Roasted Garlic Potatoes

"Roasted Garlic Potatoes" is both easy and tasty appetizer which is infused with coriander powder, cayenne pepper, paprika and turmeric powder. Already cooked baby potatoes are roasted in low heat until all flavors are blended together.

Ingredients

250 gms Baby potatoes
6 Cloves of Garlic, minced
5 sprigs of Green onions, finely chopped
 1/4 tsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tsp Coriander powder
1/2 tsp Paprika
1/2 tsp Cayenne pepper
Salt
5 tsp Grape seed oil or any vegetable oil

Method

• In a pot wash and boil potatoes for 10 to 15 minutes until fork tender

• After potatoes has cooled, cut them in half

• In a pan, heat oil. Add garlic and finely chopped green onions. Saute for a minute

• Add turmeric powder, coriander powder, paprika and cayenne pepper. Also, add 1/4 cup of water to avoid burning of dry ingredients

• Add potatoes and cook in low heat for 15 minute with stirring in between 

• Garnish with spring onions and serve hot

Tip--

• Instead of baby potatoes, regular potatoes can be used. Cut it into wedges before sauteing

Menasinakai Bajji

"Menasinakai Bajji" is a popular appetizer made with banana peppers dipped in chick pea batter and deep fried in hot oil. It is crispy on outside and very soft  inside. 

This recipe can be bar snack or as a starter. This bhajji can be prepared effortlessly. The ingredients are simple and instructions are easy to follow.

Ingredients

4 Banana Peppers, deseed and slit lengthwise 

1 cup Chick pea flour | Besan

2 tsp Rice flour

1/4 tsp Baking soda

1/4 tsp Asafoetida

1/2 tsp Red Chili powder

1/2 tsp Salt

3/4th cup Water

Oil for deep frying

Method

• In a mixing bowl, mix chick pea flour, rice flour, baking soda, asafoetida, red chili powder and salt. Add water. The consistency of batter should be medium thick 
• In a heavy bottom vessel, heat oil for deep frying
• Dip banana pepper  in chick pea batter and make sure that the batter is coated evenly. Gently leave it in hot oil
• Fry evenly until it turns golden brown
• Serve hot with Ketchup or lemon wedges or sliced red onions

Pyaz Double Damakha Pakora | Onion Pakora

A deep fried starter made with onions, chick pea flour and green chilies. Its extremely delicious and an entertaining appetizer. 

On a rainy day, my husband asked for a deep fried snack with a cup of chai. So I decided to make onion pakora since its easy to make and can be prepared in no time. I wanted to keep this recipe as simple as possible.

There are many variations in pakora and this is one of the simplest recipe. I called it "double dhamaka" because, it is deep fried twice to keep it crisp on the outside and soft inside.

Ingredients

1 Medium sized Onion, finely chopped

1 cup Chick  pea flour | Besan

4 Green Chilies

3/4 tsp Salt

1/2 cup Water

Oil for deep frying

Method

• In a mixing bowl, mix onions, green chilies, chick pea flour and salt

• Add little water to make thick batter. Add more water if required

• Wet your hands and scoop out little batter. Gently leave it in hot oil. Deep fry evenly until it turns golden brown

• Use an absorbent paper to drain excess oil. 

• After pakoras has cooled, drop it again in hot oil and fry evenly for a minute or two 
• Use an absorbant paper to drain excess oil

• Serve hot with chutney 

                             

Tip--

• Additional ingredients like cilantro, dill, mint(pudina) can also be added to enhance flavors
• Cabbage and cauliflower can be used instead of onions

Kadalekayi Usli

Raw peanuts seasoned with mustard seeds, green chilies, curry leaves, asafoetida and cilantro. This recipe is a great evening snack.

Raw peanuts are moist  and raw Indian peanuts are available in Indian grocery stores. 

Ingredients

1 kg Raw Peanuts

1 tsp Mustard Seeds

1/4 tsp Asafoetida

5 Green chilies, finely chopped

2 sprigs of Curry Leaves

1 Onion, finely chopped

5 sprigs of Cilantro, finely chopped

Salt

3 tsp Oil

Method

• Wash and boil raw peanuts in a pressure cooker with a little salt. Pressure cook up to 2 whistles

• Drain and de-shell peanuts

• In a preheated pan, add oil, mustard seeds, asafoetida, green chilies and curry leaves. Saute for a minute

• Add onions. Saute until onions turn transparent

• Add de-shelled peanuts and adjust salt as per taste

• Add cilantro 
• Serve with a cup of tea

Tip--

• The first two steps can be prepared in advance and can be stored in an air tight container in refrigerator

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Kadalekaalu Usali 

Potato Bhajji

Easy deep-fried snack to munch in evening with a cup of coffee or tea.

