D I W A L I G R E E T I N G S ..............

Wishing all the readers of As Dear As Salt a very Happy and Joyous Diwali...........
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Here are a few snacks/dishes that you may like to try this festive season......
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Dates and Pistachio Poli

Ragada Patties

Paneer Puri

Badam no Seero

Sweet Potato Paratha

Matthi Puri

See you all after a short break!

Red Lentil Soup with Fried Onion, Lime, Mint and Cilantro Dressing....

Red Lentil Soup has a lot many variations worldwide! One of the wonderful ways to dress up a bowl of hearty lentil soup is by adding crunchy fried onions mixed with lime juice and lots of chopped cilantro and mint, it makes for a burst of flavors!!! This one is an adaptation from the middle eastern way of cooking.
I use my trusted pressure cooker to finish off the job in a few minutes........ I mean, I like to think I've a life....lol! You sure can simmer it in a sauce pan!

Red Lentil Soup with Fried Onion, Lime, Mint and Cilantro Dressing....
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1 cup Red Lentils/Masoor Dal
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped
2 tbsp celery, chopped (optional)
1 tomato chopped OR 1 tbsp tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 tsp ginger, minced
1 tbsp oil/butter
1 tsp cumin powder
1tbsp coriander/dhania powder
salt & pepper to taste
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Garnish:
4 tbsp fried onions
4 tbsp finely chopped coriander/cilantro leaves
2 tsp mint leaves, chiffonade
4 tbsp lime juice, use as per taste
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1. Wash the lentils well and soak in water till you chop the vegetables and get the other ingredients ready.
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2. Chop onion, carrot and celery. The mix of these three together is a base for almost all kinds of soups and is also known as 'the trinity' or 'Mirepoix' in French cooking! Don't ya love those fancy terms ;)
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3. Heat oil, add the mirepoix and saute on medium till they soften. Take care not to brown the onions, that changes the taste of the soup.
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4. Add ginger and garlic, saute 30 seconds. Add chopped tomato/paste.
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5. Add drained lentils, spices and about 5/6 cups of water. Cook till done. It takes just one whistle in my pressure cooker, about 40 minutes in a saucepan. Add salt an pepper to taste.
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6. Some people like to blend the soup, at this point, I don't. I like this soup a little on the runny side which helps take on the dressing flavors better, in my opinion. Do as you please :)
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7. Now comes the incredible dressing part, which in itself is yummmmm :) Mix 1tbsp fried onions, 1 tbsp chopped cilantro, 1/2 tsp mint chiffonade and 1 tbsp lime juice, garnish over the soup and serve immediately.
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8. The crispy onions and the tartness from the lime juice make for one amazing tasty soup! I won't recommend this soup without these two!
Definitely one of my favorite soups, serve with any bread you like for a delicious meal this winter or any season for that matter!!
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Variations:
You can add greens like spinach, kale etc when the soup is cooked and simmer till the greens wilt for an extra healthy serving :)
You can always omit the mint if you don't have access to it.
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Enjoy..........

Sweet Potato Paratha - The Non-Stuffed Kind !!

How about discussing the similarities, differences and then some about Sweet Potatoes and Yams some other time :) For now, I'll just tell you about my affinity for this lovely tuber :)
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I enjoy a Sweet Potato(as I know it), by boiling it and then just a sprinkling of salt, pepper and lemon juice :) And my mom's sweet potato chaat brings me immense joy!! It includes fresh boiled & chopped sweet potatoes, banana & guava in tamarind sauce.........YUM :) I can down bowls full of this "nutritious" chaat any given day!!
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In my quest to try different recipes with this adorable tuber, I made Paratha's and to make things simpler, made the non-stuffed kind ;) This recipe is inspired from the much talented BurekaBoy's puris.

Sweet Potato Paratha
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2 sweet potatoes, boiled
1.5 cups wheat flour (regular chapati atta)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp chili powder, adjust to taste

a generous pinch of asafoetida/hing
salt to taste
5-6 mint leaves finely chopped (optional)
(coriander leaves work very well here, but i had just used up my entire stock making chutney, so I tried mint leaves from my beautiful plant, a thoughful gift from a dear blogger friend! )

2 tbsp yogurt/dahi
1 tbsp oil
a few tbsp water to knead the dough
a few tbsp oil to cook the paratha
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1. Peel the boiled sweet potatoes.
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2. Mix wheat flour, spices, yogurt, oil and mashed sweet potatoes. Mix well to incorporate the spices in to the flour.
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3. Add water as required to knead a soft and smooth dough. Keep aside for an hour for the flavors to develop. If pressed for time can make them immediately as well.
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4. Heat a griddle/tava. Roll into medium sized parathas and cook like a regular paratha, spreading a few drops of oil on both the sides while cooking them.
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5. Keep covered in a box lined with paper napkins. Enjoy these soft and delicious parathas. They are very easy to roll and stay very soft for a long time. Can be served with chutney & pickle of your choice and some yogurt on the side :) They make a wonderful accompaniment to Tea!!!!
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Enjoy!!!

