The mushroom debate - Love it or leave it? |~Malai Matar Mushroom~

Mushroom, that one ingredient that evokes as many opinions as does any political debate, is one of my very favorites. I am yet to find any other vegetable (well almost..) that stimulates such strong reactions, that ranges the whole spectrum from total love to utter dislike. No wonder its known as the “meat” of the vegetable world, thereby opening itself up to such strong reactions from the vegetarians. I look at it this way – if something evokes such ardent responses (just like any opinionated person you might encounter), it definitely carries mettle and so it does. Soft yet spongy, chewy yet melt-in-your-mouth - it kindles all sorts of sensations as one bites through that succulent piece of earthiness. 

The "mushroom" love bug caught me quite early and my very first food memory of this powerhouse was when my Dad would come home after an early morning outing to Barabati stadium, where rows of wild mushroom vendors would line up. It was more of a chance that you got hold of them since they would show up only when they had enough mushrooms to sell, which ensured that those were wild rather than cultivated ones. So Dad would be back with the intensely fragrant and flavorful shiitake /brown mushrooms while we would start throwing ideas at my Ma.Till date the wooden, that atypical earthy "mushroom" aroma transports me back to the early morning hustle-bustle in our kitchen. I love every kind – from meaty portabella to the slender enokii mushrooms to the earthy crimini. Each has a distinct flavor, identity and personality that dictates their best fit.

Recently, mushrooms have been making it to my “must-buy” section of our grocery list. From omelets to pastas to- of course my very favorite mushroom masala. I use it with an enthusiasm that can only match my propensity for eggplants. Just like eggplants, what makes them so unique is their ability to soak in new flavors all the while standing strong with their identity. After trying out numerous variations of the mushroom masala, one fine day we craved for the creamy matar mushroom sans the overpowering creamy and bland gravy. Here’s the one that I concocted that has the perfect balance for our palate – melt-in-the-mouth mushrooms with just the right hint of creaminess with a blend of slightly sweet peas. Here you go:

Melt-in-the-mouth mushrooms and sweet peas soak in the smooth tomato gravy with just the precise hint of creaminess from roasted cashews. Serve it with warm chapatis or parathas.

Ingredients:
1 lb Shiitake/Crimini/White button mushrooms
3 Tablespoons Oil
1 inch Cinnamon

1 Large onion chopped
3 Tablespoom Ginger garlic paste
1 Cup Tomato puree
3 teaspoons Chili powder
1 teaspoon Turmeric powder
4-5 Roasted whole Cashews made into a paste
2-3 teaspoons Heavy cream (Optional)
1/4 Cup Green peas

For the dry masala
3 teaspoon Cumin seeds/ Jeera
5 nos. Whole Cloves
2 nos. Whole Cardamom pods

Method:

1. Slice the mushrooms as thick/thin you like & set aside. 
2. Add oil to a pan over medium high heat and saute the   onions along with the cinnamon stick till the onions are     lightly golden brown (5-6 mins). 
3. Then add 3 T of ginger garlic paste and fry over medium heat. Add little water to the paste once it dries out and repeat the process till oil floats on top.
4. Then add in the tomato puree in small amounts making sure it dries out each time before adding the next batch of tomato puree. The masala should be bright red in color. Note: Choose dark red ripe tomatoes for the best color.
5. When oil floats on top, add in chilli powder and turmeric powder and stir over medium low heat. 
6. Then add in the peas and mushrooms and toss well. Saute for 2 mins till mushrooms shrink a bit. Then,add 1/2 C of water and bring it to boil. Add in the cashew paste and heavy cream if using. Simmer over low heat for 15 mins.
7. In a separate dry pan, add the ingredients for the dry masala (3 tsps of jeera, 5 cloves and 2 cardomom pods). Dry roast till fragrant and grind to a powder.
8. Sprinkle the dry masala over the gravy just before switching off the heat.

Quick, simple and with the a relatively short grocery list, this mushroom gravy is sure to wow all the mushroom lovers out there. Move over paneer - you have competition :D

Till next time!
J

Recreating the Mexican fare ~ Mexican rice w/ Smokey Chicken fajitas & chunky guacamole~

When I think intently about that one cuisine that's closest to Indian flavors, my personal preference has always been Mexican. The spices, the intense flavors & the aroma that meld in together as a combination of several different spices are so reminiscent of our cuisine that it's really hard to pass it up. The remarkable similarities between Indian & Mexican dishes- be it the use of tomatoes, various chillies, or even the roasting of meat to develop flavors is sometimes very surprising, but when we come to think of it...it shouldn't really be. After all, almost all the essentials in an Indian curry like the tomato, potato & even the chillies have been New World exports to our subcontinent through the Portugese invaders. And there comes the connection!

Personally, I absolutely love the vibrancy - be it in the spread of dishes or the colorful serving plates...everything is so full with zest for life. The food is always as dynamic in the range & depth of flavors as is their spirited decor. One place that is responsible for making me a die-hard fan of Mexican cuisine has to be La-Taquiza in LA. Tucked away in a small strip mall-like area, don't be fooled by its humble existence. I have really lost count as to how many times I have pulled my friends to join me there and converted them into La Taquiza fans ;) The decor, the people & of course the taste of each of their dishes feels so authentic that I would imagine that this is exactly how food is cooked back in Mexico. So authentic and flavorful!

