Bean and Tartare dip Enchiladas

Bean and Tartare dip Enchiladas is a yummy twist to the regular Mexican dish. Wheat the tortillas are rolled around a bean + Tartare dip filling and topped with a tangy tomato sauce. These Enchiladas are a great dish for a party, or a homely weeknight meal. The Del Monte Tartare dip is a tasty blend of eggless mayo with gherkin bits that also adds crunchiness. It is also a perfect accompaniment to potato wedges or grilled veggies. You can stuff the enchiladas with any other bean or vegetable along with the Tartare dip and dress them up with the…

Cheesy garlic Mayo stuffed Sweet Potato balls

Cheesy garlic Mayo stuffed Sweet Potato balls is a lip smacking, indulgent snack perfect for parties or as an after school snack for kids. Mayo is stuffed in a sweet potato covering to make this addictive snack. You can deep fry, bake of Air fry these balls. You can also use green bananas instead of sweet potatoes. Cheesy garlic Mayo from Del Monte forms the cheesy, tangy, garlicky, soft centre which complements the sweetness of the sweet potatoes. Del Monte cheesy garlic Mayo which is a delicious blend of mayo, cheese & garlic flavor can also be used to make…

Fasting and feasting- Bhagar (spicy Barnyard millet) and Danyachi (Groundnut) Amti

Bhagar and Danyachi amti is a typical Maharashtrian feast made during religious fasts.This spicy dish is a great gluten free meal option even on non-fasting days

Refried Beans and Mushroom Tostada

These Re-fried beans and Mushroom Tostadas are a perfect representation of the vibrant Mexican food -a riot of flavours, textures and colours.

Bake your own Bolillos to make Mexican Tortas!

Tortas make a great meal/snack for a small get-together with family or friends or a kiddie party. Make the different components and let everyone assemble their own sandwiches. This ,a pitcher full of Margarita or Mojito or Sangria (or any other drink) is my version of a homemade Happy Meal!

Back to School with Egg Bhurji Stuffed Pita Pockets

Egg Bhurji stuffed Pita pockets is a great for the kids lunch box or for a lazy weekend brunch or very handy as a meal/snack ‘on-the-go’. You can even involve the kids to make their own lunch/snack.

India’s Best blogger, Khadya Jatra and Khandeshi Cuisine

India’s Best blogger, Khadya Jatra and Khandeshi Cuisine….confused? …read on 🙂

2016 seems to have started on a very positive note! Betterbutter had organized ‘ India’s top blogger contest ‘.To participate we had to Curate a meal for two in a foodbook to make a complete meal. I participated and my foodbook menu included- Meetha Pan spritzer, Mini Thalipeeth Tostadas, Garam Masala spiced Palak Paneer Timbale and Meringue nests topped with Mango curd and fruits.

As you must have guessed by now, I won the India’s top blogger contest! The prize is as awesome as the concept & contest- a gorgeous orange coloured Le Creuset Casserole! Thank you again Betterbutter for this!

The recipes are already on the blog or you can check out the foodbook and some of my recipes here on betterbutter.

Khadya Jatra: I wrote this article for a Facebook group initiated by Saee of My Jhola– Angat Pangat, which re-discovers traditional Maharashtrian cuisine. We are starting with a new series on the group called ‘Khadya Jatra’ #APKhafyaJatra ,where a specialist of a particular sub-cuisine of Maharashtra will curate some background information about it and give an authentic recipe with step by step images.Members can then try out the recipe and thus get a chance to learn about the sub-cuisine and recipes.

I am fortunate to be the first ‘specialist’ and Saee invited me to curate some information and a recipe about Khandeshi Cuisine.Thank you Saee for this,I am honoured.

Spicy, fiery gravies with a thick sinful layer of oil floating on top (tarri) -that’s a trademark Khandeshi dish for you!

Nashik (where I stay) borders the Khandesh region (some parts of present Nashik district are part of Khandesh),has a strong influence of the Khandesi cuisine and you can see specialties like Misal and Shev Bhaji dished out at every nook and corner.

