Masala Dosa from South India.

Ingredients

·                                 2 cup: Rice - preferably parboiled

·                                 1/2 cup: Split and husked Black Gram (Dhuli Urad) - soaked with rice for 5-6 hours

·                                 1/2 tsp: Fenugreek Seeds

·                                 Oil to smear the pan for cooking the dosas

·                                 2 tsp: Salt

For Masala

·                                 500 gm (3 cups): Potatoes - boiled, peeled and cubed

·                                 1 1/2 cups: Onions - sliced not very thin

·                                 1/4 tsp: Powdered Turmeric

·                                 2-3: Green chillies - chopped coarsely (optional)

·                                 6-7 : Curry leaves or 1/2 tsp dried curry leaves

·                                 2 tbsp: Oil

·                                 1 tsp: Mustard seeds

·                                 2 tsp: Salt

·                                 1/2 cup: Water

Method

1.                                Grind daal mixture together to a very smooth consistency. Add salt and enough water to make into a dropping consistency. Leave to ferment for about 5-6 hours, till a little spongy.

2.                               If thickened too much, add a little water to thin a bit. Heat tawa, and brush oil over it. When really hot, splash a little water over it, and immediately pour batter onto it, spreading it thin, with a circular motion. This will have to be very swift and will need a bit of practice.

3.                               After spreading the batter, lower the heat and dribble a little oil around the edges so that it seeps under the dosa. When edges start browning a bit, pass a flat spoon under it to ease the dosa off the pan.

4.                               Put desired filling in the centre and fold the two edges over. Serve accompanied with sambhar and chutney

For the Masala Filling

1.                                Heat the oil in a heavy based pan and add the mustard seeds, then onions, curry leaves and green chillies, and sauté over high heat till the onions are a little transparent.

2.                               Add the salt and the turmeric and mix well before adding the potatoes. Turn the potatoes around till well mixed and add the water and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes.

Now it is ready to eat !!!!

Indian Pav Bhaji -- Just try it !!

BOMBAY PAVBHAJI Most popular snack - a mixture of various vegetables are boiled, mashed and cooked with a spicy masala and served with butter fried pav. Preparation Time : 15 minutes Cooking Time : 25 minutes Servings : 4

INGREDIENTS Potatoes, boiled and mashed 4 medium Tomatoes, chopped 4 medium Onions, chopped 2 medium Green capsicum, chopped deseeded 1 medium Cauliflower, grated 1/4 small Green peas, shelled 1/4 cup Ginger, chopped 1 inch piece Garlic 8-10 cloves Oil 3 tablespoons Green chillies, chopped 3-4 Pav bhaji masala 1 1/2 tablespoons Salt to taste Butter 3 tablespoons Pav 8 Fresh coriander leaves, chopped 1/4 cup Lemons, cut into wedges 2

METHOD Boil green peas in salted water till soft, drain, mash lightly and set aside. Grind ginger and garlic to a fine paste. Heat oil in a pan and add three fourth quantity of onions. Sauté till light brown. Add green chillies and ginger-garlic paste. Stir-fry for half a minute. Add half the quantity of tomatoes and cook on medium heat for three to four minutes, stirring continuously or till oil separates from the masala. Add capsicum, mashed peas, cauliflower, potatoes and one and half cups of water. Bring it to a boil and simmer for ten minutes, pressing with back of the spoon a few times, till all the vegetables are completely mashed. Add Pavbhaji Masala, salt and remaining tomatoes. Cook on medium heat for two minutes, stirring continuously. Heat half of the butter in a thick-bottomed pan or a tawa. Slice pav horizontally into two and pan fry in butter for half a minute, pressing two or three times or till pav is crisp and light brown. Garnish the bhaji with chopped coriander leaves, remaining butter and serve hot with pav accompanied with remaining chopped onion and lemon wedges. Enjoy !!!

Enjoy Missal Pav !!!

 Missal Pav is a favorite Maharashtrian snack recipe, missal pav is basically the sprouts cooked in a spicy rich curry and served garnished with chopped onion, chillies and coriander leaves with pav or Indian bun. A complete meal in itself, the missal pav is loved by all.