But after moving here to the Bay, I am yet to chance upon such an authentic Mexican place but I am sure it does exist somewhere. Now with being so far from La Taquiza, it is only wise for me learn the ropes of my favorite cuisine and try it out myself. Today's post is a product of that eventful Sunday morning when armed with a strong desire to replicate tastes of my favorite Mexican restaurant & with my go-to book "The Cuisines of Mexico - Diane Kennedy" for Mexican recipes, I set on this self satiating journey.

~Arroz a la Mexicana (Mexican Rice) ~

This Mexican rice is so subtly flavored with tomato & garlic sprinkled with a hint of cumin powder and jalapeno (for that much essential heat kick) that it's can shine either as a stand alone dish or a suited accompaniment to another spicy side dish.

Arroz a la Mexicana (Mexican Rice) - Adapted from Diane Kennedy's recipe

3 T Oil
1 C Arborio rice (Any other rice will be fine too)
1 Garlic clove Chopped
1 Jalapeno Chopped
2 C Chicken stock (You can use vegetable stock too)
1/4 tsp Salt

For 3/4 C paste
1 Medium sized tomato
1/2 Medium onion
1/2 tsp freshly roasted cumin powder.
1/2 tsp Red Chili flakes (Optional)

Method:
1. Wash the rice thoroughly in a colander till the water runs clear. This ensures that we wash off the starch so that the rice grains do not stick later. Then soak the rice for about 15-20 mins before you start cooking.
2. Make a smooth paste of tomato & onion. Reserve 3/4 C of the paste for the rice and keep aside the rest.
3. In a deep pan over medium heat, add in the oil and wait till it heats up. To check, drop a grain of rice and if it sizzles, then the oil is ready.
4. Saute the rice, garlic and jalapenos in the oil over medium heat for about 5-7 mins till the rice becomes pale golden color.
5. Then pour in the tomato-onion paste along with the cumin powder & red chili flakes and saute the rice till the mixture becomes dry (~ 2-3 mins).
6. Now heat the chicken stock and add in to the rice. Cook uncovered for ~ 10 mins till you can see holes on the surface. Cover & simmer for 5 mins more.
Tip: To avoid the rice from sticking to the bottom of the pan, do not stir the rice after adding in the stock.

This rice tastes so good be it right out of the stove or the next morning left overs. Such a hit!

~Smokey Chicken Fajitas~

A quick & easy Mexican chicken dish is a harmonious amalgamation of chicken & fajitas. Chicken pieces marinated in smokey paprika and garlic powder with a generous squeeze of lemon are grilled and cut into strips. They are then tossed with thin strips of onions & bell peppers to make for a flavorfully spicy side dish.

~Smokey Chicken Fajitas~
Ingredients:
1 lb Chicken thighs
1 T Smoked paprika
1 T Garlic powder (Unsalted)
2 T lemon juice
1/4 tsp Sugar
1/2 tsp salt

2 Medium onions cut in thin strips
1 Bell pepper (I used mixed colored bell peppers) cut in thin strips

Method:
1. Marinate the whole chicken thighs with smoked paprika, garlic rub, lemon juice & salt. Keep aside for 30 mins - 1 hr.
2. In a grill pan (or a regular pan) over medium heat, grill the chicken pieces till browned on both sides (~ 4 mins). Take them out and set aside to cool slightly.
3. Once the chicken pieces are slightly cooled (~ 5 mins), cut the chicken pieces into strips & keep aside.
4. In the same pan in which you sauteed the chicken, add in the thinly cut onions & bell pepper & toss well. This makes sure that all the browned chicken bits on the pan are taken up by the onion-bell pepper mix.
5. After ~ 2 mins or till the onion-bell pepper mix starts softening, add in the grilled & thinly cut chicken pieces and toss well.
6. Adjust for salt & lemon juice. Serve hot off the stove with Mexican rice & guacomole.

~The accompaniment:  Chunky Guacomole~
Adapted from Alton Brown's recipe

Ingredients:

4 Haas Avocados

2 T Lime juice
1 Clove garlic (Finely minced)

½ tsp Cumin

¾ tsp Smoked paprika

½ Medium Onion (chopped)

1 Jalapeno (chopped)

2 Small Tomatoes (Chopped)

2 T Chopped Cilantro

½ tsp Salt

Since I prefer my guacamole chunky, I chop it up in its skin and scoop it to a bowl. Add in the lime and all other ingredients. Taste to make sure it is to your liking and change likewise.

As I recreated my favorite dishes at home, it comforts me to know that though La Taquiza might not be close to me anymore..its taste lingers for ever :D So until I find my next favorite Mexican haunt I will keep recreating the magic here in my kitchen comforts.

So here's a question - How often do you get inspired by your favorite eating joints to create the same at home?

