How to roast peanuts

roasted peanuts

This is a simple recipe of how to roast your peanuts at home. Roasted, salted peanuts serve as a great snack or anytime munchie. They are much healthier than ready-made namkeens. If you use sendha salt, then you can also have them as a snack during Ekadashi or Navratra fast.
Recipe of salted, roasted peanuts
1 cup raw peanuts (kachhi moongphali) with red skin
1 tbsp oil
Salt to taste
How to roast peanuts
1. Heat oil in a kadhai (wok) and turn the heat to medium-low.
2. Add peanuts and salt and mix them well. Roast them stirring constantly.
3. After some time, there will be crackling sound from the peanuts and they will begin to slightly split.
4. Keep roasting for some time till red skin of peanuts look well roasted with dark red color and slightly black marks. Take care not to burn them.
5. Turn off the heat and take peanuts out of kadhai. Let them cool before sampling your roasted peanuts as they will turn crisp after cooling down.

Sabudana Vada

sabudana vada

Here is a simple recipe of sabudana vada with no frills attached and with minimum of ingredients. If you follow the recipe completely, you can make delicious sabudana vada. BTW sabudana vada is a Maharashtrian  food which is mainly eaten in fast. You can make these vadas for Ekadashi or Navratra fasts. I have used sendha salt in this recipe as I made them for Ekadashi fast, you can use common salt if you are not making them in fast.
Recipe of sabudana vada
3/4 cup sabudana (sago)
5 medium sized potatoes
3 green chillies- finely chopped
Sendha salt to taste
Oil to deep fry
1. Wash sabudana under running water. Soak in 'just enough' water in which sabudana is immersed and no
more. Soak for at least 1 & 1/2 hour.
2. Boil, peel, cool and mash potatoes. Add soaked sabudana, salt and green chillies and mix well to form a dough.
3. Pinch a ball from the dough and flatten it between your palms to form a patty or tikki shape called vada. Similarly make rest of the vada from the dough.
4. Heat oil in a kadhai (heavy bottomed vessel) and when the oil is completely hot, add the vada to it. Deep fry till the vadas are reddish brown from both sides. Also fry in batches. Serve hot sabudana vada.
Note: Sabudana vada is fried on high heat. If the oil is not hot enough, your vadas will break in the oil.

Paneer Koliwada (Cottage Cheese Fritters)

Recipe of paneer koliwada
300 gms paneer (Indian cottage cheese)
2 tbsp curd (yogurt)
1/2 cup besan (chickpea flour/gram flour)
Salt to taste
2 tsp ginger paste
1 tbsp lemon juice
3/4 tsp red chilli powder (cyenne pepper)
1/2 tsp cumin powder
chaat masala- as needed
Oil to deep fry
1. Cut paneer lengthwise into thin strips.
2. Add curd, red chilli powder, cumin powder, ginger paste and lemon juice to besan to form thick
batter. Add little water if needed.
3. Mix paneer strips in besan batter and leave it for 1/2 an hour.
4. Heat oil in a kadhai and deep fry paneer pieces till crisp. Drain.
5. Sprinkle chaat masala over paneer koliwada and serve hot.

Palak Chilla (Spinach Pancake)

This spinach chilla is packed with goodness. If your kids do not like eating palak, this is one way to make them eat it.
Recipe of palak (spinach) chilla
2 cups besan (gram flour/chickpea flour)
1 cup palak (spinach) leaves- finely chopped
1/2 tsp ajwain (carom seeds)
1/2 tsp red chilli powder (cayenne pepper)
Salt to taste
1/2 tsp cumin powder
Oil to shallow fry
1. Mix all the above ingredients (except oil) in a bowl and add enough water to get a batter of thick pouring consistency. Beat the batter.
2. Heat a non-stick tava (griddle) and for the first chilla, grease it with few drops of oil. Rub your wooden spatula on the tava, a few times, so as to season it. You don't have to repeat this process for remaining chillas.
3. Turn the heat to low and pour 2 tbsp batter in the center of tava. Spread it in a round circular motion with the back of a serving spoon.
4. Turn the heat to medium and drizzle some oil on the cheela. When the edges turn brownish, it means chillla is cooked from underneath.
5. Loosen it with a flat spatula and turn over the cheela.
6. Cook from other side also till golden brown. Serve hot spinach chilla with chutney.

