Oh! the joys of entertaining ~ Ragda Pattice / Aloo tikki chaat~

In our frenzied and increasingly impersonal world of late work nights, busy schedules and conveniently located restaurants luring us with elaborate menus, who takes an effort to cook anything for a meal time - leave alone a party? And in all this chaos, the burgeoning restaurant scene seems to have found its ideal, loyal clientele - busy professionals with little patience and ample of money. Quite a mix! Ain’t it? As more and more people opt to go out for dinners abandoning the age old tradition of making their own meal, it sincerely makes me shudder to think as to what our next generation would learn. What traditions will we pass forward? Are we going to give rise to an unfortunate generation which has been deprived of the sensuous art of cooking? A generation that finds solace in restaurant bought food over home cooked meals? And I believe those are some very valid points to think about. 

Creating and enjoying a home cooked meal has always been my way of adding that personal touch to my otherwise mundane life or to a get together of friends and family. My very personal signature and something my very own. It adds in oodles of love and care to something we all value a lot – our daily meals and of course noteworthy ones like birthday meals!Speaking of birthdays, they have always been special to me growing up. They were the most joyous of days filled with the honor of being treated special for the entire day. The thrill of opening the packet of candies, crisp new dress and to coming home to an array of my favorite dishes...each and every event had a charm- a charm that has gradually slid away with age. These days it means more of an occasion of getting together with friends and family to celebrate the year gone by while welcoming the new one. 

With such distinctive, pleasant memories of our birthdays, M and I wanted to make our guests feel special by making them a home-cooked meal. Exactly in the same way I feel when someone cooks for me. It makes me wonder as to where the novelty of cooking as a means of celebration slid by? Seems such a rarity these days!

In all of this party planning to-do's, trust me when I say that thinking of a fun and exciting dish to make was the first and most difficult part. After going through scores and scores of recipes, ragda patties/pattice or Aloo tiki chaat was chosen just based on the fun, ease and its mass appeal factor. Famous in most parts of the country, this Indian street food has different names - Ragda pattice (Yes its been misspelled!! Ragda Patties not Ragda Pattice) in the west, aloo tikki chaat in the north and Aloo guguni chaat in the east and it's as tasty in all its numerous renditions. It truly has a high crowd pleasing potential with really not a lot of effort and of course what better than to invite friends over for a plate of Indian street food?

~Ragda Pattice/ Aloo tikki chaat/ Aloo guguni chaat ~

This strikingly colorful, savory Indian street food is a delightful combination of aromatic potato patties served with a dollop of spicy yellow pea curry. Generous sprinklings of assorted chutneys, crispy sev ( fried chickpea noodles) and chopped onions add the extra sparkle to the glory of this dish. 

Ragda/Guguni (Yellow pea curry)

This is my way of making this spicy and tangy yellow pea curry and it is incredibly easy and tastes exactly like the one in the roadside stalls. A surprising ingredient is responsible for these ease. Read on and find out.

Ingredients:

2 C Whole Yellow/White peas (Soaked overnight)

1/2 tsp Turmeric powder

1/2 tsp Salt

1/4 C Oil

4 nos. Medium sized tomatoes- Chopped

In 1 cup of water make a paste of the following:

3 T Tomato Ketchup

1 T Sambhar powder (Surprise! Surprise!)

1 tsp Chili powder

¼ tsp Sugar

Salt to taste

Method:

1. Boil the peas with salt and turmeric powder till just done. Leave aside.

2. In a deep pan, add in the oil and once the oil heats up, add in the chopped tomatoes and let it cook till soft and mushy (~ 2-3 mins).

3. Remember the paste you made of ketchup, sambar and chili powder? Add in that paste one spoon at a time and wait till the masala mixture is dry. Continue till you finish all of it and oil floats on top.

4. Now add in the boiled peas and cook over medium low heat till soft and mushy (~ 5 mins).

5. Adjust for salt and amchur powder.

For the Aloo tikki (Potato patties):

Ingredients:

4-5 nos. medium sized boiled potatoes

1 C Finely chopped mint

½ tsp Dry ginger powder

1 tsp Cumin/Jeera powder

2-3 nos. Finely chopped green chilies

½ tsp Garam Masala powder

2 T Rice flour or Corn flour

½ tsp Chaat masala

Pinch of sugar

Salt to taste

Bread crumbs 

Oil to fry.

