Meat burekas in an edible cup

One of our good friend N had her 40th birthday last Friday. Her husband threw a surprise birthday party at her residence and along with 25 other friends, we were invited too. It was a pot luck and he suggested to bring a savory dish. Since they come from Israel, I decided to go with a Jewish snack. Having tasted a lot of Mediterranean cuisine in the bay area, I am always partial towards falafel but I doubted whether it will stay crispy for that long, as I have to cook it earlier at home and then take it to her place. So we rules out falafel. S suggested my spicy hummus and pick up pita pockets/ fresh bread from an Israeli store on the way. I felt that it was way too a simple dish to take. But I told him that I will come up with a party appetizer first and then take hummus as well. 

Crispy! finger licking good! attractive on the platter! bite size! - These were the criteria I had in mind. Visual image of a plate of burekas came before my eyes. Yes, you heard me right. It is burkeas for N's birthday. But I didn't want to serve it the usual way, I went for a fusion look. When I saw the picture of phyllo cups with fruits in the Athen's phyllo packet. I decided to go with the idea of serving meat burekas in an edible cup, that presentation was convincing to me. I have also seen , so got an idea how it will look.

I did a test run on Thursday and the results were promising as S loved it. He generously gave me 9.5 on 10. Whenever a new dish is made at home, S will evaluate it with a score. He is always stingy with his markings but this time he gave me 9.5, so I know the idea of edible cups clicked.

On Friday, we planned to meet at 6.30 pm at her residence and her husband has sent N and H, her third daughter to nail styling parlor. When we heard her park her car, all of us who were setting the table with the scrumptious food went hiding quietly behind the doors and walls. As she walked up the stairs from the garage, we screamed "Surprise" and the remaining crowd continued saying "Yim huledet sameah" meaning Happy Birthday in Hebrew, S and I tried to catch that phrase to the maximum possible ability :-)

She was thrilled and surprised to bits. Her eyes went moist as she thanked us for the effort and time. We started the evening with a glass of red wine and she raised a toast for her husband and three kids. She narrated how her daughter was hurrying her to get back home and she faked hungry prangs in the parlor. We laughed and everyone said "Mazel Tov" meaning Congratulations in Hebrew.

My little one has never encountered this many new faces at a single time. I was bit worried that he might get cranky and cry but I was totally wrong, he went to everyone, smiled, touched them and he seemed to have a good time that day. When we left him on the floor, he crawled fast to the huge fish tank and awed at the colorful fishes. He jumped raising his hands and hitting the glass tank, he kept babbling seeing the teeny-tiny fishes running around in excitement.

There was an awesome array of home from different homes : Hummus, bread, pita chips,three types of lasagne, Israeli salad, Malawach, Rice pilaf with pine nuts, Baba ganoush, Strawberry salad, Potato stuffed flaky bread and beautiful birthday cake. As I sat down to eat, my son was curious to explore my plate. I ended up sharing my plate with him. For the first time, I gave him outside food. He tasted the pilaf, potatoes, bread and hummus, he loved it and he came back for more. Just to keep him happy, I fed really tiny pieces. After getting the taste of those delicious food, he refused to have his formula milk that night. After the dessert, her husband made Café Afuch with his cappuccino maker. We made new friends and it was a beautiful evening. Once again a very happy birthday N.

Coming to the dish, I made a meat stuffing with boneless chicken breasts. The recipe is very similar to my ground turkey salad. I added fried cashews for an extra crunch and sprinkled garden fresh cilantro for an extra zing. The phyllo cups were crispy and flaky and they ground curry and the phyllo cups completed with each other so well. This is a perfect starter dish to serve any party. I can assure that it will be a super hit and you will have tons of people asking you for tips.

Ingredients

For the chicken kheema

1-2 lb bone less chicken breats (pulsed to a paste in a food processor- without water) or use ground chicken

1-2 teaspoon olive oil

1 small red onion - minced

1 teaspoon turmeric powder

1/2-1 teaspoon red chili powder

2 teaspoon coriander powder

1 teaspoon cumin powder

1 cup water

1 cup frozen peas

1/4 cup fried cashews

Salt to taste

For the paste:

1/2 inch ginger

2 garlic cloves

1 large onion - chopped

1/4 cup fresh cilnatro - chopped

2 red chilly

Directions

For the chicken kheema:

Heat oil in a large cooking pan. Once they are hot, add the ingredients in the paste sectionSaute for 2 minutes. Then add the onions and sprinkle little salt to let it sweat. Cook for 10 minutes on medium flame and let it brown a bit.

