Simple Salad

This salad is simple to make and can be used with any vegetarian or non vegetarian dish.

Ingredients:

• Onion cut into slices transversely
• Medium sized tomato sliced half longitudinally
• Cherry tomatoes
• Green chilies cut longitudinally
• Lemon juice
• Salt to taste

Method:

• Arrange onion slices, tomatoes and green chilies in a platter.
• Squeeze lemon juice.
• Sprinkle salt just before serving

Do you know?

A cherry tomato is a smaller garden variety of tomato. Cherry tomatoes range in size from a thumb tip up to the size of a golf ball, and can range from being spherical to slightly oblong in shape.

Chana Toor Dal - Dhaba Style

Dhabas are famous for their dals which have distinct flavors due to slow cooking on tandoors, use of whole garam masala, and butter tadka on the top. You can simplify the process by cooking in pressure cooker.
If you prefer, you can add pretty much any side dish and raita you like to enhance this already perfect combination.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup Arhar or Tuvar Daal
• ½ cup chana dal
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp cooking oil
• 1 bay leaf
• 1” cinnamon stick
• 5-6 cloves
• 2 brown cardamoms
• 1 small onion finely chopped
• 1 tbsp ginger paste
• 1 tbsp garlic paste
• 2 green chilies chopped
• 1 large tomato chopped
• Salt to taste
• 1 tsp red chili powder
• 1 tsp garam masala
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp chat masala
• 1 tbsp coriander leaves chopped
• 3 tbsp ghee (clarified butter)
• A big lump of butter

Method:

• Soak chana dal in water for 1 hour.
• Thoroughly wash the Arhar dal and put both the dals into a pressure cooker. Add 4 cups of water to it. Add soaked chana dal, 1 tbsp of cooking oil and turmeric powder to it. Stir well.
• Cover the pressure cooker and set on high flame. After the first pressure release, reduce the flame to simmer and cook for two more pressure releases. Turn off the flame and open the pressure cooker when it is cool.
• Stir the boiled lentils well. Mash the lentils against the side of the pan. If it is too thick, add some warm water and stir until the consistency is right.
• Heat ghee in a frying pan. Add bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, and cardamoms; fry for few seconds. Add onions and fry until light brown. Now add ginger and garlic paste and fry for two minutes till it is pink. Stir in chopped green chilies, tomatoes, red chili powder and salt. Cook till tomatoes become pulpy.
• Pour this masala over dal. Put it on slow heat and let it simmer for 4-5 minutes. Mix lemon juice and chat masala.
• Heat 2 tbsp of butter and pour over dal.
• Garnish with some chopped coriander leaves and ‘chaunk’ (ghee with red chili).
• Serve with Nan or Tandoori Roti, sabji, raita and onion salad.

Do You Know?

Dhabas are local restaurants that are commonly found in India on highways or near petrol pumps. These usually serve Punjabi food, which is heavily-spiced and fried. Since most Indian truck drivers are of Punjabi descent they prefer Punjabi Food and music.

The food in Dhabas is typically inexpensive and has a 'homemade' feel to it.

Many Indian restaurants in Europe and America have adopted it as a part of the name.

Stuffed Dahi Bhalle (Vadas)

Dahi Bhalle (Vadas) are the dumplings made from split skinned black lentils (urad daal) and soaked in a yogurt sauce. You can enrich them by stuffing with dry fruits, ginger juliennes and chopped green chilies.

Layering of sweet, tangy and spicy toppings such as tamarind chutney, coriander chutney, red chili powder, etc make these dahi vada super delicious appetizer or chaat item or an accompaniment to a main meal.