Rice Pudding with Peach Sauce AND Jeera(cumin) Baby Alu(potato) Fry

I tread the produce section a bit cautiously!

I know you are wondering Why? Let me tell you :)
I have to do so, lest I come home with a Pluot or a Plucot in lieu of something else that I had in mind!

Pluot, it seems is a cross between a plum and an apricot, half plum half apricot said the label. It is called a plucot if the percentage of apricot is higher!!!!!!!!

The first time I saw this, I spent a good 5 minutes staring at the pluot, weirder combinations crossing my mind :) even got a few glances from the people around! Maybe I'm not 'THAT' open minded ;)

So if you ever come across a situation wherein you cannot decide between a plum or an apricot, Pluot can come to your rescue....LOL!!!!!

Still unsure why do I need to eat 'Y' if I feel like a 'X' ??
A lil' extravagant, aren't we ;)
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Anyway, these hybrid sorts do not tempt my fancy, in fact, I'm a little wary of them!!
I like my plum to be a plum and my peach to be a peach :) I'm a simpleton you know .... ;)

Speaking of which, that I'm obsessed about Peaches is an understatement! I am as crazy about them as some folks are about Mango.
Nope it is not a comparison, just an observation :)

Almost get the withdrawal symptoms when the season is ending, such is my fondness for these beauties of a fruit !!!

Most of the times it is enjoyed as is, but I do make a few dishes out of it and
Rice Pudding with Peach Sauce is one of them! I do try to avoid putting too much sugar or butter into the preparation, that would take away from the taste of the lovely peaches.
Please do let me know of any concoctions that you make, using peach, will appreciate it. You can leave a comment with the same :)
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2 heaped tbsp rice, washed & soaked for 15 minutes
2.5 cups milk
sugar as per taste
2 peaches
1 tsp lime/lemon juice.
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1. Bring the milk to boil in a thick bottom saucepan.
2. Drain water from the rice and crush lightly with your hands. If you are making a huge quantity, you can pulse it in the mixer for a few turns till the rice breaks, not to be made into a paste.
3. Add crushed rice to the boiling milk and cook till the rice is done.
4. Add sugar as per taste, stir a few minutes and take off from fire, your basic rice pudding is ready. Cool in the refrigerator, will thicken a lot on cooling.
5. For the Peach sauce: De-skin the peaches and chop into pieces.
Sprinkle sugar(depending upon the tartness of the peaches) and 4/5 drops of lime juice. Let rest for 10/15 minutes. Blend to form a puree OR if you like some chunks in the sauce, just mash coarsely with a fork. Chill. I've displayed both the variations.
6. To serve:
Add a few tablespoons of the pudding into decorative bowls. Top with chilled peach sauce.
Indulge your senses with a Peachy Rice Pudding!This goes to Sharmi for JFI-Rice
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And now over to one of my most loved vegetables ever - Presenting Mr. Potato/Alooooooo
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An Ode to the spud!!!!!

How sweet and tasty art thou!
You blend so well with one and all!
You are the saviour of all vegeterians, when they travel outside their comfort zones!
You are wrongly accused, yet you take it all in your stride!
Well knowing it is not you, but your accomplices Mr. Cream & Mr. Butter who are to blame!
You nourish us with all the vitamins and minerals we need, so selflessly!
Oh! Mr. Potato, what would we do without you!!!!!!
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WOOPS! got a bit teary eyed there, for my dear potato ;)
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Jeera Baby Alu Fry
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8 baby alu
1 tsp jeera(cumin) seeds
1 tbsp jeera, freshly roasted and crushed
1/2 tsp chili powder
1.5 tbsp oil
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1. Par boil baby alu. I microwave it for 6 minutes.
2. Peel.
3. Heat oil and pan fry the potato till it gets a crispy exterior, remove and keep aside.
4. In the same oil add cumin seeds, splutter. Add hing(asafoetida), crushed jeera, chili powder and immediately add the potatoes. Add salt and let cook for a few minutes till the flavors blend.
5. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.
6. Simple and tasty Jeera Baby Alu Fry is ready to be savored as an appetizer or a side dish.
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My contribution to the Think Spice Think Cumin event hosted by Sunita.