Preparation Time: 30 min
Cooking Time: 30 min

Ingredients

100 gms safed vatana (dried white peas)
1/2 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
salt to taste
1 1/2 tbsp oil
1/2 tsp mustard seeds ( rai / sarson)
1 tbsp ginger (adrak) paste
1 tsp garlic (lehsun) paste
1/2 tsp green chilli paste
2 tbsp tamarind (imli) pulp
1/2 tsp garam masala
1/4 cup coriander (dhania) leaves
1/4 tsp chilli powder
1/2 tsp chaat masala
1 tbsp lemon juice

Accompaniments2 cups mixed farsan
3/4 cup chopped onions
2 green chillies, chopped
2 tbsp coriander (dhania) leaves
1 cup curds (dahi), beaten

Method 

1. Pressure cook peas with very little water, salt & turmeric.
2. Heat the oil and put mustard seeds.
3. Add ginger, garlic and green chili paste.
4. Fry for a min. add cooked peas and tamarind juice.
5. Cook uncovered on a low flame for 2 min.
6. Add garam masala and coriander leaves
7. Mix well and remove from heat.
8. At the time of serving sprinkle the mixture of gathia, papri, peanut, dal, potato chips etc.
9. Add onion, green chillies and coriander leaves.
10. Sprinkle yellow chilli powder, chat masala and squeeze lemon juice all over the cooked peas.
11. Finally, top with a little curd and serve immediately so that mixture does not turn soggy.

Enjoy !!!

Vada Pav --- Traditional Indian Hamburger

Vada Pav is known as the Indian hamburger or Big Mc or 


Big Bob!!!!

Ingredients:
Serving size - 4
6-8 medium sized boiled potatoes
2 cups gram flour (besan)
oil for frying
salt
pav ( A kind of bun) - If pavs are not available, you can use any other bun. Choose the ones which do not taste sweet.
Masala1 small piece ginger,
4-5 flakes garlic, 
4-5 (or more) green chilies,
1/2 cup coriander leaves (chopped),
For tempering
1 tea spoon turmeric powder,
curry leaves,
1 teaspoon mustard seeds,
2 teaspoon oil
Method:
1. Grind ginger, garlic and green chilies together into a paste.
2. Peel and smash potatoes with a potato masher (or simply use hands). Do not smash completely. Let some small chunks remain.
3. Add ginger, garlic and green chili paste, coriander leaves, and salt to the potatoes.
4. Then take 2 teaspoons oil in a kadai. Add mustard seeds. When they splutter, add turmeric powder and curry leaves.
Pour this tempering on the mashed potatoes and mix gently.
5. Make small balls of mashed potato mixture. (You can flatten the balls if you like)
6. Add some salt, turmeric powder and chili powder to the gram flour. Add water gradually and keep mixing with a sppon or wire whisk. Remove lumps if any. The batter should not be too watery or too thick. If lifted by a spatula, it should flow in a ribbon like consistency.
7. Heat some oil in a pan. To check if oil is properly heated, drop some batter in the oil. If the batter immediately turns soild and float on the surface of the oil, the oil is ready. Also make sure that the oil is not too hot. Otherwise, the vadas become dark from the outside before they are actually done from the inside.
8. Now dip each ball in the batter, letting the excess batter drip off and slowly add to the hot oil. Do not overcrowd the pan, else the temperature of the oil reduces which in turn slows down the frying process. Like this, deep fry all the vadas until golden. Remove on a paper towel and drain. Batata Vadas are ready.
9. For Vada Pav, split Pav keeping the base intact & spread garlic chutney or green chutney on the inner surfaces of it. Place the vada in it. Serve hot.

Tip: Instead of adding whole curry leaves, you can grind them along with the ginger- garlic paste to bring out their flavor.
Variation: Substitute 1 tsp udad dal (split black gram) for mustard seeds in the tempering.

Enjoy !!!

Are you ever tried Indian Jalebi !

Jalebi is a hot favourite on any special occasion be it a birthday, wedding or festival. Jalebis though mostly eaten by themselves, can also be soaked in warm milk.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups self raising flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup yogurt
• Vegetable/canola/sunflower cooking oil for deep frying
• 1 cup sugar
• Few strands saffron
• 1/4 tsp cardamom powder
• 2 drops orange food colour
• 2 tbsps rose water

Preparation:

• Mix the flour, baking powder and yogurt into a batter and keep aside for 24 hours to ferment.
• Pour batter into a ketchup dispensing bottle.
• To make sugar syrup: Melt the sugar with the rose water and boil to get a one thread consistency. To check for one thread consistency, carefully dip the tip of your index finger into the syrup, touch your finger and thumb together and genly tease apart. If one thread is formed between your finger and thumb the syrup is done.
• Turn off fire, add the saffron strands and cardamom and stir well.
• Heat the oil in a deep wok-like dish. To test for the right temperature, drop a small amount of batter into the oil. If it sizzles and rises to the top of the oil, the oil is hot enough. Keep the flame on medium at all times to ensure all round cooking of the jalebis.
• Now hold the ketchup dispenser over the hot oil and squeeze the batter into the oil into a wiggly, randomly coiled circle. Squeeze out several at a time.
• Fry till light golden and then remove and put directly into the sugar syrup.
• Allow to soak for 2-3 minutes and then remove.
• Serve warm.

Enjoy !!!!!!!!!