Ingredients

1 Potato, thinly sliced

1 cup Gram flour | Chickpea flour

1/4 cup Rice flour

3/4 tsp Red Chili powder

3/4 tsp Baking powder

Pinch of Asafoetida |Hing

1/2 tsp salt

Oil

Water

Method

• In a mixing bowl, mix all ingredients - gram flour, rice flour, red chili powder, baking powder, asafoetida, and salt. Add enough water to make thick batter
• In a heavy bottom vessel, heat oil for deep frying
• Dip potato slices in batter and gently leave it in oil
• Cook it evenly for 5 to 8 minutes evenly on both the sides in medium - low heat setting
• Use an absorbent paper to drain excess oil
• Serve hot with mint chutney or tomato ketchup

Tip-

• Instead of potatoes other vegetables can be used like onions, plantain, bell peppers, or Banana peppers
• if the batter is thick then the consistency of bhajji would be bread- like

Punugulu

"Punugulu" is a vegetarian deep fried snack from Andhra Cuisine. It is made of left over idly or dosa batter. This crispy fritters is a wonderful snack during monsoon and it is best when combined with a cup of tea or filter coffee.

My sister introduced me to this recipe and many thanks to her. Since then I have become a great fan of "Punugulu".

Ingredients

2 cups of Dosa batter

1/2 cup Maida | Flour

1/2 cup Rice Flour

2 Onions, finely chopped

4 Green chilies, finely chopped

2 sprigs of Curry leaves, finely chopped

3-4 sprigs of Coriander leaves, finely chopped

1 tsp Cumin seeds

1/4 tsp baking soda

Salt

Vegetable Oil | Canola Oil  for deep frying

Method

• In a mixing bowl, mix dosa batter, maida, rice flour, onions, green chilies, curry leaves, coriander leaves, cumin seeds, baking soda and adjust salt as per taste

• Add very little water if required. The batter should be very thick so that you can scoop it with a spoon

• Heat oil for deep frying in a  heavy bottom vessel
• Wet your hands and scoop a spoon full of batter. Gently drop it in oil. Fry evenly until it turns golden brown 

• Use absorbant paper to drain excess oil
• Serve hot with a cup of tea

Medu Vada | Uddina Vada | Thootu Vada

A deep fried South Indian recipe made with Urad dal and combinations of spices. This vada is served with coconut chutney and sambhar. 

Ingredients

1 cup Urad Dal, soaked for at least 3 hours

1/2 tsp Pepper corns

1 small piece of Ginger grated

2 Green chili, finely chopped

Salt

Oil for deep frying

Method

• Wash soaked urad dal 2 to 3 times. Grind urad dal finely without adding much water

                              

   

• Add pepper corns, grated ginger and  finely chopped chilies into the batter. Adjust salt as per taste

• Heat oil for deep frying in a heavy bottom vessel
• Apply water to your hands. take a small portion of batter. Flatten it and make a hole in the center and gently leave it in the oil

• Fry evenly on both the sides. Drain excess oil using absorbant paper

• Serve with coconut chutney and sambhar

Tip:

• After grinding the batter, do not leave it to ferment otherwise the vada will absorb excess oil
• I have not used water while making batter. And  I prepared better using blender. If you are using grinder, then use very little water
• You can also add 2 tsp of freshly grated coconut and curry leaves to enhance its flavour

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Coconut Chutney  

Balekai Bajji | Valakkai Bajji | Raw Banana Fritters

Raw banana deep fried with chickpea batter. Its a perfect snack on a bright evening served with a cup of tea. 

Ingredients

1 Raw Banana (plantain)

1 cup Chickpea flour

1/2 tsp Rice Flour (optional)

1/2 tsp Red chili powder

1/4 tsp Asafoetida

1/2 cup water

salt

Oil for deep frying

Method

• Slice raw banana into square/rectangle shapes

• For the Batter - using a mixing bowl, mix chickpea flour, rice flour, red chili powder, asafoetida and salt. Mix well. Add water and whisk all ingredients well.