Love,
J

Royally simple yet simply royal ~Mughlai Paratha~

Of all the numerous culinary impressions I have formed while growing up, one particular dish that has always stood out has been this fluffy yet crunchy, simple yet with-an-impressionable-bite - "Indian-egg stuffed-flour tortillas". These evoke such strong and beautiful memories of all the Wednesday evenings (I will elaborate in a second the relevance) growing up that when I made this I literally got transported to my very happy place. Its really that simple to be in your happy place..Easy isn’t it?

Well here’s a confession - as much blessed as I am to have grown up with my wonderful siblings – I am equally if not more delighted to have grown up with this unique culinary combination formed out of a desire to ease the process of eating an omelet and a “roti” separately, which leads to the birth of this piece of  magic called the Mughlai paratha or more phonetically correct “Moghlai Paratta” in Odia. The story goes back to our usual “non-vegetarian” days (the selected days of a week all of us were allowed to have non –veg due to religious restrictions), Wednesday was just the perfect break in the middle of a humdrum week with classes and homework. That was the day all of us kids were allowed to make demands of our Ma as to what we yearned to eat and gladly for all us, most of the times we would all vote for “Moghlai Paratta”. As I look back, I get really amazed by my Ma’s ability to innovate, learn and execute such recipes which I am sure she never grew up eating. And to our absolute pleasure, there were a lot of those.

It’s quite fascinating how a simple combination of paratha and eggs with a few aromatic herbs and spices to bridge their gap, can provide a semblance of "royal" times. Honestly speaking I won’t be able to date out the origins of this “royal” dish but as far my memory goes- I remember savoring it ever since my taste buds had the slightest ability to discern complexly pleasant delicacies. So if I had to describe this in a few words – it had to be fluffy, incredible flavorful, cheese-free distant cousin of Mexican delicacy “quesadilla”- elevated to a different plane by simple additions of onions, chillies, and of course the real star of this dish – some fragrant mint leaves.

~Mughlai Paratha~

Simple Indian flatbread a.k.a paratha stuffed with an egg mixture made aromatic with fragrant mint, red bell peppers, spring onions and spicy chillies. Savored just by itself or along side a flavorful chilli garlic yogurt dip, it is fit to serve a king - albeit a modern & health conscious one ;).

Ingredients: (For one paratha)

1 Uncooked Flour Tortilla/ Paratha

(Use the cooked flour tortillas if you don’t the ones I did)

For the filling:

-      1 no. Egg

-      1 T chopped spring onions (Use regular onions, it works fine too)

-      ½ tsp finely chopped chillies

-      1 T finely chopped red bell pepper

-      ½ T Finely chopped mint

-      Salt to taste

-      Pinch of black pepper

-      Oil to shallow fry the parathas (quantity can be adjusted as per requirement)

Method:

-      In a small bowl, break the egg and whisk it with all the ingredients for the filling (Finely chopped - onions, bell pepper, mint, salt and pepper)

-      Place a flat griddle (tava) over medium heat. Once its hot, place the tortilla (or a maida roti- see below) on the dry tava (no oil added yet) and semi-cook it till just lightly done on both sides (~ 1 min)

-      Once the tortilla is semi-cooked on both sides, pour the egg mixture on the tortilla and fold it lightly to form a semi-circle.

-      At this point, add 1 T oil on the sides and over medium low heat, cover the griddle and let it cook (~ 1 min). Turn the paratha to the other side and let it cook for another minute covered.

-      Uncover the paratha and lightly press to make sure the egg is cooked through. If it oozes out, the paratha still needs to be cooked a little bit more.

-      Tip: I sliced the paratha in half on the tava itself to make it cook more evenly.

-      Once done, serve the paratha with any chutney and make sure to savor it without any disturbance ;)

Some handy notes:

-      These tortillas (Mexican culinary term for a flat bread like our roti) can be made easily at home.Just that I was not industrious enough to go through the kneading-rolling part, so I chose the easy route. Those of you who would prefer to make it from scratch, go straight ahead and make maida (all-purpose flour rotis. To my surprise, this easy route tasted as good as the fresh one and a great time saver.

-      Cooking time for these parathas will vary depending on the size of the rotis, heat used etc etc. but just make sure to cook it thoroughly so that the eggs are cooked straight through.

Well really that’s all to it but the flavor is so utterly divine that I wonder how simple things can quite literally provide the greatest pleasures. I served these with a simple Chilli garlic curd dip with fresh cilantro and well, it was perfect.

~ Chili garlic yogurt dip~

In 1/2 C smoothly mixed yogurt, mix in 1T chili garlic paste (easily available in any Asian market-the red variety) alongwith 1/4 tsp very finely minced garlic and 1T chopped cilantro. Adjust it for salt and a pinch of sugar. There you go- an easy dip ready to go.

Hope these have convinced you to make these for your kids and gift them with some very precious memories to cherish for ever.

Here's to the eternal bond between food & memories.

Love,

J 

I am submitting this to:
- "Breakfast Club" hosted by Farmersgirll Kitchen & Fuss free flavours
- "Let's cook/bake for Valentine" hosted by Simply sensational food.
- "Monsoon temptations" hosted by Manasi
- "Walk through memory lane" hosted by Manju and Gayatri. 

