Showing posts with label Vegetarian Appetizers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vegetarian Appetizers. Show all posts

Oct 7, 2020

Elephant Yam 🍠 Kebab | ಸುವರ್ಣಗಡ್ಡೆ ಕಬಾಬ್ | सुरन के कबाब

 







Ingredients

200 gms Elephant Yam / Suran (cut into cubes) 1 tsp Red Chili Powder 1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder 1/2 Cup Corn Flour Oil for deep fry Salt per taste

Method

1. Boil water in a pot. Add yam. Cook until fork tender 2. Drain yam and wash in cold water (this helps to remove oxalyic acids which causes itchyness) and set aside 3. Mix all the dry ingredients - corn flour, red chili powder, turmeric powder and salt 4. Add the dry ingredients to yam and toss well, so that they are evenly coated with the flour mixture 5. Heat oil in a heavy bottomed utensil 6. Drop the coated yam to the oil. Fry until it turns to deep red color and when it stops to bubble 7. Remove from oil and use a paper towel to drain excess oil 8. Serve hot

Jun 8, 2020

Senai Kizhangu Fry | Eddos Tawa Fry




Ingredients
250 gms Eddos 
2 tsp Rice Flour
1 tsp Chili powder
Salt per taste
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
Oil for Pan frying

Method
  • Cook eddos in a pressure cooker with water upto 2 whistling sounds
  • After eddos has cook, drain water and peel the skin. Slice each root into small discs and set aside
  • In a separate bowl, mix together rice flour, chili powder, salt and turmeric powder. Add 4 tsp of water and make a smooth paste
  • Take a small portion of the spice paste and apply it on sliced eddos. Repeat the process for remaining eddos
  • Heat oil in a pan. Add 2 tsp of oil. When oil is smoky hot, place eddos on pan and fry on both the sides. It take 2 minutes on each side on medium-low setting. Add more oil to make it crispy
  • Serve hot

May 5, 2020

Pav Bhaji











Ingredients

For making Bhaji
      3 tsp Butter
      2 Potatoes
      2 Carrots
      2 Tomatoes (puree)
      1 Onion (finely chopped)
      1 tsp Garlic paste
      Dry spice powders
            2 tsp Pav bhaji masala (store bought)
            1 tsp Coriander powder
            1 tsp Red chili powder
            1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
            1/2 tsp Garam masala powder
            Salt per taste

For the side & toppings
      1 large Onions (finely chopped)
      Lemon wedges
      Small bunch of Cilantro (finely chopped)
      Butter cubes

For Pav (Indian Bread)
      1 pack of  Hawaiian Rolls or Hot dog buns or Brioche Buns
      Butter for toasting

Method

Making bhaji

  • Cook potatoes, carrots and pinch of turmeric powder along with 3-4 cups of water in a pressure cooker for 2-3 whistles. Reserve the water.
  • Heat butter on a skillet. Add garlic and onions. Satue until it is golden brown.
  • Add tomato puree. Cook for 2-2 minutes
  • Add all the dry spice powders - pav bhaji masala, coriander powder, red chili powder, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, salt per taste. Mix well
  • Add boiled vegetables - potato and carrot. Use a potato masher to mash all the ingredients. Add 2-3 cups of reserved water from boiled vegetables. Continue to mash all the ingredients until they are well combined. Turn heat to low and cook for 5-10 minutes.
  • Top it with 1 tsp butter 
Making Pav
  • Heat 1/2 tsp of butter on a flat pan. Toast buns inside and out until it is golden brown
For Plating
  • Traditionally in fast foods or street foos use a steel plate which has compartments to serve this dish.
  • Arrange toasted pav, bhaji, onions, cilantro, lemon wedges and butter in separate containers.
  • Serve bhaji on a plate. Top it with lemon juice, onions, cilantro and a small cube of butter. Dip buns in bhaji and relish it