Add the ground chicken and break them down to smaller bits. Saute for 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle the turmeric, chili and coriander powder and mix well. Sprinkle the water and cook covered for 30 minutes, stirring every now and then. It should be a dry curry, keep stirring removing the scraped stuck in the base of the cooking pan. Add the thawed peas and cook covered for 5 minutes. Add the cilantro and mix well. Switch off the flame and let it cool. Sprinkle the fried cashews and mix well.

For the assembly:

Pre heat over to 350 degrees.

Thaw the phyllo sheets overnight in the refrigerator. Set your working surface. I used my kitchen island. Have melted butter, pastry brush and a damp cloth to cover them while working.  

Once thawed, remove and keep them next to you.  Carefully remove one sheet, cut them into 7x7cm square inch, more or less depending on the size of your muffin cup. The point is to place the phyllo sheet inside the muffin cup and then top them with your filling.I placed two layers of phyllo sheets. 

Spray muffin pans with non-stick spray. Now place the phyllo sheet inside them, work with your finger tips, press them lightly along the bottom edges to get the cup shape.Butter them with a pastry brush,place the next piece of sheet and layer them with butter again. Add the filling.

Bake for about 7-8 minutes, adjust according to your oven setting.

Serve hot with few drops of ketchup and sprinkle chopped cilantro on top.

Note:

1.Phyllo sheets are fragile, handle them with utmost patience and care.

2. While baking, keep an eye to avoid burning them.

Janmashtami / Krishnajayanthi 2011

 

Idly / dosa batter

My mom announced idly for breakfast today and our face frowned a bit.

"Ooopsss idly again for breakfast?? Oh god please don't bug us like this" exclaimed my cousin. 

This is the typical reaction for idly in any Tamilian's household and that was the incident that came across my mind when I soaked rice and dal for the dosa party on Saturday. Nobody can really imagine the frequency with which this dish gets repeated in every house. No wonder it annoys the family members but trust me your reaction would be totally different when you are miles away from your nest.

I crazily missed idly (ofcourse the spicy-spicy idly podi) during my student days in UK. Ask any true-blue Tamilian for the taste of steamy idly and millagai podi. That person will definitely spare a very bright smile as an answer! Yes, such delightful is the taste of it.

Idlies and Idly podi are every Tamilian's pride and it is THE specialty of Tamilnadu. They have been loyally wedded to each other for ages. Though mistress like sambhar and chutney have tried their best to mesmerize the idly, no one other than this podi can complement it better. Idly and idly podi always a winning combination.

I met Charissa & Patrick of Zest Bakery & Deli at a blogger's meet in Berkeley. Zest bakery at San Carlos specializes in gluten free foods and desserts. Hop over to their page to know more about them. Zest bakery recently completed its first year anniversary and "A foodie and her cooking hat" takes this opportunity to wish them all the luck in the world for more success and fame. 

I was lucky enough to taste few of their magical creations and for now, I am in love with their chocolate fudge, they were soft, moist and tastes just the same way as the ones made with traditional bakery ingredients. As their website says their products are great for Celiacs, but still good for everyone. Yes, I totally agree to that statement. Charissa was telling about thier sun dried tomato pasta made with brown rice and herbs and I am waiting to get my hands on that.

They are such warm and friendly couple who will be liked anyone. And I am no exception. I met Charissa again at the SFO food blogger's sale and when she mentioned about the liking for Indian food. I extended my invitation for dinner at my place in July. Since they prefer gluten free diet and since I wanted a meal that would speak about my heritage and about the place I came from, I decided to serve idly and dosa. I prepared dishes that were made from a single batter. Yes, one batter and infinite possibilities!

The menu: 

1. Karam paniyaram

2. Masala idly 

3. Mini idlies

4. Masala dosa with sweet potato stuffing

5. Sadha dosa

6. Moong dhal sambhar

7. Drumstick sambhar

8. Karaikudi chutney 

9. Cilantro chutney 

10.Thengai paal kuzhi paniyaram

Here is the recipe for the magical Idly / Dosa batter.

