Kache kele ke kofte ( Raw banana dumplings)

Kache kele ke kofte

Ingredients:

For Koftas

• 2 Kache Kele  (Raw Bananas)
• 2 medium Aloo (Potato) boiled and mashed
• 1 tsp Ginger grated
• ½ tsp Garam Masala powder
• 2 Green Chilies finely chopped
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh Dhania (Coriander/Cilantro leaves)
• 1 tsp Amchoor Powder
• Salt to taste
• 2 tbsp roasted singhara ka atta (Water chestnut flour)
• Cooking Oil for deep-frying

For Masala/Gravy:

• 1 big Onion chopped
• 3-4 cloves of Garlic

Skip onion and garlic if you are preparing for VRAT

• 1” cube of fresh Ginger chopped
• 1 medium sized Tomato chopped
• 1 Green Chili
• 1 tsp Red Chili powder
• 1 tbsp Coriander powder
• ½ tsp Turmeric powder
• 1 tsp  Garam Masala powder
• 1 Bay leaf
• 4-5 tbsp Cooking Oil
• 1 tbsp Lemon juice
• Salt to taste

Method:

Koftas:

• Cut each Raw Banana in to two pieces. Put these pieces in a bowl of salted water. Let them stand for 10-15 minutes.
• Take about 4-5 cups of water in a pan and boil it. Now add Raw Bananas pieces to the boiling water and let the water boil until pieces are tender but not mushy. Drain and keep the pieces aside to cool a little.
• Peel off and grate/mash Raw Bananas.
• In a big bowl take grated Raw Bananas, mashed potato and all other ingredients, other than oil, required to make koftas.
• Shape the Raw Bananas mix into round balls (koftas).
• Deep-fry koftas to golden brown over medium flame.

Gravy:

• Put the chopped onion, ginger, garlic, green chili and tomato into a blender or food processor along with ¼ cup water and blend until you have a smooth paste.
• Heat the oil in a heavy wide pan over a medium flame (use same oil in which koftas were fried). Add bay leaf and the contents of the blender to the oil. Add red chili powder, turmeric powder, coriander powder, salt and half of the garam masala powder.
• Fry, stirring constantly, for about 5-6 minutes, or until masala turns little darker, and the oil begins to separate from the masala.
• Add 4 cups of water to the masala and let the gravy boil for 2-3 minutes. Add koftas, lower heat, and simmer gently uncovered for about 4-5 minutes.
• Turn off the flame, add lemon juice and garam masala and allow the curry to rest for 15 minutes. Koftas absorb water and swell.
• Transfer curry to serving bowl. and serve hot garnished with fresh finely chopped corriander leaves!

Sabudana Kheer

Sabudana Kheer

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Sabudana/Sago/Tapioca Pearls
• 2½-3 cups Water
• 1 cup Whole Milk
• 1¼-1¾ cups Sugar
• A Pinch of Saffron, crushed
• 5-6 Green Cardamoms, peeled and seeds crushed to powder
• Few Cashews
• 1 tbsp Ghee/Clarified Butter

Method:

• Take sago pearls in a bowl and rinse them with water till all the scum is washed away. Drain all the water and add another 2 cups of water and let it soak for at least 30 mins.
• Drain all the water from soaked sago pearls. Add about 2½-3 cups of water and cook sago pearls in medium flame till they are cooked and become transparent, for about 15 minutes.
• Mix in milk and sugar and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook, stirring in between, for another 5-7 minutes.
• While its cooking, heat ghee in a pan and add broken cashews to it. fry cashews to golden brown on medium flame, about 2-3 minutes and keep them aside till needed.
• Add crushed saffron strands and cardamom powder and let the Kheer come to a gentle boil, about 3-5 minutes.
• Switch off the flame and mix in fried cashews. Serve it hot, warm or chilled and enjoy!

Banana Chips

Banana Chips

Ingredients:

• 5 raw bananas
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• Salt as per the taste
• Refined oil for deep frying

Method:

• Peel the bananas
• Put the peeled bananas in salted iced water.
• Slice bananas with a chip slicer into water, mix turmeric powder to it. Keep for 10 minutes, Transfer to a kitchen cloth to remove the moisture.
• Heat the oil in a wide pan. Bring it to boil.
• Fry banana slices for 1-2 minutes until crisp. Turn over the chips to cook both the sides. Once sure that they are crisp, use a strainer to take the chips out and place them on an absorbent paper to drain the excess oil off. Sprinkle salt over the fried bananas.

Potato Toppings - Diwali Special

Ingredients:

1. Few potato chips
2. Fresh Cheese
3. Tomato
4. Fresh Coriander leaves
5. Salt to taste

Method:

• Mash or cut the cheese in small cubes.
• Slice the Tomato, in thin slices.
• Take the potato chips (Crispy,Crunchy Potato Chips in microwave Under Navratri special label).
• Place the cheese cubes carefully on each potato chips and then the tomato slices.
• Now decorate with coriander leaves.
• Sprinkle the salt over them and the special potato toppings are ready to serve.
• It’s the simple but elegant looking dish that compliments the evening snacks and makes the tea special.

