SNACKS | Saute Fry N Bake

Chutney stuffed squares

Preparation time : 40 minutes
Cooking time : 15 minutes
Serves : 5 members

Description

In my early days of blogging and exploring of food recipes through the world wide net, my favourite interest’s were filled and stuffed Indian snacks ( it’s still my favourite though ). I used to take note of all the recipes that interested me in my hand written cook book. Recently while cleaning my cook book shelf in the kitchen … dusting and wiping the cook books. I just flip pages of all my hand written cook books. This very recipe caught my interest at that moment. Well, the next thing was to try it. The long process and stages of this very recipe did get me tired but it all vanished away until I had my first taste bite of this divine stuffed square. I swear .. it was a perfect all in all one bite with taste and flavour. As I am typing, there is a tsunami of saliva in my mouth .. As a matter of fact, I have to have this snack right now.

Step 1

Ingredients for the crapes

Ingredients	Quantity
Flour / maida	1 cup
Salt	to taste
Water	1/4 cup or more
Oil	little to grease

Method for crapes

Mix all the mentioned ingredients together except for oil to get a lump free loose batter.
Heat a griddle. Grease with oil. Pour a ladle of the loose batter and rotate the griddle making sure the batter is spread evenly through out to get a thin crape. Once cooked on one side, flip over and cook further for 30 seconds. Remove and keep aside . Do the same with all the batter.

Step 2

Filling ingredients

Ingredients	Quantity
Chicken or meat mince	boiled 1/4 kg
Ginger garlic paste	1/8 teaspoon each
Salt	to taste
Turmeric powder	1/4 teaspoon
Onions	5 big chopped
Green chillies	4 chopped
Mixed vegetables	carrots , beans , cabbage , green peas , capsicum ( red , green , yellow ) , mushrooms chopped and boiled in water with salt - 3 cups
Celery	chopped 1 teaspoon
Tomato sauce	1 teaspoon
Light soya sauce	1/4 teaspoon
Vinegar	1/4 teaspoon
Red and green chilli sauce	1/4 teaspoon each
Pepper powder	to taste
Red chilli flakes	to taste
Oil	2 tablespoons

Method for filling:

Heat oil in a non stick pan. Add onions and fry to translucent.
Add green chilies,boiled chicken or minced meat, boiled chopped mixed vegetables, celery, salt, chilli flakes and pepper to taste. Add all the sauces and vinegar.
Mix well and keep stirring for 3 minutes letting all the flavours infuse together.
Remove from heat, cool and set aside.

Step 3

Chutney ingredients

Ingredients	Quantity
Coriander leaves and stem	1 bunch
Garlic	4 cloves
Red dry chillies	10
Tamarind	goose burry size
Grated coconut	1/2 coconut
Oil	1 teaspoon
Jaggery	1/4 teaspoon
Salt	to taste

Method

Heat oil, fry the red dry chillies to golden. Remove, then fry all the other ingredients except for jaggery to golden separately. Remove and cool completely. Grind together along with jaggery and salt to taste in a food processor adding very little water to a coarse paste. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Step 4

Other ingredients

Ingredients	Quantity
Boiled eggs	3 cut into half
Eggs	2
Salt + pepper	to taste
Bread crumbs	2 cups
Oil	to shallow fry

How to proceed

Place one crape over a clean work surface. Top with 1 tablespoon of cooled filling mix in the middle. Spread it out to a square shape with in the crape.
Top with 1 teaspoon of coriander chutney and spread it over the filling.
Sprinkle salt and pepper over the cut boiled eggs. Place one half of boiled egg over the chutney. Fold the sides of the crapes towards the center. Now fold in the top and down portion of the crape in wards to get a square shape stuffed square. Do the same to all the crapes, filling, chutney and boiled eggs. Keep aside.
Beat 2 eggs with salt and pepper to taste. Toss the folded stuffed squares with beaten eggs. Remove and toss over bread crumbs making sure the bread crumbs has stuck all around well. Do the same to all the stuffed squares. Keep aside.
Heat a griddle with little oil. Shallow fry the stuffed squares to golden and crisp on both sides. Remove from heat. Cut into triangles and serve hot.