Ingredients:

For the Vadas:

• 1 cup dhuli urad dal (split skinned black lentils)
• Pinch of asafetida
• Salt to taste
• Oil to fry

For Stuffing:

• 1 tbsp ginger juliennes
• 2 tbsp broken cashew nuts
• 1 green chili finely chopped
• 1 tbsp raisins soaked and chopped
• 1 tbsp green coriander leaves

For Yogurt mix:

• 2 cups yogurt
• 1 tsp cumin seeds roasted and ground
• Salt to taste

For garnishing:

• 1 tsp red chili powder
• 1 tsp raita mix
• Pinch of kala namak (black salt)

Method:

• Clean, wash and soak the urad dal for 2 to 3 hours.
• Place dal in a blender and grind to a fine paste, adding a little water at a time to ease the grinding. It should form a smooth soft paste.
• Take a bowl of water. Drop a small ball of this dal paste in it. If dal floats in water then it is ready for frying but if it settles down at the bottom of the bowl of water then it should be churned with hand for some more time till it incorporates enough air to float on the water. Add the asafetida, and salt and mix well with your hands.
• Heat oil in a deep frying pan.
• Make Gujiya: Place a piece of wet cotton cloth on a hard surface. Place a tablespoon of the dal paste on the wet cloth. Wet your fingers and pat it to a round shape of about 2” diameter.

• Place ½ teaspoon of the stuffing mix in the centre of the urad dal paste (circle).

• Fold the cloth over the circle from the centre to make a semi-circle.

• Carefully open the cloth.

• Seal the edges of the semi-circle.

• Again wet your fingers and place the stuffed vada on your fingertips.

• Carefully slide the stuffed vada into a kadhai filled with hot oil and deep fry about 3 to 4 vadas at a time over medium flame till they are golden brown.
• Remove vadas from oil, and soak in water for about an hour.
• Meanwhile prepare yogurt mix by mixing the yogurt, salt, and crushed roasted cumin together. Keep aside.
• Just before serving, squeeze out any excess water from the vadas by gently pressing each one between your palms. Arrange the vadas on a serving dish.
• Pour the yogurt mixture over the vadas. Sprinkle red chili powder, black salt and raita powder on top.
• Refrigerate vadas for at least an hour before serving.
• Serve with tamarind chutney and green coriander chutney.

Note: You can prepare the vadas a day or two in advance and store them refrigerated. Soak the vadas in warm water just before serving, drain them and squeeze out any excess water, before you add the yogurt mix.

Mirchi Bhajji

Here is the recipe of famous Hyderabadi Mirchi Bhajji. It is a common street food in Andhra Pradesh.

Green chilies are stuffed with unique stuffing, different from other regions in India.

Though it involves deep-frying, this snack can be enjoyed once in a while for its hot and tangy taste.

Ingredients:

• 12 straight green chili peppers
• Oil for frying

For Filling:

• 2 tbsp Sesame seeds
• 2 tbsp desiccated coconut powder
• 1 tsp Coriander seeds
• Salt to taste
• 1 tbsp Tamarind juice

For Batter:

• 1 cups besan (gram flour)
• 1 tbsp rice flour
• ¼ tsp ajwain
• ½ tsp baking powder
• Salt to taste

Method:

• Dry roast sesame seeds, coconut powder and coriander seeds to pale gold color. Grind them in a blender with tamarind juice and salt (without adding water). It should be like paste.
• Put the gram flour in a large mixing bowl with the ingredients required for the batter. Adding water, prepare medium thick batter (thinner than pancake batter). Keep aside.
• Wash and pat dry all the chilies. Make one slit along the length of the chilies from just under the stem to just above the end of the chili. If you are using the hot chilies, you can reduce some of the heat by removing the seeds. For this insert the knife at the tip of chili and pluck the thick white vein in the middle along with the seeds.

• Now fill the slit in the chili with the sesame filling evenly one by one and keep them aside on a plate.
• Heat the oil on medium high. One by one dip the stuffed chilies in batter and gently drop from the sides of Frying pan or Kadhai into hot oil and deep fry until golden. Remove to a paper towel covered plate.
• Serve with some lime juice sprinkled and finely sliced onions on the side.

Do You Know?

The use of chili peppers in food was initially associated with hot countries because after eating food containing chili peppers people feel cooler. This is because it induces perspiration that results in a loss of body heat. It can also suppress the appetite but not thirst. So people eat less but continue to drink water.