Ingredients
4 cups idly rice
1 cup urad dhal/ uluntham paruppu 

2 teaspoon fenugreek seeds 

1/2 tablespoon salt
Water to soak

Equipment

A wet grinder, a popular equipment in South Indian homes. Read more about how to make dosa at Sala Kannan's blog - Veggie Belly.
 
Method

For the batter
Soak the rice, urad dhal and fenugreek in separate vessels overnight or for 4-5 hours. The next day or after few hours, start with grinding the urad dhal and fenugreek together in a grinder. Wait till they get a smooth texture.Transfer to a fresh bowl. Then add the soaked rice. Grind them to a fine paste. Add salt and mix them thoroughly with hand. Let them ferment at room temperature overnight.

Will share pictures on how to make idlies and dosa on my next post. Stay tuned!

Thanks Ramya Bala and Pavithra for sharing your tips on the rice to urad dhal ratios.

Don't forget to participate in the summer drink giveaway. Click here to enter. 

Turkey roll ups - My favourite snack

Cricket is a game loved by everyone in India. Gali cricket is part of every one's childhood. It will be played in every street in India, all we need are a bat, a ball and few enthusiastic players. After watching the world cup 1996 (I was in Grade 6 then), my friends and I were so passionate for the game that we even formed a girls team in our housing complex. My uncle who was a football coach got us new stumps and wickets and we used to play like mad people breaking bike lights, window panes, hitting aunties and pleading them to give the ball back. It brings a lot of laughter and memories when I think about them.

For a nation that is divided by different religions, sects, cultures and languages, if there is one thing that would bring us together will be CRICKET. Cricket is more a religion than a game to Indians. In that religion, Sachin Tendulkar is considered the GOD. We are fanatic fans who go wild whether our Men in Blue lose or win. We cry, we laugh, we cheer, we scream - This is how a typical Indian would be while watching a cricket game. Emotions keep rolling for every stroke played, for every ball bowled and for every run taken.

The semi final between India-Pakistan (30th March) was a real treat to watch and I was up from 1.30 am (Pacific time) to watch who won the toss. S & I stayed all along the game to watch our Indian team go to finals. The game between India-Pakistan was more like a political event where the prime minister's of both the countries, political leaders and movie personalities were present to watch the game live. The pressure was not on the players alone but also on us, we were quite tensed how the game is going to turn out. Cricket world cup is like the American Superbowl. The advertisement were also a fun to watch.

The big game, the World Cup finals between Srilanka and India was on 2nd April. The last couple of days had been busy for me. I participated in a bake sale for Japan on Saturday morning and had a lovely time meeting R & S, my fellow food bloggers. I baked in intervals on Friday and Saturday early morning, also did some test baking on Thursday. While watching the game, I was also paralleling doing some prep work for my checker board cookies. I will write a separate post about Bake sale - Japan and about the goodies I baked for it. I left home at 9.00 am on Saturday, about the time when the game became crucial and got really interesting. I desperately wanted to watch the last 10 or so overs but I had to attend the bake sale at 10.00 am.

Later at 11.00am my husband called up to share the news that WE won. Wow! OMG! Great! were the words thought popped out of my mouth. I kept thinking how would have Dhoni, our captain would have reacted, how loud the crowd would have screamed, what would have Sachin said? Who was the Man of the Match? With all those thoughts and missing our victory dance at home , I drove back to watch the highlights. I kept watching the highlights over and over again. India is the world number 1 in 20-20 game, 50-50 game and also in Test cricket. I cann't get more proud than this. Chak de!!! Chack de India!



Keeping in mind our never dieing cricket spirit, Ria posted in her FB profile asking fellow Indian Food Bloggers to join her cook something to add to the spirit of cricket as we watch the World Cup Cricket 2011. 'WE' cooked together on the game night with the recipes of our choice and planned to post it the following day.

I made a very simple turkey roll up with cilantro-mayonnaise spread at 3.00 am. This is a perfect snack for a game night (rather early morning), so simple to prepare as you need not more than 5 minutes to assemble and serve. The key thing for me on a game day is to serve something that will not take much of my time in the kitchen, so that I could head back to the living room to watch the fun with others This recipe is inspired from the South Beach Diet Book.

