Baked Mix Veggie Pakoda

Pakodas are the all time favorite snack in most of the families. To make them a tiny bit healthy I prefer to Bake them. I preferably bake the pakodas, for all my dishes needs pakodas, be it the Kadhi, Kofte, or Snack time pakodas.

In Rainy season, Pakodas and Masala Chai is the best evening snack. Everyone in my family knows if it rains, they are gonna get a lot many variety of pakodas for snack with their choice of Drinks. I, sometimes fry them and most of the times bake them.

This rainy day, the treat was mix veggie pakodas with coffee and masala tea. You can use your choice of mix veggies, spices and gramflour. mixed well and baked to perfection. Chai is ready, Balcony table is set with light music on Radio, life is a blessing. Try these baked veggie pakodas in your kitchen and set the environment like this. Family will adore it and you will too. This recipe will participate in Meat Free Monday link up at Tinned Tomatoes. Until Next Time......................... Happy Cooking Friends, Saumya

Ingredients:

Mix Veggie                    - 2 cups (Par boiled)
Gram Flour                    - 1 - 1/2 cups
Salt                                - To taste
Garam Masala               - 1/2 tspoon
Red Chili Powder          - 1/4 tspoon
Baking Soda                  - 1/4 tspoon
Lemon Juice                  - 2 tspoon
Green Chili                    - 2 finely chopped
Coriander                       - 1/4 cup finely chopped
Water                             - for adjusting the batter
Oil                                  - 1 tspoon (optional)


Method:

Par boil the mix veggies in microwave for 5-7 minutes, use the big bowl.
Preheat the oven to 200c and line a baking sheet with nonstick paper.
I used the frozen veggies, mix of Carrot, Peas, Beans, Corn, Onion and peppers.
In the same bowl add the gramflour, garam masala, red chili powder, green chili, coriander and salt. Mix well.

Add the oil if using at this stage.
If the veggies have less water add few spoons of water to adjust the batter consistency. The batter should be on thick side not runny.
If you feel the batter is runny add few tspoon of gramflour.
Now add the baking soda and lemon juice, mix very well.
At this point batter will start to bee fluffy.
Scoop the desired size on the baking tray.

Bake the pakodas on 200c for 12-15 minutes or until golden on top.

Serve these baked mix veggie pakodas with condiments and masala chai. I hope more and more viewers will love this recipe as this is going to part of Meat Free Monday at Tinned Tomatoes.

5 Lentil Dumplings in Spicy Curry Sauce - Karail

We usually see this kind of Curry/Sabzi every now and then in other blogs or websites. But nobody really knows the origin or the authentic name of it. In villages of UP we have a Dish called "Karail" (Ka-Ra-Yal). This is Authentically made with Urad/Moong Dal. Soaked and Grinded to paste, mixed with some spices and fried to the form of Pakodas. Then dunked into a spicy gravy of Gram Flour/Leftover Lentil Paste. This dish can be enjoyed with any type of Roti/Chapati or Rice.

This dish used to made on some special occasions, when there is any happy moments in the house like births, marriages or engagements in the family. This dish is also made in the sad moments in the house like once after any death , the first cooking would be with "Karail" with rice.  How strange, when I see thats how food can be associated with big moments in your life.

I always loved eating authentic food from my native place and this one dish is my favourite dish. I used to eat it with Rice. Once I get to know that my mum is going to make this, I was like "Make in Plenty pls". I keep on eating 4-5 times in a day and even in mid night . I used to be on mission to finish it as soon as possible, to get my mum to make it again. As I always said , My mum is the best cook in this whole world. She cooks everything to perfection.