Misal pav

Preparation time : 30 minutes
Cooking time : 15 minutes
Serves : 5 members

Description

Though me being a great foodie and my life revolves around food , there are so many authentic Indian recipes that I am not aware of. The mighty misal pav is one dish. A few months back , a fellow gym mate of mine mentioned about it as she is from Mumbai. I didn’t know head or tail of what this dish might be like. She explained to me in detail with both of us walking in the treadmill. The garnishing with farsha ( mixture) excited me. Gave it a try the next day for breakfast with my friends recipe. Awesome taste with layers of textures was tasty and a new addition to my breakfast menu’s at home.

Ingredients for the misal

Ingredients	Quantity
Green gram sprouts	1 and a 1/2 cups
Onion	2 chopped
Tomato	1 chopped
Ginger and garlic paste	1/4 teaspoon
Salt	to taste
Oil	1 tablespoon
Coriander leaves	few chopped
Buns	4
Butter	2 tablespoons ( optional )

Ingredients to grind

Ingredients	Quantity
Turmeric powder	1/4 teaspoon
Red chilly powder	1 teaspoon
Coriander powder	1 tablespoon
Gram masala powder	1/4 teaspoon
Black cardamom	1
Cloves	2
Green cardamom	1
Cinnamon	1/8 inch piece
Bay leaf	1
Star anise	1 small
Coconut grated	1 tablespoon
Sesame seeds	1/2 teaspoon
Cumin seeds	1/2 teaspoon
Pepper corns	1/4 teaspoon
Stone flower	1/4 teaspoon
Ajwain	a pinch

Garnishing ingredients

Ingredients	Quantity
Onion	1 chopped
Coriander leaves	few chopped
Mixture	1 cup
Lime wedges	few

Method

Boil the green gram sprouts with salt to taste and enough water to cooked well.
Grind all the ingredients together under the to grind section along with little water to a smooth paste.
Heat oil, add onions and sauté to translucent. Top with ginger and garlic paste and sauté to crisp.
Add the tomato and sauté to juicy and until oil separates. Top with the ground masala paste and sauté until raw smell vanishes. Pour the boiled green gram with water in it. Mix well and cook further for five minutes.
Once the raw smell has gone and it gets to a gravy consistency, garnish with chopped coriander leaves and remove from heat.

How to serve

Garnish the cooked misal with a garnish of chopped onions, chopped coriander leaves and mixture. Squeeze a lemon wedge over and serve with butter toasted hot buns.

Spring roll sheet baskets

FullSizeRender (11)

Preparation time : 2 minutes
Cooking time : 4-5 minutes for each batch
Serves : 8 members

Description

Edible basket’s and nest’s made to entertain for appetisers always interest’s me as it’s easy to pull of with no high end technique required giving a final product that always had your guests and loved ones with a surprise element. I come across this recipe in a foodie group in face book that was so easy and yet innovative. The process was so similar to the potato baskets once I tried making and it ended up a utter flop show. Me being a bit nervous about this , went ahead and gave it a try. I tried by pressing the spring roll sheets in the wire mesh strainer with a pastel as demanded in the recipe but that did not work out for me. So the next basket I tried the same using a round steel spatula. The results were pitch perfect. Stored these baskets in an air tight container and served them in style. The crispy exterior and the spicy mince filling was a match made in heaven. I did share a few with my neighbour. I get a phone call immediately with a recipe please which means this snack idea is for keeps.

Ingredients for the baskets

Ingredients	Quantity
Steel tea strainer	1
Round medium sized steel ladle	1

Equipment’s needed

Equipments	Quantity
Steel tea strainer	1
Round medium sized steel ladle	1

Method for baskets

Cut each spring roll sheet into four equal squares. Place three squares diagonally in a cross cross pattern one over the other.
Place the three stacked up spring roll cross cross sheets into a steel strainer. Press down with the steel ladle. Insert it into hot oil and deep fry to golden and crispy . Drain and store in airtight containers.

How to serve

with filling of your choice like chat, mixed fruits, salad, desserts, ice cream or any savoury filling ( here I have filled it with savoury mince meat filling ). Let your imagination rule and flaunt with any filling of your choice.

