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 :)
  

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!

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.