The quintessential Kala Masala forms the base of most gravies (rassa) along with dry coconut (khobra), onion and garlic. These are traditionally served with Bhakri or Rice.

Peanuts and peanut oil is also extensively used for cooking. Peanuts, small green lavangi mirchi or fiery Red mirchi, garlic are roasted on an iron griddle or directly on charcoal, pounded in a wooden mortar and pestle (Badgi-musal) to make the famed Thecha. Apart from the staple Jowar Bhakri, Kalnyachi Bhakri- Chutney is very popular with most Khandeshi’s. Kalna is a blend of Jowar + Urad and is served with a spicy peanut chutney.

The Khandeshi love for eggplants need not be stressed. Be it Bharit made using large green eggplants (Jalgaoni Vangi) or small eggplants stuffed with kala masala or mashed eggplants (Ghotleli Bhaji), every Khandeshi loves this vegetable! The Ghotleli Bhaji and Dal batti are part of many festivities in most Khandeshi households.

Mande (Khandeshi version of Puran Poli) and Wheat Kheer are the popular sweets from the region.

The hot summers are utilized to make different types of Papads and Vade (Valvan) like the laborious yet rewarding Bibde.

A very popular Khandeshi preparation is Patodyachi (or Patvadya) Bhaji. Rolled out Besan flour dough is cut into strips and cooked in a spicy kala masala gravy. The other lesser known form of this preparation is called ‘Dubuk Vade’. Instead of making strips, dumplings are made from the besan batter and cooked in a similar gravy. I am guessing the name Dubuk comes from the noise it makes when a dumpling is dropped in the gravy-I am not sure of this though 🙂

 It is simple, it is spicy, it is fiery, it uses Kalal masala gravy and it is absolutely lip smacking- ticking all the right boxes for typical Khandeshi, homestyle food. I have toned down the heat and oil to suit our taste; you can adjust it to yours.

Here’s the recipe for Dubuk Vade

Recipe serves ~ 3-4 persons

Ingredients

For the Rassa

2 onions, sliced

¼ cup dry coconut, grated (Khobra)

4-5 garlic cloves

Handful of fresh coriander leaves, cleaned and washed

2 teaspoons Kala Masala (or to taste)

1 teaspoon Red chilli powder

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

2+2 tablespoon oil, divided (or more if you like)

2 teaspoon Cumene seeds (jeera)

Salt to taste

Water as required

For the vade (dumplings)

¾ cup Besan, sieved (gram flour)

2-3 garlic cloves, finely minced or grated

½- 1 teaspoon red chilli powder

½ teaspoon turmeric powder

¼ teaspoon asafoetida (hing)

Salt to taste

Method

To make the Rassa

Heat 2 tablespoon oil on an iron griddle or in an iron wok.

Add the onions and garlic and sauté till the onions start browning. Stir so that the onions and garlic are sautéed evenly.

Add the grated coconut and sauté till it just starts browning and starts emitting the aroma.

Add the coriander. Stir around to mix.

Take it off the heat and add the red chilli powder and kala masala.

Mix and cool completely.

Grind the masala, in a blender, using very little water to a smooth paste.

Heat the remaining oil in a saucepan/wok.

Add the cumin seeds.

Once they sizzle, add the ground masala and sauté.

Cook till the water evaporates and the oil starts oozing out, taking care not to burn the masala.

Add sufficient water (about 2 ½ -3 cups) to make a medium consistency gravy.

Season with salt and let the Rassa boil for a few minutes.

Meanwhile make the dumplings

Mix all the ingredients under dumplings. Add water to make a batter of dropping consistency (~ ½ cup)

Drop spoonfuls of the batter in the boiling Rassa, working quickly so that all the dumplings cook evenly. Add little water to the bowl/vessel in which you made the dumpling batter, whisk and add that to the gravy so that it will thicken a bit.