MOOGACHI USAL - Usal Made From Whole Moong

anticlockwise: chapati, moogachi usal, batata bhaji, dhokla
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There are so many ways to consume whole dals like Moong, Matki, Chawli/Lobia, Kala Chana, Val, Vatana and so on. One of them is the Maharashtrian way of making a dryish curry utilising these whole dals, called Usal. Usal can be made from a single dal or as a mix of a few dals.

One of the important ingredients in making Usal is the 'Goda Masala'. This Maharashtrian blend of spices lends a distinct taste and aroma to the usal, which is hard to replicate with any other masala. Each house has it's own special touch to make Usal, which makes such a delightful protein addition to any meal :)
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Here is how I made Moong Usal/Moogachi Usal.

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1 cup whole Moong
(I soak the Moong for a couple of hours, but if in a hurry it can be cooked without soaking as well)
1 onion chopped fine
2 cloves garlic chopped fine
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1 heaped tsp Goda Masala
salt as per taste
1 tsp tamarind paste OR 1 tbsp lime/lemon juice
1 tbsp jaggery
Tadka/Phodni: 1 tbsp oil, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, hing, curry leaves
Garnish: 2tbsp chopped coriander leaves, 1 tbsp grated coconut
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1. Cook whole moong till done. I pressure cooked it for 3 whistles with 1/2 cup water. Takes longer to cook in a sauce pan, about 15-20 minutes.
2. Heat oil. Add tadka ingredients, let splutter.
3. Add onion and fry till translucent.
4. Add garlic and saute a minute. Add all masala powders, jaggery and tamarind/lime juice. Add 1/2 cup water and boil for a few minutes.
5. Add boiled moong and mix well, cover and cook about 5 minutes.
6. Garnish with coriander leaves & coconut.
7. Serve with roti or rice.
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Goda Masala is available at most desi grocery stores, Kepra & Bedekar being some popular brands.
Recipe adapted from here.
This is my contribution to Nupur's A-Z Of Vegetables.
This is also my contribution for RCI-Maharashtra.
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Burgers and French Open

click on the pic to enlarge :)

Last weekend we were watching the two ladies fight it out on the courts, Sharapova the glamorous and Schnyder the demure, yet strong!

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It looked as if Schnyder would take away the match and it was just the fourth round! Papa Yuri was busy biting his nails, this is when the game turned around. There being no tie-breaker in the final set at the French Open, the ladies fought it out till the end and Sharapova did emerge the winner. She has some power, under all that 'i feel pretty'.
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Well, as far back as I can remember, I always loved watching Tennis. I remember, back home we as a family always loved to watch the grand slams. We used to be glued to the TV and would follow the games diligently, blissfully oblivious to the fact it might have been a recorded telecast! But we sure did enjoy it and so grew my love for the game.
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It was a dream come true to watch US Open at the Arthur Ashe stadium in NY for the first time when I came to this country. Waiting in line outside the stadium, ready to be ushered in as soon as the morning session got over, I just could not contain myself for those few minutes. Soon the gates opened and I was admiring everything wide eyed! There were numerous stores who had put up shop there and we just browsed around for a while & bought a few keepsakes :) Walking around, we saw the side courts and looked at the game schedules.

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Finally we entered the Arthur Ashe stadium, I was like a kid in a candy store, totally mesmerised & blown away. It is one of my most memorable experiences, had so much fun that we went back again the next day!!! Also got to watch a game at Louis Armstrong Stadium, it being the older of the two. The stadium experience is totally awesome, one not to be missed, specially if you are a tennis fan. The feel is totally different from what one experience's on TV. Getting to watch the real game, no biased commentary or unnecessary remarks! It's fun to make your own judgements about the game and it is your view point, not someone else's :)

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It's a given that it usually rains the weekend of the games, and that year it was no different! The officials had to reschedule many matches and that meant big names playing on the side courts :) That year I got to watch Kim Clisters, Lleyton Hewitt, Andre Agassi, Andy Roddick, Safin and many more. It's going to be wonderful watching my favorite player, the smooth & unbeatable Federer, in action this time around :) Boy! is he good, or is he good!!!!! He is one classy player! !
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Moral of the story?
Burgers make a good meal while watching tennis :)

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I had my eye on Nandita's bulghur burgers, not having any bulghur on hand I opted for black eye beans patties.
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Here is how I made them.
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Black eye Beans/Lobia/Chavli Patties

