Spicy Plantain chips

Ingredients

By Bal

Green Plantain: 4 unripe
Oil: for deep frying
Garam Masala: 1 Tbsp
Smoked Paprika or red chilly powder: 1Tbsp
Salt: to taste

Peel the plantain using a peeler. You might have to do a couple of rounds of peeling
Slice the peeled plantain using a mandolin or a sharp knife to about a 1/8" thickness
Fry the slices in batches in hot oil until golden and crispy. Stir them a bit while frying to prevent it from sticking together
Remove the plantain once done and drain on to a paper towel lined sheet
In a bowl mix the garam masala, salt and paprika and sprinkle the spiced misture on the fried plantain and serve
Alternatively it can be cooled down and stored in an airtight container for upto 10 days

Hot Chocolate Fudge

This hot fudge sauce is thick , rich, inexpensive and easy to make. You can use it over your favorite ice - cream, brownies or cake and it also will last for a while. Place any unused finished sauce in a glass jar and store it in the refrigerator.

When you want to re-use it, a few seconds in a microwave will do the work and your fudge will be warm enough to use it over

This basic recipe is inspired by Martha

Ingredients

Dutch coco powder : 1/2 cup
Light cream: 1/4 cup
Light corn syrup: 1/2 cup
Sugar: 1/2 cup
Salt: A bing pinch - its important
Butter: 1.5 Tbsp
Vanilla Essence: 1/2 tsp

To go about......

- In a pan mix in coco, cream, corn syrup, sugar and salt
- Bring it to boil for about 3minutes over medium heat
- Remove from fire and add in vanilla extract and mix
- Add in butter to help you keep the sheen
- You can immediately use it over your favorite treat

Note:

For a more richer version you can use full cream, but then mind the calories
I am not a big fan of corn syrup, but to keep this sauce malleable its important. Sugar syrup will tend to crystallize once it cools down
In case you do not find dutch coco powder, try using any normal Hershey s un sweetened dark coco powder or any good brand that you trust

Why Dutch coco powder - prefer it because it is neutral and does not react with soda. Its usually called in for baking, unless there are other acidic ingredients such as lime / lemon used. It has a reddish brown color, mild flavor and is easy dissolved in liquids

You can pour it over my favorite Brownie posted earlier created to satisfy my urge for a sizzling brownie

Sabudana Vada

This is a traditional snack from Maharashtra, but widely famous as a fasting or vrat snack especially during Krishna Jayanti / Navratri fasts

For me its just another fast food :)

The one thing I love about it is that its very different from the normal fried pakoda s you have. Hard exteriors with a soft and gooey interior makes it taste so heavenly

You can add so many variations , so I am marking them as optional


Ingredients:

Sago pearls / Sabudana : 1 cup
Potatoes : 3 large ( boiled and mashed / grated)
Green chillies: 2 finely chopped
Coriander leaves: 1/3 cup finely chopped
Peanuts : 3 Tbsp crushed / powdered ( Optional)
Cumin seeds : 1/2 tsp
Salt : as taste ( you can substitute your vrat namak / sendha namak)
Pepper powder: 1 tsp Or Chilly powder of the same quantity
Bread crumbs or fresh ground bread : 1 (Optional)
Lemon juice: 1 tsp (Optional)
Oil : for deep frying

Soak the sago , for atleast 45 mins, drain the water completely and allow it to stand for another 30 mins. This way the sago will puff up well and resting allows it to soak the excess water
Now add all the ingredients, and mix weel to form a stiff mixture
I personally omitted the peanuts
In a deep pan , heat the required amount of oil for deep frying
In case the mixture is a little bit sticky, you can smear your palms with some oil
Divide the mixture into equal balls and with the help of your palms, flatten it or rol up to the desired shape you would want to have
Slide each piece slowly into the hot oil and deep fry until golden brown on both the sides
Drain on an absorbent paper and serve hot
Goes well with tea green chutney or even plain sauce




In case you guys have any variation to the above please do write the same to me

Note:

During Vart , bread is not used, you can ofcourse remove the same, but if you tend to make it on another other day, I would suggest the addition of fresh ground bread  or bread soaked in water and crumbled, as I have noticed the vada to be more crisper and it absorbs lesser oil

Tandoori paneer Pizza

A delicate Indo Italian fusion


Ingredients

Pizza Base 8" : 2
Tomato sauce: 1/4 cup
Chilly sauce: 2 Tbsp
Shredded mozzarella cheese: 1 cup
Butter : for greasing and glazing
Oil/ghee : 1tsp
Coal pieces: 2

FOR THE TANDOORI PANEER TOPPING

Paneer cubes : 1 cup
Cubed bell peppers: 1/4 cup
Deseeded tomato cubes: 1/4 cup
Cubes onions: 1/4 cup
Fresh cream: 1 Tbsp

TO BE MIXED INTO A MARINADE

Curd: 1/3 cup
Chilly powder: 1/2 tsp
Dried fenugreek leaves or Kasuri methi: 1 tsp
Ginger - garlic paste: 2 tsp
Garam masala powder: 1 tsp
Butter: 2 tsp
Salt: to taste


To Proceed....

