Garlic Cheese Smashed Potatoes | GF meals in 30 minutes

You guys know I love potatoes….I do! I may not share too many recipes with potatoes in them, but the Lord above knows my love for these spuds….and my love for them is shared by my hubby!! Talk about marriages being made in heaven…..for us, it’s more like a spud-farm 🤣🤣🤣😂

Breakfast to dinner, I can live on them. Start your day with some scrumptious Aloo ke Parathe (potato stuffed Indian flatbreads). These are are absolutely awesome and very mildly spiced to start your day with these parathe and you will full almost up to lunch time…I serve them with some home made yogurt, some mango pickle and a lot of butter on top of these….the butter melts all over these piping hot beauties 😍…Mmmmm!

Not looking for something so heavy early in the morning….then you can try my super-yum….brilliant beyond brilliant Baked Potato Wedges 😉 We, the spud-lovers are particularly partial to it and can never share it…hence we make ourselves two whole trays of them, beauties……one for him and one for yours truly 😜

Next, if your looking something Indian…curry style for a proper supper, just go with the Aloo Dum, pair it with some Pooris (fried flatbreads) or Laccha Paratha or even some rice, a quick home style salad (sliced red onions + chopped tomatoes + chopped cucumber + salt + a bit of lime juice) on the side and just step into the food coma …..it’s that good 😍  For something a bit less spicy…look out for my Rassedaar Aloo (potatoes and tomatoes simmered in a thin gravy with little spices),  just a few easy ingredients and it’s ready in under 30 minutes?

You must also try my Aloo Ki Kachori if you love a good North Indian fare 😉 It’s easy to put together and works well for brunches!

Anyways…..that’s a whole lotta potatoes recipes for you guys…not to mention that I’ve not even included a few  here…they are all there in the blog archives ➡️➡️ …go, look them up!

So…about these crisp, gorgeous looking smashed potatoes…well, I have been meaning to share this recipe for a while…I have many other variations for these, but the one which I’ve here today, is like the best way to have potatoes 😍😍 they are just everything one looks for in a side dish … a bit of spice from the chilli flakes (or, you could use smoked paprika), that comforting warmth from the garlic, a bit smokiness as I’ve used smoked sea salt (you could always use regular salt or even plain sea salt)…..spicy becaaaaaause…I’ve added my favourite spice mix in the whole wide world….yeah! Peri Peri spice powder and that last bit off oozing good in the form of Mexican blend cheese  😋 Yes please!!!

Let’s see how can we get you to make these babies….

Yield: serves 2

Equipment: baking tray, measuring cups/ spoons, pressure cooker, cooling rack.

Ingredients:

300 gms baby potatoes

sea salt to taste

1 tsp peri peri spice mix (store bought)

1/2 tsp chilli flakes

1 tsp garlic powder (use fresh minced garlic if you don’t have garlic powder)

3 tbsp oil

1/4 cup Mexican cheese mix (store bought, easily available in any supermarket or hyper stores)

some fresh green coriander to garnish

Method:

Take 2 cups of water in a pressure cooker, add a pinch of regular salt to it along with washed baby potatoes. Cook them for about 10 minutes or one whistle is good enough. We need to soften them but not turn them into a watery mush!

Once cooked, drain the water and let the potatoes cool down a bit. Then, grease the baking tray with about a tbsp of oil. Roll the boiled potatoes in the oil on the tray. Spread out the potatoes and use a fork to smash them a bit.

Pre-heat the oven @200’c.

Now, drizzle some more of the remaining oil over the smashed potatoes. Sprinkle sea salt, garlic powder, peri peri spice mix, chilli flakes and the cheese and some oil if you like.

Bake these at 200’c for 12-15 mins or until the cheese bubbles and the top of these potatoes turns a bit crisp using both the upper and the lower heating rods/ elements.

Garnish with some chopped coriander and sprinkle some more cheese if you like 😉 Serve these piping hot with some drinks or just as it is!

They will melt in your mouth😋😋😋😋 so tempting…and so easy to put together!

Love,

Shreya💕

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Schezwan Noodles | Indo Chinese Street Food

We Indians love our ‘desi’ Indo-Chinese….we may pretend to apprecite the gourmet, Asian-style spreads at the most sought after restaurants…but you’ll find us literally stuffing our faces with these street style noodles…or fried rice and some cornflour laden, soy sauce soaked manchurian gravies more often than not😍😍😍😂 and I am no different, I am in love with our ‘desi’ Chinese which is absolutely no where close to the authentic cuisine but what the heck?! It’s just too yummy to part with….and it’s one of my favourite things in the whole wide world 🤗 There! I said it!

