Sunday, June 23, 2013

Mirch Pakora

Mirch Pakora
With the onset of the monsoon season, what comes to mind is nice hot pakoras and hot chai. I tried the mirch pakora this weekend and enjoyed every bite of it. :)

Prep Time - 20 mins
Cooking Time - 20 mins

Ingredients
For the stuffing:
4 boiled and mashed potatoes
1 finely chopped onion
1tbsp fennel seeds powder
1tbsp roasted cumin powder
1/2 tsp amchur powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1tsp red chilli powder
salt to taste
2tbsp oil

For the batter:
1 cup gram flour
salt to taste
1/2tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp red chili powder
1 cup water

For the pakora
4 green chilies
oil for frying

Method
1. We will first make the stuffing - heat oil in a pan and add the onions.
2. Once the onions are translucent add cumin powder, fennel seeds powder,turmeric powder , red chili powder.
3. Mix all the powders together and add the mashed potatoes. Now add salt as per your taste and mix well. Allow the stuffing to cool.
Pakora stuffing
4. Wash the green chilies and chop the top end of the green chili. Slit through the green chili and remove the seeds.
Green Chili - hero of our recipe :)

5. Now stuff the green chilies with the already prepared stuffing.
Stuffed green chilies

6. Now in a wok add oil for frying. Till the time oil heats up for frying the pakora prepare the batter.
7. Mix gram flour and all the dry ingredients together in a bowl. Make a well in the center of the bowl and gradually add water to make the batter. The batter consistency should be such that it is able to coat the green chili well.
8. Dip the green chili in the batter and coat well. Fry the green chili pakora.
9. Serve the pakora with chutney and some chaat masala

Tip - Lumps in the pakora batter can be avoided by adding water gradually to the dry ingredients and mixing it well.

Friday, June 7, 2013

Chips and cheese sandwich

Chips and cheese sanwich
A real quick fix sandwich

Prep Time - 0 min
Cooking Time - 2 mins


Ingredients
2 brown bread slices
1cheese slice
Soft salted butter
Chips ( I am using Lay's - French Salt and Cracked Pepper flavour)


Method
1. Trim the edges of the brown bread slices and butter them generously.
2. On one bread slice place the cheese slice over the buttered layer.
3. Now place the chips over the cheese slice and cover with the second bread slice ( buttered side of the bread facing the chips).
Chips and cheese on bread slice

4. Dig into your chips and cheese sandwich.


Tip - you can use grated cheese also .The cracked pepper flavor goes well with the cheese.