Alu Wadi/Patra/Colocasia wheels.

Alu Wadi /Patra/Colocasia leaves Wheels.

Ingredients

9-10 leaves of Colocasia/alu(Marathi).Preferable different sizes.
Filling paste.
1 cup Gram Flour/Besan.
1/4 Cup Rice flour.
1 tbs Coriander cumin Powder.
1 tbs oil.
1 tbs tamarind paste.
1 tbs sesame seeds.
1 tbs jaggery.(more if like it sweet).
1/4 tsp Turmeric.
1/2 tsp red chilli powder.
Salt as per taste.

Oil for frying.

Procedure

Wash the colocasia/taro/alu leaves and arrange in order of biggest to smallest.
Mix all the ingredients under Filling Paste.
Add some water to make it into a thick paste.(peanut butter consistency)

Assembly
Place the biggest leaf  inverted ,light green color facing up.(Vein side up)
Spread the paste on the leaf covering the whole leaf.(be a bit generous)
Then place another leaf same way ,vein side up but upside down.(this makes rolling easy)
Then apply paste again and follow the same procedure till you use up all the leaves.
Then fold about half inch from three sides.Apply paste to seal.
Then start rolling tightly from the fourth side.
Roll it completely.Keep appling paste as need to seal.

Tie it with a thread to secure the roll while steaming.
Then steam the roll for 12 to 14 mins.

Let it cool.Cut it into wheels and fry.
Serve hot.
Sometimes the wheels might open if the paste isn't enough.Then insert a tooth pick and then fry.

                          

Kanda Bhaji/Onion Pakora/Khekda Bhaji

Kanda bhaji/Khekda bhaji/Onion Fritters

Ingredients

2 big onions thinly sliced lengthwise.
3/4 cup Chickpea flour.(1/4 cup more if required)
1/4 cup Rice Flour.
1.5 tsp chilli powder.
1 tsp Carom seeds/ajwain.
1/2 tsp Turmeric.
1tbs coriander Cumin Powder.
Salt as per taste.
Oil for frying.

Procedure

Thinly slice the onions lengthwise.
Add in all the dry spices .Salt,chilli powder,Carom Seeds,Turmeric,Coriander Cumin powder.

Keep aside for 1/2 hr.This will make the Onions ooze out water.
After 1/2 hour add in the Chickpea flour(besan) and the rice flour.Mix  till the onions coat well with the flour.If it feels too dry add 1/4 cup water.If it feels too wet add in more Chickpea flour.
Different onions different quantities of water.
Heat the oil in a pot.
Add in 1 tbs of heated oil in the onion mixture.

Now scoop out small portions of mixture with a fork and fry till golden brown on a medium flame.

Serve Hot.

Dahi Vada

Dahi Vada!!

Ingredients

1 cup Urad dal (split black gram)
1/4 cup moong dal split green gram.
3 green clillies.
1 tbs or 3/4 in ginger.
2 cups yogurt.
Chilli powder
Tamarind date Chutney.
Oil for frying.
Coriander 1/2 cup.
Procedure
Wash and Soak the Urad dal and moong dal overnight.
Grind the soaked dals(both)with ginger and green chillies.

Add salt as taste in the batter.
Now the MOST IMPORTANT STEP,whisk the dal batter to fluff it up.(whisking in the stand mixer is the best choice).
Fluffing up the batter helps make the vada lighter and spongy.
Heat the oil on low medium heat.(flame has to be low it helps vadas to cook through)
Drop a small drop of batter if it floats in the oil it means oil is adequately heated.
Then start dropping spoon fulls of batter in the oil.
Fry till slightly golden brown.
Pat the Vadas on the paper towels.Then drop them in lukewarm water.Keep them in water for about 2 mins then squeeze excess water keep aside.
Fry all the Vadas and keep aside.
Spread little Tamarind date chutney on all the vadas . 

Take the yogurt Add in about 3 cups of water.(not to thick or else vadas won't absorb the yogurt flavors)
Add 4 tbs of sugar and salt as per taste.
Pour the yogurt/buttermilk on the vadas and let them sit for about an hour before you serve.
This will let the yogurt flavors get absorbed.

Kothimbir Vadi / Coriander Squares

Kothimbir Vadi / Coriander Squares!!!

Ingredients

1/2 cup Chana dal/Split Chick Peas.
1/2 cup Moong Dal/ Split Green Gram.
3/4 cup Besan / Chick Pea Flour.
1/4 cup Rice Flour.
2 cups chopped Coriander leaves.
Pinch of Baking soda.
Salt as per taste.
1.5 tbs of coriander cumin powder.
1/2 tsp Turmeric powder.
1 tbs oil.
1 tsp Sesame seeds.
3-4 cloves of Garlic.
3 Green Chillies.1/2 tsp Chilli powder.
Oil for frying.

Procedure

Soak the Chana dal and Moong dal overnight.
Grind the soaked dal (not too much leave a bit of texture) with green chillies and Garlic.