So, having said that…what would you expect from me if I have a few packets of Hakka noodles sitting in my pantry and one hungry husband on a weekend ….with no plans to step out because the man ain’t in the mood to drive 😩 I make some street vendor style Schezwan Noodles…spicy….loaded with veggies…full of flavours and absolutely lip-smacking good😍😍😍 besides, it gets done in about 30 minutes…what’s not to love👌🏼

Actually, it’s better than your favourite take-out as this is healthier because of the veggies and I’ve added very little oil. Spicese, yes…added a whole lot of spices while making it as we prefer it to be hot! 😁 So, if you’ve been a person who starts sneezing and coughing at the first bite of anything spicy…tone this recipe down a couple of notches and you’ll survive 😉 I have used my homemade Schezwan sauce here and I did serve this with some quick Schezwan paneer….basically, everything was Schezwan 😑🤔 how’d that happen?! 😜

Enough said! Start cooking…pronto!

Yield: serves 2-3

Equipment: a large heavy bottomed wok, measuring cup/ spoons, a pair of tongs.

Ingredients:

2 packets of Hakka Noodles (boiled as per the instructions on the package)

1+1/2 cups julienned carrots

1 cup julienned cabbage

1 cup julienned capsicum

1 cup finely sliced red onion

1/2 cup finely chopped spring onion whites

1/2 cup finely chopped spring onion greens

salt to taste

1/4 cup Schezwan sauce

3 tbsp oil

1 tsp noodle Masala (Indian grocery stores carry it, else skip it and add black pepper powder)

3 tsp finely chopped garlic

1 tsp finely chopped ginger

2 tbsp soy sauce

1 tbsp red chilli sauce

1 tsp vinegar

3 nos. whole red chillies

1 tbsp tomato ketchup (optional)

Method:

In the wok, heat oil until nice and hot. Then add the ginger, garlic, whole red chillies and spring onion whites. Sauté these on high flame until the garlic turns golden. Then add all the veggies along with salt and noodle Masala (black pepper). Keep mixing well and sautéing on high flame for the next 2-3 minutes.

Next, add the sauces – Schezwan, soy, chilli. Add vinegar and ketchup too. Sauté for another 2 minutes. Now tip in the boiled noodles (ensure that the noodles are al-dentè). Use tongs to mix the veggies with the noodles and be gentle. You don’t want to break any of those gorgeous noodles. Once everything is looking good, add the spring onion greens and give them a last mix. That’s it, serve them piping hot! Done😉

You can add any veggies if your choice or add Proteins of your choice…like shredded chicken or some sautéed prawns if you like seafood.

Doesn’t that make you drool?! 😃 …you should make some👆🏼

Love,

Shreya💖

 

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Cumin Cookies | Jeera Biscuits

The baking bug has bitten me for quite sometime now and there days when I am baking around the clock! It’s fun to do so little and I still get to enjoy big treats😍😍…besides, baking all my meals sounds like a doable thing in these summers when standing in front of the stove is next to impossible!

I bake things which my hubby and I both enjoy apart from experimenting new recipes or recipes which I’d bookmarked earlier….dinner last night was a batch of my Baked Spring Rolls which I served with some homemade Schezwan Sauce and glasses after glasses of my Tropical Iced Tea to cool things down 😁 I still have a bottle of the tea sitting chilled in the refrigerator for tonight….planning to pair it with my mixed lentil Adai and Tomato Chutney….mmmm!

So while all this kept happening, my hubby reminds me about something I used to bake in the early days of my experiments with baking…almost over 2 years ago…he says why haven’t I revisited my Bakery Style Cumin Cookies a.k.a. Jeera Biscuits! I was stumped 🤔…been over a year I made them for HIS teatime 😜😂😂 obviously, the poor chap must’ve been missing them!

And these happened a while back…just for him…he came back home to an amazing aroma wafting out of our home and he’d already known that I’ve baked these Cumin Cookies. He says…come on, give me some straight away😋…didn’t wait for his tea or anything…..and I was super satisfied 😍

These bakery style cookies are so easy to put together, mildly sweet and tad bit salty..and the flavour of the roasted cumin seeds/ jeera seeds are something so earthy and yet addictive! Besides, they lend the crunch to them. The original recipe which I had first used called for eggs but I have worked around to avoid eggs just as I avoid eggs in my Sugar Cookie recipe.

Let’s start…

Yield: 24 cookies of 2″ each.