Khatta dhokla

Preparation time : 30 minutes + 6 hours of soaking + 8 hours to ferment
Cooking time : 10 minutes + 2 minutes for tempering
Serves : 8 members

Description

I have great amount of weakness towards dhokla’s. Serve it to me in any form and I cannot resist them. The steamed spongy square soothes you with sweet, sour and hotness all in one bite. Not to forget the mix of texture’s of soft, spongy and crisp of the tempering above it. This is just another version of the dhokla but made with rice and urad dal which gives you the same amount of yumminess. A real good healthy option to be had any time of day.

Ingredients

Ingredients	Quantity
Rice	1 cup ( I used idli rice )
urad dal ( with out skin )	1/2 cup
Bengal dal	1/2 cup
Curd	1/2 cup
Green chillies	2
Ginger	1/4 inch piece
Asafoetida	1/4 teaspoon
Red chilly powder	a few pinches
Oil	1 tablespoon
Eno fruit salt	2 teaspoons

Ingredients for tempering

Ingredients	Quantity
Mustard seeds	1/2 teaspoon
Curry leaves	few
White sesame seeds	1/4 teaspoon
Coriander leaves	few chopped to garnish

Method

Soak rice, urad dal and Bengal gram dal separately in water for six hours. Drain the water and grind all together along with green chillies, ginger, curd and little water to a semi thick batter like idli batter consistency.
Add eno fruit salt and mix well. Keep covered for eight hours to ferment and double in size.
Add Asafoetida and oil to the fermented batter and mix well.
Grease a round vessel that has a flat base and high sides. Pour half of the fermented batter and sprinkle red chilly powder over. Pour 2 cups of water into a idli vessel.
Place the batter poured plate over the idli vessel steamer stand. Cover the batter plate with a lid. Then close the idli vessel with its lid. Steam for ten minutes. Remove from heat and cool for three minutes.
Heat oil to temper. Add the mustard seeds. Once they crackle, add curry leaves and white sesame seeds. Sauté for 30 seconds. Remove from heat and pour over the steamed khatta dhokla.
Sprinkle chopped coriander leaves. Cut into equal size squares and serve with coriander chutney.

Crispy Bun Sandwich

Preparation time : 25 minutes
Cooking time : 20 minutes
Serves : 4 members

Description

The mighty buns always bring in an nostalgic warmth to me. It was always fed to me as a sick little girl dunked into hot tea or sweet milk. I remember hesitating to eat it from any one other than my dad. He would make sure to feed me and then go for work. Every night before he is home myself and my brother would be in deep sleep. He would check us and then tuck in our bed sheets over us properly and then go to bed. This was a regular thing every night. Oops… my mind seems to be taking me away from the main content the bun here. I had a lot of left over buns at home. Here only my daughter enjoys eating them soaked in hot firni. Wanting to use them up in a different way.. my mind went to the cliche burgers .. then an idea popped up.. why not deep fry the buns. There I got hold of a good twist to be done. I did so and served it as an evening snack. They vanished with in seconds. Crispy crust with a soft inside along side the spicy filling with a slight burn on the tongue was a perfect like a match made in heaven. There after when ever I serve these buns.. I sure have raised eye brows following with a recipe please.

Ingredients for the filling

Ingredients	Quantity
Chicken or meat mince	boiled 1/4 kg boiled
Ginger garlic paste	1/8 teaspoon each
Salt	to taste
Turmeric powder	1/4 teaspoon
Onions	5 big chopped
Green chillies	4 chopped
Mixed vegetables	Carrots , beans , cabbage , green peas , capsicum ( red , green , yellow )
Mushrooms chopped and boiled in water with salt	3 cups
Celery	Chopped 1 teaspoon
Tomato sauce	1 teaspoon
Light soya sauce	1/4 teaspoon
Vinegar	1/4 teaspoon
Red and green chilli sauce	1/4 teaspoon each
Pepper powder	to taste
Red chilli flakes	to taste
Oil	2 tablespoons

Method for filling

Heat oil in a non stick pan. Add onions and fry to translucent.
Add green chilies, boiled chicken or minced meat, boiled chopped mixed vegetables, celery, salt, chilli flakes and pepper to taste.
Add all the sauces and vinegar.
Mix well and keep stirring for 3 minutes letting all the flavours infuse together.
Remove from heat, cool and set aside.