Enjoy! Jai ho!!!!


These roll ups are ideal for Phase 1, 2 and 3 of South beach diet. Stick with maximum 2 rolls for a snack. You could add any veggies of your choice for the stuffing (For phase 1 avoid carrots, beets, peas, potatoes and corns for stuffing) and this roll up is a perfect snack for women with gestational diabetes.

Ingredients
Turkey Roll-Up
4 slices turkey breast
4 medium Boston lettuce leaves - diced
4 scallions - diced
4 red bell pepper - diced
4 baby cucumber - diced

Cilantro Mayonnaise
3/4 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
3/4 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves - finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon light soy sauce
1 teaspoon chilli flakes
1 small clove garlic - minced

Method
Cilantro Mayonnaise
Place the mayonnaise, cilantro, lime juice, soy sauce, and garlic in a bowl and mix well.

Turkey Roll-Up
Place 1 slice of turkey and spread with 1 tablespoon Cilantro Mayonnaise. Then layer them with little lettuce, scallions, cucumber and peppers. Drizzle some more spread on top and fold into a tight, cigar-like roll. Serve cold.

Nuggets with sweet potatoes

I was wandering in the market from one end to another, checking each stall and the prices stuck between the vegetables and fruits.The display of that week's produce at the farmer's market in the Bay area is a delight to watch: Red, ripe tomatoes, bunches of Swiss chard, spinach, cilantro,potatoes, artichokes, celery, oranges, apples, melons. Innocent fresh flowers reminds me that the spring has arrived but the smashing rainfall for the last two days confuses me further.

When my organic food lover friends described their food tastes fresh, I didn't understand their statement. But once I started shopping at the local farmer's market and cooked them in a week's time, I understand what freshness is all about. I have been quite regular to the Farmer's market these days and have made good friends with our local farmers who are growing great food. Sometimes, they offer couple of veggies for free. The vegetables and fruits that reach the supermarket after endless trucking and shipping across the world doesn't taste fresh to me these days. Hence, one of the resolution we made for this New year was to cook with local and seasonal produces and support the small scale farmers. We have altered the way we eat, this practice that taught us what good taste is all about.

The mild orange skinned potatoes looked so attractive in the farmer's market today. Sweet potatoes are always in my shopping bag, whether I bake, fry, boil or grill them, my family loves it. California grown varieties are extremely sweet and delicious. Every week we won't miss a chance to buy it. Always choose firm ones with no cracks or bruises on it. They are also rich in complex carbohydrates, dietary fiber, beta carotene, vitamin C,potassium, copper, folic acid and vitamin B6. See, now all the more reason to eat this sweet delight.

Boiled sweet potatoes was one of my favorite snack during my school days. My mom would just pressure cook it, peel its skin, mash the flesh and serve it in a bowl. I am not sure whether kids of the present day would enjoy the same old boiled sweet potato every other time you serve them.


I came up with this dish: SWEETY NUTTY NUGGETS (Sweet potato nuggets cooked with Indian spices and cashews) served with a mayo-yogurt dip. The seductive sweetness from the sweet potato mingles brilliantly with spicy peppers and garden fresh cilanto-mint leaves. The addition of aromatic Indian spices takes the dish to the next level. The sharp crunchiness from the roasted cashews and red onions further enhances its taste and also the use of Panko (Japanese breadcrumb) creates an extraordinary crispy coating to the nugget. The zesty, creamy dip is the perfect accompaniment for this flavorful snack. All this qualifies them to be an ideal kid-friendly dish. Once served, it will disappear in no time. I am sure even the adults would love its taste: simple and crunchy-licious.



Yields: 30 nuggets

Ingredients
2 small sweet potatoes ( about 1- 1.2 pounds)
1 small red onions - diced
1 Serrano peppers - chopped (de-seed)
1/4 cup cilantro - finely chopped
1/4 cup mint leaves - finely chopped
1 teaspoon cumin powder
1 tablespoon coriander powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 tablespoon corn starch
1/4 cup roasted cashews - chopped
Olive oil to fry
2 eggs
2 cups Panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

For the dip:
1 cup Greek yogurt
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 lemon juice
1/4 cup cilantro - finely chopped
Salt and pepper to taste



Method
1. Wash and clean the sweet potatoes and prick them with a fork. Rub with oil and bake in a 400 degree oven for 45 to 55 minutes or until soft or cut them in to half and cook in a pressure cooker for 3 whistles .