Equipment: electric whisk, measuring cup/ spoon, rolling pin, baking tray, parchment paper/ butter paper, cooling rack, cookie cutter/ knife, mixing bowl.

Ingredients:

1 cup + 1 tbsp all purpose flour (Maida)

1/2 cup / 1 stick unsalted butter (if using salted butter then skip adding any salt in the recipe)

1/4 cup icing sugar (I use icing sugar as it helps the cookies hold better shape, you can use regular powdered sugar)

1/4 tsp salt

a pinch of baking powder

2 tbsp jeera (Cumin seeds)

3-4 tbsp milk (if needed to bind the dough)

Method:

Take cumin seeds in a pan and roast them until they are slightly brown and fragrant. Set them aside to cool.

Line the baking trays with parchment paper/ butter paper. Lining the tray avoids having burnt bases and edges with the cookies and ensures they colour evenly even at the bottom and the cookies don’t spread too much.

Now, in the mixing bowl, cream together the butter and icing sugar until they are smooth and well incorporated.

Next, seive in the flour and add salt. Whisk again until the flour is well incorporated into the creamed butter. Add baking powder and the 1 tbsp roasted cumin seeds. Make a smooth dough with your hands, you can add 1-2 tbsp milk if the dough needs some moisture to come together. It’s optional, I always add 2-3 tbsp. Smoothen the dough and set it aside for 10 mins.

Next, dust your work surface (I prefer silicon mats) with some flour and roll the dough to a thickness of about 3mm and cut them in any desired size and shape.

Place the cut out cookies an inch apart on the lined baking tray. Sprinkle some roasted cumin over each cookie. Place the baking tray with the cookies in the refrigerator for 10 mins to set the cookies before baking.

In the meanwhile, preheat the oven @180’c for 10-12 minutes.

Once the cookies have set in the refrigerator, bake them @180’c for 12-13 minutes using both upper and the lower heating elements/ rods. They will turn slightly golden on the edges once ready. (Every oven works differently so adjust the baking time and temperature according to that)

The base of the cookies…a perfect golden brown 😍

Once baked, keep the tray on a cooling rack and let the cookies crisp up on the tray as they continue to cook for a few minutes on the hot tray. Remove them from the tray and place them on the cooling rack to let the cookies/ biscuits cool completely before storing in airtight boxes, they keep well for upto 3-4 days.

They taste best when served fresh with some tea/ coffee or simply as a munchy😀

You can add more sugar or salt, as per your choice. But be generous with the cumin!

Love,

Shreya💖

 

Bombay Aloo Masala Sandwich | Spicy Potato Sandwich

Sandwiches are a staple street food in Amchi Mumbai….be it vegetable toast sandwich or a plain Chutney (salsa) sandwich…the options are endless and oh so yummy! 😍

I personally love the vegetable cheese grill sandwich! It’s like the best of both worlds…you get veggies and if you are a cheese lover like me…it’s just so good with that cheese within and on the outside😍😍😍😍….a side of some potato crisps/ chips/ wafers…and some ketchup😋

Similarly, there is another hot favourite among most Mumbaikars….the spicy, aromatic and very delicious Bombay Aloo Masala Sandwich…make it as a toast sandwich or a grilled one…it’s amazing! Aaaaannnddd…..it’s my hubby’s favorite 😘

This is a regular breakfast or evening snack at our place…and my Mom’s recipe for the filling/ Aloo Masala is super duper yum!

I usually use brown bread to make them…you can use regular white sandwich bread or any multigrain bread if your choice. I had once even used a Homemade Herbed Focacia bread for this sandwich and it was so good!

Anyways…let’s get you started on the recipe..

Yield: can be used for upto 6-7 sandwiches with generous amount of the potato filling.

Equipment: a non-stick pan, measuring cups/ spoons, grilled or toaster or a pan to grill or toast the sandwiches, a bread knife to cut the sandwiches into portions.

Ingredients:

5 nos. large potatoes (boiled and mashed)

3 tbsp oil

1 tsp finely chopped green chilli

a pinch of hing (asafoetida)

1/4 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)

1/2 cup finely chopped onions

1/4 cup finely chopped green bell pepper (capsicum)

2 nos. finely chopped tomatoes

salt to taste

1 tsp ginger-garlic paste

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp Pav bhaji Masala

1/4 tsp amchur powder (raw mango powder)

1-2 tsp water (if needed to correct the consistency)

2 tsp chopped fresh coriander leaves

butter as needed to grill/ toast the sandwiches

Method:

To make the filling:

Heat oil in a non-stick pan. Once the oil is hot, add cumin seeds, hing and chopped green chillie. Sauté for a minute.