- Breakfast Recipes hosted by Nandoo's Kitchen and Priya's.
- "Kid's Delight event" hosted by Jayanthi and Srivalli.

Usual fare - Unusual way ~ Spiced & baked cauliflower bhaja~

What happens when life hands you a lemon? well of course, make a lemonade right? now don't get me wrong over here..this post has nothing to do with lemons, lemonade or anything remotely citrusy for that matter...but it most definitely has to do with that unfateful day when a normal walk down a classroom turned fatal for my wobbly left ankle. It decided to take a twist leaving me immobile for a while (seems like eternity though .. *sigh*). Now that means me being away from my haven - the kitchen (if you didn't know that already..duh!) for a while. I accepted the challenge (err the lemon) and the message - with a lot of grace. It was high time I took things slowly and literally keep my feet up. This creation actually signifies that laid back approach to making something absolutely gorgeous sans the scrambling around. It signifies the ultimate ease of preparation for anyone who wants the break or wait- gets handed over that break ;)

Now without digressing any further and running the risk of losing your interest..let me say this recipe was the brainchild of my utterly immobile condition teamed with the desire to make something scrumptious for my loved one who untiringly and unselfishly looked after me. Like they always say..any emotion is best expressed in the form of good food. So here I was scrambling my brains to make something mouth watering when this big cauliflower blob stared right back at me. Instantly I was flooded with memories of fried cauliflower florets tossed with potatoes and spices. Mmm..A yum staple at my place. Since frying was out of option, baking was the next best treatment I could think of. Honestly, I had always wanted to bake veggies in the oven, but the hands-on person that I am, watching the food simmering over the stove gives me an unknown satisfaction. So this was just the perfect time to toss everything together and let it bake till golden brown, soft, sweet and utterly delightful, while I kept my feet up. It turned out to be so good that I have been warned of dire consequences if I didn't blog about it. So you see I HAD to share this with you.

Does anyone remember the sogginess of the cauliflower florets when cooked for slightly longer in the effort to get them thoroughly cooked? I confess that I have been the victim many a times and that's what has kept me away from cauliflower for a long time. But here I am, back to being friendly with the cauliflower. The sweetness with the spiciness, the softness with the crunchiness provides the perfect blend of textures and flavors and who can forget the melt-in-the-mouth buttery-ness of roasted garlic. It literally took me to new highs.

Spiced & roasted cauliflower bhaja

Surprisingly and delightfully addicting- this roasted and spiced Indian cauliflower-potato-garlic side dish has the perfect blend of sweetness, crunchiness and the charred undertones essential to kick this simple dish up a notch. Must I say - it's as simple as 1-2-3. 

P.S. Bhaja is an Odia term for any dry and sauteed side dish.

Ingredients: (Serves 2-3)

1 medium sized Cauliflower

2 small potatoes - Cubed

7-8 whole cloves of garlic

1/2 tsp turmeric powder

1/2 tsp red chilli powder

1/4 tsp Pav bhaji masala (Optional)

1/4 tsp salt (Adjust according to taste)

1/4 tsp sugar

4-5 T Olive oil

Dash of lemon juice (Here comes the lemon!)

Chopped cilantro for garnish (Optional)

Like I said- 1-2-3 ;)

Step 1: Cut the cauliflower into medium and equal sized florets. Peel the garlic and cube the potatoes.

Step 2: Mix all ingredients together and make sure to rub the florets well with the oil and spices. Everything should be coated well with oil. Add more oil if required.

Step 3: Pre-heat the oven to 400^oC. Spread out the cauliflower mixture on a sheet pan so that it forms more or less a single layer. Bake for 30-40 mins while tossing every 10-12 mins.

Garnish with cilantro and serve with rice or rotis.

Notes:

- Preheat the sheet pan in the oven too. The sizzle that you hear when the cauliflower mixture is added to the pan is what gives it the nice crust.

- Just learned on Dr. Oz that olive oil retains its properties much better when tossed with veggies prior to adding to the pan rather than heating the oil IN the pan. So this method earns brownie points for retaining the health benefits of the oil too. Very interesting.

Truly, this recipe has made me very happy about being able to use my oven for anything else than baking the occasional cake/ brownie/ cookie. I am glad it now feels a lot less neglected since I am sure to use it a LOT in the coming months experimenting with ALL kinds of veggies. Try it and you will know what I am talking about. 

Have a great weekend all you mobile folks!

Ciao

J

Submitting this recipe to:
- "Bake fest" @ Zesty Palette and by Vardhini
- "Kid's delight" hosted by Valli.
- "Kid's delight: Healthy Makeovers" hosted by Rasi
- "Cauliflower recipe link Challenge" hosted by  Sliceoffme and to Citrus Spice UK

The mighty Vada Pav & the dainty Alu Chop

Even though I haven't quite grown up eating this "burger", very often it makes me wonder as to when and how I grew to like it. Its often true that the enthusiasm of your loved ones rubs off on you, more so when you love to please them and I believe that's exactly what happened here. Mention Vada pav and its almost impossible to miss the look of longing and the irresistible urge in the eyes of Mumbai-ites or more broadly Maharashtrians. What better reason to prepare this delicacy than to satisfy the quench of those Vada Pav thirsty eyes?

