Vada Pav Recipe

Vada Pav is the most popular street food of Mumbai. This vada pav recipe is easy and the chutneys could be made in advance. vada pav is one of the most humble street food of mumbai, yet it is tasty and delicious. it basically has batata vada which is sandwiched between two slices of a pav, along with sweet chutney and green chutney. i have had vada pav in many places in mumbai right from my childhood. even today when i go to mumbai, i do make sure to have vada pav there. however on occasions i do make them at home.

Ingredients:

• 8 ladi pavs (small squares of white bread)
• 1 recipe Dry Garlic Chutney

For the vada filling:

• 1 1/2 cups boiled and mashed potatoes
• 2 green chillies, chopped
• 1 1/2 tbsp grated garlic
• 1 tsp mustard seeds ( rai / sarson)
• 1/4 tsp asafoetida (hing)
• 6 to 8 curry leaves (kadi patta)
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
• 1 tbsp oil

For the outer covering:

• 3/4 cup besan (Bengal gram flour)
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
• a pinch of baking soda
• 1 tsp oil
• salt to taste

Other ingredients:

• oil for deep-frying

 Method:

For the vada fillling:

•  Pound the green chillies, ginger and garlic using a mortar and pestle.
• Heat the oil and add the mustard seeds. When they crackle, add the asafoetida and curry leaves and sauté for a few seconds.
• Add the pounded mixture and sauté again for a few seconds.
• Add the potatoes, turmeric powder and salt and mix well.
• Remove from the fire and cool.
• Divide into 8 equal portions. Shape into rounds. 

For the outer covering:

• Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and make a batter using approximately 1/3 cup of water.
• Dip each round of the vada filling into the batter and allow it to coat the mixture well .
• Deep fry in hot oil, till golden brown. Drain on absorbent paper and keep aside. 

How to proceed:

•     Slice each pav into half and spread some dry garlic chutney inside.
•     Place one vada in each pav and serve immediately. 

Tips:

• Laddi pavs are small square shaped white bread rolls which are available at local bakeries.
• You can also use bread roll or slices if the pav is not available.

Cold Coffee Recipe

Simple, easy and refreshing Cold Coffee Recipe! Cold Coffee has always been my favorite drink to order in hotel and cafes. I am sure we all have had cold coffee and most of us love them with a scoop of icecream.This is for those people who love coffee..It was so good that I couldn’t stop with one cup..If you don’t have icecream you could use fresh cream or do it without icecream..But I recommend you to try this with icecream..

Ingredients:

• Instant Coffee powder - 2 tblspn
• Sugar - 4 tblspn
• Cold Milk - 3 cup
• Icecream- 5 to 6 scoops
• Chocolate syrup as needed
• Hot water - 3 tblspn

Method:

• Take all your ingredients
• You need to boil some water
• Take coffee powder in a bowl,Add in sugar
• Pour over the hot water and mix well
• so this is your coffee syrup, you can store this in a container in fridge for more than a week
• Take a blender and pour in your icecold milk, now the milk is in
• spoon as much coffee syrup as you like, now take your vanilla icecream, if you can get
• your hands on some coffee icecream then use that, Scoop the icecream in
• I added some more coffee syrup as well, cover with a lid and blend to a frothy milkshake
• Take a cup
• Now take your chocolate topping, drizzle the chocolate topping in like a pattern
• Pour the milkshake in, now it is frothy and drizzle some chocolate topping

Fried rice

Today we are going to prepare Fried rice. We usually order Fried rice when we visit hotels but do you know that we can prepare it in no time at home. Moreover the advantage of preparing at home is that we can prepare it to suit our liking, adjust sauces to suit our taste buds and we can also skip which is very harmful for our health. I usually prepare this with brown rice to make it more healthier and it tastes really good with brown rice. How to cook brown rice? .Do try it. Here is a quick recipe for Indo Chinese Vegetable Fried rice.