Next, add the chopped onions. Sweat them for a few minutes. Then add the capsicum. Sauté again. Tip in the tomatoes followed by the salt, turmeric, red chillie powder, ginger-garlic paste. Mix well and cook these together until the tomatoes turn mushy and the raw smell of the ginger- garlic paste goes away.

Next, add the mashed potatoes along with the Pav bhaji Masala. Also add the amchur powder and mix well. Turn off the flea me. Add chopped coriander leaves and give them all a final mix. That’s your filling done! Keep well in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

To make the sandwich:

Take 2 slices of bread. Slather both the slices with butter. Sprinkle some chaat Masala (optional) and spread a thick layer of the potato filling. Heat the griller/ toaster…spread some butter on the griller plate and place the sandwich on it and let it crisp up on both sides. Serve hot with some chips/ crisps and ketchup!

You can add some veggies to this filling recipe or even minus a few things if you wish. Do try it…it’s lip smacking 😍

Love,

Shreya💖

 

Rose and Pineapple Cooler

I can live on cool drinks all year long…😉 Being a teetotaller couple, we are constantly looking forward to trying some new flavours of mocktails and coolers…and more often than not we come across great finds👌😚

Speaking of great finds, I also find it interesting to try and make a new flavour combination right in the comfort of my kitchen! Earlier, I have shared the recipe of tropical iced tea which was a total hit! I make it every summer and we can’t get enough of it😀 I keep myself and the hubby hydrated as we sip on some of the most delicious homemade coolers. I have been told by people who have tried my Fruity Green Tea cooler, that it was one of the best ways to enjoy their green tea!

Coming to this gorgeous beauty that has gotten you all parched is my take on two amazing flavours…tropical Pineapple and the very exotic Rose. Rose, on it’s own is very cooling. I have combined it’s flavours with the sweet and slightly tangy juices of local Pineapples and added my twist to it….😁 The resulting cooler/ mocktail is a bit spicy, has the freshness of summer mint and is loaded with ice! Just the thing you need in these sweltering afternoons.

Let’s get started….

Yield: serves 2

Equipment: mortar-pestle, measuring cups/ spoons, mixing spoons, 2 glass/ bottles of your choice to serve the drink.

Ingredients:

1+1/2 cup fresh or canned pineapple juice

4 tsp rose syrup

9-10 fresh mint leaves

1/2 tsp chaat masala (Indian spice mix easily available in Indian Grocery/ Food Stores. If you can’t find chaat Masala, replace this ingredient with some salt and pepper to taste)**

1/4 tsp ginger juice (grate some ginger and squeeze the juice to add to the mocktail)

ice cubes as needed

Method:

Muddle together mint leaves, chaat Masala** and ginger juice together in the mortar-pestle.

Add two tsp rose syrup in each of the 2 serving glasses/ bottles.

Top the rose syrup up with 1-2 tsp of the mint leaves, ginger juice and chaat Masala** mixture.

Add ice cubes. Lastly, pour the Pineapple juice. The flavours will combine on their own, however, you can give them a quick stir. Garnish the drink with a sprig of mint! Enjoy!

Love,

Shreya❤️

Spicy Arrabbiata Sauce – Glutenfree and Vegan

It’s always better to have a go to pasta sauce recipe…this one here, happens to be mine😊 Especially during these hot summers days….when cooking up a storm isn’t exactly someone’s dream…having this ready in the refrigerator or the freezer can be a lifesaver! 😄

There are days when I go through the entire ritual of sautéing some exotic veggies like some American sweet corn, broccoli, some snow peas and a bit of bell pepper along with some crushed garlic to go with my pasta…and then are days when all I want to do is dump the sauce with some boiled pasta and give it a quick stir and I serve it without any fancy-shmancy garnishing…just a bit of grated cheese and I am all sorted🤗

And hence, happens my quick macaroni with some spicy, vegan-Glutenfree arrabbiata sauce! Just like that….and obviously it’s one of my favourite meals👌🏼😍

This sauce can also be used for topping up your bruschetta along with some slices of olives or just some crumbled feta cheese…..some capers, if like little bursts of salty..briny flavours….see..I have given you some ideas for your next girls’ night in…or if you’re a dude reading this here…make a bruschetta platter for your buddies as you watch the latest season of IPL ’17….or impress a lady friend with your sauve kitchen moves😉

I use this sauce for my chip-n-dip platters on movie nights with my fella…it’s healthy and definitely delicious! Follow this easy recipe for some healthy Wholewheat crackers to go with this sauce.

