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.

Bharwa Tinda Recipe 2 (Stuffed Apple Gourd)

bharwa tinda

Earlier also I made a blog post about bharwa tinda but in this recipe stuffing is different. Here I have made bharwa tinda in Punjabi style using onion and ginger-garlic.

Recipe of bharwa tinda

300 gms or 7-8 small tinda (apple gourd/Indian baby pumpkin)

1 onion- chopped

2 tsp ginger-garlic paste

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1/4 + 1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp saunf (fennel) powder

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp amchoor (dried mango powder)

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

2 tsp +1 tbsp oil

1. Wash and wipe tinda dry. Remove both ends and scrape the skin of tinda.

2. Make '+' cuts on the tinda so that each tinda is slit into 4 without separating form the base.

3. For preparing the stuffing, heat 2 tsp oil in a pan and add cumin seeds. When they change color, add onion and ginger-garlic paste. Fry for few minutes.

4. Add salt, all the spices and 1/4 tsp turmeric powder. Mix and after few seconds, turn off the heat and let it cool down.

5. Stuff this masala into each tinda.

6. Heat 1 tbsp oil in the same pan and add 1/4 tsp turmeric powder. Add tinda and lower heat. Cook covered till tinda turn tender and slightly brownish from the base. Turn over and cook tinda from other side as well. Serve bharwan tinda hot with rotis.

Roti ki Sabzi

roti ki sabzi

If you have some leftover rotis from last night’s supper, then you can put them to good use by making roti ki sabzi.

Recipe of roti ki sabzi

5 sookhi (dry) roti

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

A pinch of asafoetida (hing)

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1 tbsp oil

Salt to taste

2 tomatoes- chopped

1. Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds. When they change color, add hing.

2. Add tomatoes and all the spice powders and salt. Cook till tomatoes get mushy.

3. Break sookhi rotis into small pieces and add to the pan. Cook till rotis become soft. Serve roti ki sabzi hot.

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.

Simple Potato Fry

simple potato fry

I make this simple potato fry often and everyone in my family relishes them. It's quite easy to make and you can use amchoor (dried mango powder) if anardana powder is not available. Potato fry is made in many different ways and this is my version of the delicious potato dish.

Recipe of simple potato fry

3 medium potatoes- boiled, peeled

1/2 tsp mustard seeds

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp red chilli powder (cayenne pepper)

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp coriander powder

3/4 tsp anardana powder (dried pomegranate powder)

1 tbsp oil

1. Break the potatoes unevenly by hands or you can cube them.

2. Heat oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When they pop, add potato pieces. Add all the spices and salt. Mix well.

3. On a medium heat, stir fry the potatoes. Keep removing the scrapings on the walls of the pan. Fry till potatoes turn crisp. Take out from the pan and serve potato fry hot.

Kairi ki Sabzi (Raw Mango Curry)

kairi ki sabzi

Kairi ki sabzi is a delicious accompaniment to meals. It stays fresh for 2-3 days in fridge. This is my mom's recipe of using unripe mangoes. So, instead of kairi, you can also use mango which is not ripe enough to consume.

Recipe of kairi ki sabzi/ raw mango curry

2-3 kairi (raw mango/kachcha aam)

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1/2 tsp red chilli powder (cayenne pepper)

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp saunf (fennel) powder

1 tbsp gur (jaggery)

1 tbsp oil

1/2 tsp garam masala

1. Peel and cube kairi.

2. Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds. When they change color, add kairi pieces.

3. Add salt and all the spices except garam masala. Add 1 cup water and let it come to boil.

4. Add jaggery and lower heat. Cook covered till kairi softens, stirring occasionally.

4. Add garam masala and cook for 1 more minute. Turn off the heat and kairi ki sabzi is ready to have as an accompaniment to your meals.

Tahari/ Tahiri (Spicy Vegetable Rice)

tahari

Tahari or tahiri is a spicy vegetable pulao from Uttar Pradesh. You can also call it vegetable biryani. Tahari is usually eaten with curd or raita.

Recipe of tahari/ tahiri

1 cup rice - washed and soaked for 20 minutes

1 big onion- sliced

2 tsp ginger-garlic paste

2 cups chopped vegetables like cauliflower, potato, carrot, beans and green peas

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

2 bay leaves (tej patta)

4-5 cloves (laung)

1 big cardamom (moti elaichi)

A small stick of cinnamon

Salt to taste

1 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)

1. Heat ghee in a pressure cooker and add cumin seeds, bay leaves, cloves, cardamom and cinnamon. Let them change color.

2. Add onion and sauté till light brown. Add ginger-garlic paste and fry for 1 minute.

3. Add chopped vegetables and stir fry for 1 minute.

4. Drain the soaked rice and add to the cooker. Add salt and red chilli powder. Stir fry for 1 minute.

5. Add 2 cups of water and mix everything. Pressure cook to 1 whistle. Serve hot tahiri with curd or chutney.