 Ingredients needed:

• 2 cups Rice
• 3 tbsp Oil
• 100 gms Beans Finely Chopped
• 2 Carrot Finely Chopped
• 1 Onion Sliced
• 100 gms Cabbage Finely Chopped
• 2 Spring Onions Finely Chopped
• 2-3 Green Chilies cut lenghtwise
• 1 tsp Ginger Chopped Finely
• 1 tsp Garlic Finely Chopped
• 2 tbsp Soya Sauce
• Salt & pepper to taste

Method:

•     Pick, wash and soak the rice in enough water for 10-15 minutes and drain.
•     Boil water, add rice and little salt.
•     Cook uncovered on low heat till rice is tender.
•     Take care not to overcook the rice. Each grain of rice should be separate.
•     When rice is done, drain and add soom cold water and drain again using a

              large seive and set aside.

•     Heat oil in a kadhai / large pan and stir fry all the chopped vegetables.
•     Cook for 3-4 minutes.
•     Take care that vegetables are not overdone, they should be crisp.
•     Mix salt and pepper to taste.
•     Add the cooked rice and mix well. Now mix the soya sauce to it.
•     Cook the chinese fried rice for 2-3 minutes and serve hot.

Tips:

• Rice: You can use 3-4 cups of rice for this recipe. If you do not have leftover rice, then you would have to a little bit of prep of cooking and cooling the rice. Preferably you want the rice to be a little separated, not as much as say a pulao recipe (see Paneer and Muttar Pulao Recipe) and not a mushy rice either. See step 1 for details on how to cook the rice for this.
• Bell pepper (Capsicum): You can use any color you like. I use the Red variety for their health benefits, superior to that of the green variety.
• Sesame oil: I usually use a chilli + sesame oil mix for the spiciness. But you can use regular sesame oil and add chilli sauce additionally. You can also use the toasted sesame oil towards the end if you like. If sesame oil is not your thing, just add regular vegetable oil.
• Ginger: Depending upon the quality and taste preference, you might need add more or less ginger (ditto for garlic) 

Samosa – Indian Snack

India’s popular snack that finds a place in almost every bakery or chaat shop – our very own Samosa. Savory comfort food at its best, a crisp exterior filled with a savory potato stuffing that goes very well over a hot cup of chai especially on a rain filled, cold day. Samosa is always store bought and on rare occasions prepared at home, like today.

Ingredients for Samosa dough:

•     1.5 Cup All-Purpose-Flour (Maida)
•     1/2 Tsp Carom Seeds (Ajwain)
•     1/2 Tsp Salt
•     1/4 Cup Water
•     3 Tbsp Oil

Ingredients for Aloo stuffing:

•     2 Pinch Asafoetida (Hing)
•     1/4 Tsp Mango powder (Amchoor)
•     1/2 Tsp Red Chili powder
•     2 Small Potato (Boiled potato)
•     2 Tbsp Green Coriander
•     1/2 TspGaram Masala 
•     1/2 Tsp Coriander powder
•     1/2 Tsp Cumin seeds (Jeera)
•     1 Tbsp Green Chili (Chopped into small pieces)
•     To Taste Salt 
•     1/4 Cup Peas

Ingredients for Samosa frying:

 Enough Oil (To deep frying Samosas – 75% of pan should be filled.)

Method:

• Cook the potatoes until soft, peel and mash.
• Chop the green chillies, garlic, ginger and the coriander leaves.
• Mix all the ingredients for the dough except water and rub thoroughly. Sprinkle water and make a hard dough. Set aside for about 10 minutes.
• Divide the dough into round portions as per the size of the samosas required.
• Heat the ghee and add cumin, when crackling add garlic and saute.
• Add the rest of the ingredients excluding the final four and sauté for 5 minutes. Mix in the rest of the ingredients, including the potatoes and mix well.
• Roll each portion of dough into a thin oval shape cut into 2 semi-circles. Take a semi-circle. Apply water on the straight edge of the semi-circle. Hold the semi-circle in your hand, fold the straight edge, bringing together the watered edges, seal the watered edges into a triangular pocket.
• Stuff the potato mixture and then seal the upper edges. Repeat with the rest.
• Deep fry in oil till golden brown and serve with a mint or a tamarind chutney.