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1 cup lobia
1 onion chopped
3 cloves garlic finely chopped
3 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
2 bread slices
2 green chili chopped
salt, chili powder, garam masala, amchur, roasted cumin seed powder
2 tbsp rava/sooji/semolina
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1. Soak lobia for 2 hrs.
2. Pressure cook till done. I pressure cooked it for 3 whistles. Cool and drain.
3. Mash drained lobia. Add onion, masala powders, garlic, coriander leaves & bread which is dipped in water & squeezed.
4. Divide the dough into equal sizes, make into balls and then flatten to get patties.
5. Heat a griddle, spray some oil. Dip the patties in a plate of rava and arrange over the griddle. The rava is to coat it very lightly, do not make a thick coating out of it.
6. Shallow fry one side, flip and do the same for the other side.
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In the meanwhile get the condiments ready. The burgers tend to be a little dry, so I used two kinds of chutney to slather on the bread.
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I made Mint/pudina chutney.

Here is the recipe of pudina chutney as made in a punjabi household.

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Blend 1 bunch mint with
2 tbsp coriander leaves,
2 green chili,
1/2 red onion,
1 clove garlic (optional),
roasted cumin seeds,
salt,
anardana powder(can substitute with lemon juice),
1/4 tsp sugar
Adjust seasoning & spices as per taste. It tastes YUM!
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I usually make red bell pepper aioli, this time I tried Trupti's recipe for red bell pepper dip with a slight change based on my pantry items.
Blend 1 cup roasted bell pepper, 1/2 cup curds, salt, pepper, 2 cloves garlic, 1/2 onion, 1tbsp lemon juice and red chili flakes.
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Chop cabbage, onion, tomato & cucumber to serve with the burger.
I buttered the bread and also had my favorite cheese wedges handy.
You can choose your combination of condiments and salad as per taste.
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I has some dough leftover and made these cutlets the next day. I shaped the dough into oblong shape like fingerlings, rolled them in cornflour & deep fried them. Served with ketchup :)

Many Thanks to Nandita & Trupti for the ideas :)

This is my contribution to Coffee's MBP-Going Lite.

This would also make one spicy breakfast, I would also like to send this over to Trupti for WBB-Spice it up!

Ragda Patties

We were tired and hungry, all 13 of us, including the two extras!!

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I'm talking about a few (!) years back, when I, as a part of my school hockey team had won inter-district competition and had qualified for inter-state competition. We were in Nagpur for this event. The food served was less than appetising even to hungry 14 year olds, we made do with some vada pav available in the vicinity of the school grounds and were hungry 15 minutes later!

Whilst thus roaming aimlessly, we bumped in to 'A', the captain of the opposing team and a localite at that. Our team captain 'K' had befriended her in the short 2 day period. 'K' had a vibrant personality and could befriend anyone she met even once, let alone the captain of the opposing team! While K & A chatted a bit, we just stood there, hands in our pockets thinking about our next meal. A invited K over to her house and looking vaguely in our direction said, why don't you guys join in too? What! 13 of us? including the two extras? We were evil then, always treating the two extras with lesser respect ;)

But we more than jumped at the opportunity thinking of the food that we might get to eat at her house. Poor 'A' might have been alarmed, but she had already spoken, so off we went to her house, all 13 of us!

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It was a small 2 room apartment, the lack of furniture was more than made up by the warm welcome given by her mom. We sat on the bed in the room, a few of us cross legged on the floor, every one's gaze fixed toward the kitchen :) As her mom emerged from the kitchen, our gaze followed her, she said she had made Ragda Patties and asked A to help her get the snacks into the room. Our faces had a distinct smile, all waiting hungrily and greedily :)

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A and her mom got the Patties in a couple of plates and Ragda in a bowl, we all shared from those plates and devoured the whole thing in a matter of few minutes.

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It was a simple snack, sans grandeur, sans pretense! It is one of the cherished moments and I remember the scene vividly to this day! I guess it was the warmth which struck a chord, the taste of the dish was never in question! I will treasure this memory with me forever, it was one fine moment!!

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I never met 'A' after that, but the memory still brings forth strong emotions when I think of it :)
There is a saying in India, 'Atithi Devo Bhavo', which means treat your guests like you would treat God. I've never seen anyone leave my parents house without first having something to eat, that is just the way it is :)

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So in honor of 'A' and her mom, for thinking about us hungry souls, how about a plate of steaming hot Ragda Patties!

