Ram ladoo

Favourite street food of "Saadi Dilli" specially during winters, moong dal ladoo/fritters a.k.a Ram ladoo.

Crispy fried moong dal fritters, served with spicy tangy coriander chutney and shredded radish

Every time I see Ram ladoos sold by the thele walas/Street Vendors I used to get tempted to try them at home, and this time the 'thele wala bhaiya' was generous enough to share his recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Yellow moong dal.
• 1/4 cup channa Dal/bengal gram
• Salt to taste
• A pinch of asafoetida
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 2 Green chillies finely chopped
• 1 inch piece ginger chopped
• Oil to fry.

For garnishing:

• Grated radish and chopped radish leaves
• Coriander chilly chutney

Preparation time:4-5 hours

Cooking time:30 minutes

Yields: 30-40 ladoos

Directions:

• Wash and clean both the lentils and soak them for 4-5 hours. 
• Strain the water, and grind both the lentils without adding water to it.(consistency of the batter should be thick and pasty)
• Put the ground lentils in a mixing bowl, add salt, green chillies and ginger.
• Mix the ingredients well and add little water to it.
• Add baking powder and whisk the batter thoroughly using a wired whisk or mixing spoon for 5-6 minutes or till the batter is light and fluffy.
• Heat oil in a deep bottomed pan to fry the ladoos.
• Drop the batter in hot oil using a spoon and fry on medium heat till they turn  golden in colour.
• Drain on an absorbent paper.

For serving:

• Arrange the Ram ladoos in a serving bowl, top it with some grated radish and radish leaves.
• Pour  coriander chutney and sprinkle some chaat masala over the ladoos.
• Serve hot with cutting chai :)
  

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.

Baked urad dal khasta kachori

If you love eating kachori, but avoid because it is fried and has high calories, this baked and healthy version of popular Indian snack is for you.

Baked khasta kachori

Ingredients:
For Dough:

• 1 bowl wheat flour 
• 1 bowl all purpose flour 
• 1/2 tsp baking powder 
• Salt to taste 
• 1/4 cup oil 
• 1/4 tsp carom seeds 
• Cold Water to knead dough

For Stuffing:

• 1 bowl urad dal soaked for 3-4 hours 
• 5-6 tbsp roasted chickpea flour 
• 1 tbsp oil 
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds 
• 1/2tsp fennel seeds 
• 1/2 tsp coriander seeds 
• 1 finely chopped green chilly 
• 1/2 inch piece finely chopped ginger 
• 10-12 chopped raisins 
• 5-6 chopped cashews 
• Salt to taste 
• 1/2 tsp chilly powder 
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder 
• 1/2 tsp coriander powder 
• 1/2 tsp dry mango powder 
  

Instructions:

For the dough:

• Sieve together both the flours and baking powder, add salt, carom seeds and oil, rub the flour with finger tips till it is crumbly in textur, knead into a firm dough using water. Cover dough with a damp kitchen towel and let it rest for 20 minutes. 
  

For the stuffing: 

• Heat oil in a wok, add cumin seeds, fennel seeds and coriander seeds, saute till aromatic, add chopped chillies and ginger, saute for few seconds. 
• Add soaked urad, chickpea flour, salt, dry spices powder and cook for 2-3 minutes or till the mixture becomes dry and aromatic. 
• Add chopped raisins , cashews and dry mango powder and mix well. 
• Let it cool completely before using for filling in kachori.
  

Proceed:

• Divide the dough into 12-14 equal sized balls. 
• Take one portion and flatten with your fingers to make small puri/roti, the center of the puri should be thicker than the edges.
  
• Add 1 tbsp of filling in the center and and seal the edges and make sure the filling is not coming out.
  
  
  
  
• Gently press with your hands to flatten it.
• Make all the kachoris using the same procedure.
• Pre heat oven at 180 degree c.
• Arrange kachoris on baking tray, brush every kachori with little oil.
  
• Bake for 12-15 minutes from one side or till crunchy and brown.
• Flip and brush with oil and bake again for 12-15 minutes (depending upon the size of the kachoris)
• Serve hot with tamarind chutney!

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.