Litti Choka

Traditional dish from the state of Bihar and Jharkhand, Litti chokha needs no introduction.
Litti is quite similar to Rajasthani Baati in appearance, but it has a stuffing made up sattu mixed with spices and condiments. Litti is usually served with aloo ka chokha or with the mix of aloo baingan ka chokha. Some people also like to have litti with mutton curry. 

For more traditional recipes from different Indian states click on the links given below

Amritsari Kulche Chole

Dal Baati Churma

Pav Bhaji

Sindhi Dal Pakwan

Dal Makhni

Ingredients:

For Litti
Ingredients:

• 2 cups Wheat Flour
• 1/2 tsp Carom Seeds
• 1/4 cup clarified butter/ghee
• 1/4 tsp. Baking Soda
• Salt
• Water as required to knead the dough

Stuffing:

• 1 cup sattu/ roasted channa powder
• 1 medium sized onion finely chopped
• 1/2 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 green chilies finely chopped
• 1/4 cup finely chopped coriander leaves
• 1/2 inch long chopped ginger
• 4-5 minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp Carom Seeds
• 1/2 tbsp red chilli pickle
• Salt to taste
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tbsp mustard oil

Directions:
For the outer covering:

• Knead stiff dough using all this ingredients and let it rest for 15 mins
• Take lemon size portion and make 8-10 balls of equal size

For the Filling:

• In a bowl mix all the ingredients listed under stuffing, if the mixture seems dry, add little water. The texture should be crumbly.
• Take the dough ball in your palms and make a small poori or chapati.
• Add 2 tsp. of filling in middle of each poori, cover the filling by wrapping the dough around the filling on all sides, make sure the filling is not coming out.
• Shape it round like a ball.
• Preheat tandoor for 5 -10 mins and keep litti in tandoor and cook till done
• Alternatively preheat oven at 180 degree Celsius and cook baatis for 15-20 mins or till done.

For Chokha

• 2 medium-sized boiled potatoes
• 2 medium sized brinjals 
• 3 medium-sized tomatoes
• 4-5 garlic cloves minced
• 2-3 finely chopped green chillies
• 1/2 inch piece of ginger grated
• 2 medium sized onions finely chopped
• 1 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves
• 2 tsp mustard oil
• Salt to taste

Directions
Roast brinjal and tomatoes on the gas stove on medium flame from both the sides until it becomes soft.Peel of the burnt skin of the brinjal and tomatoes.Boil potatoes remove the skin In a bowl, add boiled potatoes, brinjal along with garlic and tomatoes and mash everything together using your hands or potato masher. Now add chopped onion, coriander leaves, ginger, salt, green chillies and mustard oil. Mix everything well. Garnish it with some fresh coriander leaves .Chokha is ready

For Serving:
Dip hot litti in clarified butter/ghee, serve with Chokha and green chutney.

Dahi vada

This popular north indian chaat needs no introduction. My mom makes the best dahi vadas, they are so light, soft and fluffy that i used to forget the count of vadas I have gulped.
Today I'm sharing the evergreen dahi vadas using my mom's recipe.
Ingredients:

• 3/4 th cup skinless urad dal
• 1/4 th cup skinless moong dal
• 1/2 inch piece ginger
• 2-3 chopped green chillies
• Black pepper powder to taste
• Salt to taste
• A pinch of asafoetida
• Oil to deep fry

Toppings:

• 3 cups beaten curd
• Tamarind chutney
• Coriander chutneys
• 1 tsp Red chilli powder
• 1 tsp Roasted cumin powder
• 1 tsp Chaat Masala

Garnishing:

• Chopped coriander leaves
• Pomegranate seeds

Preparation time: 20 mins
Cooking time: 30 mins
Yields : 15-20 medium size vadas

Directions:

• Soak both the lentils separately for at least 7-8 hours in enough water.
• Drain the water and transfer the lentils to a wet grinder.
• Add green chillies, ginger and asafoetida and grind the lentils to a smooth paste using little water, the consistency of the batter should be little thick.
• Transfer the ground batter to a big mixing bowl.
• Stir the batter vigorously for 3-4 minutes using a mixing spoon to make it light and fluffy.
• Add salt and carom seeds and mix well.
• Heat oil to deep fry the vadas in a deep heavy bottom pan.
• Drop the batter in hot oil using a spoon and fry on medium heat till they turn light golden in colour.
• Drain on an absorbent paper.
• Soak the vadas in lukewarm water for 10-12 minutes.
• Press each vada gently between your palms to remove the water.
• Arrange the vadas in a serving platter.
• Pour beaten curd over the vadas, top it with some tamarind chutney and green chutney.
• Sprinkle roasted cumin powder, red chilli powder, salt and chat masala over the vadas.
• Garnish with fresh coriander leaves, some pomegranate seeds and serve immediately.