Other ingredients

Ingredients	Quantity
Buns	4
Eggs	2 beaten
Salt	to taste
Pepper	to taste
Bread crumbs	1 cup
Butter	3 tablespoons
Oil	to deep fry

Method

Beat eggs with salt and pepper to taste. Dip the buns into beaten eggs and coat over bread crumbs making sure it’s coated well all around. Do the same to all the buns.
Heat oil to deep fry. Deep fry the bread crumbs coated buns in medium hot oil to crisp and golden. Strain and cool.
Cut the crispy, cooled deep fried buns into two equal halves horizontally. Spread butter on the inside cut parts. Spread 2 tablespoons of filling inside and close the bun. Insert a tooth prick in the center.
Decorate with a carrot slice on top of the tooth prick and serve warm with tomato sauce.

Moong dal kachori

Preparation time : 40 minutes
Cooking time : 8-10 minutes
Serves : 4 members

Description

There are a few dishes which I feel nervous about when thinking of giving a try. Kachori is one such dish that always gave me shiver’s. Not sure why but it was so. I kept postponing my trial over the kachori’s always. One fine day when I had absolutely nothing to do at all and felt so useless about myself and life. That was the time I was craving for a challenge to be broken and the kachori popped up in my mind. With all the courage in me started to prep and go ahead with the dish. Through out having zero hopes of the kachori coming out well. The first batch of kachoris in the oil with me praying it must puff up, puff up, puff up… finally they did puff up . Then I went to say repeatedly.. please stay puffed up , puffed up , puffed up…
they did stay puffed up.. my heart smiled with joy of mastering and ticking another dish to be made in my bucket list. The real test was to get good remarks from my North Indian friend who I shared a few of the kachori ‘s with. She was all praises saying,”it tastes just like what we have in Delhi .you have blessed magical hands”. I was like ” why was I so nervous about making these kachori’s. Stop underestimating your self like this .” Well at times we need to motivate our own selves like so I guess.

Ingredients for the dough

Ingredients	Quantity
Wheat flour	1/2 cup
Flour / maida	1/2 cup
Salt	to taste
Oil	2 tablespoons
Ice water	as needed

Ingredients for the filling

Ingredients	Quantity
Moong dal namkeen ( deep fried crispy moong dal )	1/2 cup
Asafoetida	1/2 teaspoon
Cumin powder	2 teaspoons
Coriander powder	2 teaspoons
Red chilly powder	2 teaspoons
Dry mango powder ( amchur powder)	2 teaspoons
Fennel seed powder	2 teaspoons
Dry anardhana powder ( dry pomegranate powder)	2 teaspoons
Chat masala powder	2 teaspoons
Oil	to deep fry

Method for the dough

Mix wheat flour, flour, salt and oil together. Add ice water little at a time and knead well to get a soft but tight dough. Keep the dough covered for 15 minutes.

Method for the filling

Powder the moong dal namkeen to a coarse powder with out adding water.
Mix cumin powder, coriander powder, red chilly powder, dry mango powder, fennel seed powder, pomegranate powder and chat masala powder together.
To this mixed powder add the moon dal coarse powder and mix well. Taste and check seasoning. Keep aside.

How to proceed

Knead the dough once again. Then roll into equal lemon size balls. Take one lemon size ball and press between your palms. Then flatten the edges alone leaving the middle part thick. The circle must be of 3 inch diameter.
Hold the edges together to get a cup shape. Fill the hollow dent in the middle with 1 teaspoon of moong dal namkeen mixture. Bring the edges together and roll into round ball gently. Do the same to all the dough and moong dal namkeen mix. Leave them aside for five minutes.
Place the edges together rolled side facing on top over a clean kitchen counter. Press gently with your palms to get a round shape of 3 inch diameter circle that is of one inch thickness. Do the same to all the lemon sized rolled balls.
Heat oil to deep fry. Lower the flame to medium and deep fry in batches of two at a time for eight to ten minutes until they puff up to get crisp and golden in color.
Drain and serve hot with curd, sweet chutney and coriander chutney.