Badam Milk Shake Recipe

Badam milk is a creamy nutty flavoured milk shake or beverage recipe. Badam milk is prepared with crushed badam or almonds mixed with sugar, cream, milk and other dry fruits. Serve badam milk chilled during summers as a cooling healthy drink.

Ingredients:

•     4 cup Milk
•     1/4 cup Badam (Almond)
•     1 cup Sugar
•     5 Cardamoms (crushed)
•     Saffron Strands for garnishing 

How to make Badam Milk Shake:

•  Boil the almonds in a pan for 5 minutes. Remove and drain.
• Peel the skin of the almonds and grind in a blender with sugar to a smooth paste. Keep aside.
• Now heat milk in a heavy bottomed vessel and bring it to a boil.
• Add crushed cardamom, almond-sugar paste, stir and continue to boil for 2 minutes more.
• Remove from the heat, garnish with saffron and serve hot or chilled

Mango shake recipe

Mango milkshake is one of most sought after healthy drink during summers in india.
mango milkshake is very filling and it simply recharges your body. very rarely you might come across a person who does not like mangoes. they are so sweet and juicy, no wonder they are called king of fruits.

INGREDIENTS:

•     2 Medium size alphonso mangoes
•     2 Cups of almond milk or cashew milk or cow's milk
•     2 Teaspoon of sugar or jaggery (optional)
•     4 Small ice cubes (optional)
•     Pinch of saffron (optional)
•     Dry fruits like cashew, almond, pistachois to garnish (optional)

Method:

• Wash the mangoes and peel them.
• Chop the mango pulp into small pieces.
• Add the mango pulp into the blender along with milk
• Add the sugar or jaggery as per your taste and also considering the sweetness of mangoes.
• Add saffron
• You can add ice cubes also at this stage or you can add the ice cubes while serving the mango shake.
• Blend everything till smooth.
• Add the chopped dry fruits, if you want for garnishing.
• And serve the mango shake with few saffron strands for garnish.

Aloo kulcha

Aloo Kulcha is a crispy and fluffy Indian flatbread stuffed with spicy and tangy aloo/potato filling. This is so easy to make at home that too with out the use of traditional tandoor.

Ingredients:
For Kulcha Dough

•     2 cups Miada / Plane Flour
•     1/4 cup yogurt
•     1 tsp Baking powder
•     1/2 tsp Baking soda
•     1 tsp Lemon juice
•     Salt to taste

For Kulcha Stuffing

•     2 Potatoes boiled and mashed
•     1/2 cup Onion finely chopped
•     1 tsp Red Chilli powder
•     1 1/2 tsp Coriander powder
•     2 Green Chillies finely chopped
•     1 tsp Lemon juice
•     1/4 cup finely chopped Coriander leaves
•     1/2 tsp Ginger Paste

Method

To make Kulcha Dough

•     Take plane flour in to a bowl.
•     To that add salt, yogurt, bakin powder and baking soda.
•     Add lemon juice over baking soda, you will see bubbles will start forming.
•     Now combine flour very well.
•     Then add water and start to knead this to make that in to semi soft dough.
•     After the dough is ready cover the bowl and allow it to rest for 4 to 5 hours.

To make Kulcha Stuffing

•     Boil 2 medium size potatoes.
•     Peel the skin off form boiled potatoes and mash them up.
•     Put mashed potatoes in to a bowl.
•     Spice them up with red chilli powder, onion.
•     Add coriander powder, lemon juice, green chillies, ginger paste.
•     Add coriander leaves and salt to taste.
•     Mix very well.
•     Now Kulcha stuffing is ready

To make Aloo Kulcha

•     Divide Kulcha dough in to small golf size balls.
•     Also divide Kulcha stuffing in to small golf size balls.
•     Now flatten out the kulcha dough to make it in to about a 6" round disc.
•     Put the kuclha stuffing and close the stffing with kulcha dough giving it a round shape.
•     Now flatten it out just like paratha.
•     Now lightly roast the aloo kulcha over hot pan form both the sides.
•     Now put the roasted kulcha on to baking tray.
•     And broil that in to oven for 3 to 4 mts.
•     Serve hot!