Sprouts Cutlet

sprouts cutlet

A delicious way to eat sprouts is to turn them into cutlet. I am sure even your kids will love sprouts cutlet. I have used moong and moth sprouts in this recipe.
Recipe of sprouts cutlet
2 cup sprouts (ankurit dal)
2 small boiled potatoes
Salt to taste
3 green chillies- chopped
1 tbsp cornflour
Oil to shallow fry
1. Steam the sprouts to 3 whistles. Semi mash them.
2. Peel and grate boiled potatoes or you can mash them with potato masher.
3. Mix all the above ingredients except oil. You will get a semi firm dough after mixing.
4. Form balls from the sprouts dough and flatten between your palms to get round or oval cutlets.
5. Heat oil in a pan and shallow fry these cutlets in batches. Serve hot sprouts cutlet with  tomato ketchup or green chutney.

sprouts cutlets

Corn in a Cup Recipe

cup corn

This is not much of a recipe actually but I posted it anyhow. Corn in a cup or cup corn is very popular around the world. This is a quick and simple snack and very easy to make. If you do not want to use tinned corn, recipe with fresh corn is also given below.

Recipe of corn in a cup/cup corn

1 cup tinned corn kernels

1/4 tsp red chilli powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 tbsp butter

1/2 tsp chaat masala

2 tsp lemon juice

How to make corn in a cup

1. Heat a kadhai or a pan and melt butter in it.

2. Add corn, red chilli powder, salt and chaat masala. Stir for 2 minutes.

3. Turn off the heat and mix in lemon juice.

4. Serve hot cup corn in plastic cups or bowls.

How to make cup corn with fresh corn

Boil fresh corn with little sugar and turmeric powder for 5 minutes. Do not add salt while boiling as it will harden corn. Turn off the heat and add salt. Let corn stand in salted water for 10 minutes. Strain and prepare corn cups as above.

Samosa Recipe

samosa

Who doesn’t love samosa and that too homemade fresh and hygienic samosa? It’s usually bought from shops but let’s make it today at home.

Recipe of samosa

For the outer covering

2 cups maida

1 tbsp oil

1/2 tsp salt

For filling

4-5 aloo (potatoes) - boiled, peeled and cubed

1/2 cup matar (green peas) - boiled

2 inch piece ginger - grated

2-3 green chillies- chopped

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

Salt to taste

Chopped coriander leaves (cilantro)

1/2 tsp amchoor

1/2 tsp garam masala

2 tsp coriander powder

2 tsp oil

Oil for deep frying

1. For outer covering of samosa, take maida in a bowl and mix in salt and oil.

2. Slowly add water and knead into stiff dough. Cover the dough and keep aside for 20 minutes.

3. For filling, heat 2 tsp oil in a pan and add cumin seeds. When they change colour, add ginger and green chillies. Sauté for 1 minute.

4. Add potatoes and matar. Add salt and all the spices. Also add coriander leaves. Roast for a while.

Your filling is ready to stuff inside samosa.

How to make samosa

stuffing inside the cone

5. Take some dough and roll into a thin round or puri.

6. Cut the puri  to make 2 halves. Run wet fingers along the edges.

7. Make a cone by joining and pressing.

8. Stuff potato-peas mixture inside the cone and seal the third side so that stuffing doesn't come out while frying. Similarly make rest of the samosa from remaining dough and potato mixture.

9. Heat oil in a kadhai and deep fry 3-4 samosas at a time on a medium heat. Fry till samosa turn golden brown. Drain on an absorbent paper and serve hot samosa with green chutney and sweet tamarind chutney.

Note- samosas will be fried on a medium heat. Also fry samosas in batches.

You can also add small pieces of paneer and kaju kishmish (cashews and raisins) to the stuffing. 