Crab Rangoon

Preparation time : 30 minutes
Cooking time : 3 minutes for each batch deep fried
Serves : 8 members

Description

A fusion snack made by the American Chinese inspired by an authentic Burmese dish . It is some thing like a wanton crispy exterior with a cream cheese and crab filling moist inside. I really wanted to try this recipe looking at the flower shape it had but was so confused as to how it was made. I went through so many YouTube videos and finally got the hang of it. While making them, it was more easier than it seemed to be. An apt appetizer to impress guests and loved ones at home . It can be made ahead and refrigerated. Deep fry just before serving. crisp, moist and gooey all in one bite . Serve it with many dips of choice which makes it more interesting. These short eats are a cheats way to melt others. Food is the only source where you get to do so through their stomach with out touching them.

Ingredients

Ingredients	Quantity
Cooked crab flesh	1 cup
Mayonnaise	1/2 cup
Cream cheese	1 cup
Onion stem	3 stalks chopped
Egg	1 beaten
Ready made spring roll strips	few
White pepper powder	1/4 teaspoon
Salt	to taste
Oil	to deep fry

Method

Mix cooked crab flesh, cream cheese, mayonnaise, salt, white pepper and onion stem together.
Beat the egg with one tablespoon of water and keep aside.
Cut the spring roll sheets into equal size squares.
Place one teaspoon of crab filling in the centre of each spring roll squar.
Apply beaten egg over the edges of the spring roll squares.
Bring the opposite corner’s of the spring roll squares towards the centre making sure the spring roll has covered the crab filling.
Now press each adjacent side of the spring roll’s together to get an square shaped tiny envelope that’s sealed well.
Do the same to all the squares.
Heat oil to deep fry. Drop the rangoons in batches of six pieces at a time in medium heat.
Once golden brown, remove and serve hot with sweet chilli sauce.

Devilled eggs

Preparation time : 10 minutes
Cooking time : 10 minutes
Serves : 6 members

Description

Every second person I come across asks me how do you cook like this non – stop. Don’t you get fed up ? Well to me, my kitchen is my play ground. Where I get to play with food experimenting over and over again. The joy when I see others eat and enjoy the food cooked by me is the best reward ever. This devilled eggs were done to bring in some fun element into a dinner feast spread. It did work wonders as every one from kids to adults had their eyes popping out with a smile the minute they saw these beauties. I ended up getting nothing as it was all over before I could start my dinner. I had doubts about these having an eggy smell. I cleared the doubt asking all those who got to taste it and their verdict was no way.. it’s yum. Another easy to make, yummy dish ticked from my playground.

Ingredients

Ingredients	Quantity
Boiled eggs	6
Mustard powder	a pinch
Mayonnaise	1 and 1/2 tablespoons
Lime juice	1/4 teaspoon
White Pepper powder	1/4 teaspoon
Chilli sauce	1/4 teaspoon
Coriander leaves	chopped few
Salt	to taste

Method

Cut the boiled eggs bottom a little so that the boiled eggs can stand still. Cut 1/4 inch of from the sharp top and keep aside that’s to b used as a cap later.
Carefully remove the yolk from the boiled eggs making sure not to break the egg whites.
Mix egg yolks, mayonnaise, mustard powder, salt, white pepper, lime juice and chilli sauce together. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Fill the yolk mix into a piping bag. Pipe down a little into the egg white dent making sure it looks like a round ball 1/4 inch above the yolk dent.
Place two pepper corns as eggs and a small “v” shaped carrot bit as nose. Place the 1/4 inch cup sharp edge part of the egg white on top as a cap.
Place in the refrigerator until to be served. Serve chilled garnished with coriander leaves.

Crab Lollipop

Preparation time : 30 minutes
Cooking time : 10 minutes + 3 minutes for each batch deep fried
Serves : 6 members

Description

Every month, I am given a topic and asked to share ten recipes for a tamil monthly magazine. I always play it safe with tried and tested recipes that I have shared with you all here. This time the topic was crab. I had just two to three recipes that I had tested. I was pushed to a situation where I had to come up with other recipes using crab. I wrote a list of all that I could think of. Read it and found nothing new, innovative or interesting was written. Broke my head for some time and tried to re- invent another version of the same recipes that I had listed. The usual crab cutlets were changed to crab lollipop’s that was a spot on genius reinterpretation of its own. Made them, took pictures and were tasted by my gym buddies. They went head over heels with the crab lollipop’s. As I was watching them have so much fun eating it, in my mind I did think if.. I didn’t make this change. They all would be eating a normal cutlet with no enthusiasm at all. Well, food is an art where you get to play visually too. Go ahead, try this recipe and treat yourself and your loved ones tastefully and visually.