May 1, 2020

Crispy n Spicy Potato Fries


Ingredients

250 gms Potatoes (cut into sticks)
oil for deep frying

For dry ingredients
   1/2 cup corn flour
   2 tsp Corn starch
   1 tsp Red chili powder
   1 tsp salt
   pinch of Baking soda

Method


  • Whisk all the dry ingredients in a large bowl until well combined
  • Add potatoes and toss well. Rest for 10 minutes
  • Heat oil for deep frying
  • Add potatoes in small batches . Fry until it turns golden brown and crunchy
  • Remove from oil. use an absorbent paper to drain excess oil
  • Serve hot with your favorite sauce

Feb 13, 2020

Broccoli Stir Fry



Ingredients
250 gms Broccoli florets
1/2 Onion, finely chopped
3 Garlic Cloves crushed
1/2 tsp Sambar powder
Salt
3 tsp Oil

Method

  • Heat oil in a heavy bottomed pan
  • Add crushed garlic and onions. Saute until onions softens.
  • Then add sambar powder. Saute for few seconds
  • Add broccoli florets. Saute in low heat for 10-12 minutes
  • Add salt and saute for another 2 minutes 
  • Turn off the heat. Serve as a side dish 

Mar 23, 2016

Veg Puff



Frozen puff pastry is great for home entertaining party appetizer. Its always good to keep few packages of frozen puff pastry for last minute meal plans. It can be found in dessert frozen isle in grocery stores.  

This a good recipe for learners. It is easy to make both sweet and savory appetizers, entrees and desserts. 

For veg puff, all you need is few vegetables seasoned with mild spices

Ingredients

1 box of Frozen Puff Pastry sheets
2 tsp Ghee for brushing

For filling
2 Carrots, diced
2 Onions, finely chopped
1 cup of peas
4 Cloves of garlic, minced
1/2 tsp Coriander powder
1 tsp Chili Powder
1/4 tsp Garam Masala Powder
4 tsp oil
Salt

Method


  • Heat oil on a skillet. Add onions, saute until it softens
  • Add garlic, carrots and peas. Saute for 2-3 minutes
  • Add salt, coriander powder, chili powder and garam masala powder. Cook for 8- 10 minutes
  • Thaw frozen puff pastry sheets. Unfold the sheets. Cut the sheet into 9 squares
  • Using rolling pin, roll each square of pastry sheet
  • Fill each square with 1 1/2 tsp of vegetable filling placing it on the center
  • Fold the square on opposite sides to form a triangle. Repeat above steps for remaining squares
  • Place these pastries on a sheet pan and brush each piece with ghee. 
  • Bake at 300F on a preheated oven for 15-20 minutes until it turns golden brown
  • Serve warm

May 30, 2015

Bhindi Pyaaz fry | Okra Onion fry


Made with bare minimal ingredients into a flavorful side dish. Its a quick fix recipe helps to get your dinner on the table fast.

As it is okra cooks fast they are rally tender. Even when they are cooked on medium-low it takes about 10-15 minutes. In this recipe okra is simply seasoned with turmeric, red chili powder and salt. It taste best when paired with rice and chapathi.


Ingredients

500 gms Okra
1 Onion, cubed
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
a Sprig od curry leaves
1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Red Chili powder
1/2 cup water
Salt
5 tsp Oil

Method

  • Wash okra in running water. Pat it dry using paper towels. Then cut it into 1 inch pieces
  • Add oil on a preheated skillet. Then add mustard seeds and curry leaves
  • When it sizzles, add onions. Saute until it it softens
  • Now, add turmeric powder and red chili powder. Quickly stir without the powders getting burnt. Add 1/4th cup of water
  • Now add okra and mix well. saute for 10 minutes
  • Add remaining 1/4 cup of water and season it with salt and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes until they are completely cooked
  • serve  with steamed rice or chapathi

Mar 25, 2014

Cauliflower Sabji


A simple veggie delight made from cauliflower florets seasoned with whole variety of Indian spices such as - cayenne, garam masala and turmeric powder. 