Cook for a few minutes till the dumplings are cooked through (about 8-10 minutes) and the gravy thickens a bit. (add water if it is too thick)

Serve hot with Jowar Bhakri or Rice, with a raw onion and lemon wedge on the side

Note: If you want that layer of oil floating on top, use more oil and chilli powder.

 

Garam Masala spiced Palak Paneer Timbale

A Timbale is a baked savory custard like dish usually made with meat, cheese, vegetables and eggs. Pasta or rice is sometimes added to the creamy mixture too. This elegant dish can be made almost with any vegetable.

There is a Light up your Diwali contest going on at The Urban spice. We have to create recipes with Spinach ,Egg , Brown Rice, Khoya or Oats as the core ingredient.

I thought of a Spinach Timable which has been on my mind for a while. Currently I am in a ‘fusion food’ creative mode and so the Spinach Timbale turned into a Garam Masala spiced Palak Paneer Timbale :).Two core ingredients Spinach and Eggs are incorporated in this recipe! So,this recipe has been created for The Urban Spice and KitchenAid India Diwali Contest.

Instead of using any Pasta or Rice I preferred using Ragi/Nagli Rava. You can swap this with Semolina or any Millet if you like.

To add a little crunch and flavour, add some finely julienned Ginger as a garnish along with a garlic-Red Chilly flavoured  (Tadka) . A simple Kachumber kind of salad served on the side along with the soft creamy Timbale makes for a hearty meal, using day to day ingredients-The humble Palak Paneer Sabji  in gourmet avatar! It was super tasty as it is, but you can also serve this with a Tomato gravy if you like. These can be made ahead and baked just when you want to serve them.

Here’s the recipe for my Garam Masala Spiced Palak Paneer Timbale

Serves 2

Ingredients

For the Timbale

1 Tbsp Butter

1 onion, finely chopped

½ tsp garlic paste

½  tsp ginger paste

1 green chilly finely chopped

½-1 tsp Garam Masala

¼ Cup Ragi Rava, soaked in water for 5 minutes

½ Cup Spinach Puree

½ Cup grated or crumbled Paneer

1 egg

2 Tbsp fresh cream (I used Amul)

1 small pinch sugar

Handful of coriander leaves, chopped

Salt to taste

For the Garnish

2-3 Tbsp oil

1 inch Ginger piece,finely julienned

1 tsp Cumin seeds

¼ tsp Asafoetida

2-3 Garlic cloves,sliced

½ fresh Red Chilly sliced

For the Salad/Kachumbar

1 onion, sliced

1 Tomato, sliced lengthwise

A few cabbage shreds

1 Cucumber, sliced lengthwise

Salt and Red chilli powder to taste

1/2 tsp lime juice

Few sprigs of fresh coriander

Method

To make the Timbale

Preheat the oven to 190 degree celcius.

Grease two 175ml/ ¾ Cup Ramekins.

Line the base with a parchment paper and grease the paper.

In a pan heat the butter. Add the onion and the ginger garlic paste.

Saute for 1-2 minutes and then add the green chilly, Garam masala.

Saute for a few seconds and then add the Ragi Rava

Mix properly. Take off the heat.

Add the Spinach puree, Paneer,fresh coriander, Cream,salt and sugar.

Mix well and let the mixture cool a bit.

Whisk the egg and add this to the Spinach mixture.

Spoon the spinach mixture into the ramekins and place in a deep baking tray with tall sides.

Add hot water to the baking tray to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins.

Bake for  about 40-45 minutes till just set. (Insert a tester and check if it comes out clean)

Invert onto a plate and peel off the paper.

Serve Hot garnished with the fried Ginger and the Garlic-Chilly oil and the salad on the side.

For the garnish

Heat the oil in a very small pan.

Add the Ginger and fry till crisp.Take it out of the oil and drain on a paper towel.

In the same oil, add the cumin seeds and the Asafoetida.

Add the garlic and fry till golden.

Take off the heat and add the sliced Red chilly

For the Salad/Kachumbar

Mix all the ingredients and serve.