Paneer Butter Masala Recipe

Paneer Butter Masala is my most favorite gravy and we always order this whenever we visit any North Indian restaurant. Well I know that I have mentioned this for several North Indian veggies but if I am asked to choose only one then it would be Paneer Butter Masala.I love it a lot and usually  order kulchas with it. Kulcha or Butter Naan and paneer butter masala is a hit combo, in my view.

Ingredients:

• 250 gms Paneer (or Tofu), cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 medium Onions, finely chopped
• 1½ teaspoons chopped Ginger
• 3-4 Garlic Cloves
• 3 medium Tomatoes
• 6-8 Cashew Nuts, soaked in water for 15 minutes
• 1 small piece of Bay Leaf
• 2 Green Chillies, slit lengthwise
• 1/2 cup Full Fat Milk
• 2 teaspoons Kasuri Methi (dry fenugreek leaves)
• 1/2 teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
• 1 tablespoon Coriander Powder
• 1 teaspoon or to taste Red Chili Powder
• 2 tablespoons Fresh Cream (or homemade malai)
• 2 tablespoons Butter
• 2 tablespoons Oil
• Salt to taste

Method: 

• If you are using frozen paneer cubes, then defrost them.
• Grind onion, ginger and garlic in a grinder and make onion paste. Grind soaked cashew nuts with 2 tablespoons water to make cashew nut paste. Blanch the tomatoes and blend them to prepare tomato puree.
• Heat cooking oil and butter in a non-stick frying pan over medium flame. Add onion paste and bay leaf and sauté until onion paste turns light brown for approx. 4-5 minutes.
• Add green chilli and red chili powder and sauté for 30-40 seconds. Add cashew nut paste.
• Stir and cook for 2-minutes.
• Add tomato puree and cook until oil starts to separate from the puree, it will take around 3-4 minutes.
• Add coriander powder and garam masala powder and mix well.
• Add 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 cup water and salt; mix and cook until oil comes on the surface or for approx. 4-5 minutes.
• Add paneer cubes, kasuri methi and cook for approx 2-minutes or until you get the desired consistency of gravy
• Add fresh cream.
• Mix properly and turn off the flame.
• Transfer prepared curry to a serving bowl. Garnish Punjabi paneer butter masala with milk cream or cube of butter and serve

 Notes:

•  You can add a tiny pinch of  red food color to the gravy along with the masalas.I don't like to use food colors and hence I did not add it.
• The addition of sugar and milk(cream) helps in neutralizing the sourness from tomatoes.So do not miss it.
• You can toss few onion rings and capsicum rings in butter and add along with paneer slices at the end.
• You can even toss paneer slices in butter for few minutes,do not fry for long otherwise they will become tough.As I like to use soft malai paneer I do not like to toss them as I feel they will loose their texture.
• For a vegan version,replace paneer with tofu.Avoid cream,milk and butter.Increase the quantity of cashew nuts in the recipe and follow the same process.

How to make Rice Kheer

Rice kheer is a traditional favourite all across india, especially in the south, where it is one of the most preferred options for weddings and special occasions. Traditionally, the milk and rice are simmered for a long time till the rice is cooked and the milk turns a pinkish hue with a rich aroma, texture and flavour. However, these days rice kheer can be made quickly with cooked rice and condensed milk. While this version is flavoured simply with cardamom powder, you can also dissolve a few strands of saffron in it. The garnishing also provides leeway for imagination with several options like dry fruits, nuts, finely-chopped fresh fruits or even sweet boondi made using coloured batter.