Fig & flaxseed crackers

Munch your way to health...
Guilt free Figs and flaxseeds wholewheat crackers!

Ingredients:

• 1/4th cup plus 1/4th cup flaxseed
• 1 1/2 cup wheat flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4th tsp salt
• 2 tbsp. powdered sugar
• 3 tbsp. butter (at room temperature)
• 1/4th cup finely chopped walnuts
• 5-6 dried chopped figs
• 1/2 cup milk (at room temperature)

Prep time: 10 mins
Resting time: 15- 20 mins
Baking time: 10-12 mins
Yields: 18-20 crackers
Kitchen equipments required : Oven, Grinder,2  Mixing bowls, Whisker, Aluminium foil/Parchment paper, Baking tray,Rolling pin, Knife/Cookie cutter/Pizza cutter

Directions:

• Grind 1/4th cup flax seeds to a fine powder using a grinder.
• In a mixing bowl add, whole flax seeds, ground flaxseed, wheat flour, baking powder, salt, and mix together well.
• In another bowl whisk together sugar and butter, now add the flour in this and mix well.
• Fold in chopped walnuts and dried figs.
• Using milk knead into semi stiff dough. Cover and let it rest for 15-20 minutes.
• Sprinkle some flax seeds over the work top.
• Divide the dough into equal sized balls. Take a dough ball and roll over the the sprinkled flax seed. 
• Dust the work top with some flour and roll the dough ball into 1/8inch thickness using a rolling pin.
• Cut into desired shapes and prick each cracker with a fork.
• Preheat oven to190 degree C.
• Line the baking tray with a aluminium foil and arrange the crackers leaving 2 inch space.
• Bake the crackers for 10-12 minutes or until the edges begin to brown.
• Allow them to cool on the rack completely before serving.
• Serve them with your favourite dips, or tea
• Store in an air tight container
  

Recipe adapted from Epicurious.com

Loaded potato cups

Cheesy,oozy, gooey homestyle loaded potato cups

Loaded potato cups 

Ingredients for the cups: 

• 3 medium sized potatoes (shredded)
• 3/4 th bowl mozzarella ( or your favourite cheese)
• 2 tbsp cornflour
• Salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp crushed black pepper
• 1/2 tsp mixed dried herbs (optional)
  

Preparation time: 10 minutes
Baking time: 35 minutes
Kitchen Equipments Required: Grater, a mixing spoon, muffin tray

Directions: 

• Preheat the oven for 10 minutes.
• Rinse potatoes and squeeze all the water from them, add cornflour, grated cheese, salt, pepper and herbs, mix everything using a spoon.
• Grease the muffin tray, spoon the mixture in the cavities, press potato mixture to the bottom and up the sides to form cups.
• Bake for 35 minutes or till crispy at 200 degree.

While the cups are baking prepare the filling....

Ingredients for filling:

• 3/4 th cup assorted vegetables, chopped( I used carrots mushrooms, capsicum and corns)
• 4-5 cloves minced garlic
• 1 onion chopped 
• 1/4 bowl crumbled cottage cheese
• Béchamel sauce ( see recipe here)
• Salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 cup processed cheese grated
• 1-2 tbsp bread crumbs
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp olive oil

Preparation time:10-15 minutes
Cooking time: 5 minutes
Baking time: 5-7 minutes
Kitchen equipments required: a knife, chopping board, grater, a saucepan or a wok, a mixing spoon

Directions

• Heat olive oil a wok, add minced garlic, sauté for few seconds.
• Add chopped onion, vegetables and crumbled cheese and sauté on medium flame for 3-4 minutes, pour  1/2 cup of béchamel sauce and seasonings and cook again for 3-4 minutes. 
• Turn off the flame.
• Spoon this mixture into the baked potato cups, top it with grated cheese and some bread crumbs and some butter and bake again for 5-7 minutes at 200 degree or till you get nice crispy brown topping.
• Serve hot.
  