**Coming to how you would go about storing this sauce. I make a slightly larger batch and refrigerate it and it stays fresh for almost 10-12 days. I don’t add salt while this sauce especially when the purpose is to store it. To freeze, simply cool the sauce and pack them in small ziplock pouches and freeze them. The freezer sauce needs to be thawed at room temperature for about an hour before using it. Always remember to season it using the stored sauce. When making the sauce for immediate consumption, then do add salt as per taste.

Now, on to the recipe….

Yield: serves 2-3 persons

Equipment: a heavy bottomed saucepan, measuring cups/ spoons, a ladle, hand blender.

Ingredients:

3 cups blanched and roughly chopped tomatoes (choose ripe tomatoes)

3/4 cup finely chopped onions

salt to taste (I used sea salt)

freshly cracked black pepper to taste

4 tbsp olive oil

3-4 cloves of garlic, crushed

a few fresh basil leaves (or use dried)

2 tsp chilli flakes

1 tsp dried oregano

1/2 tsp dried rosemary

some warm water if needed to correct the consistency

Method:

Heat oil in the pan, once it is hot enough, add crushed garlic and onions. Sweat these until the onions turn translucent and the garlic turns a bit golden. Then go in the roughly chopped chopped blanched tomatoes.

Keep the flame on low, season with salt, chilli flakes, cracked black pepper, rosemary and oregano. Keep stirring these together for a few minutes to ensure the flavours blend well. Add some warm water at this stage to correct the consistency (I added about 3/4 cup), mix well and cover with a lid and let the sauce cook for about 10 mins on low flame.

Open the lid after 10 minutes, the sauce should be done by now. Turn off the flame, let the sauce cool off a bit. Then using a hand blender, blend the sauce as much as you prefer. I like my sauce a bit chunky so I don’t go overboard with the blending.

If you are making a pasta dish immediately, just add this entire sauce to about 2 cups of boiled macaroni or penne and give them a good toss. Garnish with some finely chopped fresh basil leaves and some grated cheese!

**scroll above to read about how to store this sauce.

Do try this sauce soon…you know what? This even works as a great pizza sauce😉😉

Love,

Shreya💖

 

Strawberry Iced Tea

I know I’ve been away for a few days….was just tied up with a few things….been on the road for a fair bit of time…phew! Yes….summers and traveling around isn’t the best combination but I did manage it after all. Needless to say, I did need an entire week to recoup and get back the usual routine with the blog and everything else…😁😁

Summers and this scorching heat takes out all the energy from your body…it’s very draining! I hate stepping out in the sun 😩…I just prefer sitting at home and wait for the sun to set 😂 and sip on some cool drinks…homemade fresh fruity drinks are the best way to hydrate yourself and are way healthier than those fizzy, sugar laden sodas.

Yes! My favourite fruit this summer….came to my rescue once again..they are sweet and full flavour so why not use them to make some delicious summer mocktails….I mean, most of you who’ve been regular here are aware that the husband and I, we are teetotallers. So, such fruit based drinks are our best bet against the summers 😜 Speaking of which, have a look at my take on Aam ka Panna (raw mango cooler)

Lets make some Strawberry Iced Tea….🍓🍓☺

Yield: makes 2-3 servings

Equipment: measuring cups/ spoons, a small sauce pan, a potato masher.

Ingredients:

1 +1/2 cup chopped strawberries

4 tbsp sugar (optional, avoid if the strawberries are sweet. Mine were a bit tart hence I used sugar)

3 cup water

2 nos. tea bags (I have used regular tea, no speacial flavour)

ice cubes as needed when serving

Method:

In a saucepan, boil 3 cups of water. Turn off the heat. Add the tea bags and let them steep for about 10 mins. Remove the tea bags and pour the tea from the sauce pan into a jug. Refrigerate the tea for a minimum of 1 hour.

In the meanwhile, in the same sauce pan, add the chopped strawberries along with sugar and cook them together on low heat until  the strawberries are cooked well and look mushy. Use a masher to mash them as they cook. Take them off the heat. Allow the strawberry compote to cool down completely, then using a hand blender or any other other blender, make a purée and set that too in the refrigerator until you have to serve the Iced Tea. (I don’t strain the strawberry compote, you can strain it if you prefer).

Assembling:

Add the cooled strawberry purée to the jug of chilled tea. Add some crushed ice cubes and give it a stir.

To serve:

Fill your favourite glasses/ mason jars with ice cubes and pour the ready Strawberry Iced Tea over them. Place a small strawberry on the top and serve chilled! You can even add a couple of slices of lime as a garnish ☺️ Enjoy!