This very popular, universally-loved street food needs no further introduction. The legend of Vada Pav goes back to mill workers in Mumbai....then known as Bombay. Supposedly, it originated as a quick to-go snack/ meal for people on the run. Slathered with exquisite chutneys, this flavorful burger worked as the perfect on-the-go meal. Quite similar to the burrito or even the original sandwich origin. Any soul who has savored it would know, that you don't really need to grow up eating it to crave for it.

I exactly wouldn't say that I was completely alien to this Indian version of the burger. The star of this dish-the Vada is eaten very frequently as a snack at home. Its lovingly referred to as "Alu chop" and of course any occasion was fit to either make it or order it from the closest sweets stall. Whoever has eaten the alu chop with "mudhi" or puffed rice, would remember the meld of flavors in the mouth when you bite into the crunchy puffed rice along with the savory and spicy fried potato balls. They make for a perfect snack to welcome any guest or to satisfy your urge for some fried spiced potatoes encased in chickpea flour. Pair it with marinated onions in lemon juice and chopped chilies and this snack wouldn't ever like to leave you.

So one eventful Saturday afternoon while reminiscing about the various street foods made us so nostalgic that we delved into trying this out. Armed with some help from my Ma along with valuable inputs of friends who have grown up eating this delicacy, I set on to try my hand at this.

Vada Pav

An indulgent Maharashtrian street food, Vada Pav is our very own spin to the burger. Slathered generously with exquisite chutneys, the Pav or the bun serves as the perfect carrier for the flavorful crispy potato dumpling fried in a spiced chick pea flour batter.

Ingredients:

Making the Alu Chop aka the Vada

For the filling:

5 Medium sized potatoes

1 T Oil

6-7 Curry leaves

1/2 tsp Mustard seeds

1/2 C Chopped Onions

1 1/4 T Ginger garlic paste

1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder

1/2 tsp Chili powder

1 T finely chopped Chilies (Optional)

1/2 tsp Salt

1/4 tsp Sugar

For the batter:

1 C Chick pea flour / Besan

2 T Cornstarch powder (I substituted for rice flour since I was aiming for some crispiness. Use 3 T rice flour if available).

1 tsp Turmeric powder

Salt to taste (For those wondering,yes I do taste the batter to check for flavor ;)

1/2 C + 2T Water.

1/8th tsp Baking Soda

1/2 tsp Sugar

Method:

1. Mix in all the ingredients for the batter and keep aside for 10-15 minutes. This gives the batter enough time to mix well and for the baking soda to work.

2. For the potato mixture: Boil the potatoes till just done and keep aside to cool. Mash the potatoes when cooled.

3. In the meantime, heat oil in a pan. Add in the mustard seeds, curry leaves and when the seeds start spluttering, add in the chopped onions. Once the chopped onions look translucent (1-2 minutes), pour in the ginger-garlic paste. Add in the turmeric powder, salt, chili powder, green chilies and sugar, all dissolved in 2 T of water.

Tip: Its very important to cook the paste thoroughly. One easy way to check, is to sniff and check if the raw smell disappears. Also, the oil starts floating, once the masala is done. Keep stirring the paste consistently and add in tiny amounts of water to avoid it from sticking to the pan.

4. Now add the masala mixture to the mashed potatoes and mix well. Keep aside for this mixture to cool properly before frying the vadas.

Tip: Using a cold potato mixture for the vadas ensures that the batter sticks to the potato filling and makes for cohesive vadas not the ones where the casing falls of the filling.

5. Heat up oil for frying. Make small rounds of the potato filling, dip it in the batter and fry it over medium heat. It takes about 30-45 seconds to fry one vada.

The Chutneys:

Khajoor Imli chutney: ~Sweet and slightly tangy, date chutney~

8-10 Pitted Dates.
1 C Water

1 1/2 tsp Tamarind extract

1 T Jaggery (Adjust as required)
1/2 tsp Dried Ginger powder (Sunthi)
1/2 tsp Cumin powder
A pinch of black salt

1/4 th tsp Chili powder (Optional)

Soak the tamarind separately in lukewarm water for about 10 minutes till both are soft. Squeeze out the tamarind pulp from the soaked tamarind.
In a pan over medium heat, add in the water and the chopped pitted dates. Cook till it boils gently and the dates look softer (~ 3-4 mins). Then add in the rest of the ingredients and adjust the sweetness with sugar/ jaggery according to your taste. Switch off the stove once the mixture looks glossy (~ 2 mins more after adding the rest of the ingredients).

Hari Chutney: ~Spicy and savory, cilantro chutney~

2 C Coriander/Cilantro leaves

1/2 C Dried Unsweetened Coconut

1/2 T Chopped Green Chilies

1/4 th tsp Sugar

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp Lemon juice

Grind the cilantro leaves to a paste, along with the green chilies, coconut and little bit of water if required. Mix in sugar, salt, lemon juice and adjust according to taste. This chutney should not be very watery, so avoid using too much water.