2. Once cooled, peel the skin and combine sweet potatoes, onions, cilantro, mint leaves, corn starch, spices, cashews and salt in a large bowl and mash with hand. Cover with a cling foil and refrigerate until well chilled.

3. Place eggs in a shallow bowl and beat briefly with a fork. Place panko in another shallow bowl. Set them next to each other.Scoop up a tablespoon or so of the potato mixture and shape into a nugget or ball. Dip into beaten eggs and then into Panko. Line them in a baking sheet ,with 1cm spacing between each of them.

4. Whisk together the Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, lemon juice, cilantro, salt and pepper. Chill the dip until you fry the nuggets.

5. Heat oil to 350 - 375'F. Deep fry the nuggets until they turn golden brown. Place them over the kitchen towel and drain the excess oil.

or

6. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Set nuggets on a parchment-lined baking sheet and spray lightly with olive oil or cooking spray. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until nuggets are lightly browned and crispy.

Serve immediately with the chilled dip. Enjoy!

PS: I always prefer to deep-fry them.

South Indian lentil cakes

Men and women surrounded my car when I stopped at the junction of Dindivanam, Tamil Nadu. I was driving from Chennai to my native village near Cuddalore. Packets of either roasted ground nuts, ginger candy, samosas or masala vadais were nestled in their blue plastic tub. They ran towards the Government buses even before they had rolled to a complete stop and screamed with their boisterous voice at the passengers to buy their eatables.

"Amma, vangiko ma, nallu vadai rendu rubha dhan ma!" (Madam, please buy, just Rs.2 for 4 vadais).

Their torsos pressed against my car doors and their voices echoed around the mid-afternoon humid air. I nodded my head as a denial. Even when the heart craves to take a bite of those street foods, the brain pops mid way to remind that no eating foods sold outdoors. As I rolled down my car window, a women in mid- twenties, came running with a basket of vellarikai (cucumbers) and nongu (palm fruit), placed in a plastic bucket of crushed ice. I bought few mini cucumbers and a nongu bunch, sufficient enough to munch till my next stop - Pondicherry.

I had just drove past the Gandhi statue, placed at the center of the Pondicherry's beach road and entered the lane of Sri Aurobindo Ashram. Everytime I visit my grandparents, it's a habit to stop at the Ashram for a short prayer. I just love the unruffled and serene ambiance and wouldn't mind to sit next to the samadhi for an entire day.

I came out of the ashram after a quick prayer and a thirsty throat. I wore my sandals and headed straight to cradle myself with a healthy beverage. At a stone's throw distance, there was a coconut vendor. I ordered one. With a razor sharp rustic aruval (sickle-sword), he made a quick slash three times and handed the nut with a plastic drinking straw. Sweet tender coconut gushed through my throat and I asked him to chop the drained nut into half . With a whack at its corner, he made a biodegradable spoon out of the coconut shell and scooped the white-jelly meat out. I relished the cold, sweet and sloppy flesh. It was 4.00PM by then. Time to start as there will be four anxious eyes waiting for my arrival.

Garlic and onions growling in the vegetable oil filled the kitchen air with its scent. The smell of the deep fried patties traveled from the volcanic-hot kadai to the dining room to the living room to the outside garage. Molecules of masala vadai were floating like the specks of saw dust in the air.The seducing aroma of cilantro, garlic, lentils entered my nostrils and I was ravenous. I waved my hand to my granddad and he announced to my achi that I arrived. She came with a tray loaded with home made sweets, masala vadai and pipping hot tea.

Masala vadai
Source: My mom
Ingredients
2 cups - Channa dhal / Gram dhal
3 tsp - fennel seeds (reserve 1tsp for the batter)
2 dry red chilly
1 onion - finely chopped
1- 2 green chilly - finely chopped
1'' ginger
6-8 garlic cloves and its skin
1/2 tbs fresh or dessicated unsweetened coconut
10-12 curry leaves - finely chopped
1 tbs cilantro - finely chopped
5 cup water
1-2 tsp salt
Oil to fry

Method
Wash the gram dhal in running water and soak in 4-5cups water for 1-2 hours. Once done, drain the water and grind them to a coarse paste with ginger, garlic, coconut, green chilly, dry red chilly, fennel seeds. Add very little water to grind. We are looking for a very thick batter (Check the picture below to understand the texture of the batter).