Method: 

1. Mash the boiled potatoes along with all the other ingredients. Adjust according to taste.

2. Divide the dough equally into palm sized rounds. Now flatten the mashed potato rounds, roll them in bread crumbs ( for the crunch!) and shallow fry till golden brown.

For the garnish:

Khajoor Imli chutney (For recipe see here)

Hari or green chutney (For recipe see here)

Chopped cilantro (Optional)

Chopped onions

Sev or fried crisp chickpea flour noodles

Chaat masala

Assembling the chaat and the order:

Place the tikki on the plate.

Pour a dollop of the yellow pea curry.

Drizzle it with oodles of imli and hari chutney.

Sprinkle the chopped onions, sev and chaat masala.

Some useful notes:

If making it for a party,

- Soak the peas two nights before the event and boil the next day. Store it in the refrigerator for the day of the event when you prepare the guguni.

- You can prepare the tikkis the day before the event and refrigerate it. Fry it just before the party begins. That way the patties hold together much better leaving you with little work to do on the day of the party.

- You can even prepare all the chutneys beforehand and refrigerate.

- After you are done frying up the patties, cover the dish containing them with aluminium foil and keep it hot in the oven (250 oF) till the guests arrive.

- Place all the components of this dish on your counter and watch the guests get creative with their plate of chaat.

Now as you watch your guests get creative and excited about their plate of chaat, its almost impossible to feel the rush of satisfaction and happiness at that very sight. There's truly no joy greater than feeding someone to their heart's content and especially so when its your own family and friends :) 

So the next time you think about ordering something from the restaurant..think if that's the tradition you would want in your family...and if the answer is no, then go ahead, take some pains and see how fruitful and rewarding this whole process can be.Post in your experience in the comments and share the joys you have felt when you have done the same for someone.

So until next time!

Love,

J

P.S: Submitting this recipe to:
- WTML - May hosted by Gayatri.
- "Anniversary Celebrations" by Cook,Click and Devour
- " Kid friendly dishes" hosted by Vardhini of Cook's joy.

Vegetarian croquette from modern Odia cuisine & the Cuttacki street-food ~ "Vegetable Chop"

There’s never been a cold, rainy day when I haven’t yearned to cuddle up in my cozy comforter gazing out of the window while sipping on a cup of chai generously laced with ginger and munching on crispy home-made pakodas. Although quite a rare occurrence these days, especially with our busy schedules and untimely rain, I considered myself extremely lucky to be home on one such afternoon when it rained generously to my heart’s desire. Just like rain does to every romantic’s heart, it brought out the poetic, creative side of me very willing to experiment.

So on that occasional rainy afternoon, in a quest to celebrate the downpour as I raided my refrigerator to cook up something delish, I came across this half-a-piece of beet lingering in the forgotten corner of my fridge drawer. As I stared at it for a brief moment, the only thing that popped up distinctly was the "vegetable chop". While I am at it, I must confess that I have always had a love-hate relationship with beet.The very few times I had the courage to experiment, it turned out to be a messy, bright magenta blob that tasted a bit too earthy for my taste. So yes! I am guilty of using this vegetable minimally and the only recipe that really motivates me to use it is in its transformed version i.e. in a vegetable chop.In the vegetable chop something really  magical happens and that very beet I detest turns out to be the star.

Now having mentioned the term “vegetable chop” so many times, it would be unfair if I don’t introduce it to you soon. Well, vegetable chop (as we Cuttackis’ call it) is actually a vegetable croquette, distinctly characterized by the presence of bright colored beet in the melee of vegetables within. On an unrelated note, we Cuttackis' for that matter should really think about copyrighting the word “Chop” since it seems very native to Cuttack and I am meted with a blank stare the moment I mention it to any non-Cuttacki. So to simplify, in an average Cuttacki's vocabulary, the word “Chop” is very generally used to refer to any battered and fried vegetable stuffed eatable – be it the Aloo chop or the Vegetable chop.