Keep aside.
Wash and chop the fresh coriander leaves.Add the ground dals .Chick pea flour , Rice flour ,spices and baking soda.Add 1 tbs oil.

    

Then add in salt as per taste.
Take a steel plate spray it with oil.Add in the mixture.
Steam for 12 mins.
Cut it into squares.
Heat oil .Fry the squares .

Serve with chutney or ketchup.

Sabudana Vada/Sago Patties.

Sabudana Vada/ Sago patties

Ingredients

2 cups Soaked sabudana / Sago.
3 medium sized potatoes boiled and mashed.
3-4 Green chillies finely chopped.
1 cup Roasted Peanut Powder.
Salt and Sugar as per taste.
2 tbs cashewnuts .
About 1/4 cup warm milk..

1/2 cup coriander finely chopped(optional)
Oil for frying.

Procedure

Soak overnight about a 1 cup sabudana/sago in water just so that it covers the sabudana.DON'T ADD TOO MUCH WATER.
Roast 1cup peanuts in microwave for about 6 mins tossing after every 2-2-2 mins and the let it cool and powder it.Keep aside.
Soak the 2 tbs cashewnuts in 1/4 cup warm milk keep aside for 10 min.Then grind coarsely it in a grinder.

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Mix Soaked sabudana ,Boiled mashed potatoes, Peanut powder ,chopped green chillies , salt, sugar,coriander and milk cashew mix.
Make flat patties /vadas about 1.5 inches or any size and shape you like.

Heat oil and test it by putting in a small piece of vada and if it floats its heated enough.

Fry till golden Brown on medium high heat by gently splashing the oil on vadas.

Pav Bhaji Boats!!

Funny name isn't it.Who doesn't like Pav (bread)Bhaji.And the also don't forget the mind Blowing combination of Pav Bhaji and CHEESE ...delish!!!!So how did I come up with this recipe...?My daughter doesn't like to dunk the pav in the bhaji and slurppp and eat...(the way we enjoy it on streets of Mumbai)so this was a very non messy way to enjoy this king of street food!!!
Tadaaa pav (bread)stuffed with bhaji(veggie) .Presenting you ....PAV BHAJI BOATS!!!!!

Pav Bhaji Boats!!!!

Ingredients

5 Pav (bread )or dinner Rolls.
2 cups Pav bhaji.
Check out the link to my pav bhaji recipe Pav Bhaji
1/2 tsp chilli powder.
1.5 tsp Pav bhaji Masala.1 extra tsp pav bhaji masala.(Masala is spices mixture.We find it in the stores)
About 2 tbs butter.(salted)
1/2 cup Cheese grated .(Parmesan or Mozzarella or our very favourite Amul cheese.
Chopped Coriander to Garnish.
Onion Rings to Garnish.
1 thin Potato sliced.

Procedure.

Pre heat Oven to 420 F.

Heat oil in a pan.add 2 cups of Pav Bhaji in the pan.
Add chilli powder and pav Bhaji masala(1.5 tsp) and pinch of salt.
Keep stirring the pav bhaji till its dry and the spoon can stand in the bhaji for few seconds.(basically we need to take out most of the moisture so that the bread doesn't get soggy)
Keep aside.
Heat another pan.Arrange the potato slices on it ,sprinkle with some salt and spray with some oil.
Slightly brown the potatoes on both the sides.Keep aside.

Take the bread.Make square well in between by taking out the bread.Leaving 1 cm bread on the sides so that it can hold the stuffing.Don't cut in too deep.
Mix the butter and Pav Bhaji masala 1 tsp and melt in microwave.

Coat the inner walls of the bread and the top with the Butter masala(spice) mixture.

Put it in the oven for 5-7 mins till the bread is a bit crispy on top.
Take it out of the oven.Put the browned potato slice at he bottom of the bread well.(THIS WILL PREVENT THE BREAD FROM GETTING SOGGY WHEN WE ADD THE BHAJI.)
Then add the bhaji.
Sprinkle some grated cheese.

Put it back in oven for 7 more mins or till the cheese melts.
Garnish with Coriander and serve hot.

Green Bean Chrispers!!

 

  

Green Bean Chrispers!!!

Ingredients

20 to 30  Green Beans.
1/2 cup all purpose flour.
2 eggs beaten
1 cup Bread crumbs.I used plain.You can use seasoned.
1/4 tsp chilli powder/Paprika.
1/4 tsp crushed black pepper
Salt as per taste.
Oil for frying.

Procedure

Bring 4-5 cups of lightly salted water to a rolling boil.
Add the Green Beans and blanch it for 3 to 4 mins.
Immediately take it out and it in ice water bath.(stops the cooking process)

Drain the water after 5 mins.
Take three shallow bowls.
Add all purpose flour to one .Beaten eggs in second.Bread crumbs in third.
Then add paprika and salt to the bread crumbs.(ignore the step if you are using seasoned Bread crumbs)
Add salt and Pepper to the all purpose flour.

Then take a few bean strings.Coat it with all purpose flour.Then coat it with beaten eggs.Then coat it with bread crumbs.

Deep fry on medium flame till golden brown.