Assembling the Vada Pav:

1. Slit the burger buns and slather one side with khajoor chutney and the other with hari chutney. Sprinkle garlic chutney (Store bought) on the hari chutney side of the bun.

2. Place the vada on the bun and savor it with a side of fried green chilies and extra garlic chutney.

Time saving tips: 

1. The chutneys can be prepared atleast 1-2 days in advance and stored in a air tight jar in the refrigerator. 

2. The stuffing for the vada/alu chop can be prepared a day in advance, that way you won't waste time allowing it to cool down before frying. Fry them fresh the day of the party and enjoy all the lovely company.

For the alu chop, the variations are innumerous, add in veggies like the beet,nuts like the peanuts and of course, you could opt out of the ginger garlic paste to make it fit for upwaas. To me this represents a great way to have a gala time with friends where each one assembles their own Vada Pav as per their taste and feels like a star when they bite into it and enter their own sweet little trip down memory lane.

Have a great time entertaining buddies!

Love,

J

P.s: I am sending this recipe to :
- "Kid's Delight: Evening Snacks & Tiffin" hosted by Vardhini and Srivalli.
- "JCO: Monsoon of India" hosted by Sayantani and Jagruti
- Kalyani and Priya for "Sandwiches".
- "Walk through memory lane" by Kalyani and Gayatri.
 - Kalyani and Vardhini for "Kitchen Chronicles – Only Vegan : Event Announcement".
- "Warm foods to beat the rain" hosted by The Pumpkin farm and Srivalli.
 - "30 minute meals" hosted by Srivalli 

Fresh,Sweet & Sour - Raw Mango & Mint Chutney ~Amba Pudina Khatta~

Summer and mangoes have been synonymous ever since I could think of. The sweltering heat of the summer months seems much more bearable when relished with some juicy, sweet, luscious mangoes. Come summer and we would have cartons of mangoes smelling absolutely divine in our store room. The luxury of waking up to the smell of mangoes for breakfast was something we didn’t quite have to look forward to too much. It happened ever so often. The taste and aroma of Indian “Baigana Palei” mangoes is unbeatable but I don’t really mind much. Mangoes in any form, size and shape are welcome anytime. I remember eating them as desserts, snacks and of course sometimes as the main course. I am sure most of you would remember devouring raw mangoes with salt, rock salt and chilli powder. Aah! The simple delights of childhood abandon..which I try to emulate ever so often. I am sure that by now you can really tell that mangoes are my most favorite of all fruits. I have always been partial with it and I guess I always will be.

Raw mangoes are known to lower the body temperature and are used as a natural way to protect our body from the heat. Apart from being rich in Vitamin C, raw mangoes are packed with B-vitamins that provide with all the more reason to relish this natural gift. At the beginning of the summer months, when Bapa would get raw mangoes, my Ma always made this simple recipe for us kids to savor. This dish is a perfect accompaniment to any meal and can be stored in the refrigerator for up to about 2-3 days. It uses very little oil (great for calorie counters) and is great for finicky kids that require variety in their meal.

Amba Pudina Khatta

This traditional Odia sweet 'n' sour raw mango and mint chutney pairs the tanginess of a raw mango with the freshness of mint and a hint of traditional cumin and red chilli spice mix.”Khatta” is the generic Odia term loosely used for a sweet and sour accompaniment made with various fruits. It works great with several meals, as a side dish, a topping on a sandwich or even just as a dipping.Its also great as a palate cleanser too.

Ingredients:

1 Medium sized raw or semi-raw mango cut into long pieces.

1 ½ T Sugar (Adjust the amount based on the sourness of the mango)
⅛th tsp Salt
1 tsp Oil (Any neutral flavored oil, I use Canola oil)
1 tsp Cumin seeds

½ C Water

½ tsp Turmeric powder
½ tsp Cumin & red chili powder/ Jeera lanka gunda (Optional)
10-11 nos. Mint leaves

Method:

1.   Cut the mango into thin 1/2 inch strips, and marinate it with salt and sugar. Keep aside for 10-15 minutes till the mango starts softening.

    Tip: Marinating the mango allows it to soften & quickens the cooking process.

2.   In a pan, pour in oil and add in cumin seeds. Stir till it’s fragrant. Then add in the water along with turmeric powder and jeera lanka gunda. When this mixture starts boiling, add in the mangoes. Cover and simmer the mango mixture for about 20-25 minutes till the mangoes form a jelly like consistency.Stir in between to avoid it from charring.

3.   Chop the mint leaves and add in after taking the mango mixture off the stove. Cover for a minute and serve hot or cold.

Quick cooking with pressure cooker:

When using a pressure cooker, the cooking time reduces to about 10 minutes. Prepare the mango mixture following steps 1 and 2 in the pressure cooker pan, add in 1 C of water and wait for 2 whistles. Check the consistency, the mangoes should be soft. Let it simmer for some more time till you achieve the desired consistency.

Note on Jeera Lanka Gunda/ Cumin and Red chili powder: This is a very traditional Odia simple spice mix made with equal amounts of dried red chillies and roasted cumin seeds powdered together.

