BREADS AND SNACKS


Bhel
Bonda With Instant Mashed Potato
Boondhi Raita
Chapati (Phulka)
Dahi Vada (Savory Balls In Yogurt)
Garam Masala
Mint And Coriander Chutney
Onion And Tomato Raita
Pakoras (Savory Fritters)
Paratha
Stuffed Parathas
Upma
Vegetable Puff



GARAM MASALA

(approximately 1 1/2 cups)

Ingredients

3 - 5" pieces Cinnamon stick
1 c (???) Green cardamom pods
1/2 c Cumin seed
1/2 c Black pepper corns
1/2 c Cloves
1/2 c Coriander seeds

Dry the ingredients in an oven. Do not let them turn brown. Remove the seeds from the cardamom pods. Pound cinnamon sticks into smaller pieces. Combine ingredients until they are well mixed and blend at high speed for 2-3 minutes until completely pulverized. (LINE MISSING, The recipe seems to be complete, but as the original had this I am letting it remain.)



THIS AND THAT



ONION AND TOMATO RAITA

(4-6 Servings)

Ingredients

8 oz. Yogurt (plain)
1 small Onion
1/2 t Salt
1 small Tomato
1/2 t Chat Masala (optional)
1/2 t Black pepper (ground)
1/4 c Milk

Beat yogurt and milk until smooth. Chop onion and tomatoes and add to yogurt. Add salt and pepper and sprinkle the Chat Masala over, and serve.

BOONDHI RAITA

Ingredients

1/4 c Besan
1/2 c Water
Ghee for frying
to taste Salt
to taste Pepper
to taste Chat Masala
1 1/2 c Yogurt
1/4 c Milk

Make a pouring paste of the besan and water. Heat ghee and drop paste into it through a slotted spoon to get little drops that fall one at a time (these are boondhi). Remove the drops when golden brown and dry on a paper towel to remove extra oil. Soak the drops in warm water. Add milk, salt, pepper, and add Chat Masala to yogurt. Squeeze water out of boondhi and add to yogurt.

MINT AND CORIANDER CHUTNEY

Ingredients

1 bunch Coriander leaves
1 bunch Mint leaves
1 Green chili
1 oz Seedless tamarind
1 tsp Salt
4 T Water
1 medium Onion

Wash and soak tamarind in water for 1/2 hour. Clean, pick and wash the coriander and mint. Separate pulp from the tamarind and squeeze out the pulp. Grind coriander, mint, green chili and onion into a fine paste. Add the tamarind pulp and salt. Blend well. In an airtight jar this can be refrigerated for up to one week.



BREADS



CHAPATI (PHULKA)

(for 4, serving 1 or 2)

Ingredients

1 c Whole wheat flour (or 1/3 white + 2/3 whole wheat)
1/2 c Water

Put flour in a large bowl with half the water. Blend the two together until it holds. Beat and knead well until it forms a compact ball. Knead dough until it is smooth and elastic. Set aside for 30 minutes. Knead and divide dough into 4 to 6 parts. Roll each ball into a tortilla like flat, about 1/8 inch thick. Heat an ungreased skillet. Put phulka on it, and let it cook for about 1 minute (The top should just start to look dry and small bubbles should just start to form). Turn and cook the second side for 2/3 minutes until small bubbles form. Turn again and cook the first side pressed lightly with a towel. It should puff. Serve warm (maybe slightly buttered).

Note:

Since the rolled out chappati's will dry out if they are left to stand while cooking the others, it is advantageous to roll them out individually before cooking them.

PARATHA

Ingredients

1 c Whole wheat flour
Ghee
Water

Make chappati dough. Divide into 6 parts and make balls. Flatten and roll each. Spread ghee over them and fold. Roll again. Heat the paratha on a griddle like you would a chappati, but spread some ghee over the top side. Turn and spread ghee on the other side. Fry until the bottom is crisp and golden, then turn and fry the remaining side. Repeat with all six. Serve at once, since they lose crispness if stored.

STUFFED PARATHAS

Make dough for regular chappati's.

Fillings:

Potato - Boil potatoes, mash, add salt and chili to taste. Add Garam Masala and mango powder.

Radish - Grate one large Diakon Radish, add salt and leave for 1/2 hour. Squeeze out all the water, add grated ginger, chili, and pomegranate seeds.

Cauliflower - Grate cauliflower, add salt, pepper, garlic, and Garam Masala.

Roll out 2 small chappati's. Place filling on one, cover with the second, seal edges and cook as for parathas.



SNACKS



BHEL

This is a concoction that I often bought from street vendors in India. My mouth still waters whenever I think of Bhel. The recipe presented here was taken off the net, and I haven't had a chance to try it yet. I include the note from the contributors:

Warning:

This recipe is directed at those who know what Bhelpuri tastes like, quantities mentioned are approximate, proportions are left to the reader's taste. Purists will have to go to an Indian grocery shop. Deviationists may use substitutes. The most important thing is to keep the puffed rice-sev mixture crisp by not adding the other ingredients to it until it is served. This should be done on the plate.

Ingredients

Puffed Rice (1 carton of Rice Krispies may be used)
1 packet Bhel mix or Sev
2 cups Mashed boiled potatoes (mashed coarsely and then salted)
1/2 cup Chopped fresh coriander leaves
3 Tbsp Freshly roasted and ground cumin
to taste Green chilies
1-2 Tbsp Freshly ground black pepper
to taste Tamarind
to taste Jaggery (or Brown Sugar)
1 cup Chopped onions.