Rava Chakli

Chakli or Murukku is a popular Indian snack, spiral-shaped, crunchy and salty, originating from the lands of Tamil Nadu (Information source -Wikipedia).

Typically, Chakli was made with Rice Flour and Urad Daal Flour, though today, it has many variations in terms of ingredients, proportions and taste. Often sold in plastic packing in giant departmental stores, these smell and taste old compared to something that could have been prepared at home.

So lets make some fresh Murukku at home!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup rice flour( I used store bought to make it more easy) 
• 1/2 cup fine semolina 
• 1/4 cup chickpea flour 
• A pinch asafoetida 
• 1 tsp cumin seeds 
• Salt to taste 
• Red chilly powder to taste 
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder 
• 1 tbsp hot oil for dough 
• 1 cup water or more 
• Oil for frying Chakli 
  

Directions:
Boil water in a pan, add salt, semolina stirring continuously, there should be no lumps.

When rava is completely cooked (generally this takes about 2-3 minutes) switch off the flame, add rice flour, chickpea flour, cumin seeds, chilly powder, turmeric powder, asafoetida, pour hot oil and knead into a soft, pliable dough. Use little water if required.

Take your kitchen press or chakli maker and grease the container from inside and fill in the dough.
Use a star press mould and start pressing into chaklis.

Carefully pick and drop into hot oil and fry on low medium heat till golden brown. Fry 2 or 3 chaklis at a time.

Take out on an absorbant paper and serve.

Tikha Sev

Besan Sev/ Chickpea flour  fried noodles needs no introduction. A very famous savoury indian snack is used in various kinds of chaats, for garnishing and munched as it is. This can be easily prepared at home, you just need a Kitchen Press or Sev Maker.

Let's Cook!

Ingredients:

• 1 bowl Chickpea flour/ Besan
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder
• 1/2 tsp black pepper powder
• 1 tsp red chilly powder
• 1/4 tsp carom seeds
• Salt to taste
• A pinch asafoetida
• 1 tsp hot oil (for dough)
• Oil for frying

Method:

• Sieve chickpea flour in a bowl, add turmeric powder, black pepper powder, red chilly powder, asafoetida, carom seeds, salt and hot oil, mix everything well.
• Add water in small quantities to make a soft dough. The dough should be softer than the chapatti dough.

• Take the kitchen press and grease the container from inside. Use the mould/ jaali that makes medium thickness strands.

•  Fill it with the dough and close the lid.
• Heat oil in a deep frying pan for frying sev, hold kitchen press over the pan and start pressing and slowly moving into circular motion.

• Fry on medium heat and carefully turn to the other side, fry till crispy and light brown.
• Take out on an absorbent paper with the help of a fork and perforated ladle.
• Repeat the process for the remaining dough.
• When it comes down to room temperature store in an air tight container.

Veg Cheese Bombs in Appe Pan

Veg cheese bombs without even a drop of oil. Yes you read it right, not even a single drop of oil was used in making these crunchy cheese bombs, without making any compromise in taste. I recently bought  Appe pan for my kitchen from "Kitchen on click" and I found this a very good option for guilt free, oil free snacking.

So let's cook Veg Cheese Bombs in Appe Pan.

Ingredients:

• 2 medium sized boiled potatoes 
• 150 gms. mozarella cheese 
• 1/2 bowl frozen corn 
• 1 finely chopped carrot 
• 10-12 cheese cubes or grated mozarella
• 3 slices brown/ white bread 
• Salt as per taste 
• Black pepper as per resistance 
• 1 tbsp mixed dried herbs ( oregano, basil, thyme) 
• 1/2 bowl bread crumbs 

Method:

• Mash potatoes, add grated cheese, chopped carrot, corn, bread slices, salt, pepper and oregano, mix them well together.
  
  
  Divide mixture into equal portions. Take one portion, flatten with your hand and place a cheese cube or 2 tbsp grated cheese in the centre and roll into a ball.
  
  
  Coat with bread crumbs.
  
  
  Heat appe pan. My pan is non stick so I did not add any oil, place one ball in each indent.
  Cook for 3-4 from one side and then turn to other side, take out when cooked from both sides.
  