Masala Peanuts

masala peanuts

Masala peanuts or masala moongphali are a popular snack item which is mine and hubby’s favorite. I made blog posts about microwave masala peanuts earlier but this recipe calls for deep frying.

Recipe of masala peanuts

1 cup peanuts (moongphali)

Slightly less than 1/4 cup besan (gram flour/chickpea flour)

3/4 tsp salt or to taste

1/2 tsp chaat masala

1/2 tsp red chilli powder (cayenne pepper)

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

Oil to deep fry

1. Take peanuts in a strainer (chhalni) and wet them under running water. Shake off excess water.

2. In a bowl, mix besan with all the spices and salt.

3. Mix peanuts with spiced besan so that all peanuts are coated with besan.

4. Deep fry these peanuts in medium hot oil till they turn golden brown. Drain on an absorbent paper and let masala peanuts cool completely before devouring them. Store remaining masala peanuts in an airtight jar. They stay fresh for long.

masala peanuts

Potato Cutlet Recipe

potato cutlet

Potato cutlet can also be called as aloo tikki. This is mine and hubby’s favorite snack item. It’s not that I deep fry frequently but once in a while, it’s ok. This is a simple recipe of potato cutlet with no frills attached but works out well. The idea is to use 1 bread slice per medium size potato so that cutlet binds well and doesn’t break up in the hot oil.

Recipe of potato cutlet/aloo tikki

5 medium size potato (aloo) - boiled, peeled and mashed

5 bread slices (I used brown bread)

4 green chillies- chopped

Salt to taste

Chopped coriander leaves (cilantro)

1/2 tsp garam masala

Oil to deep fry

cutlet before frying

1. Dip each bread slice in water and immediately take out. Squeeze to remove excess water and mash them.

2. Mix all the above ingredients (including mashed bread) to mashed potato except oil.

3. Pinch small balls from the above mixture and make round balls. Flatten them between your palms.

4. Heat oil for deep frying in a kadhai/wok or a pan. When the oil is hot enough, turn the heat to medium. Wait for 2 minutes.

5. Place the cutlets in the oil (a few at a time) and fry from both sides, turning as needed.

6. Fry cutlet till reddish brown. Drain on an absorbent paper. Serve potato cutlet with tomato ketchup or green chutney.

Microwave Masala Peanuts

microwave masala peanuts

Earlier I made a blog post of masala peanuts in microwave. This time I tried making microwave masala peanuts in a different way. You can try both ways to find out which suits you better. This is a low calorie guilt free snack since it uses very less oil. I find them better than store bought ones coz they are not deep fried.

Recipe of microwave masala peanuts

1 cup peanuts (moongphali)

Slightly less than 1/4 cup besan (gram flour/chickpea flour)

3/4 tsp salt or to taste

1/2 tsp red chilli powder (cayenne pepper)

1/2 tsp chaat masala

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

Oil to grease and drizzle

1. Take peanuts in a strainer (chalni) and wash under running water so that all peanuts are wet. Shake off excess water.

2. Mix besan and all the spices and salt.

3. Mix spiced besan with wet peanuts such that all peanuts are coated with besan.

4. Grease a microwave safe plate and arrange peanuts on it. Drizzle some oil on the peanuts.

5. Microwave them on a High for 4 minutes. Take out and wait for 10 minutes for it to cool down. Your crispy crunchy masala peanuts are ready. Store them in an airtight container.

Chawal ke Pakode (Rice Fritters)

rice pakora

Rice pakora or chawal ke pakode makes tasty evening snack and can be made really fast if you have cooked rice on hand. You can use leftover rice for making rice pakora.

Recipe of rice pakora (fritters)

2 cups cooked rice (chawal)

1/2 cup besan (gram flour/chickpea flour)

1 big onion- chopped

3 green chillies- chopped

Chopped coriander leaves (cilantro)

Salt to taste

1 inch piece ginger- chopped

Oil to deep fry

1. Take besan in a bowl and add all the ingredients except oil. Add 1/4 cup water to make thick batter.

2. Heat oil in a kadhai/wok or deep frying pan. When the oil is hot enough, turn the heat to medium. Drop small portions of the batter in the kadhai.