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Ragda Patties
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Lets start with the Patties, which on it's own makes a yummy snack to go with tea. There are various kinds of Patties, I make mine with just boiled potatoes. I do not spice up my Patties too much, I like to use various aromatic and colorful chutneys to do the job :)
Also I shallow fry these little bundles of taste rather than deep frying them and you would never know the difference, trust me on this one ;)

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Patties

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4 potatoes boiled
2 tbsp coriander leaves
2 tbsp bread crumbs (optional)
salt, chili powder as per taste
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1. Mash the boiled potatoes well to a smooth mush.

2. Add salt, chili powder, bread crumbs and coriander leaves and mix well.

3. Shape into lemon sized balls and flatten to get the shape in the picture below.

4. Heat a non-stick griddle, spray with oil (in the absence of a spray, just drizzle a few teaspoons of oil). Add a few patties as per the size of the griddle and shallow fry one side till golden, flip, spray some more oil and fry till the other side is done too. Using a fairly large sized griddle allows one to cook many patties at a time, thus making this an excellent party dish and is loved by all.

Now for the Ragda recipe.
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1 cup yellow peas soaked overnight (green peas are not to be used for ragda)
3 tbsp onion chopped
Tadka: 1tbsp oil, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafoetida, curry leaves
2 slit green chili (this can be easily discarded after cooking to make sure kids do not chew on it)
salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder
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1. Cook yellow peas till done, I pressure cook them which is the fastest & most efficient method in my experience.

2. Heat oil, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafoetida & curry leaves. Let splutter and then add slit green chili and onion, saute till translucent. Add all the masala powders and boiled peas. Add more water as per desired consistency and simmer a few minutes.
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For serving:
Coriander chutney, Tamarind chutney & Garlic chutney. You can find the recipes for all the chutneys here. These chutney's freeze well and come in handy with all the savory snacks!
1 onion chopped fine
coriander leaves chopped
lemon/lime juice
Fried chickpea (sev/ganthia)
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Arrange 2-3 petite Patties in a bowl, let hot ragda drip over the nimble patties. Sprinkle chopped onion and splash the three chutneys as per your taste, be it hot & spice or sweet & tangy :) Can squeeze lemon juice as per taste.
Finally sprinkle the fried goodies(sev) over it and enjoy a bowl of sizzling hot Ragda Patties! Have I perked your interest yet ;)

This is my contribution to Nupur's A-Z series.

My contribution to dear Archana's One D event :)

Weekend Brunch with Buttermilk Upma

I've always had an affinity for a well made Upma and as a kid polished off my breakfast real quick if it was upma. This is one dish which can be cooked up in a jiffy and can be made in so many ways. This time I tried this buttermilk upma recipe from Mahanandi and it turned out so tangy and tasty. Here is my version for the weekend brunch.
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1. 1 cup sooji/upma rava/cream of wheat
2. 1.5 cups buttermilk and 1.5 cups water
3. 1 green chili finely chopped
4. 1 onion chopped
5. 2tbsp crushed green peas
6. Tadka: 2tbsp oil, rai, jeera, 1Tbsp chana dal, 1 red chili, hing, curry leaves, 1/4 cup cashew
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Heat oil, add rai, jeera, chana dal & hing, let splutter.
Add curry leaves, red chili, cashew, green chili, onion & crushed peas, fry for a few minutes.
Add rava and saute well till you get a good aroma.
Once rava is roasted, add salt, buttermilk & water, stir well.
Cover & cook till buttermilk & water is absorbed.
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We enjoyed this upma with fresh papaya for a refreshing weekend brunch :)

Beetroot Pulav

Sure, it has an enticing color, but it leaves it's mark on everything it touches, the hands, knife, cutting board, cooking pots and the like, yes it is the beloved Beetroot! Well known for it's nutrition content, though I guess the jury is still out on it's curative properties for anemia, it is widely used in salads, raita, pachadi, koshimbir and wherever you need to get the dark pink color naturally.
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I try to make different kinds of pulav once a week, they make a well balanced meal with a side of yogurt/raita and some prefer a pickle as well. As you all know beetroot has a sweet taste, when using it in savory dishes it is imperative to use good amount of your favorite spices. Let's go straight to the recipe of Beet Pulav.
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1 cup rice
1 beetroot finely cubed
1 onion finely chopped
1/2 green bell pepper chopped
1 tbsp ginger/garlic paste
1.5 tbsp oil
2 green chili (as per taste)
mustard seeds, cumin seeds, curry leaves, hing(asafoetida), 1tbsp cashew
turmeric powder, chili powder, garam masala (as per taste)
1 tbsp lime/lemon juice
Garnish: Fried Moong dal
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1. Soak rice for 1/2 hour. (I soak the rice for a minimum of 10 minutes and a maximum of 1hr). I do this while I'm chopping the vegetables and getting everything else ready.
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2. Mince the green chili along with the ginger/garlic paste.
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3. Chop all the vegetables.
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4. Heat oil, add mustard seeds, jeera, let splutter. Add hing, curry leaves, cashew and chopped onion. Once the onion turns translucent, add minced items along with chopped bell pepper and beetroot, saute for a few minutes.
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5. Add salt, all the masala powders and soaked rice. Add water and cook till done. You can use whatever method you prefer to cook rice, rice cooker, sauce pan or pressure cooker. I made it in a pressure cooker using 1:2 ratio for rice:water and cooked it for 2 whistles. Squeeze lemon juice and garnish with fried moong dal just before serving. I chose this garnish for a little variation from the good old coriander leaves, you may use either :) Just saute soaked moong dal in a tsp of oil till done but still crunchy.
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6. Enjoy colorful Beet Pulav with any raita or plain yogurt and your favorite pickle/chutney!
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7. I use the same process for most kinds of Pulav.