Ingredients	Quantity
Crab claws	6 boiled
Boiled Crab flesh	1 cup
Boiled potatoes	1/2 cup
Bread slice	1 coarsely powdered
Onion	1 chopped
Green chilly	1 chopped
Coriander leaves	1 tablespoon chopped
Ginger and garlic paste	1/4 teaspoon
Red chilly powder	1/4 teaspoon
Pepper powder	1/4 teaspoon
Lime juice	1/2 teaspoon
Egg	1 whole beaten with salt + pepper to taste
Bread crumbs	1 cup
Oil	to deep fry
Salt	to taste

Method

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a non stick kadai. Add onions and green chillies and fry to translucent.
Add all the other ingredients one by one except for egg, bread crumbs, lime juice, crab claw’s and oil to deep fry. Sauté till all the flavours infuse together.
Remove from flame add lime juice. Mix well taste and adjust then cool. Make equal round balls of the potato – crab mixture, dip in beaten egg.
Then roll over in the bread crumbs. Place the ball on top of a crab claw. Roll with hands to get a lollipop shape.
Do the same with all the potato – crab mix and crab claws.
Heat oil and deep fry. Drop the crab lollipop’s in batches of two to three at a time.
Deep fry in medium heat for the cutlets 2 -4 minutes to a golden brown colour. Drain and serve hot with tomato ketchup.

Tapioca Biriyani

Preparation time : 30 minutes
Cooking time : 45 minutes
Serves : 6 members

Description

Biriyani in any form excites us all .
This was a try I did after watching a cookery show on the telly where they showed a road side vender making the tapioca biriyani with beef in Calicut. I was blown away with the idea with what done to a staple that’s adapted to suit the brew available. Tried it out with my twist and turns as always. The melting fat of the meat along with spices on the tapioca was a marriage made in culinary heaven. The results were mind blowing with an empty bowl left on the table. What more proof do we need that my poshed up version of this biriyani with all its delicious trimmings was a well executed dish.

Ingredients	Quantity
Tapioca	1 kg peeled and cubed
Turmeric powder	1/2 teaspoon
Mustard seeds	1/2 teaspoon
Dry red chiles	3
Curry leaves	10
Small onion	12 chopped
Cumin powder	1/4 teaspoon
Fennel powder	1/2 teaspoon
Grated coconut	1 cup
Salt	to taste
Coconut oil	2 tablespoon

Ingredients for the mutton masala

Ingredients	Quantity
Mutton	700 grams
Onions	1 and 1/2 cup slices
Ginger	1/2 tablespoon crushed
Garlic	1/2 tablespoon crushed
Green chillies	2 slit
Curry leaves	few
Red chilly powder	2 teaspoons
Coriander powder	1 tablespoon
Turmeric powder	1/2 teaspoon
Pepper powder	1/2 teaspoon
Garam masala powder	1 teaspoon
Tomato	1/2 cup chopped
Thick coconut milk extract	1/2 cup
Water	as needed
Coconut oil	4 tablespoons

Method for mutton masala

Heat coconut oil. Add onions and brown. Top with ginger, garlic, curry leaves and green chillies. Sauté to crisp.
Top with red chilly powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder and garam masala powder. Sauté for 20 seconds. Add tomato and sauté until oil separates.
Add mutton, salt and water. Cook to done. Add coconut milk, bring to boil. Reduce to gravy consistency. Remove from heat and keep aside.

Method for biriyani

Cook tapioca cubes with turmeric powder, salt and water.
Heat oil, add mustard seeds. Once they crackle , add dry red chillies, curry leaves and small onions. Sauté to brown.
Top with cumin powder, fennel powder, salt and grated coconut. Sauté by stirring for a minute.
Add boiled tapioca and mix well. Pour the mutton gravy.
Mix well and heat in low flame for five minutes, letting all the flavor’s infuse together. Serve hot.