So we were talking about this dish. It has goodness of lentils and gramflour. You can also avoid deep frying the Pakoras and make them in a healthy fryer. I'm in process of choosing one for me. Spice levels can be adjusted according to taste. This can be accompanied by your choice of Chapati and rice. We ate this with gobhi musallam, Rice, Raita and Aloo ki Roti (Potato Roti). This dish always takes me to the golden days of my childhood. My Kids also love to eat this, as I make it mild spicy for them.  Try this dish and let me by dropping comment to the post. Until next time.......Happy Cooking Friends, Saumya

Ingredients:

For Pakoda/Dumplings:

5 Lentils / panchmel Daal     - 1 cup soaked overnight
Salt                                        - To taste
Amchoor                               - 1/2 tspoon
Garam Masala                       - 1/2 tspoon + 1/4 tspoon
Red Chilli Powder                 - 1/4 tspoon
Asafetida                                - 1 pinch
Oil                                          - to deep fry

For The Gravy:

Cumin Seeds                        - 1/4 tspoon
Asafetida/Hing                     - 1 pinch
Onions                                  - 2 finely chopped
Garlic                                   - 4 finely chopped
Ginger                                  - 1 inch chopped
Tomatoes                             - 3 large finely chopped
Gram Flour                          - 1 tblspoon
Kasoori Methi                      - 2 tblspoon
Turmeric powder                 - 1/4 teaspoon
Amchoor powder                 - 1/4 teaspoon
coriander powder                 - 1/2 teaspoon
Garam masala                      - 1/2 teaspoon
Salt                                       - to taste
Oil                                        - 1 tblspoon for tempering
Water                                    - 2 cup or as per your choice of thickness
Fresh Coriander                    - 2 tblspoon finely chopped

Method:

For Kofta balls:

Wash and Soak the 5 mixed lentils (Panchmel Dal) , I used, Urid, Mung, Toor, Masoor and Chana Dal for this, Overnight or at-least 5 hours.
Grind the lentils to smooth paste in a grinder.
Mix , Salt, Amchoor, Garam Masala, Asafetida and red chili powder in it.
Mix it well and keep aside, Mean while heat oil in a Deep Pan/Karahi.
Once it's medium hot, pinch  ping-pong size balls out of the lentil paste and drop carefully in the oil.
Do 5-7 balls at a time depending upon the size. Fry them until golden.
Pinch the balls and fry them until the lentil paste is finished, Keep them aside.

For The Gravy:

Heat oil in a pan, add cumin seeds and asafetida in it.
Once Cumin start to splutter, add Onion, Garlic and Ginger in it. Cook until onions are translucent.
In a grinder, add fried Onion, Garlic and Ginger along with tomatoes.
Grind all this to a smooth paste.
Now pour this smooth paste into the same Pan.
Add Gram flour, Powdered Spices and Kasoori Methi into it, mix well.

Lower the flame to slow and fry for 2 minutes.

Now add the water into the paste to make it thinner gravy.

Let the gravy boil for atleast 10-15 minutes to get into a bit thicker consistency and also to cook the gram flour well.

Sprinkle some finely chopped coriander on the gravy.
The gravy is ready. Check the consistency of gravy as per your choice.
I keep this gravy a bit thick else Pakodas go very soft and fall apart in the gravy.
Keep all the fried Pakodas in a deep serving bowl, Just before serving pour out the Gravy on to the Pakoras.

They will take few minutes to absorb the gravy and get dunked into it.
Garnish with some freshly chopped coriander and enjoy with Chapati, Paratha or Rice.

Veggie Bread Cutlets

One fine evening, my hubby called me and informed about going to a tea-party, that too with some snacks for the hosts. Kitchen was a mess cause it's half term break and I was so chilled out about it. Wake-up call for me.....I thought. So the search starts in my brain and also in the cupboards... Funny I know but I'm a mum and I've a busy mind :)

Here comes the bread loaf for my rescue. Quickly gathered Bread, Veggies, some random seeds, spices and ingredients of "Veggie Bread Cutlets" were in-front of me. Time to assemble everything and cook them up. So I did all the Hard Work (Ha ha ha Funny) :) and Cutlets were ready in a jiffy. Easiest to make quickest to finish :D

These cutlets are great as a tea-time snack or as a starter for any small party. We all enjoyed eating them in our Tea-Party, even kids loved them. Now I've one more recipe for my leftover bread slices just like others in the blog.