This recipe is best for a busy weekday dinner platter. 

Ingredients

1 Cauliflower, cut into bite sized florets
1 Medium sized Onion
1 Tomato, finely chopped
2 Garlic cloves
1 small piece of Ginger
A sprig of Curry leaves
1/2 tsp Cayenne
1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
1/4 tsp Garam Masala powder
Salt
2 tsp Oil

Method

  • Coarsely make a paste of onion, ginger and garlic
  •  Heat oil in a heavy bottomed dish. Then add the coarsely ground paste and curry leaves

  • Add in tomatoes, turmeric powder, garam masala, and cayenne. Stir for a minute

  • Add cauliflower and toss  well. Cook for 15 minutes on medium heat while stirring occasionally

  • Season with salt and cook for another 5 minutes

  • Serve hot with roti

Feb 24, 2014

Mushroom - Bell Pepper Stir Fry


Simple ingredients put together and  brought to your table!!!

Mushrooms and bell peppers are those veggies that  cooks very fast in about 2 minutes which retains both crunch and flavor. Both of these vegetables have high water content, cooking too much makes mushrooms leathery and capsicum soggy. Just to add a little kick, these veggies  are tossed  in coriander powder, chat masala, green chilies and curry leaves.

Thanks to my sister Vaishnavi (we fondly call her as Indu :-) ) shared this recipe with me.

Ingredients

200 gms Mushrooms, diced
1 Green Bell pepper, cubed
1 Small Onion, diced
3 Green Chilies, finely chopped
Few curry leaves
1 tsp Mustard Seeds
1 tsp  Oil
1/2 tsp Coriander powder
1/4 tsp Chat Masala
1/4 tsp pepper (optional)
Salt

Method

  • In a wok, on high heat; add oil, Mustard seeds, curry leaves,  and green chilies. Give a little stir. Immediately add onions and bell pepper. Stir in for a minute

  • Add coriander powder and chat masala

  • Add mushrooms and toss it on high heat. Season it with salt and pepper

  • Serve immediately as a side dish

Additional Notes:
Use grape seed oil or Extra virgin olive oil to make it a guilt free recipe. 

Feb 17, 2014

Aloo - Channa Chat


A low calorie and oil-free snack made effortlessly. Pre-cooked boiled potatoes and dry black chick pea are tossed in a spicy tangy sauce. I prefer to make the sauce fresh because all the flavors are imparted in this chutney. The savory sauce is made up of tamarind pulp, sugar, red chili powder, chat masala, coriander powder and cumin powder. 

This recipe can be either served as a salad or as a evening snack. It tastes best when served cold.  



Ingredients

1 Potato
1 cup Dry Black Chickpea
1 Lemon
Few sprigs of Cilantro

For the sauce
1/4 cup Freshly squeezed tamarind pulp
1/2 tsp Raw sugar (or any sweetener)
1/4 tsp Coriander powder
1/4 tsp cumin powder
1/4 tsp Red chili powder
1/4 tsp Chat masala
Salt

Method

  • Cook potato in a pot of boiling water until fork tender. Peel of the skin and cut into small cubes
  • Soak dry black chickpea in water for 3-5 hours. Then wash chickpea in running cold water. Cook in a pressure cooker for 10 -15 minutes with 3 cups of water. Drain excess water. (you can retain this water which can be used as a base to prepare soups and curries)
  • In a pan, mix all the ingredients  and bring it to boil
  • In a bowl, mix potatoes, boiled chickpeas and sauce. Season it with salt, then add lemon juice and garnish with coriander
  • Serve wither warm or chilled
Additional notes~
Further in this recipe, you can embellish with chopped red onions and pomogranate

Feb 13, 2014

Capsicum Varuval


Capsicum varuval is a simple and a tasty side dish for yogurt rice (Thayir Sadham ). We make this scrumptious and juicy dish when capsicum is cheap and available in abundance. 


