Mixed Vegetable Bondas

Mixed Vegetable Bondas

(A tasty deep fried snack. Excellent combo with Tea / Coffee !!!! )

Makes : 8
Cooking time : 30 minutes

Ingredients

2 teaspoons cooking oil
1 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon jeera ( cumin ) seeds
1/2 teaspoon urad dal
2 green chillies , slit lengthwise
1 - inch piece ginger, chopped fine
1 spring curry leaves
1/4 teaspoon hing ( asafoetida )
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
3 potatoes (medium size), boil and mash well
1/2 cup (75 g) separately boiled carrots and french beans (4 French beans & 1 carrot, cut into cubes)
250 g cooking oil for frying bondas

For batter :

100 g gram flour ( besan / kadala maav / chone pitti )
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/4 teaspoon hing ( asafoetida )
Water for mixing ( approximately 1/2 cup / 50 - 60 ml )

To prepare batter :

Mix gram flour, salt, red chilli powder, turmeric powder and hing. Add water and make a batter of pouring / dropping consistency. Keep aside for 15 minutes.

Method

Boil, peel and mash the potatoes.

In a pan , heat oil. Add mustard seeds. When it starts splutter, add jeera, urad dal, green chillies and curry leaves. Shallow fry on a low heat for 2 - 3 minutes. Add turmeric powder and fry for 2- 3 minutes. Add hing and stir well.,

Add mashed potatoes and separately boiled vegetables. Add salt to taste. Mix well (do not add water). Cover with a lid and cook on a low heat for 8 minutes / till potatoes - vegetable mixture well combined with all the ingredients and fragrant. Keep aside for cooling.

Remove green chillies from the potato - vegetable mixture while making bondas balls / bondas. Make 8 - 9 lemon sized potato - vegetable balls / bondas.

Final preparation:

Heat oil in a frying pan. Dip each bondas in besan batter and deep fry in hot oil on a medium heat (4- 5 bondas at a time) till golden color on both the sides. Drain and place on kitchen paper to absorb excess oil and serve hot with tea / coffee.

Chettinad Masala Dosa

Chettinad Masala Dosa

Makes: 4 (filling for 4 masala dosas)

You will need

1 container / sufficient quantity dosa batter for 4 dosas
Chettinad masala
2 - 3 teaspoon ghee / oil

Preparation of 1 st filling:

2 tablespoons oil
4 onions (medium size), finely chopped
2 tomatoes (pick well ripe), finely chopped
2 green chillies, finely chopped

Method

Heat oil in a pan. Add finely chopped onions and fry till pink color.

Add chopped tomatoes and green chillies. Mix all the ingredients well. Cover with a lid and cook on a low to medium heat for 10 - 12 minutes or until the mixture thickens / well blended.

Preparation of 2 nd filling:

10 cashew nuts (soak cashew nuts in 2 tablespoons of water for half an hour and make a smooth paste. Keep aside).

2 teaspoons oil
1 tablespoon (15 ml) ginger - garlic paste (fresh and homemade)
1 teaspoon (1 - 1 1/4 teaspoon) red chilli powder
2 teaspoons coriander powder
1/4 teaspoon (2 pinches) turmeric powder
2 teaspoons tomato sauce
Salt to taste (or 1/2 teaspoon)
1 tablespoons chopped coriander leaves

Method

Dilute red chilli powder, coriander powder and turmeric powder in 2 tablespoons water and keep aside (spice mix).

Heat oil in a pan. Add ginger - garlic paste and stir well on a low to medium heat for 2 - 3 minutes or until the raw smell goes.

Add diluted spice mix and stir well on a low heat for 2 minutes or until the water dries up and raw smell disappears.

Add cashew nut paste, tomato sauce and chopped coriander leaves. Mix all the ingredients well and stir continuously for 2 - 3 minutes or until thickens and form a soft ball.

Final mixing:

Add onion - tomato mixture into cashew nut - spice - mixture and stir well. Adjust salt to taste. Keep aside.

Final Preparation of Masala Dosa:

Heat a heavy - bottomed wrought iron griddle or non stick dosa pan on a medium heat.

Grease with little oil / ghee.

Make the dosa by placing a ladleful ( approximately 120 ml ) of batter on the centre. Spread evenly by circular rotations using the base of the ladle, starting from the centre and progressing outwards. Sprinkle a few drops of ghee (optional).

Place the Chettinad masala (filling, 2 tablespoons) in the centre of the dosa. Fold the dosa and cook till crisp and golden color.

When ready, carefully remove with the help of a thin spatula. Serve hot with coconut chutney & sambar. Other accompaniments - Medu vada and Filter coffee.

Chickpeas Aloo Palak Curry

Chickpeas Aloo Palak Curry

A tasty & less spicy curry with Potatoes and spinach. Best combination with Rotis !!!!!

Serves: 4

You will need

1 tablespoon oil
1 onion, finely chopped
6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder
1 teaspoon coriander powder
1/2 teaspoon jeera (cumin seed) powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
1 tomato, finely chopped
1 cup (100 g) chickpeas (kabuli channa)
2 potatoes, boil separately and cut into cubes
1 bunch spinach, finely chopped
3/4 teaspoon salt

Method

For chickpeas:

Wash and clean chickpeas. Soak in 2 1/2 cups water for 6 hours or overnight and pressure cook for 25 minutes (reduce the heat to medium after 3 rd whistle and cook for 20 minutes or until done / softens). Allow the cooker to cool naturally. Reserve chickpea stock for later use.

Clean spinach, drain out water and chop finely.

Separately boil potatoes and cut into cubes.

Dilute red chilli powder, coriander powder, jeera powder and turmeric powder in 2 tablespoon water and keep aside (spice mix). Make a smooth solution.

Final preparation:

Heat oil in a wide pan. Add finely chopped onion and fry till pink color on a low to medium heat.

Add finely chopped garlic and fry till golden color.

Add diluted spice mix. Stir well for 2 - 3 minutes on a low heat or until the water dries up.

Add chopped tomato and fry for 2 - 3 minutes.

Add boiled chickpeas (along with stock), boiled potato cubes and spinach. Add salt to taste. Stir all the ingredients well.

Cover with a tight lid and cook on a low to medium heat for 10 - 12 minutes or until the gravy thickens / fragrant / spinach softens.

Serve with Rotis.

Chinese style Barilla Spaghetti with Chicken

Chinese style Barilla Spaghetti with chicken

Serves: 2

You will need

25 nos spaghetti (Barilla or any other top brand, available at Nilgiris, Nuts N' Spices & Brown Tree in Chennai)
1 tablespoon oil
1 onion, finely sliced or spring onion
8 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 cup (100 g) boiled and shredded chicken
1 capsicum
1 carrot, cut into 1- inch thin slices (or any other vegetables of your choice)
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon tomato chilli sauce
1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon sweet chilli sauce

Method

Cook spaghetti according to the instructions shown on the packet. Keep aside.

Mix soy sauce, tomato chilli sauce and sweet chilli sauce together and aside (sauce mix).

Heat oil in a wok or frying pan. Reduce the heat to medium and fry onion / spring onions and garlic till golden color.

Add thinly sliced carrot and capsicum. Mix well and fry for 5 minutes.

Add sauce mix and stir well.

Add cooked spaghetti and boiled and shredded chicken. Mix all the ingredients well. Cover with a lid and cook on a low to medium heat for 8 - 10 minutes or until the spaghetti well blended with sauce mix and chicken. Serve hot.