Nylon Khaman Dhokla Sandwich

No, I would not go that far just to make up a 'N', it is really called that!

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I have also heard of nylon poha and nylon sabudana, a litttle wierd I would say! I have come up with my own explanation as to why it may have gotten the not so appetising name, 'Nylon Dhokla' !
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Well, when I think of nylon, the things that come to my mind are the long and comfortable chairs back home with the nylon cloth material sewn as the base of the chair or the nylon bags that we happily trotted around with as kids and of course who can forget the nylon saree;-)

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My theory is, nylon, for some reason unbeknownst to me, translates to 'instant' or 'pre-processed' in the case of food items. The traditional khaman dhokla is made by soaking a mixture of various dals, grinding it and then fermenting it before finally steaming it into a dhokla. But the nylon one is made of chickpea flour (besan), no grinding or fermenting involved here. It is an instant version and hence the name nylon khaman dhokla. Phew! Now that we have the definition out of the way, we can safely proceed to the recipe.

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I learnt this recipe from 'G' aunty when she was visiting us from India some time back. I watched her prepare it once and now follow all the steps diligently to make this snack. Speaking of 'G' aunty, I will be happy if I've even half the energy & enthusiasm that she has when I reach her age ;-)
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Khaman dhokla is a much loved Gujarati snack. It is a steamed snack with a tempering of mustard, cumin, sesame and is adorned with coriander leaves & grated coconut. It is usually served with coriander chutney. It can also be made into a sandwich by spreading layers of green chutney or ketchup in between slices of dhokla. This is one snack which goes very well in parties as well.
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Here is how I make Nylon Khaman Dhokla Sandwich.
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1 cup chick pea flour (besan)
1 cup water

1 tsp ginger & green chili paste
1 heaped tsp sugar
salt, turmeric powder, 1tbsp lemon/lime juice
1 tsp eno salt
1tbsp oil, mustard seeds, jeera, hing, sesame seeds, curry leaves, 2 slit green chili
chopped coriander leaves, grated coconut

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Mix of 3 tbsp lemon/lime juice, 1tbsp water & 1 tbsp sugar (as per taste)
1/2 cup green chutney

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Blend chick pea flour, water, chili-ginger paste, lemon/lime juice, salt, turmeric powder, sugar very well. Do not add all the water at once, add little at a time and make the batter a little thinner than bhajia batter. You might need just a tbsp or two less than the whole cup. Mix it well and make sure there are no lumps. Keep water for steaming in a wide pan. These days you also get special dhokla steamers in the market as pictured below. In the absence of this you can use any shallow container for steaming.

Add eno salt to the batter and mix very well. Steam till an inserted knife comes out clean, about 15-17 minutes on high flame. Let cool. Heat oil, add mustard seeds, jeera, hing, sesame seeds, curry leaves, 2 slit green chili and keep this tempering aside.

For the sandwich, prepare two slabs of the dhokla. Cool. Sprinkle the lime/sugar mix over one slab. Spread green chutney over that and then cover with the other dhokla slab. This is just like icing a cake, a savory cake at that, like shown below.

Pour the tempering over this. Garnish with coriander leaves and grated coconut. Cut into pieces and enjoy Nylon Khaman Dhokla Sandwich!!

This is my contribution to Nupur's A-Z series for 'N'.

I would also like to contribute this to Barbara for her wonderful event 'A Taste Of Yellow' .