3. Deep fry rice pakora till golden, turning as needed. Drain pakode on an absorbent paper. Fry in batches.

4. Serve rice pakora hot with chutney or tomato sauce.

Mirchi Vada

mirchi vada

Mirchi vada or mirchi bajji is basically potato stuffed mirchi ka pakora (chilli fritter). This is a Rajasthani snack which is liked by people who like their food hot. Take large, thick mirchi which is also called 'Bhavnagari mirch' or Anaheim pepper, for this dish.

Recipe of mirchi vada/ mirchi bajji

8-10 large, thick mirchi (Anaheim pepper/ bhavnagri mirch)

1 cup besan (gram flour/ chickpea flour)

3-4 potato (boiled, peeled and mashed)

1/4 tsp red chilli powder

Salt to taste

3/4 tsp chaat masala

Oil for deep frying

1. Make a vertical slit in mirch without separating them. Remove seeds from mirch.

2. Add salt and chaat masala to mashed potato.

3. Stuff this potato mixture in mirchis.

4. In a bowl, take besan and add salt and red chilli powder. Add water little by little, mixing with other hand to prepare smooth, lump free batter. The consistency of the batter should be like that of pakora (fritter) batter like.

5. Heat sufficient oil in a kadhai/wok. Dip stuffed mirchi in besan batter and deep fry in oil till golden from all sides. Serve mirchi vada hot with chutney or sauce.

Note- Mirch or peppers used for this dish are not very hot and after you remove their seeds, they become mild.

Makki ke Pakore (Cornmeal Fritters)

makki ke pakore

Makki ke pakore was made in my kitchen by chance. When I was in a condition of slight sleep deprivation, my hubby asked for pakoras. Instead of taking besan, I took makki atta and added salt and spices to it. Then I suddenly realized, it was not besan but cornmeal. I decided to go ahead and made pakoras or bhajiyas from it. It was a hit and my hubby asked me to make them again.

Recipe of makki ke pakore/ bhajia

1 cup makki atta (cornmeal/maize flour/makai ka atta)

1 onion- finely chopped

1 tomato- finely chopped

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

1/2 tsp cumin powder

1 tsp ginger-green chilli paste

Oil to deep fry

1. Take makki ka atta in a bowl and add all the above ingredients to it except oil. Mix.

2. Add water to make a batter of pakora (fritters) batter like consistency. Beat well.

3. Heat oil in a kadhai/wok. Drop small portions of the batter in the oil and deep fry till golden. Fry the pakoras in batches. Drain makki ke pakore on an absorbent paper and serve hot with tomato sauce or chutney.

Mirchi ke Pakore (Green Chilli Fritters)

mirchi ke pakore

My hubby and FIL love mirchi ke pakore. Here I have given the recipe of stuffing chilli with chutney but I also make them by stuffing aloo (potato) masala. Mirchi pakoda tastes great both ways.

Recipe of mirchi ke pakore/ green chilli fritters

8-10 bhavnagri mirch (large, broad not so hot green chilli)

1 cup besan (gram flour/ chickpea flour)

Salt to taste

Green (dhania pudina) chutney- for stuffing

Oil to deep fry

1. Wash and wipe mirchi. Make a slit on one side without separating from the base or slitting other side. Remove seeds of mirchi.

2. Take besan in a bowl and add salt. Add water little by little, mixing with other hand so as to prepare lump free batter. Batter consistency should be like pancake batter.

3. Stuff green chutney into each mirchi.

4. Heat sufficient oil in a kadhai/ wok. Dip each stuffed mirchi in besan batter and put in hot oil. Deep fry on medium heat, turning as needed till golden brown.

5. Drain bharwa mirchi ke pakore on absorbent paper and serve hot.

Methi Makki ke Veg Kababs (Fenugreek Flavored Cornmeal Patties)

methi makki ke veg kabab

These methi makki kababs were made on spur when me and my husband were experimenting in kitchen. To our surprise, they turned out so delicious that we want to make them again and again.