For the paneer topping

Mix all the ingredients for the marinade except butter
Marinate the paneer, capsicum and tomato cubes in the marinade for 30 minutes
Heat butter in a saucepan , saute the onion cubes for 1 - 2 mins
Now dd the marinade along with fresh cream and cook on simmer flame for 3-5 minutes
Remove from fire and keep aside in a covered bowl
Meanwhile heat the coal directly on gas, and once red hot transfer it to a small bowl
Place this coal bowl amidst the covered bowl, pour the oil / ghee over the coal, and cover the bowl immediately
Let it rest for 5 - 7 mins, until the marinade gets a smoky flavor and then discard the bowl with the coal
Divide the smoky marinade into two equal portions

Preheat oven at 200 C (400 F)
Place the pizza base on to a greased baking tray or on to a pizza stone
Spread the tomato and chilli sauce on to the base
Spread half of the marinade on to one base and the other half on to the other one
Sprinkle cheese and bake for 10 - 15 mins or till the base is evenly browned and the cheese melts
Cut and serve immediately

Coconut Rice - Modern way ToI

Coconut rice is made with many variations. One version is when chana dal and rice are steam cooked along with grated coconut.

Ingredients:

Chana dal: 200 gms

Rice: 350 gms

Coconut: One half of a whole coconut (can use the whole coconut if the size is small)

Mustard seeds: ½ tsp

Cumin seeds: ½ tsp

Urad dal: ½ tsp

Red chilli (Whole): 2

Curry leaves: 4-5

Salt to taste 

How to go on.....

- Soak the chanal dal for one hour before cooking. Rinse the rice before cooking.

- Take oil in a pan and heat it. Add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, urad dal, red chilli and curry leaves in to it. Once the mustard seeds start to crackle, add soaked chana dal and rice and mix the ingredients well. Add adequate water, but see to it that you add only as much water the whole mixture needs to cook.

- Add salt and grated coconut. Put the lid on the vessel and allow it to cook for 10 minutes. - After 10 minutes, mix the ingredients well and see how well cooked the chana and rice are. If you feel it will get ready by another five to 10 minutes, then allow the entire thing to cook in a low flame. Add another two spoons of oil at the same time. Let it settle for a while.

- If you want to cook it in a pressure cooker, it will taste equally better. But add less water than what you would have if you were cooking in a vessel.

- Serve the hot coconut rice will appalam and piping hot rasam. It is indeed a yum treat for taste buds.

Chunky Pineapple and Avocado Salsa

• 1 can sliced pineapple in juice, drained and juices reserved
• 1 tablespoon lime juice 
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 small jalapeno, seeds removed and diced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 red onion, finely chopped
• 1 medium avocado, halved, pitted and flesh cubed
• 2 tablespoons minced cilantro leaves

In a bowl combine in 2Tbsp of the pineapple juice, lime juice to give it some acid and kick, honey and oil, whisk it well along with the seasoning 

Deseed the jalapeño, not removing all the seeds which will give it a nice little kick, if you wish to have some. Chop the pineapples, this can be rough and I put in some red onion which will give it a nice flavor and some color too

Roughly chop - cube the avocado and add it to the pineapple - onion along with the finely chopped cilantro 

Mix well and serve immediately

Note:

The pineapple - onion - avocado can also be grilled for a grill salsa

Serve it with tacos or with chips

Green Iced Tea with Herbs

This easy and ready to go drink is under a $ and its gonna be refreshing and delicious
Its so much cheaper and more healthier than buying a soda or ice tea from the store and you can customize it to your preference also

Ingredients

1/4 cup firmly packed fresh mint leaves
7 - 8 fresh basil leaves
3 fresh sage leaves
2 Tbsp honey
2 green tea bags / 2 Tbsp loose green tea leaves
3 cups iced water
1 cup ice


In a sauce pan boil water and add herbs of your choice such as fresh mint - basil - sage
You can use whatever herbs you have in the fridge or the ones you like
Steep it well and then add green tea packs or 2 Tbsp green tea leaves
Let it steep for a few minutes
Add in some honey to sweeten it (according to the level you would like to have )
Cool it a bit and add the entire content to a pitcher of cold water filled with ice cubes




Note:
Use smaller quantities of stronger herbs such as Sage , as it might overpower the drink
You can use sugar / sugar syrup instead of honey also
Adding lemon slices to the pitcher may also give you a tangy taste to this drink