.
3. Make the hole in the center of the pancake.
4. Heat the pan and put some oil into it.
4. Now gently turn the thalipeeth  upside down and put the thalipeeth into the preheated  pan .
5. Put some water on 1 side and then put the lid.
6. let it cook for some time and then turn it. Thalipeeth is ready to serve.

Thalipeeth is the  traditional Maharashtrian dish. It is the multi-grain pancake. Thali means plate and peeth means the dough. One can find ready-made mix for Thalipeeth in the market. I didn't have it, so I have used different flours available. One can use Ragi in this which is really nutritious, high fiber and  high calcium source. Addition of dal -flour and cereal flour makes it good quality protein. Addition of Cabbage , onion provides the fiber. One can add palak, methi, or any possible veggies to it. It meets the requirements of the balanced dish. One can make it for a weekday dinner or a Sunday brunch.Its quick, easy and nutritious !!! Usually people love to eat it with the curd or raita and lahsun chutney.

Kothimbir vadi ( Cilantro cutlets)

Ingredients -

Cilantro - 1 bunch
Bengal gram flour - 1 cup
Rice flour - 1 Tbsp
ginger paste - 1 tsp
Garlic paste - 1/2 tsp
Corriander seed powder - 1 tsp
Lime juice - 1 tsp
Green chilies - 3
Red chili powder - 1tsp
Asafoetida or hing - 1/2 tsp
sugar - 1tsp
salt
sesame seeds - 2tsp

(  * One can just steam  and put the tempering on the steam vadis. Traditionally , it is deep fried , but shallow frying is a good method to make it tasty and comparatively healthy. )
RECIPE -
1. Chop cilantro finely. Add gram flour and rice flour and mix with all the ingredients above except sesame seeds.
2. Grease the plate. and put the above mixture in the plate. Let it steam for 8-10 minutes .
3. Let it cool down. And then cut into squares.
4. Heat oil in the pan. Put the sesame seeds and shallow fry these cilantro cutlets or Kothimbir Vadi.

Kothimbir vadi is the traditional Maharashtrian dish. Unlike vada-pav and pav-bhaji this food item is uncommon.One can hardly find this on the restaurant menu. This really very tasty dish can be served as a snack with chutney or it could be an appetizer in a meal. I like to eat it as part of a  meal.
I was missing mom's kothimbir vadi and never tried it before.That day my friend came for a lunch and I wanted to make something special for her. It turned out really tasty. My friend never tasted this dish before. She just loved it !!!

Usually we use cilantro to garnish some dishes, but in this dish cilantro is the main ingredient. Cilantro is rich in pro-vitamin A ( carotene).It is rich in Vitamin C ( which diminishes on storage),potassium, fibre,iron. And 1 cup of cilantro has only 5 kcal. ( Culinary Herbs )

aaloo- methi paratha

Ingredients-

mashed Potato - 1 cup
Fenugreek leaves - 1 bunch
green chilies - 3-4
garam masala - 11/2 tsp
Onion - 1 med.
Wheat flour - 2 cups
Bengal gram flour - 1 cup
Salt
Pepper - 1/2 tsp
oil - 1 Tbsp

Recipe -

1. Knead the dough by adding wheat flour, Bengal gram flour,salt, pepper and 1 tsp oil.
2. Chop onions and green chilies. Put oil in a pan and then saute chopped onions , green chilies,fenugreek leaves, garam masala, salt.
3. Add mashed potatoes to the mixture.
4. Divide the dough into small round portions and roll it. Then add the stuffing to it. and then again roll the paratha.
5. Roast the paratha and then add some oil .
6. serve with raita or salad.

Addition of bengal gram flour to the wheat flour, makes it complete protein. addition of methi and onions add fibre to it.Fenugreek is the cleansing and soothing herb which also has mild laxative properties. When we eat these parathas with curd or raita it makes a complete meal as it meets all the food groups.