Recipe of methi makki ke veg kababs

1 cup makki atta (cornmeal/ maize flour)

1/2 cup chopped methi (fresh fenugreek) leaves

1 onion- finely chopped

1 inch piece ginger- grated

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp cumin powder

1/2 tsp garam masala powder

1 tbsp oil

Oil to shallow fry

1. Mix together above ingredients except oil to shallow fry.

2. Add enough water to knead into smooth dough.

3. Form small round kababs and shallow fry till golden brown from both sides. Serve hot methi             makki ke veg kababs with tomato sauce.

Methi Mathri (Fenugreek Crackers)

methi mathri

Methi mathri is one of my favorite tea time snack. I generally sun dry kasoori methi during winter season and store it. That way I have kasoori methi or dry methi leaves all year round for making methi mathri, using in aloo ki sabzi or paneer ki sabzi. Kasoori methi is also available in packets at Indian grocery stores.

Recipe of methi mathri/ mathi

2 cups maida (all purpose flour)

2 tbsp oil + for deep frying

1 tsp ajwain (carom seeds)

1 tsp salt

1/4 tsp baking soda

1 tbsp kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves) - crushed between palms

rolled out mathris

1. Take maida, salt, baking soda, ajwain and kasoori methi in a bowl. Add 2 tbsp oil and mix with your hands. Rub the mixture with your fingers so that oil evenly coats maida.

2. Little by little, add warm water so as to knead the all purpose flour into a stiff dough. Let the dough rest for 1/2 an hour.

3. Take walnut (akhrot) sized balls from the dough and roll out on an oiled surface into thin rounds. With the help of a fork, pierce these rounds or mathis here and there so that they don't puff up upon frying.

4. Heat sufficient oil in a kadhai/ wok or a frying pan. When the oil is hot enough, turn the heat to medium. Wait for 2 minutes, and then start putting these rolled rounds or mathris in oil.

5. Fry them on medium heat turning as needed till they begin to give a cooked look. For the final touch, increase heat so that they become golden brown. Fry the mathri in batches.

6. Drain on an absorbent paper using a slotted spoon (pauni/ chaari). Let them cool down completely before storing them in an airtight container. They stay fresh for long.

Note- Do not fry the mathri in very hot oil because then they will remain soft and not crisp. Mathri will be fried on medium heat.

Vegetable Pakora (Fritters)

vegetable pakora

Vegetable pakora along with hot tea was our rainy day treat today. As soon as I spotted dark clouds in the sky, I started mixing my batter as I knew that demand for pakoras will soon be there and how right I was!

Recipe of mixed vegetable pakora

1 cup besan (gram flour)

3/4 cup water

1 tsp salt

1 potato- round thin slices

2 onions- chopped or cut into rings

1 small cauliflower- cut into florets

1/2 tsp red chilli powder or 2 green chillies- chopped

3/4 tsp pav bhaji masala

Oil to deep fry

1. Pass the besan through a sieve so that there are no lumps. Add salt, red chilli powder or green chillies and pav bhaji masala.

2. Slowly add water to the besan mixing by other hand so as to prevent lumps formation. Beat the batter well (you can use a blender) so as to incorporate air and pakora turn out fluffier.

3. Heat oil in a kadhai (heavy bottomed vessel) and when the oil is hot enough, turn the heat to medium. Dip the vegetables in the batter and gently drop in the hot oil. Fry from both sides till pakora turn golden brown. Drain by using a slotted spoon (pauni/ chhari) on an absorbent paper. Fry in batches. Serve hot vegetable pakora with coriander chutney or tamarind chutney or tomato ketchup.

Note- pakoras will be fried on medium heat. If the heat is high, they will remain uncooked at the center especially gobi pakora.

Instant Sooji Uttapam

sooji uttapam

Sooji uttapam is a fast and easy snack to prepare. You can also have it for breakfast or brunch. It’s very delicious as well as healthy option. Sooji uttapam is also known as rava uthappa or rava uthappam.