Ingredients:

•     1/4 cup short/medium grained rice
•     4 cups whole milk (go for low fat only if absolutely necessary)
•     sugar to taste - I used 3 tbsp ( 1/4- 1/2 cup should be enough )
•     pinch of saffron
•     1/4 tsp cardamom powder
•     1-2 tbsp nuts ( I used almonds, pistachios and cashews)
•     4-5 raisins (or more if you like it)
•     1 tsp Ghee (preferred more than butter)

Method:

• In a saucepan, heat the ghee. Add the chopped nuts along with raisins. Set aside when raisins get plump and nuts turn reddish brown.
• In the same pan, roast the rice for 2-3 minutes in low heat.
• Now add the milk. Increase the heat to med-high and let it come to a boil
• Give it an occasional stir so that the milk does not stick to the bottom. Non stick pan works great for this. Also take care not to let the milk burn. Even a little burn spoils the milk. Add sugar and give it a stir.

Tips:

•     The rice should be over cooked to get a more creamy texture for the kheer.
•     VARIATION : RICE KHEER (SUGAR FREE)
•     Use 4 to 6 sachets of artificial sweetner, instead of the sugar.

Sabudana Khichdi

Sabudana khichdi is usually made during fasting days like navratri or mahashivratri or ekadashi. sabudana khichdi is an easy snack and is a good recipe to be made during fasting days but it requires little experience to get the perfect texture in the sabudana pearls.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup small pearl Sabudana (tapioca)
• 1/2 teaspoon Cumin Seeds
• 2 Green Chillies, seeded and finely chopped
• 5-7 Curry Leaves
• 1/4 teaspoon Garam Masala Powder
• 2 medium Potatoes, boiled, peeled and chopped
• 1/3 cup Roasted Peanuts, coarsely crushed
• 3 tablespoons grated dry Coconut
• 1/4 teaspoon Turmeric Powder
• 2 teaspoons Fresh Lemon Juice
• 2 teaspoons Sugar
• Salt
• 2 tablespoons Cooking Oil
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped Fresh Coriander Leaves
• 1/2 cup Water

Method: 

• Wash and soak 3/4 cup sabudana in 1/2 cup water for 2 hours.
• After 2 hours, you will notice that its size has increased to almost double.
• Drain excess water, if any, and transfer it to a colander or a plate. Let it stand for 2 hours. If you do not let it stand for some time, then they may turn sticky while cooking.
• Heat oil or ghee over medium flame in a heavy based aluminum or non-stick pan (kadai). (Use of non-stick pan is recommended, as it will help prevent sticking while cooking). Add cumin seeds in heated oil. When seeds begin to crackle, add green chilli and curry leaves and sauté for 10 seconds.
• Add drained sabudana and mix thoroughly. Cook for 2-3 minutes while stirring continuously.
• Add turmeric powder and salt, mix well.
• Cook for 7-8 minutes over medium flame until sabudana turns translucent. Stir constantly. (Do not worry if sabudana turns light orange after cooking.)
• Add boiled potatoes, coarsely crushed peanuts, grated coconut, lemon juice, sugar and garam masala powder.
• Mix well and cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Turn off the flame. Transfer khichdi to a serving bowl and garnish with coriander leaves.

Tips and Variations:

• If you soak sabudana in excess water, then it will turn mushy and sticky.
• If it is too dry while cooking (in step-7), then sprinkle 1 tablespoon water at a time over it and mix well. Sprinkle as much water as required until it is cooked and turns transparent. Do not add too much water in single go otherwise it will turn sticky.
• If you are using large sized sago, then soak them overnight in water. 2 hours of soaking is not sufficient for it.

How to prepare grapes palpi

Tired of buying grape juice from the grocery store that's filled with chemicals and preservatives? Follow these steps to make grape juice in the comfort of your own home.

Methods:

• Remove the grapes from their stems

• Wash the grapes. Put all the grapes in a colander and wash them in warm water until all the chemicals are washed off.

• Mash the grapes. Use a potato masher until their juice begins to come out.