Mix in the raw onions, cilantro, curry leaves, garlic skin and salt. Check for salt before frying.

Heat the oil to 350'F . Clean your hands and dry it with a kitchen towel. Wet your hands with olive oil / cooking oil to get a good shaped patty. Remove a little batter with a spoon or a small ice cream scoop and press it against your left palm with your right hand fingers to form a patty (about 1-2cm radius). Slide them into the hot oil and cook till they turn brown and crispy.


The 2nd Annual San Francisco Food Blogger's Charity Bake Sale is happening on the 14th May 2011. Funds raised through the Food Blogger Bake Sale support Share Our Strength’s efforts to end childhood hunger in America. Nearly one in four—children in America face hunger, that’s more than 17 million kids!! If you love to bake, join us for this noble cause.


Check this website for more details: http://bakesalesf.wordpress.com/

Lotus root crisps

Every time I shop at Ranch 99 (A Chinese supermarket chain in US), my eyes would take a quick look at lotus root placed at the top most rack but would move on with my shopping list. Many times, I have been tempted to pick it, but somehow I have never purchased it. Last week, I decided to try my hands on them. I just picked one and thought shall buy more if they tasted great and is liked by S.

The lotus root is classified as a vegetable which is indigenous to Asia. It is found underwater and has a reddish brown color outer skin which needs to be peeled before cooking. I felt that the white interior of the lotus root had a texture similar to that of banana stem (vazhai thandu in Tamil) and they had a fibrous thread like extension while slicing. The beautiful holes that run through its length make them look pretty when sliced.

Once back home, I proudly waved it to my mom like a scientist who discovered a new theory but she politely snubbed me back saying that lotus roots were quite common in her native village and she has tasted it before. She educated me that they are rich in dietary fiber, vitamin C and Vitamin B6. While she was talking, I thought to myself that how my deep-fried crisps going to be healthy. Anyways, let's first try it I announced.

I sliced them thin and soaked in salty water for a while. Like the bees buzzing around the flowers, this deep fried delicacy was surrounded by my family. Empty dishes vouched for its taste.The addition of rice flour gave an extra crispiness to it. The aromatic cumin and fresh home-made garam masala gave an Indian twist to it. Lotus root crisps is a simple snack that can be prepared even by novice cooks.The adorable shape with attractive holes reminds me of a brown crystal earring. The gorgeous looking bite sized lotus roots convinces me to hang them together like a garland for an edible jewelry party. My crunchy appetizer is sure to draw attention from kids to grannies. We loved it so much and this is definitely one of the best food I have eaten so far and has been really addictive. I have made it over and over again for the last 2 weeks. Spicy, salty and crunchy - A perfect snack to munch on a movie night or over a game day. Coming weekend, I am making this for Superbowl.

This is my entry for Smitha's Best food I have eaten or blogged about!Bye bye 2010, Welcome 2010.

Serves 2

Ingredients
1 lotus-root - 2 feet long
1tbs vinegar
2 cups water
1tsp cumin powder
2tsp garam masala
1tbs rice flour or all purpose flour
Salt and pepper to taste
Oil to fry

Method
Peel the reddish-brown exterior of the lotus root and slice them paper thin (if possible). Wash them in cold running water and soak it in water- vinegar solution and little salt. I left them for 30 minutes. Remove and drain the excess water. Pat dry them with paper towels. Dust them with flour.

Heat oil to 350'F and once they get heated up, fry them in batches. Drain the excess oil in a paper towel and sprinkle cummin powder, garam masala, salt and pepper. Serve hot with ketchup and mayonnoise.

Cashewnut and onions fritters - Pakoda

Pakodas/Pakoras are our favorite choice for a hot cup of spicy chai.Be it the weepy melodramatic Indian saas-bahu soap or the fanatic India-Pakistan cricket match or chaatka-maatka mass Indian movie, the pakoras form an integral part of the living room. These crunchy bite sized wonder are sure to make anyone addictive.