Rawa Dosa

Rawa Dosa is something that satiates your appetite when you want to have dosa but do not have the ground & fermented batter ready. Well there is a solution to that too, ready made batter!! but then there aren't many who have that kind of 'luxury' ;-(

In Matunga one step out of the house and you would have a hard time deciding from amongst the EXCEPTIONAL restaurants in the area. Oh boy! what a place!!!!! But lets not get carried away ;-)

In case you do not want to step out of your home but still enjoy a crisp dosa, Rawa Dosa is the way to go!! It is quick to make and tastes awesome, if I might say so myself ;-). Enjoy it with Onion sambar and Potato masala.

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Rawa Dosa: There are many variations to the ratio of the three flours used in this dosa. This is the one I use successfully.

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1 cup rawa

1/2 cup rice flour

1/4 cup maida

2 tbsp chopped onion (optional)

2 green chili chopped

1 tbsp oil

rai(mustard), jeera, curry leaves, coriander leaves

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Mix rawa, rice flour & maida with water to make a watery batter.

this batter is supposed to be on the runny side, do not make it thick. Add salt. Heat oil, add jeera, curry leaves & green chili. After a few seconds add chopped onion and saute till onions turn translucent. Add to the batter. Heat the tava well, spray some oil and pour the batter. This batter should not be spread on the tava, it should be just poured and should form a lace for the best texture. Once this side is cooked, flip the dosa and cook the other side. Repeat for the remaining batter.

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Onion Sambar

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1/2 cup toor dal

1/2 onion sliced

1 tsp tamarind paste

1 tbsp sambar pwd

1/2 tsp chili pwd

1 tbsp oil

rai(mustard), jeera, hing, 1/4 tsp methi seeds, curry leaves, 2 dry red chili

coriander leaves

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Pressure cook the toor dal. In the absence of a pressure cooker, the dal can be boiled in a wide saucepan, just that it takes longer to cook by this method.

Heat oil, add rai, jeera, methi seeds, red chili, hing & curry leaves. Add sliced onion and saute till onion turns translucent.

Add tamarind paste and a cup of water. Let it cook till the raw taste of tamarind disappears. Add sambar powder & red chili powder(if using). Add whisked boiled toor dal and water as per required consistency. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 10 minutes. Garnish with coriander leaves.

One of my friends adds a tsp of ghee just before switching off the stove and it adds a great taste, it is purely optional though!

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Potato Masala

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4 potatoes boiled

1 onion sliced

2 green chili finely chopped

1.5 tbsp oil

rai(mustard), hing, curry leaves, turmeric powder, salt

1/2 tbsp lemon/lime juice

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Mash the potatoes roughly. Heat oil, add rai, hing, curry leaves & green chili. Add sliced onion & fry till it turns translucent. Add turmeric powder, salt & fry a bit.

Add mashed potatoes and mix well. Cook till done. Can add a tbsp water if it gets too dry. Add the lemon juice and switch off the gas. Garnish with coriander leaves.

Variation: You can add cashew nuts for a crunch.

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Enjoy Rawa Dosa with onion sambar and potato masala.

This is my contribution to RCI-Tamil started by Lakshmi. Thanks for the event, Lakshmi.

Dahi Bhalle aka Dahi Wada

I've convinced myself that Dahi Bhalle can be classified under the "fried, but no oil" category( I think I just invented a new category here;-) ) Well I do fry it, but the soaking of the wada in water after the deep frying gets rid of most of the oil, me thinks! I make a huge batch of these wadas and then freeze them. They freeze very well. When in a mood for chaat, I make either Dahi Bhalle or Papdi chaat.
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Dahi Bhalle is wadas dunked in loads of chilled and seasoned curds and then topped with tamarind chutney and spices. Papdi chaat, a popular snack in the northern parts of India is a tangy and spicy mix of crushed papdis (fried dough) and dahi bhalle, again served with loads of curds and chutneys. The roadside bhaiya(vendors) have their own signature blend of spices, which, if not impossible is pretty hard to duplicate. I add freshly roasted jeera(cumin) powder, red chili powder and salt. I've seen my friends add chat masala and black pepper powder as well, you can choose the mix that best suites your taste.
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I learnt how to make Dahi bhalle/Dahi wada from my mom, she makes the best dahi bhalle ever ;-)
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1 cup urad dal soaked for 2 hours
(you can soak a handful of yellow moong dal along with the urad dal)
1" ginger piece
1 green chili
pinch of soda (optional)
Curds
salt, fresh roasted & powdered jeera powder, red chili powder, sugar
chopped coriander leaves
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Grind the soaked urad dal, ginger and green chili very well. It is best to do it in small batches to avoid over heating of the grinder motor. Add very little water while grinding, the batter should be light and airy. It is very important NOT to make the batter watery, else the wadas will not be fluffy. The ginger and chili gives just a subtle hint of the spices, the intent is NOT to overpower the wadas with any strong flavor. Add salt to the batter. Can add a pinch of soda just before frying to lighten the batter. Spoon the batter into the hot oil and deep fry on medium heat till done and cooked through.