First boil the potatoes, mash them, salt them, and add pepper to taste. Add some coriander leaves too. Roast the cumin and grind it.Dissolve about 4 Tbsp of tamarind concentrate in 1 cup of hot water, and let it simmer and thicken gradually. Dissolve the jaggery (or sugar) until the sauce becomes tart and slightly sweet. (You may add some salt and ground red paprika, if you want to.) The sauce should be of a consistency slightly thinner than maple syrup. Pour into a serving container (like a creamer). Mix the puffed rice and sev/bhel mix in a large bowl. On a plate, serve the rice-bhel mixture, add the potatoes, then the onions, chilies, and then dust the cumin powder over it. Next pour on the sauce and top with the coriander garnish. (Add salt/pepper to taste). Mix the ingredients on the plate and eat.

BONDA WITH INSTANT MASHED POTATO

This recipe was taken from Saranya Mandava's book on Indian cuisine.

Ingredients

1 medium Onion
2 cups Potato buds
1 1/2 cup Peas and carrots
2 big ones Green chilies
1 teaspoon Lemon juice
1 cup Gram flour
1/2 tsp Mustard seed
pinch Turmeric
1/2 tsp Baking powder
1/4" piece Ginger
1 small bunch Coriander leaves
2 tsp Salt
Oil

Filling

Mix potato buds and 1/2 teaspoon of salt with 1 cup of hot water. Finely chop ginger, chilies, coriander leaves, and onion. Heat oil (about 5 Tbsp) and add mustard seeds. Add chopped ingredients and fry until onions are brown. Add carrots, peas, turmeric and 1 tsp of salt and cook on low heat for about 10 minutes. Add potato (now mashed) and fry for 5 minutes. Remove from heat, add lemon juice and let cool.

Batter

Combine gram flour, 3 Tbsp of oil, 3/4 cup water, 1/2 tsp salt, the baking powder and mix thoroughly. After the batter is prepared, make small balls out of the filling and roll them in the batter. Next fry it in hot oil. You will get about 20-30 small bondas.

PAKORAS (SAVORY FRITTERS)

Ingredients

Batter:

1/2 c Besan
5 oz Warm water
1/4 t Red pepper
3/4 t Salt
1/2 t Garam Masala
paprika (optional)

Vegetables:

1 Small onion
1 Potato
A few spinach leaves
Oil for deep frying

In a bowl put the besan and half the water, and stir until it becomes a thick batter. Beat hard for 5 minutes. gradually add the rest of the water, and leave to swell for 30 minutes. Add salt, pepper and Garam Masala and beat again. Wash peel and slice the onion and potatoes. Wash and pat dry the spinach leaves. Heat oil until smoking hot, dip the vegetables in the batter and deep fry until golden brown. Serve hot.

DAHI VADA (SAVORY BALLS IN YOGURT)

Ingredients

1/2 c Urad dal
1/2 Moong dal
1 c Yogurt
Spice to taste (cumin and paprika)
Oil for frying
1/4 c Milk

Clean dal, wash and soak in water for 4 hours. Blend in blender at medium speed using the minimum amount of water required to keep paste moving freely. Add salt and start heating oil. Drop spoonfuls of batter in the hot oil using a large tablespoon. Fry until golden brown. Drop in water. Let it soak till ready to serve. Beat yogurt with milk. Add spice according to taste. Squeeze out water from the vada and add yogurt.

UPMA

Recipe from Sriram, 1985

This is a breakfast dish in the southern part of India.

Ingredients

1 cup Cream of wheat
1 Onion cut lengthwise
1 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Mustard seeds
1/8 tsp Urad dal
1 Cashew-nut
1/4 Lemon
1/2 cup Peas
1 clove Garlic
1/10" piece Ginger
1 Green chili cut into small pieces.

Fry cream of wheat on a dry pan for 5 minutes and set aside. Put two tablespoons of oil in a pan and heat. Add mustard seeds, Urad dal, cashewnut, and garlic clove. Wait till mustard seeds stop splitting. Add the onion, chili, and ginger and fry till the onion turns brown. Add cream of wheat and fry for 3-5 minutes. Add salt and peas. Add two cups of boiling water and stir for 2 minutes. (Switch off the stove as soon as the water is poured.) Cover the vessel for 4 minutes. Add lime if needed.

VEGETABLE PUFF

(12 puffs)

This is a local Karnataka speciality.

Ingredients

1 Ready to use pastry roll (Pepperidge farms)
Mixed Vegetables. ( potatoes, peas may be added)
to taste Masala
Green Chilies
to taste Salt

Cook a vegetable mix with potatoes, peas, green chilies and lots of Masala. Check for salt, before you stuff it in the pastry roll; no way to rectify it later. Thaw the roll for about 10 minutes before unfolding. After the pastry roll has thawed, open it out on a flat sheet and roll it with a pin to make it a little thinner. The pastry sheet would now be about 12" x 12". Cut the sheet into 6 pieces. Place about 2-3 Tbsp of the cooked vegetable onto the sheet and fold it around it. Seal all the corners, by pressing the sheets together and applying a little water. Stick it into a pre-heated oven (350F) for about 20-30 minutes or until it browns. Make sure that you flip it around every 5-10 minutes.



Indian Collection Odds & Ends Front Page

last updated 10/31/99 1