So here’s the recipe for the famous “Vegetable Chop”

Vegetable Chop

These crispy rolls, made of sautéed veggies wrapped in spiced potato mixture, bread- crumbed and deep fried till golden brown, get their additional punch from the occasional sweetness of the raisin and the freshness of mint. Most aptly described as the Odia version of the dainty croquette.

Ingredients:

1-2 Cloves of thinly sliced garlic

2 T Beet (Thinly sliced)

½ C Carrot (Thinly sliced)

½ C Beans (Thinly sliced)

1 C Onions (Thinly sliced)

2 C Cabbage (Thinly sliced)

3-4 Chilies (Thinly sliced)

1 T Raisins (Optional)

1 T Mint leaves (Chopped)

Tomato Ketchup

Red Chilli powder

Black Pepper powder

Pinch of garam masala (Optional)

Salt to taste.

4 Boiled Medium Sized Potatoes

1 T Cornstarch

1 tsp Black Pepper

½ tsp Amchur (Dried Mango powder)

Salt to taste

1 C Bread crumbs for coating

Oil for frying

  

Method:

For the filling:

1. In a pan over medium-high heat, add oil and let it heat up. Add the garlic and stir till fragrant. Now add in the raisins, beets, carrots, beans, chilies, onions and cabbage in that order.

2. In a separate bowl, mix in the tomato sauce with one tablespoon of water along with red chili powder, pepper powder and salt. Mix well to form a smooth paste.

3. Sauté the vegetable mixture for about 3-4 minutes and then add in the sauce.

4. Keep stirring till the vegetable filling looks glossy. Taste and adjust if necessary. Add the mint leaves and garam masala while the filling is hot still and keep aside.

For the outer covering:

Mash the cooled, boiled potatoes to a smooth paste along with cornstarch, red chili powder, black pepper powder, amchur and salt. Taste and adjust if necessary.

Making the croquettes:

1. Make equal sized balls of the potato mixture. I used the ¼ C scoop measure to measure out equal amounts.

2. Flatten the potato ball and add in 1 T of the filling in the middle. Gather the potato mixture from the sides and form an oblong shaped croquette. You can keep it round too if you like. I preferred it oblong since that's how its originally made.

3. Now, roll the prepared croquettes in seasoned bread crumbs till well coated.

Optional: After this stage, these can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 24 hrs in advance. I keep them at least for about 1/2 hour to make them bind well.

4. Heat up oil in a pan and fry till golden brown.

Notes:

1. The croquettes can be formed almost a day in advance and kept well covered in the fridge. Fry it up the moment when you want to serve them.

2. Tip: I suggest preparing the croquettes and keeping them in the fridge at least half an hour before frying. This binds the balls better and they do not break up while frying.

While it takes time to fry up, don’t forget to put your teapot to work too. There’s nothing more surreal than the heavenly combination of vegetable chop and ginger tea. Once you make it, chai and pakodas might seem a little bit outdated to you.  Don't forget to thank me later when you are done enjoying the bliss.

Love,

J

Submitting this recipe to:
- "Navratri recipes" hosted by Nupur.
- "Diwali Special" by Gayatri
- "Diwali Bash-2013" hosted by Vardhini from Cook's joy
- "Anniversary Celebrations" by Cook,Click and Devour
- " Kid friendly dishes" hosted by Vardhini of Cook's joy.

The quintessential Cuttacki fare - Dahi Vada Aloo Dum aau Guguni Chaat aka "Dahi Bara Aloo Dum"

The name itself conjures up thousands of memories and for anyone who’s ever

been to Cuttack or hails from the same, needs no intro to this legendary street food – Dahi Bara Aloo Dum and Guguni, mostly known as “Dahi Bara Aloo Dum”. But for the uninitiated, this lip-smacking street food is the combination of Dahi Vada topped with aloo dum and guguni (yellow peas curry), served generously garnished with cut onions, coriander leaves and sev. The savory tartness of the dahi vada perfectly complements the spicy aloo dum and guguni and all of it wonderfully comes together with the crunchiness of the onions and the sev. It’s truly a wonder how all three distinctly different dishes with strong flavor character of their own can meld together in this unique, indescribable way.