Once all the batter is used up and wadas are ready, I separate them into batches. I keep one batch for cooling down so that it can be ready for freezing. Dunk the other batch into hot water and squeeze them soft. (If the wadas turn out hard, it can still be salvaged. Bring salted water to a boil and add the wadas. Let them soak in the water for a few minutes and then squeeze, they are ready to be used)
Arrange the wadas on a platter. Whisk chilled curds with some salt, sugar and water to thin it down a little. Do not make it too watery though. Pour this over the wadas. Garnish with lots of tamarind chutney, jeera powder, red chili powder and chopped coriander leaves. Enjoy chilled dahi bhalle!
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I have tasted different variation of this. Some like their curds to be sweet, others like it salty. The Gujarati version has a sweet and spicy flavor and uses liberal amounts of curds.
The Punjabi version is salty and the wadas are just submerged in the curds but not floating in it. The dahi wada that I've tasted in Udipi cafes has tempered sweet curds.

How about one more look......

Veg Frankie

Frankie, the popular street food of Bombay (still not able to get myself to call it Mumbai) is best when eaten hot off the tava. It is spicy and tangy at the same time. When cravings for street food hit you, why not try to create the same kinds of food at home? That is exactly what I did, cooked hot & spicy veg Frankie! Now there are various stuffings that you can cook up including paneer, the ever popular potato & the non-veg variety. It is important to season the stuffing well to get that street food taste !

4 tortilla

2 potatoes boiled & chopped

1 onion chopped

1/4 cup peas (optional)

2 tbsp oil, 1/2 tsp jeera

Red chilli pwd, garam masala, lemon juice - all as per taste

Onion mix - Mix 1 onion chopped, salt, black pepper, chat masala, lemon juice & coriander leaves.

Green chutney - Blend coriander leaves, green chilli, ginger, salt & lemon juice

Stuffing:

Heat oil, add jeera. Add onion & peas, fry till onion gets a few brown specks. Add chilli pwd, garam masala & turmeric. Add boiled potato & mix well. Switch off gas & add lemon juice.

Heat a griddle, add little oil & fry the tortilla & flip over. Now slather green chutney over it, add 2tbsp potato mix in a straight line so as to be able to fold the tortilla well. Add 1/2 tbsp onion mix. Add chilli pwd on top as per taste. Please add all spices as per your spice capacity & preference. Fold over and enjoy the famous street food of Bombay!

Upma with Sambar & Chutney - Matunga Style

(clockwise - Sambhar, Khajur/Date peda, Coconut chutney, Upma)

Oooh how I love the Upma at RamAshray, Madras Cafe or Mani's in Matunga. It is simply the best there! Also the fact that they indulge you with lots of unlimited sambar & chutney adds to the charm. Out here I've seen the restaurants charging extra for additional chutney or sambar, that is pathetic, methinks! Also the taste is nowhere close to my Matunga upma, people who have tasted there will definitely second me. Just thinking about it makes me so nostalgic. If anyone has visited these places recently pleeeeease, pleeeease let me know about your experience. Everytime we visit India, by the time we reach home and freshen up it is about 3am, then we wait till 5am b'coz that's the time these restaurants open and we make a mad dash to eat Upma, Sheera, Medu vada, Dosa etc. Yes we eat like we have never eaten before!!

Here is my recipe for Upma. Try it once and I promise you will be hooked. This is a basic recipe, you can add veg as per liking.

1cup sooji/upma rava/cream of wheat
4cups water
1tsp green chilli paste
1/2tsp ginger paste
1 onion sliced
1tbsp lemon juice
Dhaniya Patta
Tadka: 2tbsp oil/ghee (ghee gives best flavor), rai, jeera, hing, curry patta

Heat oil/ghee, add rai, jeera & hing. Add curry patta & onion, fry for couple of mins. Add rava and saute well till you get a good aroma. In the meanwhile boil water. Add chilli & ginger paste to the water. Once rava is done, add water and stir well. Cover & cook a min. Add salt per
taste. Add lemon juice and dhaniya patta. Serve with chutney & sambar. Enjoy. If you ever get to visit Matunga, try the upma at Madras Cafe, RamAshray or Mani's.