• An alternative to using a potato masher is to use a blender on pulse. Be sure not to blend them to a puree though.

• Cook the grapes. Put the mashed grapes in a pot and cook them on medium heat for around 10 minutes.

• Mash up the grapes using a spoon or a potato masher if they start clumping up or retain their chunkiness

• Strain the juice. Put the sieve over a container or directly to a drinking glass. Pour the grapes into the sieve and then strain the mixture through.

• An alternative to using the sieve is using a cheesecloth. Put the cheesecloth over the pot and strain the mixture through (you might need to fold the cloth over twice).

• If you have a food mill, this would work beautifully.

• Cool the juice. Remove the sieve or cheesecloth and put the juice in the refrigerator so it can cool, or pour the juice over ice in a drinking glass.

Gujiya Recipe

Today I have for you Gujiya recipe which is a Holi special sweet like Malpua, Thandai and the likes. It is made in most parts of India and goes by different names like Ghugra, Karanji (Maharashtra), Pedakiya (Bihar) and Nevries (Goa). Gujiya is what we Andhras call Kajikayalu, the recipe of which I have blogged earlier. Both Gujiya and Kajikayalu follow the same recipe and procedure. The filling for Gujiya and Kajikayalu is a mixture of roasted dry coconut, nuts, khoya or sooji (semolina), cardamom powder and powdered sugar. 

Ingredients:

For Outer Layer

• 2 Cups - Plain Flour/Maida
• 4 tbsp - Ghee or Oil
• Oil - To Deep Fry

For Filling

• 1 Cup - Sooji/Semolina
• 3/4 Cup - Mawa/Khoya (optional)
• 2 Cups - Powdered Sugar
• 1/2 tsp - Cardamom Powder
• 1/2 Cup - Grated Dry Coconut/Khopra
• 2 tbsp - Raisins
• 4 tbsp - Chopped Cashewnuts
• 2 tbsp - Poppy Seeds
• 
  

Method:

1. For outer layer, in a wide bowl take flour, 4 tbsp oil and mix well, add water in small quantity and make stiff dough same like we make for poori, cover with a damp cloth and keep aside until required.
2. In a wok or kadai add khoya/mawa and cook in slow flame for 2-3 minutes or until it's melts, loosen up, off flame, keep aside.
3. Dry roast sooji/rawa until light brown and aromatic, keep stirring so it doesn't get burnt. Powder sugar with cardamom seeds.
4. In a large bowl add roasted sooji/rava, cashew-nuts, raisins, poppy seeds (I didn't used), dry grated coconut (khopra), powdered sugar and mix well.
5. Add khoya/mawa and mix well with hands to combine khoya with sooji well. If you are not using khoya skip this step.
6. Knead dough again for 4-5 minutes to make it soft and make big gooseberry size balls with dough, roll into thin roti/chapathi of 5' diameter or size depends on the size of your gujiya/karanji mold. The dough has oil or mooyan as we call enough so I didn't applied oil or flour for rolling but if you need apply drops of oil or slightly dust with flour to roll dough and don't worry about the same of roti/chapathi.
7. Grease gujiya or karanji mould with oil slightly and place rolled chapathi on top of it. Place 1 tbsp of filling on one side of partition. 
8. Bring another partition together and close it. Press the edges to seal gujiya well and remove excess roti portion from mould and keep it with rest of dough.
9. Press again to make sure gujiya/karanji is sealed well, gently open mould and take out gujiya. Repeat same for rest of dough and prepare gujiya.
   ----- If you don't have mould then roll roti and use a circle cutter or bowl to cut roti into round shape. Place filling and close gujiya forming half moon shape, press edges with a fork to seal and make impression or with hand pinch edges and seal it.  
10. Heat enough oil for deep frying and drop 3-4 gujiya at time and fry in medium to slow flame until both sides golden brown, do turn 2-3 times gujiya to cook it well both sides, use slotted spoon and drain oil, keep in kitchen tissue to drain excess oil and fry rest of gujiyas/karanji.
11. Allow to cool completely before storing in air tight container.