But despite its iconic status within the state, it’s a pity that outside Odisha hardly many people know about it. In my past one year of blogging, I must admit that I have never shared anything as authentic and true to Cuttack than this. Every nook and corner of Cuttack beams with a Dahi Bara (a short name for the trio) vendor these days and despite the growing fervor for “westernized” fast food, I can very gladly say that little has changed as far as its popularity goes. Quite aptly put, it’s the “Vada Pav” of Cuttack in the nature of which it has its way into people’s hearts and their everyday lives. I have known people eating this street food for all three meals for several days together. But unlike the Pav Bhaji or the Vada Pav, it really hasn’t received the limelight it rightly deserves. But I am sure....absolutely sure that all this needs is a little bit of promotion and there’s no doubt it can stand tall or even exceed many iconic street foods in their lovability quotient.

Now, having grown up in Cuttack, my love for this street delicacy has been truly innate and absolutely justifiable. For me, it represents festivity and all such happy times when as kids we would savor every bite of the street food we were occasionally allowed to eat. It conjures up memories of joyous occasions and brings back cheerful childhood memories of springing towards the gate as soon as the vendor rang his cycle bell and drummed the container to attract attention. It was difficult to contain the excitement of holding the “thola” (the container made leaves) in our hands. Yes, sometimes managing the thola in our tiny hands did get difficult, but that never discouraged us from gulping it all down and not to forget the last desperate plea for some more dahi paani (“tike dahi debe bhaina”) or some crunchy seu.

So just like every other delicacy we have loved, my Ma has tried her hand many a times at making this dish and well, after a few failures got it right for us. Now with my Ma around I had the privilege and the luxury of her teaching me this iconic, street food. We had a total blast making this and yes a memorable time eating it too. I am sure this is going to be made on many such occasions when I feel the need to go back to Cuttack in an instant. My own quick time travel you see :) 

(Clockwise from the left) Guguni, Dahi Bara, Aloo Dum, Plate of chopped onions, cilantro and sev and the final "Dahi Bara Aloo Dum" plate. 

  Dahi Vada (Dahi Bara)

Dahi Bara (Dahi Vada)

Savory and tangy fried lentil donuts soaked in a thin yogurt base forms the heart of this street food. Light and fluffy, it forms the perfect neutral base the to complement the spicy additions.

Ingredients

(Makes ~ 12 medium sized vadas)

1 C Whole Urad Dal

¾ C Rice flour

1 tsp baking soda

Oil for frying

For the dahi

½ C Yogurt

¼ C Water

Salt to taste

Black salt to taste.

Cumin and red chili powder (Optional)

For the tempering

1 T Oil

½ tsp Mustard seeds

2 nos. Dry red chillies.

Method:

1. Soak the whole urad dal overnight in luke warm water (6-8 hrs).

2. After the dal is perfectly soaked (it will feel light and puffed up), grind to a smooth batter. Keep it aside for ~4-5 hrs for fermentation in a dark, warm place.

3. The batter rises up and the surface has many small bubbles. Now slowly mix in the rice flour and baking soda. Keep it aside overnight.

4. For the dahi: In a small vessel,thin out the dahi with some water. Add salt to taste, black salt and jeera powder.

5. Heat up the oil. Wet your palms and make a donut shaped batter. Slowly slide the donut shaped batter into the oil. Fry till golden brown.

6. In another bowl, add some salt to iced water and keep aside.

7. Soak the fried vadas in the salted water till soft and fully soaked.

8. After the vada becomes soft, gently squeeze out the water and place it in the dahi.

9. For the tadka: Add oil into a pan, splatter some mustard seeds, curry leaves and dry red chillies. Then, pour the tadka on the dahi vada.

   

Guguni and Aloo Dum

Guguni (Left) and Aloo Dum (Right)

Aloo dum

Spiced potatoes in a thick tomato gravy provides the necessary spice for this chaat. Can also be eaten by itself with poori or even with rotis.