Three Bean Chilli for a fiery Lunchbox Fiesta

Three bean Chilli – fiery Lunchbox fiesta for The Urban Spice Sweet September Giveaway

The Misal Pav burger!

The hot Summer, Exams, work, Summer camps  and a rather long recipe delayed this post. Did I mention the heat? It’s still hot but finally I am back with The Misal Pav Burger recipe.

As I said in my earlier post, the idea for this burger kept hovering in my head for a long  time. I kept thinking of various combinations to make the patty, the sauce and the toppings. Finally when I baked the Kummelweck rolls, I decided to go ahead with whatever ingredients I had in my pantry. Moth beans or Matki are a staple in our house. Matki sprouts are usually found in my fridge, since everyone loves the Usal (curry) made with it.

The burger patty here, is made using sprouted Matki and potato+breadcrumbs as a binder. I have found a new shop in Nasik -Aarogyam, which sells Nagli/Whole wheat and sprouted wheat bread. So this time the Patty has Nagli breadcrumbs. You can use whole wheat or white breadcrumbs too. Mom made fresh Kanda Lasoon Masala, so the patty was spiced with my Mom’s homemade fiery love 🙂

Raw mangoes are were in season and I made a shortcut Methamba (Mango Chutney). My brother got me a bottle of Roopak’s Aachari masala, along with other spices. I cooked the raw mangoes and spiced them with this Readymade Aachari masala. The masala is awesome by the way 🙂

The other element that I added to the burger was the fiery Masala Chutney. Masala Pav, is a favourite street food here- a bun or the Bombay Pav is served with a spicy Onion-Tomato masala chutney made using Pav Bhaji masala. I substituted the Pav Bhaji masala with the Kanda Lasoon masala. I was apprehensive when I put together all the elements of this Misal Pav burger , but it turned out so good that the son gave it ’the Best Burger ever’ thumbs up!

The Misal Pav burger recipe

Makes about 5-6 burgers

Ingredients:

5-6 burger buns or Laadi pav

~2-3 Tomatoes Sliced

1 large onions sliced

1 cucumber sliced

Few sprigs fresh coriander leaves

For the Patty:

1 cup sprouted moth/matki beans cooked in salted water (just cooked, not mushy)

1 potato cooked,peeled and mashed

¼  cup bread crumbs or as required

2-3 tbsps Chopped coriander

1 small onion chopped

3-4 garlic pods chopped

2 tbsp crushed roasted peanuts

1 tsp green chili paste or red chili powder to taste

1-2 tsp Kanda Lasoon masala

Salt to taste

Oil for shallow frying

For the Mango Chutney

1 raw mango cubed

3 tbsp grated jaggery or more to taste

1-2 tsp Aachari masala

Salt to taste

2-3 tsp oil

For the Onion-Tomato chutney

1 onion chopped

1 tomato chopped

2-3 garlic cloves sliced

2 tsp Kanda lasoon masala

½ -1 tsp red chilli powder

3-4 tsp oil

Salt to taste

Method:

For the Patty

Mix all the ingredients for the patty except the oil.

Make ~ 5-6 balls of the mixture and flatten into a patty

Shallow fry in hot oil in a nonstick pan  till browned on both sides

For the Mango chutney:

Heat oil in a pan.

Add the chopped mangoes, jaggery and salt. Cook for 5 minutes or till the mangoes are just cooked.

Add the Achari masala and cook for 1-2 more minutes.

Take off the heat and cool.

For the spicy chutney

Heat oil in a small pan.

Add the garlic and onion and sauté for 1-2 minutes

Add the tomatoes and cook for 2-3 minutes more

Season with salt and spices

To assemble the burger:

Cut the burger buns in half.

Add 1-2 tsps of the spicy chutney.

Place slices of tomato, Cucumber,onion and coriander leaves

Place the patty on the salad.

Top with the tangy Mango chutney and then top with the other half of the bun

Serve immediately