Note : One can experiment with may other things on the potato chips as toppings , depending upon the availability like mashed potatoes, boiled eggs, Thick Chutneys, Tomatoe sauce, minced chicken …………

Cumin Raita

Ingredients:

1. 1 tsp cumin seeds
2. 500g fresh curd
3. ½ tsp freshly powdered black pepper
4. Salt to taste

Method:

• Take the curd in a wide bowl and blend with a hand blender, add water according to the curd to maintain medium consistency (not too thick, nor too thin).
• Roast the cumin seeds on hot plate till it starts changing colour to brown , now quickly take them off the plate( otherwise instead of roast, it will be rusted) on the board and crush it to powder with rolling pin. I always get enticed with its rich aroma.
• Add this cumin powder, black pepper and salt to blended curd. Mix well.
• Serve cool raita, garnished with pinch of cumin powder and black pepper powder on the top.

Cucumber Raita

Ingredients:

1. 1 freshly peeled and grated cucumber
2. 500g fresh curd
3. 1 Deseeded and a, finely chopped green chili
4. Salt to taste
5. Chat Masala for garnishing

Method:

• Take the curd in a wide bowl and blend with a hand blender, add water according to the curd to maintain medium consistency (not too thick, nor too thin).
• Add the grated cucumber, chopped green chilli and salt to blended curd. Mix well.
• Serve cool raita, garnished with pinch of chat masala powder and chopped green chilli on the top.

Aloo Raita (Potato raita)

Aloo Raita

Ingredients:

1. 1 small potato
2. 500g fresh curd
3. 1 Deseeded, finely chopped green chili
4. Salt to taste
5. Freshly roasted and grounded cumin powder for garnishing

Method:

• Boil, peel and dice the potato.
• Take the curd in a wide bowl and blend with a hand blender, add water according to the curd to maintain medium consistency (not too thick, nor too thin).
• Add the diced potato and finely chopped green chili to blended curd. Add salt and mix well.
• Serve cool raita, garnished with fresh cumin powder and green chili on the top.

NAVRATRI SPECIAL

Crispy, Crunchy Potato Chips in microwave 




Ingredients: 

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 
• 1 potato peeled and sliced thinly 
• Rock salt to taste 

Method:

1. Coat a large microwave-safe plate lightly with oil or cooking spray. Arrange potato slices in a single layer on the dish.

2. Cook in the microwave for 2 to 4 minutes. Turn the slices over and continue microwaving until they start to crisp and brown around the edges, 2 to 3 minutes more. (Times will vary depending on potato thickness and microwave power) Transfer the chips to another plate. Repeat process with the remaining potato slices.

3. Sprinkle rock salt on it while serving

They will surely amaze you with their crispiness.


Crispy Phoolmakhana (Puffed Eurayle Ferox)




Ingredients:

• 35g Phoolmakhana 
• Rock salt 
• Black pepper 
• 2 tsp Desi ghee (clarified butter) 

Method:

1. Heat ghee in a pan add makhane (puffed eurayle ferox ) and Fry for 2-3 minutes, stirring continuously. 
2. Sprinkle the pinch of rock salt and black pepper, the hot and crisp makhanas are ready to serve with hot cup of tea……. 

Roasted Pea Nuts




Ingredients:

• 1 cup raw peanut 
• 1tbs ghee/oil 
• Rock salt 
• Black pepper 
• Finely chopped green chilly and coriander leaves for garnishing 

Method: 

1. Roast the raw peanuts in a dry and hot pan, stirring continuously on medium heat till they stop spluttering and changes to dark red in color. Add oil with continuous stirring till the rich aroma of peanuts fills the air. 
2. Sprinkle the pinch of rock salt and black pepper, the hot roasted peanuts are ready to be garnished with a finely chopped green chilies and coriander leaves. 

Tip:

•  All the above three preparations can be mixed together, and can be seasoned with oregano, mint chutney, tamarind chutney or lemon juice for their own unique tangy flavors.

Crispy Sabudana Vada

Ingredients

· 3 medium potatoes

· 1/3 cup sabudana( tapioca)

· Rock salt according to taste(Senda namak)

· 2 finely chopped green chili

· finely chopped hara dhania (coriander leaves)

· Oil to fry

Method

1. Wash the tapioca and soak it in 3 cups of water for 3 to 4 hours.

2. Drain the water

3. Par-boil the potatoes, so they are only half-cooked.

4. peel and grate potatoes

5. Mix all the ingredients together, and make the dough

6. Divide the potato dough into 16 parts.

7. Make vadas by using lightly oiled palms

8. Fry the vadas in hot oil until they turn golden brown

9. Remove the vada and place over a paper towel so the excess oil is absorbed.

10. Serve them with coriander or tamarind chutney.

Tip

- Refrigerate the vadas for 8-10 minutes before frying them as they will absorb less oil

-To check if the oil is ready, drop a small piece of dough into the oil. The dough should rise to the surface, and not change its color immediately.