Tamaatar Ka Pakoda ( Stuffed Tomato Fritter)

A colorful and tasty tea time snack…..tomatoes are stuffed with potato mix and then fried like pakodas (fritters).

Ingredients:

• 6 small hard red tomatoes

• Oil for frying

For Filling:

• 1 large potato
• 1 small onion finely chopped
• 1 tbsp cilantro leaves finely chopped
• 1 green chili finely chopped
• 1 tsp chat masala
• ½ tsp red chili powder
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tbsp lime juice
• Salt to taste

For Batter:

• 1 cup besan (gram flour)
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ tsp red chili powder
• Pinch of asafetida
• ½ tsp baking powder
• Salt to taste

Method:

• Boil and skin potato. Mash and mix in it all other ingredients required for filling.
• Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a pan. Add potato mix in it and fry for 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat and keep aside.
• Put the gram flour in a large mixing bowl with the ingredients required for the batter. Add warm water, a little at a time; use a whisk to blend all together. The resulting batter should be like thick pancake batter. Keep aside.
• Wash the tomatoes and set dry. Cut the top of tomato like a cap. Gently scoop out the centers. Now fill the hollow tomato with the potato mix.

• Heat the oil for deep frying on a medium flame.
• When the oil is ready for frying, dip one stuffed tomato in the gram flour batter to coat well on all sides. Put it into the oil and fry till golden all over turning occasionally.
• Remove and drain on paper towels. Fry remaining tomatoes in the same way.
• Serve hot with green chutney.

Do You Know?

The USDA claims that cooking animals with a body cavity filled with stuffing can present potential food safety issues. These can occur because when the meat reaches a safe temperature, the stuffing inside can still harbor bacteria (and if the meat is cooked until the stuffing reaches a safe temperature, the meat may be overcooked).

For turkeys, for instance, the USDA recommends cooking stuffing/dressing separately from the bird and not buying pre-stuffed birds (stuffing is never recommended for turkeys to be grilled, smoked, fried, or microwaved)

Cracked Wheat Salad

It is a healthful and delicious salad prepared with parboiled cracked wheat, cilantro leaves, mint, tomatoes, onions, and lemon. It tastes great when it is chilled for an hour before serving.

Ingredients:

• ½ cup Burghul (parboiled cracked wheat)
• ¼ cup finely chopped tomato
• ¼ cup finely chopped cucumber
• ¼ cup finely chopped onion
• ¼ cup finely chopped cilantro leaves
• 1 tbsp finely chopped mint leaves
• 1 Finely chopped green chili
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp black pepper powder
• Salt to taste

Method:

• Rinse burghul several times.
• In a large mixing bowl, pour one cup of hot water over the cracked wheat and cover, let stand for about 20 minutes until wheat is tender and water is absorbed.
• When it's ready, drain any excess water, if necessary, and squeeze dry.
• Add the chopped herbs and vegetables and toss the mix.
• Combine lemon juice, black pepper powder and salt in a separate bowl. Add to wheat mixture and mix well.
• Refrigerate it for at least an hour before serving.

Do you know?

Many wheat varieties are reddish-brown due to phenolic compounds present in the bran layer which are transformed to pigments by browning enzymes.

White wheats have a lower content of phenolics and browning enzymes, and are generally less astringent in taste than red wheats.

The yellowish color of durum wheat and semolina flour made from it is due to a carotenoid pigment called lutein, which can be oxidized to a colorless form by enzymes present in the grain.

Everyday Salad

This salad is simple to make and can be used every day with any vegetarian or non vegetarian dish.

Ingredients:

• Onion cut into slices transversely
• Small sized tomato sliced half longitudinally
• Cucumber peeled and sliced
• Cherry tomatoes
• Green chilies cut longitudinally
• Lemon slices
• Salt to taste

Method:

• Arrange onion slices, cucumber slices, Lemon slices, tomatoes and green chilies in a platter.
• Sprinkle salt just before serving.

Do You Know?

To produce good tasting, crisp onions, first slice or chop onions and place them in a bowl. Cover the onions with water and then add some ice to the water. Let the onions soak for 15 minutes to an hour and then drain before serving.