This veggie delicacy  just needs dry rub to coat capsicum and shallow fry in oil. The dry rub consists of turmeric powder, red chili powder, cumin powder and coriander powder. Capsicum is slow cooked until it sweats in oil and becomes translucent. The lightly colored brown spots in capsicum adds an additional bonus to the flavor.

Ingredients

4 Medium sized Green Bell peppers
4 tsp Oil
1/3 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Coriander powder
1/4 tsp Red Chili powder
1/4 tsp cumin powder
Salt

Method

  • Cut the bell peppers in quarts with crown intact

  • Make a smooth paste of all the spices with a little water and season it with salt

  • Apply the spice mixture inside the capsicum without breaking it

  • Heat oil in a pan. Place the bell peppers close to each other and cook in low heat. Rotate occasionally until it turns transparent
  • Serve it as a side dish with curd rice, sambhar or type of lentil curry

Dec 18, 2013

Baby Corn Manchurian


An Indo-chinese recipe where deep-fried baby corn is perfectly blended in a Chinese sauce. It is a delicious appetizer can be perfectly paired with fried rice or noodles.  

Today, Indo-Chinese cuisine has become an intrinsic part of modern society in India and has become immensely popular among young crowd. 

Ingredients

For the fritters-
12 Baby corn, cut into 1 inch pieces
1 cup of corn flour
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp Ginger-Garlic paste
Salt
Oil for deep frying

For the Manchurian sauce-
5 cloves of Garlic, finely chopped
few sprigs of Curry leaves
5 Green Chilies, finely chopped
1 Red Onion, thinly sliced
1 Green bell pepper, cubed
1/4 cup of Ketchup
4 tsp of Dark soy sauce
2 tsp White vinegar
1/2 tsp of Aginomoto
Salt
4 tsp oil

Method

For the fritters
  • In a mixing bowl, mix baby corn, corn flour, paprika, ginger- garlic paste and season it with salt. Add little water just enough to bind all the ingredients

  • Heat oil for deep frying
  • Gently drop baby corn in fryer. Fry until it turns deep red color. Use an absorbent paper to drain excess oil

For Manchurian
  • In a wok, heat oil. When it is smoky; add garlic, curry leaves, green chilies, onions  and bell pepper. Give it a little stir ( dont cook veggies. More crunchier it tastes better!!)

  • Add ketchup, soy sauce, white vinegar and aginomoto. Mix well and 

  • Add baby corn. On high heat toss all the ingredients. Season with little salt if required

  • Serve hot
     




Dec 3, 2013

Veggie cutlet


Simple ingredients with a great blend of mixed vegetables and spices. It's a wonderful snack cum appetizer especially when there are guests at home . 

Ingredients

3-4 kinds of vegetables 1 cup each and finely chopped
3 boiled potatoes
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 onion , finely chopped
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1 tsp red chili powder
1/2 tsp chat masala
1/4 tsp cumin powder
Salt
4 tsp oil
Oil for shallow fry

For dredging-
1/2 cup fine semolina (fine sooji)
1/4 cup rice flour
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/4 tsp pepper powder
1 cup bread crumbs
Salt
Water as needed 

Method


  • In a sauce pan heat oil, add onions and sauté until it turns transparent. Add turmeric powder, chili powder , cumin powder, chat masala and coriander powder. Add vegetables and season it with salt. Sauté for 5 minutes. Add boiled- mashed potatoes and mix well

  • After the veggies has cooled, divide them into equal portions and roll them into balls about 2 inches 

  • Now prepare dredging station by mixing all ingredients listed under batter except bread crumbs. Add water as needed 

  • Now take little of batter and apply it on parties on both the sides. Roll it in bread crumbs 

  • And gently leave it in a preheated pan for shallow frying

  • Fry it evenly until it turns brown. Use absorbent paper to drain excess oil 
  • Serve hot with hot sauce , ketchup or mint chutney 


Nov 21, 2013

Dahi Kebab | Curd Kebab


I came across a new recipe called Dahi Kebab. Initially, I got confused with dahi vada and when I scrolled down to read the recipe I was fascinated that main ingredient for this recipe is hung curd.  I have never imagined  transforming curd to kebab. This recipe has its influence from Mughal Cuisine. 