The strawberry purée and the cooled tea can be stored in the refrigerator for 1-2 days.

Love,

Shreya❤

 

 

 

 

Kothmir Wadi | Kothambir Wadi – Maharashtrian Delicacy

I am a proper Mumbai (Bombay) girl…born, raised, educated, worked and then married in Mumbai….when I say home, I always mean Mumbai❤….and saying that obviously means I love…just lurrvvvveeee my Mumbaiya (meaning typical) street food and snacks! The hubby and I visit every happening joint, cafe …etc, etc around our city but having some of the most delicious street food is something we can never give up!

Mumbai isn’t only about Wada Pav and Bombay Pav Bhaji in terms of authentic Maharashtrian snacks. If you have ever been to Maharashtra (any part of the state), you’d be familiar with Kothambir Wadi or Kothmir Wadi (spiced, coriander and chickpea flour nuggets). Kothmir or Kothambir literally means fresh coriander leaves in Marathi and Wadi translates to nuggets. Such an easy language… I am almost too proud that I can speak it rather well…(well, I do make grammatical errors here and there but I never quit speaking the language!) 😃

The flavours are fresh and very earthy, green chillies and ginger along with other spices and ingredients make these Wadis lip smacking. Although, these are available in most local shops that sell Wada Pav or bhajias (batter fried onion or potato fritters), I always wanted to make them at home too. I probably wouldn’t have if my hubby wasn’t so crazy about them…

So I looked up a few recipes and found one which was easy and sounded a whole lot like what we usually got from outside…and they turn out quite good and crisp! I have been making there for over 2 years now…and a glass of hot lemon tea is all that I need to polish these off!

Besides, making them is no big task either….it takes less than 15 mins of prepping and just another 30 minutes of cooking! Glutenfree (uses chick pea flour along with rice flour) and vegan (has no clarified butter or yogurt), one can easily include them in their special diets without any fuss. Serve them with a dip if choice or have them on it’s own…delish!

Let’s begin….

Yield: 16 small Wadis (nuggets) using a square baking tin of 5″X 5″

Equipment: a mixing bowl, a whisk, measuring cups/ spoons, a pressure cooker/ large pot, a small metal plate, a frying pan, baking tin or any vessel to use for steaming the Wadis (nuggets), a sharp knife, a pair of tong.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup sifted chick-pea flour (besan) 

2 tbsp sifted rice flour (chawal ka atta)

salt to taste

water as needed

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

a pinch of hing (asafoetida)

2 tsp chopped green chillies

1 tsp ginger paste

1 tsp toasted white sesame seeds

1 tsp lemon juice

1/2 cup finely chopped fresh coriander leaves

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 tbsp flavour less oil (like canola or sunflower)

To pan fry: (optional, have it steamed if you wish to avoid pan frying. Also, deep frying is yet another option but I tend to avoid deep frying)

4 tbsp oil

Method:

In a mixing bowl, add the sifted flours. Season with salt. Add hing at this point. Whisk well and add little water to make a thick batter. Add the ginger paste, lemon juice, chillies, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, oil, toasted sesame seeds and chopped coriander leaves, whisk again. Add the baking soda and mix gently (don’t whisk). Grease the baking tin with some oil. Pour the batter into the greased tin and set it aside.

Heat about 2 cups of water in a large pot or pressure cooker. Keep a metal plate at the bottom of the pot/ cooker to use as a  seperator.

Once the water starts boiling a bit, place the tin with the batter inside the pot/ cooker on the separator plate. Cover with a lid if you are using a pot. In case you are using a pressure cooker, remove the weight (whistle) off the lid and then secure the lid on the pressure cooker.

Cook on low flame for about 15-18 mins. Then turn off the flame  and open the lid carefully. Remove the tin from the pot/ pressure cooker and using a sharp knife check if the batter has cooked, to do that, simply insert the knife in the centre of the tin, if it comes out clean, the batter has cooked (just aswe do for any cake).

Let this cool down completely. Once it has cooled, run the knife on all four sides of the tin and gently unmould it on a chopping board. Using the same sharp knife, cut it into squares. Keep them aside.

This is what it looks like post steaming. Have them just as it is..or pan fry.

To pan fry:

Heat 4 tbsp oil in a frying pan, place the squakes in the pan once the oil is hot, keep turning them around and let them crisp up on all sides. Once done, remove on absorbent kitchen paper. Serve them hot with a dip if your choice!