Ingredients

½ lb Small potatoes (Regular sized potatoes will also work)

2 T Oil

¼ tsp Turmeric powder

½ C Onion and ginger garlic paste

½ C Tomato puree

¼ tsp Red Chilli powder

1 tsp Curry powder

¼ tsp Garam Masala powder

¼ tsp Sugar

1 C Water

Salt to taste

Chopped cilantro leaves to garnish.

Method:

1. Boil potatoes. Peel and keep aside.

2. In a separate pan over medium heat, lightly sauté the boiled potatoes with salt and turmeric powder. Take it out of the pan and keep aside.

3. In the same pan, add the onion, ginger and garlic paste to oil. Add in salt, red chilli powder and turmeric powder.

4. Then, add in tomato puree little at a time and sauté the masala till the oil floats.

5. Now add in curry powder, sugar, garam masala powder and the potatoes. Add in the water and bring it to a boil till oil separates. When oil floats at the top, it is done.

6. Sprinkle chopped coriander and keep aside.

Guguni

Spiced yellow peas curry is the necessary add on to this dish. This also can be eaten just by itself along with rotis or pooris.

Ingredients

¼ lb Yellow peas

2 T Oil

¼ tsp Turmeric powder

½ C Onion and ginger garlic paste

½ C Tomato puree

¼ tsp Red Chilli powder

1 tsp Sambhar powder

¼ tsp Garam Masala powder

¼ tsp Sugar

2 C Water

Salt to taste

1. Soak the yellow peas overnight in lukewarm water.

2. Boil the soaked peas in a pressure cooker with a pinch of salt and turmeric powder. Take it off the stove after a whistle from the pressure cooker.

3. In a separate pan over medium heat, add in the onion, ginger and garlic paste to the heated oil. Mix in salt, red chilli powder and turmeric powder.

4. Then, add in tomato puree little at a time and sauté the masala till the oil floats.

5. Now add in sambhar powder, sugar, garam masala powder and the boiled yellow peas. Add in the water and bring it to a boil till oil separates. When oil floats at the top, it is done.

For the garnish

Chopped Onions

Chopped Cilantro

Chopped Mint (Optional)

Sev

Assembling the Dahi Bara Aloo Dum and Guguni.

In a bowl, place 2-3 dahi vadas and a little bit of dahi. Then scoop in some aloo dum and guguni. Then add in some more dahi and sprinkle some black salt and cumin red chilli powder. Garnish the dish with cut onions, coriander leaves and sev. Now dig into it and savor every bite!

Like they say, there's nothing more effective than food and music to conjure up happy memories of time well spent. 

Here's to more such happy times!

Love,

J

I am submitting this recipe to:
- "Monsoon temptations" hosted by Manasi
- "Walk through memory lane" hosted by Manju and Gayatri. 
- "Chaat and Chutneys" hosted by Cooks Joy
- "Diwali Bash-2013" hosted by Vardhini from Cook's joy
- "Anniversary Celebrations" by Cook,Click and Devour
- "Let's Cook with yoghurt" hosted by Nayna

Ushering in Diwali with Chivda a.k.a. Chuda mixture

Being away from something that you absolutely adore makes you feel in either or both of these ways – intermittent feelings of guilt for not paying attention and/or the unnerving tinge of self- doubt on returning to doing it. At this moment I feel the second while the first has been bothering me all this while I was away from this blog. Even though I am very thankful that new and exciting experiences like organizing events, teaching a class and learning a group dance, have been keeping me away, it nonetheless kept bothering me with the question – when am I writing my next post? Well now that I am back, that answers it I guess. Having done with explaining my absence from the blog, I shall now move on to the real reason and motivation of today’s post a.k.a. the Chivda.

Relieved of my responsibilities as an event planner, I was now left with the much needed space to finally think of making something for Diwali. Diwali and snacks almost seem synonymous and my first post on the series of Diwali snacks is devoted to the delicious and healthy snack – the Chivda. The fact that is so appealing to me about this decadent snack is its utmost soothing simplicity and clarity of ingredients. This snack has not been part of my growing up but I must confess that I have definitely grown to love it ever since the time I first tasted it from a friend’s Diwali-goodies packet sent from India. I have been in awe ever since. So simple yet so intricate and so delicate yet with so much clarity, is what makes this snack stick with me. Over these five years of my interaction with several Maharashtrians, I have tasted different and interesting versions of it and each time I would make a mental note of what I liked and what I didn’t.