  
  Serve hot with tomato ketchup.
  
  
  (You can add few drops of oil in each indent while cooking if you want the balls golden brown.)

Okra and raw Mango kebab

Okra and raw mango kebab

Ingredients:

• 150gm Okra/ Bhindi/ Ladyfinger
• 1 small grated raw mango
• 2 Medium sized Boiled Potatoes
• 1 Large Sized Onion
• 1 tbsp. Green Coriander (Chopped)
• 1 Green Chilli (Chopped)
• 1 tsp. Coriander Powder
• Salt to taste
• 1/4 tsp. Red Chilli Powder
• 1/2 tsp. Cumin Seeds
• 1 tbsp. Mustard Oil
• Some chopped cashews and almonds
• Bread Crumbs
• Vegetable Oil for Shallow Fry

Method:

The kebabs will be done in two steps, 1st is cooking okra and 2nd is making kebabs.

Step 1:

• Wash and chop ladyfinger into very thin pieces.
•  In a pan heat mustard oil on high flame and when oil is ready for cooking add cumin seeds on medium flame, when start crackle, add green chillies, onions and cook till soft.
•  Add ladyfinger, cover it and cook till it is soft, add spices and grated mango and cook for 2-3 min. Keep aside and let it cool.

Step 2:

• Mash the okra with hands and add mashed potatoes with green coriander and little bread crumbs. 
• Combine all together, take small ball of this mixture stuff nuts in the centre and shape it . 
• Toss into bread crumbs and shallow fry on non-stick pan.

You can use leftover ladyfinger veg for making these kebabs too, and Raw mango can be substituted with dry mango powder.

  

Hare peeley moti ki tikki

Indulge in this lip smacking crunchy, cheesy tikki and enjoy the monsoons

Hare peeley moti (Pearl) ki tikki with a surprise inside 
Ingredients:

• Frozen peas( hare moti ) 1/2 bowl
• Frozen corn ( peeley moti) 1/2 bowl
• Boiled potato 1
• Oats 1/4 bowl
• Cardamom powder 1 tsp
• Dry ginger powder 1/2 tsp
• Degi mirch powder as per resistance
• Garam masala 1/2tsp
• Processed cheese 3/4 bowl
• Salt as per taste
• Black pepper as per taste 
  

Method :

• Boil/ steam motis till soft. 
• Coarsely grind them in a mixer or you can mash with hands too.
• Add crushed boil potato and oats and mix well. 
• Add all the mentioned ingredients except and black pepper and cheese. 
• Mix well and divide into 4 equal portions. 
• Stuff each portion with cheese sprinkle black pepper, make a ball and flatten it. 
  
• Heat oil in a non stick pan.
•  Shallow fry tikkis till brown and crisp. 

       Enjoy with hot cup of tea

Veggie Pops!!

Crunchy Scrumptious Flavourful with the goodness of vegetables, these pops are great starter and hit among all age group.

Last year while finalising the menu for my son's birthday party I found this veggie pops recipe by Vah Chef. The description and demonstration was done so nicely, I tried these pops with little variations in the ingredients, and they came out super yummy!!!! 

Here is the list of ingredients used

Ingredients:

• 1/2 bowl finely chopped veggies of your choice (I used beetroot, beans,capsicum, peas and corn)
• Mint leaves 15-20
• Coriander leaves few
• Mixed herbs( oregano basil thyme) 1/2 tbsp
• Salt as per taste
• Black pepper
• Semolina 1/2 bowl
• 1 bowl water
• Oats for binding
• Maida 1/4 bowl
• Oats flour 3 tbsp
• Bread crumbs 2-3 tbsp.

Method:

• In a wok take a tbsp of oil.
• Cook veggies, for a min, add mixed herbs, mint leaves, coriander leaves, salt and pepper.
• Add semolina and water. Cover and cook till water is absorbed by semolina. Add oats for binding. Divide into equal portions and roll into balls.

• Mix All purpose flour bread crumbs, oats flour and salt as per taste. Coat the balls in this.

• Take a big strainer put the coated balls in it

• Dip it in hot boiling water just for few seconds

• Coat again with All purpose flour and repeat this process thrice ( this gives extra crunch).
• After dipping third time coat only with bread crumbs

• Deep fry till golden brown and drain on absorbent paper.

• Enjoy them hot with lots of tomato ketchup