They keep fresh for a few hours although I have never tried to store them for very long. These make for a great party snack or even as a side dish to go with your meals!

Love,

Shreya💖

Adapted from Nisha Madhulika

Khandvi | How to make Khandvi at home | No -Fail Khandvi Recipe

I make a lot of snacks at home…right from Sabudana Wada, Mathri…to Vegetable Croquettes….but never had I dared to try the most popular Gujarati farsan Khandvi at home!! 

I have heard it is very difficult to get the consistency of the batter right and so and so forth….and I love fuss free things as you guys know by now….so making Khandvi was out of the question 😜😂😂

But last month my hubby got some Khandvi from a sweet shop near our home with a big name and all the jazz and honestly we didn’t like how it was – powdery and absolutely tasteless! As opposed to most of the other things available in the shop, this was a complete and utter let down.

So much so, that my dear hubby who knows I’d never make Khandvi at home…kept saying that if I were to make them, I’d nail it! Felt good knowing that he trusts my cooking completely…😍 What next?! Well, I had to nail it…for him. He had so much faith, how would I ever fail.

I called my Mom asking her for the recipe, actually the proportions of the ingredients really, I mean that’s where all the crap happens…measure one ingredient incorrectly and you will never be able to roll even one Khandvi right! 😁

She hasnt made them in years, she said but had a reliable recipe written down somewhere….I couldn’t ask for more!! I diligently noted the recipe with the measures and listened to her explain me how the required consistency will take some time..I’ll need to be patient! Not my strongest virtue but I’ll try I promised😉I tried it that weekend and it was perfect…as told by the man himself! I was happy…hence, made it again a couple of days ago for breakfast…my hubby enjoyed it with a large mug of ginger tea and I with some mint and lemon green tea 👌👌 since it turned out well again…I knew I’d learnt the art of making ‘Khandvi‘ !! 😃

So be patient, go slow, and measure correctly! Let’s get cracking….

Yield: 10-12 rolls

Equipment: measuring cups/ sspoons, knife, a heavy bottomed non-stick pan, a silicon spatula or a wooden spatula, 2 stainless steel plates (optional), a mixing bowl, a small whisk,

Ingredients:

For the Khandvi: 

1/2 cup besan (gram flour)

1 cup thick yogurt (not hung, not Greek)

1 cup water

salt to taste

1 tsp ginger-green chilly paste

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

few drops of oil to grease the plates/ platform

For the tempering:

1 1/2 tsp oil

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

7-8 nos. curry leaves

2-3 nos. slit green chillies

a pinch of hing (asafoetida)

For garnish:

Chopped coriander leaves

some dry garlic chutney 

Method:

In a mixing bowl, seive the besan. Add salt, turmeric, green chilli- ginger paste and yogurt. Whisk well and make sure there are no lumps. Add the water and whisk again.

In the meanwhile, grease the backs of the steel plates with some oil. Keep them aside. (If you wish to, you can grease the work platform in the kitchen alternatively).

Heat the pan, keep the flame low and add the batter. Keep stirring it constantly to avoid any lumps. After the first 5 mins of cooking, increase the flame a little bit and cook for another 10-12 minutes. The mixture will have thickened enough. Then again reduce the flame to low. Keep stirring it all the while.

This is what the consistency should be after almost 15-17 mins of cooking. Turn off the flame at this stage.

Tip on how to check if the consistency is correct for the Khandvi – take a little bit of the ready mixture and spread it on the greased plate. Let it cool down for 2 mins, if you are able to roll it off without it sticking to the plate, the mixture is ready. If not, cook the mixture for another 2-3 mins.

Now, that we have affirmed the consistency of the mixture, divide the mixture in two parts for the two plates and spread it evenly as shown below.

Note that the mixture will be still cooking on low flame as you do the test of the consistency.  

Let the plates cool down with the mixture for about 10 mins. Then later, using a sharp knife make lines at equal distance and roll the Khandvi very carefully as shown above. Voilà! The Khandvi is ready…easy peasy!!

Now roll all of these similarly and place them on the serving tray/ plate.

Next, for the tempering, heat oil in a small pan, add hing, mustard seeds, curry leaves, green chillies and let these all splatter around for  few minutes. Then pour this tempering on the rolled Khandvi and serve with some dry garlic chutney and green chutney.

These turned out spicy and just how we like them…😍 Do try these…they’ll make you want to make them again and again..!!