So here’s my version of this snack which I have tried my best to make as close to the original as possible. And as with each new process, I was reconfirmed with one aspect of any recipe – the perfect balance of sweet, salty and sour – is essential for any recipe.

Chivda/ Chuda mixture

Crisp and oven roasted, thin flattened rice comes alive with a tempering that bonds together the zestiness of curry leaves along with the nuttiness of ground nuts and split chick peas. A very simple, distinct and healthy snack- this recipe is a keeper – Diwali or no Diwali. Also popularly known as Chuda mixture in Odia.

Ingredients:

1 lb Thin flattened rice/ Thin Poha (Easily available in any Indian store)

For the tempering:
¼ C Peanut oil

200 g raw peanuts

100 g Dalia/ Split Chick Peas

¼ tsp Asafetida / Hing

Handful of curry leaves

5-6 Dried red chillies/ Fresh green chillies

1½ tsp Cumin seeds/ Jeera

¼ tsp Turmeric powder

Salt to taste

½ tsp sugar

¼ tsp Amchur (Dried mango powder)

Method:

1.   Dry roasting the poha – The very traditional way of roasting on the stove top is effective but tedious. So burdened with having to stir the Poha I decided to place it in the oven and so thankful that I did.

Using the oven method: Spread out the poha on a sheet pan lined with wax paper (optional). Pre heat the oven to 350^oF. Then place the sheet pan in the oven and dry roast for 10-12 minutes. Check once in between to stir for a uniform heat. The poha should feel crisp to touch and white in color.

2.   For the tadka: In a separate pan, add in half the oil and the peanuts right after. Stir fry the peanuts over medium heat till fragrant (2-3 minutes.) Once done, scoop them out to a separate plate.

3.   Then add in the dalia and roast it for 1-2 minutes till fragrant. Add in a pinch of turmeric powder to get a golden yellow color to the dalia. Scoop out into the peanut plate.

4.   Now add hing to the oil over medium heat and then add in the chillies and the curry leaves. Stir for a minute.Then stir in the cumin seeds till fragrant.

5.   Now add in the peanuts and dalia to the oil. Sprinkle the turmeric powder and stir for another minute.

6.   Meanwhile, transfer the crisp poha into a mixing bowl and then stir in the tadka/ tempering. Now add in the salt, sugar and amchur while the mixture is still hot.

7.   Adjust the final mixture according to taste and store in air tight containers.

The final result was as close to my imagination as possible with the only thing that I really missed was the dried coconut.This time I managed without it but I will definitely add it in whenever next I lay my hands onto it. 

So while I decide on the next Diwali snack, you guys have a great time :)
Love!
J

I am submitting this recipe to :
- "Fest celebration - Diwali" by Preeti and Surabhi
- "Diwali Bash" by Vardhini
- "Kid's delight: Healthy Makeovers" hosted by Rasi
- "Diwali food fest" hosted by Anu
- "Bon Vivant #10: Festive feast" hosted by Sumee.
- "Diwali Dishes" hosted by Cook's Joy

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 

The quick appetizer-dip-chutney- "Bilati Baigana Poda" (Spicy roasted tomato salsa)

Typically, Indian meals are one course meals with several small portions served up together on the same platter at the same time.The overall meal is prepared keeping in mind the coherence of the dishes and their comprehensive flavor.So when I began planning the menu, the appetizer did not quite feature at all. Truly, it all came together in that one moment as I lay on my bed watching Rachael Ray on TV, unwinding after finishing up preparations for dinner.Watching her give her own spin to salsa, I wondered - How about making a quick roasted tomato salsa as a dip for some store bought tortilla chips? So in that one moment, thankfully, it all came together.


Prior to that, many-a-times on visits to Mexican restaurants, I have always pondered on the similarity of Salsa Fresca and our own "Tamata poda chutney". For newbies,Salsa Fresca is a very popular Latin American dip/sauce made of raw tomatoes, onions, jalapeno chilies, chopped cilantro and a dash of lemon juice. Its fresh and utterly delightful. Commonly eaten with tortilla chips, its my most favorite dip of all the assorted relishes available.As much as I love salsa, I am a die-hard buff of this roasted version which is a typical Odia side dish.This dish usually accompanies rice, dal, and bhaja (dry vegetable side dish). Its simplicity, ease of preparation and the spurt of spicy, tangy freshness manages to win me over - always. 