- The frying oil needs to be sufficiently hot, or else the Vadas will turn out greasy and may break into pieces while cooking.

Sabudana  Khichdi

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sabudana (tapioca)
• 2 Green Chillies chopped  finely 
• 1/2 cup roasted and crushed to powder groundnuts 
• 1 boiled , peeled and diced potato 
• 2 tsp Oil
• 1/4 tsp Mustard Seeds 
• 1 Pinch Hing (asafoetida) 
• 1/2tsp turmeric powder
• Salt to taste 
• Few Coriander leaves
• Few Curry Leaves
• 1tsp Lemon juice 

Method:

1. Gently wash the sabudana under running water, and soak it in about 1/2 cup of water for 6 to 8 hours and then drain off the excess water if any.
2. Heat the oil in a frying pan on medium heat. (You can test by adding one cumin seed to the oil; if seed cracks right away then oil is ready)
3. Add cumin seeds and mustard seeds, after seeds crackle  add green chilies, Curry Leaves, Hing and  turmeric powder .
4. Add diced potatoes, stir for a few seconds.
5. Add the drained sabudana and powdered groundnut mix well and stir fry for 3 to 4 minutes.
6. Add salt and stir fry on medium heat continuously for about 6 to 7 minutes until sabudana becomes translucence, looks like pearls. Stir gently and making sure sabudana doesn’t get sticky and stuck to each other.
7. Add groundnuts, lemon juice and Coriander leaves (hara dhania), stir gently.
8. Serve hot garnished with chopped fresh coriander leaves, ENJOY! 

Jhattpat Sabudana khichdi in microwave

You can have the sabudana khichdi in a microwave , the nngredients are same as explained above , after the aloo tadka i.e step 4 , mix the tadka with sabudana and groundnut powder. Keep in microwave for 4-5 mnts at medium high, stirring after every minute. When the waxy looking sago turns translucent, the khichdi is done. Add coriander leaves and lemon juice.

Serve hot garnished with chopped fresh coriander leaves, the jhattpat sabudana khichdi , a perfect snack to go with tea during fast ………..

Optional : you can garnish it with freshly grated coconut .

NAVRATRI SPECIAL

Potato ….…..Can go with anything anytime 

Aloo Jeera ( Rassmisse )

Ingredients:

R  3 Potatotes (boiled, peeled and slightly mashed) 

R  2 Green Chillies (deseeded & finely chopped) 

R  1 tbsp Coriander Leaves (finely chopped) 

R  tomato puree from one large tomato

R  1 tsp Cumin seeds 

R  sendha Salt to taste (Rock Salt)

R  1 tea spoon turmeric powder

R  2 tbsp Oil

Method :

Roast cumin seeds in a pan then add oil, turmeric powder and sauté .

Add tomato puree , stir and fry for 2 minutes

Add slightly mashed potatoes and green chilies stir and fry for 5 minutes

Add salt to taste and mix well.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve hot with kittu ki poori.

PS :     If you wish to have  Tarri wali sabji  , then after step 3, add  500 ml water and cover the pan, simmer it for 6-8 minutes and enjoy it with kittu ki poori or sonfian rice.

Crispy Aloo bhajiya

Ingredients:

R  3 Potatoes (peeled and chopped ½ inch long pieces) 

R  1 tbsp Coriander Leaves (finely chopped) 

R  1 tsp black pepper

R  1 tsp Cumin seeds 

R  1 tsp turmeric powder

R  2 tbsp Oil

R  sendha Salt to taste (Rock Salt)

Method:

Roast cumin seeds in a pan then add oil, turmeric powder and sauté.

Add potatoes and fry for 5 minutes and close the lid for 3-4 minutes.

Add salt and black pepper to taste and mix well.

Garnish with chopped coriander leaves, hot and crispy alloo bhajiya is ready to serve.

Poatato Fries

Ingredients:

R  5 large sized Potatoes 

R  Oil for frying 

R  Rock salt and black pepper to sprinkle 

Method:

Cut potato into thin long strips; dip in Luke warm water with half spoon lemon juice for 5minutes

Wash with cold water then and then make them dry completely

Deep fry potato strips in heated oil till it turns golden

Serve hot sprinkled with rock salt and freshly crushed black pepper, with tea.

Hot Aloo chat

Ingredients:

R  3 Aloo (potatoes), boiled, peeled and diced

R  ½ bowl fresh peas

R  1/2 tsp black pepper powder

R  1 tsp roasted cumin powder

R  1 tsp freshly grounded coriander powder

R  Chopped Coriander Leaves

R  Grated cheese

R  diced tomato for garnishing

R  2 table spoon oil

R  Rock salt as per taste

  

Method:

Heat oil in a pan and sauté peas till done

Add diced potatoes, sauté for 2 minutes

Add roasted cumin powder, freshly grounded coriander powder and black pepper powder, rock salt to taste and mix well.

Serve hot garnished with fresh coriander leaves, diced tomato and grated cheese.