Tandoori aloo chaat

First chilly evening here in Delhi, what could be better than having a tempting bowl of tandoori aloo chaat to enjoy this cold winter evening. Potato is such a versatile vegetable, you can make hasselback potatoes, baked potatoes or potato cups, stuffed potatoes or relish some simple tandoori chaat.

Ingredients:
10-12 baby potatoes

For marination:

• 2 tbsp hung curd
• 1 tbsp gram flour/besan
• 1 tbsp dried fenugreek leaves/kasuri methi
• 1/2 tbsp ginger garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 tsp kashmiri red chilli powder
• Salt to taste
• 1 tbsp oil

Other ingredients:

• 1/4 th cup roasted peanuts
• 1/2 tbsp chaat masala powder
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 green chillies chopped finely
• Some chopped fresh coriander leaves

To serve:
Mint coriander dip

Preparation time: 3-4 hours
Cooking time: 45 minutes
Yields: 2 servings

Directions:

• Wash potatoes thoroughly and boil for 6-7 minutes in 2 cups of water.
• Peel and prick potatoes using a fork, keep aside.
• In a mixing bowl put all the ingredients mentioned for marination, mix them well.
• Now add the potatoes in the marination and mix well using your hands.
• Keep the bowl in refrigeration for at least 3-4 hours.
• Pre-heat the oven for 10 minutes.
• Line the baking tray with aluminium foil, brush the foil with little oil.
• Place the marinated potatoes in the tray and bake for 35-40 minutes at 180 degree C

For serving:
Put the potatoes in a serving dish, add roasted peanuts, chopped green chillies, sprinkle some chaat masala and lemon juice and garnish with coriander leaves.
Serve hot with mint coriander dip.

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.

Raj kachori

Raj Kachori, the royal chaat bowl from Rajasthan.

Crispy and puffed puris are filled with yummy goodies and topped with different chutneys.These can be made well in advance and stored in air tight container.

Ingredients:
For the kachori:

• 1 cup semolina (Sooji)
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour (Maida)
• Salt
• Water to knead
• Oil to fry

For stuffing:

• 1/4 cup boiled channa and boiled whole moong dal
• 1 med sized boiled potato
• Salted boondi
• Papdi(optional)
• 1/2 bowl beaten curd
• 2 tbsp tamarind chutney
• 2 tbsp Mint Coriander chutney
• Salt to taste
• Red chilly powder to taste
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder

For Garnishing:

• 2 tbsp pomegranate seeds
• 2-3 tbsp besan sev (for recipe click here)
• Chopped coriander leaves.
• 1/2 tsp chaat masala
• 1/2 tsp cumin powder
• 1/2 tsp red chilly powder

Method:
Sieve semolina, all purpose flour in a bowl add little salt

Knead into a tight dough using little water at a time.

Cover this flour with a damp kitchen towel and rest it for 20 minutes.

After 20 minutes knead again to a smooth dough.

Divide the dough into equal lemon sized balls.
Roll into thin round roti/puri using little oil.

Heat oil in a wok. Drop single kachori at a time (leaving the rest covered with damp cloth), press the kachori lightly with a ladle so that it puffs well.
Once it is puffed, lower the flame and fry till it turns golden brown from both sides.
Take out on an absorbent paper and repeat the similar process for all the kachoris.

Before serving break the kachoris from the middle and stuff with few pieces of boiled potatoes, boiled moong dal, channa, crushed papdi, tamarind chutney, mint and coriander chutney, beaten curd, add salt, red chilly powder,cumin powder.

Top it with some besan sev, pomegranate seeds and chopped coriander leaves.
Sprinkle chaat masala,cumin powder and red chilly powder on top and serve immediately.

Notes:

• Roll the puri/roti very thin to make it crispy.
• Fry puris in moderately hot oil. If the oil is too hot you'll get burnt puris and less hot oil will makethe puris absorb too much oil.
• Ingredients and quantity of stuffing can be changed as per taste.