A great way to use up raw mangoes in this quick and appealing recipe. As a kid, I used to love it on slices of bread as my favorite snack. Give it a try..who knows it might become your favorite too ;)

Hope you folks are having a great summer.

J 

P.s: I am sending this recipe to :
 - Kalyani and Vardhini for "Kitchen Chronicles – Only Vegan : Event Announcement".
- Kalyani and Gayathri for "Walk through memory lane-July 2012"
- "Let's cook with fruits" hosted by Nayna
- "Pickles and chutneys" @ Ammaji's recipes

The irresistible team - "Coriander Luchi" & "Khatta Mitha Aloo"

Isn't it quite fascinating to observe your own thoughts when faced with options? Thoughts seem to run in all directions but its only when both the heart and the mind concur that the final decision is made. This is exactly what happened when I readied to prepare my first entry for the Magic Mingle Challenge for this month. Magic Mingle is a group of talented food bloggers who all come together once a month to present their creations based on a common theme. Its very exciting to see the world of  possibilities these talented bunch put forth with seemingly very mundane ingredients. I decided to take on this challenge more so to challenge myself and push my limits. Seems quite similar to the TV show "Chopped" when as soon as the ingredients are "out-of-the-basket" my mind starts racing in sync with the chefs on the show. There was always a tiny desire to be there working with the ingredients and this is my way of satisfying my desire.

This month's two special ingredients are - Cilantro (coriander) and All purpose flour (Maida). Immediately my mind raced towards all baked goodies- how about some cilantro scones..no no..cilantro nan khatai??...hmmm...so as this continued , I put my dilemma over to my Ma. Straight comes the answer, how about making some very typical Odia fried puffed breads known as "Luchi". So that was it..I zeroed in on Dhania luchi as my final dish. Luchi is mostly fried up on festive occasions and it transports me to happy days when the smell of freshly fried luchis would waft through along with the festive smells and compel us kids to run into the kitchen and steal some of the crispy fried beauties.

So amidst my busy schedule, I decided to make this for a lunch date with a friend I was catching up with after quite sometime. This recipe was quite easy to fit into my schedule and anything that makes things more manageable is always welcome. I kneaded the dough the night before and kept it to rest in the fridge. The next morning I took it out of the fridge and let it come up to room temperature. To munch along with the luchi, I made some super easy, sweet and sour spicy potatoes - Khatta meetha aloo. So here's my twist to the classic "Luchi" along with its classic accomplice "Khatta Mitha Aloo".

Traditionally, luchi is made of all purpose flour dough kneaded till smooth and then, fried to make perfectly puffed, round breads. A typical Odia combination for these fried goodies is with Aloo Dum. So, I made a quick Khatta Mitha Aloo to team up with these beauties, the recipe of which follows right after the luchi.

"Coriander Luchi"

Ingredients: (Serves:2, Makes 10-12 small sized luchis)

For the dough:

1 C All purpose flour/Maida
1/2 tsp Ajwain seeds/Carrom seeds
1/4th tsp + 1/8th tsp Salt
3 tsp - Oil

3 T Cilantro and green chilli paste (Add in green chillies based on your taste)
1/4th tsp Dried Mango powder (Optional)

Lukewarm water (as required)

Oil for frying.

Method:

1. Make a fine paste of the cilantro and green chilies.

2. Now add in all the ingredients for the dough along with the cilantro-green chili paste into a bowl to make a stiff yet pliable dough.

Tip: The dough should be kneaded well till it appears smooth which takes about 7 minutes.

3. Cover the dough with cling wrap and keep aside for a minimum of 20 - 30 minutes to rest for good results.

4. Right before rolling out the dough, knead again for 2 mins and roll out the dough balls into small palm sized luchis.

Tip: While rolling out the dough make sure that the remaining dough is always kept covered to prevent it from drying out.

5. Heat oil in a deep vessel and fry the luchis over medium heat and as soon as you put the luchi into the oil, flicker oil over it with your spatula so that it swells like a ball. This takes about ~15 secs each depending on the size and thickness of the luchis.

Handy Tip I - Adding the ajwain actually makes the luchi very light and assists in digestion of these fried goods.

"Khatta Mitha Aloo"

Ingredients:

2 T Oil

6 medium sized Potatoes

1/2 T Whole coriander seeds

For spice mix:

1 T Coriander powder

1 T Red Chilli powder

1/2 T Turmeric Powder

1/2 T Cumin powder

1/2 T Sugar

Salt to taste

1 T Lemon juice

Chopped cilantro for garnish (Optional)

Method:

1. Par boil the potatoes, they should be firm. I do it in the microwave and it takes ~ 7 minutes to par boil halved potatoes.The potatoes will cook further in the oil with the spice mixture.

2. Mix all the dry spices in about 1/4th C water and keep aside.

3. Heat up the oil in a pan and stir in the whole coriander seeds till fragrant.Then pour the spice mixture to the oil and stir till the oil floats on top. Add in more water if required, so that there's some sauce in the pan.