Since it is one of the easiest snack that could be made in a short time, I remember enjoying them in most of my aunts and grandparent's place. The dish which I ate, ate and ate during my childhood, was totally avoided by me during my teens. The major reason I had was "dieting". Then once I outgrew that phase, I got back to my original self. I had the late realization that completely starving oneself from them and indulging one fine day on high-calorie foods like french fries, ice creams and fried chicken is no good. Eating everything in single servings and burning out the extra calories every other day is the key to a healthy life. So, now I have slowly began to include fried snacks into our monthly menus. We enjoy these crispy cashew-onion pakodas once in a while for the evening chai. They are made by deep frying veggies like onions, eggplant, potato, spinach, cauliflower or pappad or chicken and rolling them over a thick batter of seasoned gram flour. Infact, in the UK, they were sold in most Indian takeaways as a replacement to chips.

Today's version is made with raw cashewnuts and onions.


Ingredients
1/2 tbs cashewnuts (raw)
1 cup onions - chopped
1/2 cup gram flour
1/4 cup rice flour
1/4 cup all purpose flower
1-2 tsp asafoetida
1/2 tbs cummin powder
2 tsp chilli powder
6-8 curry leaves - finely chopped
2 tsp salt
1/4 cup water
Oil to fry

Method
Mix all the dry ingredients together with a whisk. Slowly add the water and mix them to form a thick batter. Fold in the onions,cashews and curry leaves.

Heat the oil to 350F. Add little batter to check the heat. If they emerge out of the oil immediately, it means that the oil has reached the perfect temperature. Using a tablespoon, scoop out each ball into the oil. Fry them in batches. Let it cook for 5-8 minutes on each side. Don't burn them. Place the pakoras in kitchen towels to absorb excess oil.

Serve hot with ketchup/mint chutney.

Deepfried comfort food with banana flower

It's the time of the year to wrap the heater and enjoy the warm Californian sunshine with a BBQ or a volleyball game or swimming. But, interestingly we use the heater on some days and cover ourself from face to feet even for a casual walk.The weather in California is not what it is supposed to-be. Thanks to climate change and global warming. The weather pattern is so confusing now. We are being drenched with raindrops every now and then and on one such windy, rainy day, we relished these vazhappu kola with spicy masala chai.

The vegetable market in Bay area is full of surprises. Everytime I enter the store, I will be so thrilled to find banana flower, drumstick leaves, drumsticks or raw banana. These veggies are unavailable in other parts of US, so that leaves me with even more excitement.

Having found these fresh banana flower, nothing could stop me from making my favorite kolas. I have to agree that cleaning them is an ordeal and one has to be very careful to remove a black stalk found inside those thin flesh. I shall write a post on how to clean them in the coming week. (Update: Click for that post here)


The post for today is Vazhappu kola. These crispy wonders are the vegetarian version of the mutton kola. These tiny balls taste absolutely yummy and they can be a perfect appetizer or an evening snack or a side for the rice/rasam. These delectable balls fill the room with lovely aroma of the masala while being cooked. The crunchiness from the coarsely ground spices,onions, coriander and curry leaves, makes every bite irresistible.We just love them!



Ingredients
1 cup cleaned banana flower - chopped
1/2 cup channa dhal
1/2 cup roasted split-chick peas /pottu kadalai - Available in India grocery store
1 onion - chopped
3 garlic cloves - paste
1" ginger - paste
1 tbs cilantro - chopped
1 tbs curry leaves - chopped
2-3 tsp chilli powder
Salt to taste
Oil to fry

Whole masala
3 cloves
1/2 tsp fenel seeds
1/2" cinnamon stick
2 cardamon

Method
Boil the chopped banana flower in water with salt until cooked. Drain and set them aside.

Dry fry the channa dal and roasted split chick peas for 5-8 minutes. Once cooled, grind them to a fine powder.

Grind the remaining ingredients (except the lentils and banana flower) to a coarse paste. Don't add water.

Then,grind the boiled banana flower to a thick paste (without water).

Add salt to taste and finally mix all the ingredients together. They should have a thick consistency (falafel like consistency) and you should be able to roll them into bite-sized balls. Cover a baking tray with cooking foil and place the rolled kolas on top.

Heat the oil to 350'F and fry them till cooked.