• Heat oil in a heavy bottom vessel. Dip slices of raw banana in the batter. Coat batter on both sides and gently add it into oil

• Fry on both sides until it turns to golden brown
• Serve hot with ketchup or chutney

"Guilt Free" Carrot Soup

"Guilt Free" carrot soup is made with sauteed garlic, onions and carrots and seasoned with herbs and spices. You will truly enjoy this delicious soup!!  And it won't derail your diet.

The ingredients and steps are simple and easy to follow.

Ingredients

5 Carrots, diced 

1 Onion, diced

4 Cloves of Garlic, finely chopped

2 Mushrooms, thinly sliced

2 1/2 Cups water

1/2 Cup Skimmed milk

1/2 tsp Herbs (oregano or thyme or Mint)

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

2-3 tsp Parsley, finely chopped

1 tsp Extra virgin olive oil

Method

• In a hot skillet, heat oil. Add garlic and onions. Saute until onions turns transparent

• Add carrots. Saute for 2-3 minutes

• Add pepper, salt and herbs. Mix well
• Add water and milk. Simmer for 3-5 minutes and then cool

• Using a blender, puree the carrot mixture. Then pour the contents back to the skillet. Simmer for 2-3 minutes

• Serve hot. Garnish with parsley and mushrooms.

Tip

• Adding mushrooms gives crunchiness to the soup
• The purpose of using milk is to give creamy texture. Adding milk to this recipe is optional. 

Paneer Lettuce Wrap

"Paneer Lettuce Wrap"  is a vegetarian option for Chicken Lettuce wrap. Its crisp, rocking, joyful and crowd-pleasing appetizer. 

Ingredients

250 gms Panner, cut into cubes or rectangle slices

1 Iceberg Lettuce

1/4 cup of Oil 

For Marinade

1 bunch of Cilantro

2 Green Chilies

2 Cloves of Garlic

1 inch Ginger

1/2 tsp Cumin seeds

1 Bell Pepper, diced

1/2 tsp Salt

2 tsp Sweet Chutney

Procedure

• Using a blender make a smooth paste of all ingredients listed for Marinade. Add water if required.
• Apply green chutney over panner and freeze for 15 minutes, so that the marinade sauce sticks to paneer and it does not fall of while frying
• In a flat pan, heat 3-4 tsp of oil and place panner one beside other. Slow roast them evenly in medium heat setting until it turns to brown. The sweet chutney from marinade helps to caramelize paneer. (Each side should take about 2 minutes to roast)
• Serve paneer over a bed of Iceberg lettuce

Chili Gobi Manchurian

"GOBI MANCHURIAN"  is one of the most delicious, popular, zestful and beloved food in India. It is an Indian-Chinese recipe. It is deep fried Cauliflower coated with a combined mixture of garlic, chilies, onions, green pepper and a blend of different sauces like soy, vinegar etc. There are basically two stages in preparing this recipe- first is to deep fry cauliflower and second, preparation of sauce. This recipe is time consuming, but it is worth the effort.

Ingredients

1 Medium cauliflower, chopped into bite size florets

5-8 cloves of Garlic, minced

2 Green chilies, finely chopped

Curry leaves

1 Onion, chopped lengthwise

2 Green Bell pepper, chopped lengthwise

Salt

1/4^th tsp Ajinomoto

Oil for deep fry

For the batter

6 - 8 tsp of corn flour

½ tsp of Red chili powder

Salt

Water (as required)

For the sauce

4 tsp Soy sauce

2 tsp white vinegar

4 tsp Tomato ketchup

½ cup of water

Preparation

v  In a bowl, combine corn flour, red chili powder and salt. Add cauliflower florets and mix well. Sprinkle water as required, just enough to coat cauliflower florets (some recipes use food color for appearance, but this recipe doesn’t use food color)

v  Heat oil in a heavy bottom vessel and  deep fry cauliflower until they are crisp and light brown

v   In a separate pan, heat 2-3 tsp of oil, add minced garlic,green chilies and curry leaves. Sauté for few seconds and then add onions and bell pepper and mix well. Leave it for a minute in high heat setting until they are partially cooked.

v  In a bowl, prepare the sauce. Whisk these ingredients - soy sauce, white vinegar, tomato ketchup and water (you can also add ½ tsp of corn flour for thick gravy).

v  Pour the sauce over onions and bell pepper. Stir well. In high heat, reduce the sauce into thick consistency. Add salt and ajinomoto

v  Add cauliflower and toss them 

v Garnish with chopped cilantro and serve hot