Spicy roasted tomato salsa or "Bilati Baigana Poda"

Ripe red tomatoes are slathered with mustard oil and roasted over direct flame until the skin is charred and is soft to touch. Flame roasting the tomatoes concentrates the tanginess and adds a hint of smokiness which elevates it to a whole new flavor level. To top it all, a dash of mustard oil to the relish adds a piquancy that definitely delivers THE final  punch to the good ol' Salsa fresca. Its a very healthy substitute for cheesy dips and fatty sandwich spreads. So eat on!

Ingredients:
4 Ripe tomatoes.
1 Serrano chili (Want it to be more spicy?..add Thai chili instead)
1/4 th Onion chopped finely
1/4 th C chopped cilantro
1/8 th tsp red chili powder
Salt to taste
1/8 th tsp Sugar
Dash of lemon
1/2 tsp Mustard oil
Method:
1. Wash and dry the tomatoes. Slather them with mustard oil or vegetable oil and place them under the broiler or over direct flame and keep turning them around.
2. Once charred and soft, let it cool down a bit.
3. Then take off the skin.It should easily peel off.
4. Mash the roasted tomatoes separately and add to it chopped onions, cilantro, chilies.
5. Season well with salt, a pinch of sugar, a pinch of red chili powder and a dash of lemon juice.
6. Optional: Traditionally, we add a dash of mustard oil at the very end for that piquancy. Opt out if you don't cherish raw mustard oil flavor.


Wait for 5-10 mins for all flavors to meld together before serving.


Note: Usually roasted directly over the stove,I used the broiler in the oven to avoid the mess of dripping tomato juice on the stove.However, the tomatoes HAVE to be charred over direct flame (either under the broiler or over the stove- take your pick) for that charred smokiness which is not achieved when roasted in an oven.


Try this out next time you have friends over for a movie night or just as an appetizer for a dinner party and I promise that you would never think of going back to the raw Salsa fresca or even for that matter, its numerous preservative-laden bottled versions. This salsa keeps very well in the refrigerator for 2-3 days. Use it as a dip, a side dish or even as a filling for your sandwiches.It was a super hit with all my guests at my birthday dinner. For the entire menu for the evening, continue here.


Have fun roasting while munching along with those chips!
J

P.s: I am sending this recipe to:
 - "Guest Quest" hosted by Amina

 - "Walk through memory lane" by Jayanthi and Gayatri.
 - "Mom's recipe" hosted by Sravs. 
 - "Fast food not food" hosted by Kalyani and Priya.
 - Jiya for "Exhibit every bite"

 - "Let's cook with fruits" hosted by Nayna

Chinese cuisine with Indian flare -Chilli Garlic Chow Mein

Nothing quite compares to the din and bustle of a busy Indian street. Adding to it are the ever bustling food corners scattered all around the place. I have almost always failed to resist the temptation of giving in to my evil desire of eating some slurpilacious (oh yes…I made that word up!) good food out on the streets! If you ever noticed one of those “Chinese” stalls around, they seem to be so much at ease tossing those noodles high up in the air and catching our attention and the noodles- both with remarkable dexterity. Compounding the desire is the whiff of a complex blend of sauces wafting in through the air, through our nostrils, directly to the tummy. 

Sigh! 

At times I sorely I miss those tastes, smells and of course, the sounds! But to my pleasure I can always look back and say that I have learnt how to make these and can always satisfy my craving –of course sans the sounds and the dexterous tossing of the noodles.

Almost every country has an exclusive version of its neighboring country’s cuisine. Just like the American version of Mexican food and our very popular Indian take on the Chinese cuisine. It’s impressive and almost unavoidable to notice as to how deep the local flavors seep into the “borrowed” cuisine and create a completely new version of the original, giving birth to a winner in its own right – like the “Indo-Chinese” cuisine. 