Recipe of sooji uttapam/ rava uttapam

Batter

1 1/2 cups moti sooji (rava/ coarse semolina)

Salt to taste

1 1/2 cups curd (yogurt) - preferably sour

3/4 cup water

Topping

2 tomatoes- finely diced

2 onions- finely chopped

2 green chillies- finely chopped

Coriander leaves- chopped

Salt to taste

Oil to cook

1. Mix together all the ingredients of the batter. Keep the batter aside for 1/2 hour.

2. Before cooking, beat the batter well and adjust water to get the thick pouring consistency. Batter should be thicker than dosa batter.

3. Mix all the ingredients of topping and keep aside.

4. Heat a non-stick tava or a skillet on medium. Grease it and wipe it clean with a small napkin.

5. Turning the heat to low, pour 2 tablespoon batter in the centre of the tava. With a gentle, outward motion, spread it with the back of a ladle (karchhi) to get a round shape. Keep it a little thick.

6. Turn the heat to medium and after 2 minutes, sprinkle some topping on it. Press the topping gently. Pour a tsp of oil on it and cover it with a lid of some height.

7. After the underside is cooked, remove the lid and turn over the uttapam gently so that top side also gets cooked. When the onions turn little brown, remove from the tava. Serve hot sooji uttapam with sambar or chutney.

rava uttapam

Moong Dal Pakora (Green Gram Fritters)

moong dal pakora

In the evenings when you crave something deep fried along with your hot cuppa chai, these moong dal pakora serve as a satisfying snack. They are also a popular North Indian street food. Street vendors serve moong dal pakora with green chutney and grated mooli (radish).

Recipe of moong dal pakora

1 cup dhuli moong dal (skinless split green gram)

2-3 green chillies- chopped finely

1 inch piece ginger- grated

Salt to taste

Oil to deep fry

1. Wash and soak moong dal for 2 hours. Drain and grind to a smooth paste along with rest of the ingredients except oil. Beat well. This is an important step to make fluffy pakoras (fritters) since air is incorporated in the batter while beating.

2. Heat oil in a karahi (heavy bottomed vessel). To check if it’s sufficiently hot, drop a small portion of batter in the oil. If it sizzles and comes to the surface, your oil is ready. Turn the heat to medium. Pakoda will be fried on medium heat.

3. Drop small portions of batter in the oil by a teaspoon or with your hand. Fry from both sides till the pakora turn golden brown. Drain on an absorbent paper. Serve moong pakora hot with green (dhaniya pudina) chutney or tomato sauce.

Paneer Pakora (Cottage Cheese Fritters)

paneer pakora

Paneer pakora or cheese pakora is a true rainy day comforter. Paneer pakora with hot cup of tea makes for a treat. It’s not that every day we eat deep fried goodies but its okay once in a while.

Recipe of paneer pakora

250 grams paneer (cottage cheese)

1 1/2 cups besan (gram flour)

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

1-2 green chillies- chopped

1 cup water

2 tsp oil

Oil to deep fry

1 tsp chaat masala

1. Cut paneer into thick cubes. Sprinkle chaat masala on them and keep aside.

2. Mix rest of the ingredients in a bowl except water and oil to deep fry. Slowly add water to this, stirring, so that no lumps are formed. Adjust the quantity of water to get thick pouring consistency. Beat this batter in a blender so that air is incorporated and pakoras turn out fluffy. You can also beat with a big spoon or using a hand blender. Set aside the batter for 15-20 minutes.

3. Heat oil in a heavy bottomed vessel (kadhai). You can find out if the oil is sufficiently hot by dropping a small portion of the batter in the oil. If it sizzles and comes to the surface, your oil is hot enough. Turn the heat to medium.

4. Dip the paneer cubes in the batter and drop gently in the oil. Deep fry pakodas from both sides till golden brown.

5. Drain on an absorbent paper towel by using a slotted spoon (pauni/ chhari). Serve hot paneer pakora with tomato sauce or coriander chutney.