Try these easy and tasty cutlets in your Kitchen and you will be amazed about their taste. Something so easy to make and tastes awesome. Would love to hear from your kitchen experience. Don't forget to comment below. Until next time.......Happy Cooking Friends, Saumya

Ingredients:

Bread Slices                - 4 (Shredded/Ripped roughly by hand)
Boiled Potato              - 2 boiled and mashed
Mix Veggie                 - 1 cup (I took carrots,beans,peas,spinach and corn)
Green chili                  - 2 finely chopped
Fresh Coriander          - 2 tblspoon
Whipped Yogurt         - 2 tblspoon
Sesame seeds              - 2 tspoon
Poppy Seeds               - 1 tspoon
Salt                             - to taste
Amchoor                    - 1 tspoon
Garam Masala            - 1/2 tspoon
Oil                              - to deep fry

Method:

In a mixing bowl, tip the roughly ripped 4 slices of bread, add yogurt to it.

Mix the yogurt with bread and keep aside.

After 1 minute, add mashed potatoes and veggies in the bowl.

Now add Salt, Seeds,Amchoor and Garam Masala into it. Mix well.

Mix everything in the bowl to form a soft dough. Keep it in the fridge for 20-30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, pinch a small portion from the dough and roll that into a small cutlet/sausage/log shape.

Meanwhile keep the Karahi with oil on the flame to get warm enough to fry the cutlets. You can bake them as well. But this time I choose to fry, because it was for a friend's tea-party.
Do this with rest of the dough. I made 16 cutlets out of them, as I made a bit smaller size. Quantity will depend on the size you will make for the cutlet.
Once all the cutlets are formed, deep fry them on a medium flame until they turn golden brown from all sides. Flip them in between the frying.

Try not to over-crowd the Karahi, fry 2-4 cutlets at a time. Take them out on a paper towel to soak excess oil.

Serve the cutlets warm with choice of Chutney, Sauce and other Condiments.
These cutlets are great for Tea-Party, Evening snack and breakfast. You do not need occasion to have something delicious. Enjoy :)

Potato & Peas Kofta Curry

Kofta, are introduced in India by in decades ago in Mughal era. It's shaped like meatballs, sometimes coated and sometimes not then deep fried in the oil. Indian and surrounding countries Koftas are served in a spicy gravy, as the dry version is often known as Kebab.

Koftas can be made with any vegetable or meat. In India, Koftas are normally vegetarian and made with Paneer, Potato, Mix Veggies, Soya Granules, Bottle Gourd and so on. Koftas are served with Paratha, Chapati, Roti and most of the time with steamed Rice.

The name Kofta is originated from greek verb Kopto, which means "minced". Usually in Mughlai and Awadhi meals Koftas were made with minced meats of all sorts, so it's called Kofta.

I always liked Koftas a lot, specially bottlegourd Koftas and potato Koftas. Whenever I'm left with any sort of potato mix, I quickly mix the flour in it, roll them out, deep fry them dung in the gravy and wallah, one of the main dish is ready for lunch or dinner. Easy and quick to make, Koftas are very good addition to the menu, when planning a meal for friends.

Ingredients:

For Koftas:

Boiled Potatoes                 - 3 boiled and mashed
Green Peas                        - 1 cup boiled
Gramflour                         - 4 tblspoon
Salt                                    - To taste
Amchoor                           - 1/2 tspoon + 1/2 Tspoon
Garam Masala                   - 1/2 tspoon + 1/4 tspoon
Red Chilli Powder             - 1/4 tspoon
Oil                                      - for deep frying
Water                                 - for making batter

For Kofta Gravy:

Cumin Seeds                     - 1/4 tspoon
Asafetida/Hing                  - 1 pinch
Black Cardamom              - 1
Cloves                              - 2
Cinnamon                        - 1/2 inch stick
Bay Leaf                          - 1
Onions                             - 2 puree
Garlic                               - 6 cloves puree
Ginger                              - 1 inch puree
Tomatoes                         - 2 large finely chopped/pureed
Turmeric powder             - 1/4 teaspoon
Amchoor powder             - 1/4 teaspoon
coriander powder             - 1/2 teaspoon
Garam masala                  - 1/2 teaspoon
Salt                                   - to taste
Cream/Set Yogurt            - 1 tblspoon
Oil                                    - 1 tblspoon for tempering
Water                               - 2 cup or as per your choice of thickness
Coriander                         - 2 tblspoon finely chopped

Method:

For Kofta balls:

Mash the boiled potatoes in a deep mixing bowl. Add in the boiled peas in it.
Now add salt, 1/2 tspoon amchoor, 1/2 tspoon garam masala, mix it like a dough.
Now make same size round balls out of this mix. I made 15 balls out this quantity.
Once all the balls are shaped, keep them in the fridge for 10 minutes.