Since I was new to this dish, I searched for this recipe online and each have their own version. As I wanted to keep this recipe simple, so used the ingredients that used almost everyday. 

If the hung curd is ready, the recipe is pretty much simple and can be made in less than 30 minutes.


Ingredients

For hung yogurt-
1 ltr of Yogurt made from whole milk
Cheese cloth

For the Kebab- (makes about 8 kebabs)
2 Cups of Hung yogurt 
1/4 cup of Besan (chickpea flour)
1/2 Red Onion, finely chopped
5 Green Chilies, finely chopped
Handful of Cilantro, finely chopped
2 Sprigs of Mint, finely chopped
1/4 tsp of Ginger garlic paste (optional)
Salt
Oil for Pan fry

Method

  • Place the cheese cloth in a colander with ends hanging over. Place the yogurt at the center of cheese cloth. Gather all the ends and tie it up. Now hang the cheese cloth under the kitchen tap and leave it hanging for atleast 4- 6 hours. Untie the twine around the pouch and scoop the yogurt
  • In a sauce pan, roast besan in low heat until starts changing color and return the contents to a mixing bowl
  • Now add remaining ingredients listed under Kebab except for oil. Knead well with a ladle (could be little messy) 
  • Now pat your hands with water. Scoop out a portion of Kebab mixtures and roll them into patties
  • Place the patties on a preheated pan with a little oil on it. Roast it in medium heat until it turns brown on both the sides
  • Serve hot with hot sauce and sprinkle chat masala on it




Oct 21, 2013

Bread Pakora


There is always something special in  fall  season!! Arrival of fall changes everything with day getting shorter and night getting longer, leaves falling off trees and start craving for different foods. 

Its fall with chilly evening on the way and to curb food craving, I made spicy Bread pakora. Everyone loves it and it is a great tea snack in evening. 


Ingredients

4 Bread slices, cut diagonally
1 cup of Chickpea flour
4 green chilies, finely chopped
Handful of Cilantro, finely chopped
1/2 onion, finely chopped
1/4 tsp Asafoetida (hing)
Salt
oil for deep frying

Method

  • In a mixing bowl, make batter with chickpea flour, green chilies, cilantro, onion, hing and salt. Add 1/2 cup of water and mix well
  • Heat oil for deep frying
  • Dip bread slices in chickpea batter and gently leave it in oil. Fry in medium heat until it turns light brown
  • Use an absorbent paper to drain excess oil
  • Serve hot with green chutney or ketchup


Sep 30, 2013

Cut Mirchi | Mirapakaya bajji


Cut Mirchi is a popular snack in Andhra. It is made with slit green peppers dipped in a spicy chickpea batter and deep fried twice in hot oil.

Ingredients

5 Green peppers, slit length wise and seeds removed
1 cup of Chickpea flour
1/4 tsp Asafoetida (hing)
1/2 tsp Red chili powder
1/2 cup water
Salt
Oil for deep frying

For garnishing-
1 Red onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup of Cilantro, finely chopped
Juice of 1 lemon
Chat masala

Method

  • In a large mixing bowl, mix chickpea flour, asafoetida, red chili powder, water and salt
  • Heat oil for deep frying
  • Dip green peppers in chickpea batter and gently leave it in oil
  • Fry until it turns golden brown. Use a absorbent paper to drain excess oil
  • Now cut the fried green pepper fritters into 1 inch pieces
  • Put the cut pieces of green pepper fritters back in hot oil. Fry until it turns brown and crispy. Use absorbent paper to drain excess oil
  • Garnish with red onions, cilantro, lemon and chat masala