 Notes

• Tip : Gujiya moulds can also be used (they are easily available in any indian store or market).
• For using moulds, place the rolled dough ball in a greased gujiya mould and fill a tblsp of filling mixture on one side.
• Moisten the edges of the round and fold one side of the mould over the other.
• Remove the excess edges and reuse. 
 

Gajar/Carrot Ka Halwa

One of the most popular Indian dessert, here's for you the 'Gajar ka Halwa' recipe. Known to have originated in Punjab, it is a delight during the winter months. Grated carrots, milk, sugar and nuts are stirred and cooked together.

Ingredients

• 2 cups thickly grated carrot
• 1 tbsp ghee
• 2 tbsp milk
• 4 tbsp sugar
• 4 tbsp mava (khoya)
• 1 tbsp raisins (kismis)
• 1 tbsp chopped almonds (badam)
• 1/2 tsp cardamom (elaichi) powder

Method

•     Heat the ghee in a pressure cooker; add the carrots and sauté on a medium flame    for 4 to 5    minutes, while stirring continuously.

•     Add the milk, mix well and pressure cook for 1 whistle.

•     Allow the steam to escape before opening the lid.

•     Transfer into a broad non-stick pan, add the sugar, mix well and cook on a high  flame for 5 to 7 minutes, while stirring continuously.

•     Add the mava, mix well and cook for more 1 to 2 minutes, while stirring  continuously.

•     Add the raisins, almonds and cardamom powder and cook for another 1 minute.

•     Serve hot or warm.

Chole Bhature Recipe

There are various versions of Chole Bhature in Punjab-India. However I though of making the authentic Chole Bhature for my family and share with my readers. Honestly it turned out damn delicious and tasty. My dad, mom, and guest were drooling over them. Even the Bhatures were damn neat. I felt these home-made were anyday than those served in a Dhaba or a five star restaurant :)….A must try..

Ingredients needed for Bhatura:

For the chole:

• 1 cup kabuli chana (white chick peas), soaked overnight
• 1 tea bag or tsp tea leaves , tied in a muslin cloth (optional)
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds (jeera)
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 12 mm (1/2") piece of ginger (adrak), grated
• 2 cloves of garlic (lehsun), grated
• 2 tsp chole masala
• 2 tsp chilli powder
• 2 tsp dried mango powder (amchur)
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder (haldi)
• 1 tbsp coriander (dhania) powder
• 1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera) powder
• 2 tbsp oil
• salt to taste

For the bhature:

• 1/2 cup plain flour (maida)
• 1/2 cup potatoes, boiled and grated
• 1 1/2 tsp oil
• salt to taste
• oil for deep-frying

For serving:

• 1 onion, sliced
• 4 lemon wedges

Method:

For the chole

• Pressure cook the Kabuli chana with the tea bag for 3 whistles until they are soft . Drain and keep aside. Discard the tea bag.
• Heat the oil in a pan, add the cumin seeds. When the seeds crackle, add the onion, ginger and garlic and sauté till the onion is golden brown.
• Add the chole masala, chilli powder, amchur, turmeric powder, coriander powder, cumin seed powder and salt and sauté for another minute.
• Add the Kabuli chana and 1 cup of water and mix well. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Keep aside

For the bhature

• Combine the flour, potato, 1½ teaspoons of oil and salt and knead into a firm dough without using any water.
• Knead the dough very well till it is smooth
• Cover with a wet muslin cloth and rest the dough for 10 minutes
• Divide the dough into 4 equal parts and roll out into circles of 125 mm. (5") diameter.
• Deep fry in hot oil till the bhaturas puff up and both sides are golden brown.
• Serve hot with the chole, sliced onion and lemon wedges.

Tips

• While frying the bhature, press the centre lightly with a frying spoon so as to help it to puff up.
• Chole masala is a blend of spices which is readily available at most grocery stores.