4. Add in par boiled potatoes,lemon juice and mix well.Cook for 4-5 minutes on high.Sprinkle finely chopped cilantro as garnish.

Time saving tip: To ease out the process, the dough can be made at least a day in advance and kept in the refrigerator. Take it out of the fridge to let it to come to room temperature. I also par boil the potatoes in advance and toss it with the spices right before serving.

Now for this challenge, I got to make these gorgeous Luchis which I really wouldn't have thought of earlier. Sometimes, all we need is a push into the right direction..and I think I found mine.

Have a fabulous weekend folks!

Lots of love,

J
P.s: I am submitting this recipe to :
 - "From the Royal kitchen" by Pari and Divya
 - "Warm foods to bring the rain" by The Pumpkin farm and Srivalli
 - "30 minute meals" hosted by Srivalli
- "Diwali Bash" by Vardhini
- "Breakfast Club" hosted by Farmersgirll Kitchen & Fuss free flavours
- " Kid friendly dishes" hosted by Vardhini of Cook's joy.

One perfect brunch – Grilled Veggie Cheese Sandwich

How often do you wake up late on a Saturday morning wondering how awesome it would be,to have a perfect brunch in a jiffy? Many times right? My thoughts exactly!

Usually Saturday mornings denote that aptly perfect time where the whole weekend lies ahead of you and the hectic week seems to be a thing from the past. Lying in my warm, cozy bed without being in a hurry to rush out seems heavenly. So to match it up and satiate my by-now-growling tummy, I usually cook up these grilled veggie cheese sandwiches adapted from One Hot Stove. I absolutely adore this recipe for the variations that can be done with it. It’s delicious and a total breeze to make. Bread usually doubles up as a blank canvas that can be crafted as per one’s wish. The kind of bread also plays around with the overall taste and can be made with any kind of bread that’s available.

It also brings back memories of Sundays back home when Sunday morning breakfast used to be about coffee and bread dipped in Amul butter (Yes! Amul butter..yumm).Sundays were very very special since that would be the only day we were allowed to have coffee (instant coffee) as kids and who doesn’t like to indulge! Watching Disney Hour along with our favorite breakfast made it so special. I can still actually relive the excitement of those days as my brother and I would wait for the Disney hour. Ah! the simpler times.Those happy memories come rushing back to me when I munch on these delectably, cheesy, crisp veggie cheese sandwiches and yes, along with coffee..err..instant coffee of course..its absolute bliss. Well before I digress any further, here’s the recipe for these sandwiches.

Grilled Veggie Cheese Sandwich

(Adapted from One Hot Stove)

Ingredients:

· 1 teaspoon of oil

· 2 cloves Garlic

· ½ Onion

· ¼ Red/Yellow/ Green Bell pepper

· 1/4^th piece of Cabbage

· 5-6 Baby Carrots

· 5-6 Beans

· ½ Jalapeno Chilli

· 3 Medium sized Boiled Potatoes

· Dash of Lemon juice

· 1 tablespoon chopped Cilantro

· Salt and pepper for taste

· 2 Tablespoons of Swiss cheese (I personally prefer Swiss since its very creamy)

· 4 slices of bread.

· Amul butter (optional)

Method:

1. Place the potatoes to boil in the microwave while you chop up the vegetables.

2. Chop the onions, bell pepper, carrots, beans, chilies, cabbage and garlic very finely.

3. In a pan, heat some oil. Add garlic and sauté till fragrant.

Tip: Always add the garlic as you start heating up the oil, this ensures that it perfumes the oil. If added when the oil is hot, the garlic turns brown immediately and imparts a bitter taste.

4. Then add the onions. Soften it while stirring for approx. 2 mins.

5. Add all the veggies and sauté till slightly soft yet making sure that they do not lose their original crispiness.

6. Add the mashed potatoes, salt to taste and mix well.

7. Drizzle in 2-3 drops of lemon juice and mix in well with some chopped cilantro.

8. Apply the mixture to the bread pieces and sprinkle cheese on top.

9. Place the sandwiches on the grill pan with the cheese side up till crisp. Cover it to let the cheese melt only for a few minutes though.

Tip: After the sandwiches are crisped on the grill pan, they can be set under a broiler for 10 secs to get a charred, smoky feel to the cheese. Keep checking in between to see how much char you prefer.

There are several variations for these open-faced sandwiches. I usually substitute chicken for the veggies when I am in the mood for some protein. Add in dried basil leaves, oregano or even fresh parsley to the mix and see how it changes the taste. It actually feels very free to be able to tweak the recipe every time and being pleasantly surprised with the pop in your mouth. Now go ahead and work on your canvas and take in the beauty of a Saturday morning, while I prepare mine.

Happy weekend y'all!

J

P.S: I am submitting this recipe to -

 "Warm foods to beat the rain" hosted by The Pumpkin farm and Srivalli.
 - "30 minute meals" hosted by Srivalli
- "Breakfast Club" hosted by Farmersgirll Kitchen & Fuss free flavours
- Breakfast Recipes hosted by Nandoo's Kitchen and Priya's.
- " Kid friendly dishes" hosted by Vardhini of Cook's joy.