In another bowl, add Gramflour, salt, 1/2 tspoon amchoor, 1/4 tspoon Red chili powder, 1/4 tspoon garam masala, mix well.
Now add little water at a time, to make a thick batter, keep it aside.
The consistency of the batter should be like ribbon fall. If you drop the batter from a spoon and it falls in a continuous sting, it's called ribbon fall.
Heat the oil in a deep pan/Karahi.
Take out the potato balls from the fridge and Coat the them into the batter and deep fry them until golden from each side.
Keep the kofta balls aside after frying them to cool them.


For Kofta Gravy:

Grind Onion, garlic and ginger to fine paste.
Also puree the tomatoes. Keep the paste and puree aside and start with the cooking of gravy.
Warm 1 tblspoon oil heavy bottom pan.
Add all the whole spices Cumin, black Cardamom, Cloves, bay leaf, cinnamon and hing to it.
Now lower the flame to slow, turmeric powder, coriander powder, red chili powder, amchoor powder and salt to the pan.
Mix it well for a second and add onion paste to it.
Cook for 3-5 minutes until the raw smell of onion & garlic goes away.
Once done, add in the tomato puree to it. cook again for 2-3 minutes, covered with a lid.
Now add the 1 tblspoon of set yogurt/cream to the pan and mix it very well while stirring continuously.
Add in the water and let it boil for 5-7 minutes.
Sprinkle some finely chopped coriander on the gravy.
Check the consistency of gravy as per your choice. I keep kofta curry a bit thick else koftas go very soft and fall apart in the gravy. The kofta gravy is ready.

To assemble the koftas and gravy, your just need to take out the gravy in a deep serving bowl and dip the kofta balls into it.
Garnish them with fresh coriander and 1/2 table spoon of cream/yogurt.

Notes:
Make sure you dip the Kofta balls in the gravy only before serving.
Kofta balls get soft if left longer in the gravy and fall apart.
Serve the Koftas with Rice, Chapati or Paratha.

Pakoda Platter

Ingredients:

Gram Flour/Besan                               - 2 cup
Bread Slice                                          - 6 slices
Onions                                                 - 1 thinly sliced
Brinjal                                                 - 1 cut in thin roundels
Carom seeds                                        - 1 tspoon
Turmeric Powder                                - 1/2 tspoon
Salt                                                      - to taste
Red Chili Powder                                - 1/2 tspoon
Coriander Powder                               - 1 tspoon
Green Chili                                         - 2 finely chopped
Fresh Coriander                                  - 1 tblspoon finely chopped
Oil                                                       - to deep fry + 1 tblspoon
Water                                                  - to adjust the batter

Method:

Wash the Brinjal and cut thin roundels, soak in water until ready to coat & fry.
Cut the onion into thin slices.
Sieve the gram-flour in a deep mixing bowl.
Add in carom seeds, turmeric powder,salt,red chili powder,coriendar powder,green chili and fresh coriander and 1 tblspoon of oil into it.
Divide this flour mix in to bowls.

Making Bread Pakoda:
Start adding water little by little in one bowl to make the batter. Mix it for few minutes to full it up.
This should not be very runny but not very thick as well.
Now cut or shape the bread slices as per your choice, square, triangle or rectangle.
Heat oil into a deep Pan/Karahi.
Now coat each piece of bread into the batter.
Fry until golden brown from both sides.

Making Baguni:
Coat the Brinjal roundels into the same bowl, we coat the bread slices.
Fry until golden brown from both sides.

Making Onion Bhaji:
In the second bowl, make thick batter.
Mix in the onion slices, Mix well.
now pinch the batter with your fingers and drop in the karahi.
drop 4-5 at a time, do not overcrowd.
Flip them and Fry until golden brown from both sides.


Serve these Pakoda on breakfast, brunch or as a starter for small get together . I serve variety of Chutnies with this platter.