Out of all the various renditions of the cuisine, Chow Mein stands out in memory because of its frequent demand at our place. Ma has always been a very adventurous cook,so when we kids showed our fondness to this “street’ food..in order to inculcate some good eating habits, she started making it on her own. How, when,why..there’s not much to my memory. This is also special since its one of the first dishes I made completely on my own,while at home. One interesting addition to the noodles at my place were potatoes.  A sacrilege to many but when you are home and you get the comforts of the restaurant at your whim and fancy..there’s not much we were allowed to say. We loved the potato version too even though it makes the noodles stick due to its starchiness. So I have dropped potatoes out of our equation here. This is also a great way to sneak in veggies for kids as well as eggs and chicken. Now I guess that could very well be the real reason why my Ma started making it in the first place.

Chili Garlic Chow Mein

Chow Mein refers to stir-fried noodles with veggies and protein of your choice served with Chinese seasonings with the Indian flare. This dish can be made vegetarian too- by substituting egg noodles with rice noodles  and opting out of the chicken and eggs.Try adding in tofu or even paneer and you have your dose of protein! This makes a perfect combo with Chili chicken or Vegetable Manchurian to enjoy an Indian and Chinese dinner right in the comforts of your own home.

Ingredients:

Serves : 4-5 people

1 packet Chinese egg noodles

1 teaspoon + 1 Tbsp of canola oil

7-8 cloves of garlic

1 medium sized carrot – Julienned

½ Green bell pepper (I use red and yellow for color )

2-3 green chillies 

½  cup Cabbage chopped.

1 Onion chopped.

7-8 Green beans – Cut in strips

½ cup Chicken – Cut in cubes

2 nos. eggs

1 Tbsp Dark Soy sauce.

½ Tbsp White vinegar/Chili vinegar.

1 tsp Green chili sauce.

1 tsp Tomato ketchup.

½ tsp freshly crushed black pepper.

Salt to taste.

Disclaimer: This is in no way an advertisement for this brand. These sauces render the same taste to these noodles like our Indian made ones and hence I use these.

Method:

The noodles:

This is the most important step in a perfect Chow Mein preparation. 

1. Bring about 8 cups of water to boil and boil the noodles till its firm to the bite. Do NOT overcook since it will be stir fried with the veggies too. Drain it in a colander and place it under running cold tap water. Wash it thoroughly. This ensures that the noodles stop cooking any further and excess starch run out.

2. Toss in the noodles with 1 Tbsp of oil to make sure that the noodles do not stick.

3. In the meantime, marinate the chicken pieces with soy sauce, vinegar, salt and pepper and keep it aside for about 10-15 minutes.

Stir fry - The happy amalgamation:

1.  Add 2 Tbsp of oil to the wok and immediately add the chopped garlic. Let the garlic and the oil warm up together. This makes sure that the garlic gets soft and sweet without being burnt.Keep stirring for 1-2 minutes till the garlic turns golden brown.

2. Stir in the marinating chicken at this point and cook at a high flame for about 4 minutes.

3. Then add in the veggies one at a time – starting with the one that takes the most time. Keep stirring the veggies over high flame for about 3-4 minutes. The veggies should still remain crunchy.

4. At this point, toss in the noodles with the veggies. Pour the sauces,salt,pepper and toss well to coat. Keep stirring over high flame. Adjust the sauces as per tastes.

5. Make two thin omelets of the eggs whisked in with salt and pepper. Roll them up and cut in strips. After turning off the stove, add in the egg strips.

Now, this steaming plate of Garlic Chow mein is quite ready to take you to far off lands - beyond memories and happy places.

Happy chowing folks! 

J

P.s : I am submitting this post to -
 -  Sameena for "Evening Snack recipes"
 -  Divya for "What's in your lunch box?"
 -  "Guest Quest" hosted by Amina
 - "Kid's Delight: Evening Snacks & Tiffin" hosted by Vardhini and Srivalli.
 - "Desi Vidheshi food fest" hosted by Kalyani
 - "30 minute meals" hosted by Srivalli
 - "Anniversary Celebrations" by Cook,Click and Devour
- "Kid's Delight event" hosted by Jayanthi and Srivalli.