Love,

Shreya💗

 

Matar Kachori | Khasti Matar Kachori

Let’s call it as Kachori Weekends at our place….last weekend it was Aloo ki Kachori and this week, I was keen to make my favourite green peas stuffed Kachoris to devoured with some green Chutney! 👌🏼😁

The market is flooded with fresh, bright green peas. They so sweet and perfect! I have shelled and cleaned about 4-5 kgs of green peas, frozen them in sterilised Ziplock bags to last me for the entire year….more than enough for the two of us! I do this almost every year as I detest the flavour of the store bought frozen peas, they are quite tasteless.

Anyhow, with all the green peas around me got me craving for some Nimona (a gravy made with puréed green peas, very famous in Uttar Pradesh and enjoyed with steamed rice and some ghee) with the onset of the winters in December…..I have made it almost every week. And now, with the winter almost on it’s way out…I wanted to make Matar ki Kachori once, as it’s fried..once is more than enough for the entire season 😂

They turned out so crisp and flaky…just the way I love my kachoris. My Mom’s recipe never fails me….be it her Plyaaz ki Kachori or this …just perfect😋

The stuffing is made with fresh, sweet green peas and some spices tasters tangy, earthy as it uses my home made Garam Masala along with loads of ginger…all the flavours of a perfect Northern winter!  There is no onion or garlic in this recipe. The outer pastry is flaky and very crisp as its fried on slow flame…always fry your kachoris low and slow! They cook well and never turn limp and soggy.

You can pair these Matar ki Kachoris with dubkimaar Aloo Tamatar and chutney or just some imli ki chutney…just so yummy👌

Let’s start…

Yield: 9 large kachoris

Equipment: a heavy bottom wok, a slotted ladle, measuring spoons/ cups, rolling board, rolling board, kitchen paper, a small pan, potato masher, mixing bowls.

Ingredients:

For the outer cover:

2+1/2 cup all purpose flour (Maida)

salt to taste

3 tbsp ghee

water as needed

Method:

Take flour in a  mixing bowl, season it with salt. Add ghee and rub it into the flour until the flour resembles bread crumbs. This ensures that the outer cover of the kachori is crisp and flaky. Next, add sufficient water to make a semi stiff dough. Cover the dough and set it aside to let it rest for a minimum of 30 mins.

For the stuffing: 

1 cup fresh green peas

1 nos. boiled potato

salt to taste

2 tsp mustard oil (use any oil as per your preference)

a pinch of hing (asafoetida)

1 tsp finely chopped green chillies

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1 tbsp freshly grated ginger

1 tbsp coriander powder

3/4 tsp red chilli powder

1/4 tsp turmeric powder (optional)

1/2 tsp amchoor powder (dry mango powder)

1/2 tsp Garam Masala

chopped coriander leaves as needed

oil to fry

Method:

Mash the boiled potato and set it aside. Potato is used as a binder, if you wish you can avoid it too.

In a pan, heat oil. Once it’s hot, add hing, cumin seeds and green chillies. Let them splatter around for a minute. Then add the grated ginger. Cook it for a minute.

The washed and dried green peas go in next. Season with salt and cook the peas for a few minutes. Then add the turmeric, red chilli powder, coriander powder, Garam Masala powder. Mix well. Add the mashed potato and mix well with the spices and the peas. Cover and cook for 5-7 minutes or until the peas become mushy.

Add the amchoor powder along with chopped coriander leaves next and mix well. Turn off the flame. Cover the pan with the ready stuffing for a few minutes. Then using a potato masher, mash the peas and potato mixtures well. Let some of the peas stay whole, while roughly mashing the others. That’s done.

Assembling:

Divide the dough which was kept aside into 9 equal sized balls.(I could make 9, if you choose to make smaller Kachoris, you can easily make upto 12 kachoris with this much amount of dough). Flatten each ball of dough to a thickness 2-3 mm and diameter about 3″, add 2-3 tsp of the stuffing. Close the dough ball around stuffing tightly and secure the ends so that the stuffing doesn’t spill out while frying. Flatten out the kachori a bit using a rolling board and pin.

Do the same with all the other 8 dough balls as well. Set them aside. Heat oil to fry in a heavy bottomed wok. Once it hot enough, drop 1-2 kachoris at a time and fry on low flame until golfden and crisp on all sides. Remove from oil and drain excess oil on kitchen papers. Fry them all and the serve these piping hot with sides of your choice.

The stuffing keeps well for 2-3 days in the refrigerator if stored in a glass or porcelain bowl. (I avoid plastic)

I am drooling all over again just as I was typing out this draft 😜 But, seriously, do try this one out soon …..so easy to make and very flavoursome!!! You will be making these again and again.

Love,

Shreya💖