Crispy..Crunchy Bread Rolls

I couldn't just resist it....all the vows to eat low fat..low carb food to control my weight ..thats been upscale from quite some time inspite of all my attempts, were put aside...I had to have it....

I had some Potato filling left over and suddenly remebered this divine snack we used to have in canteen...Crispy and crunchy ...( the ones that make that krrr... sound when you bite into it!)Bread rolls filled with potato filling...

But then i decided ...that since now i am a member of the food blog world ...i need to show some ingenuity..and do that something 'extra' yet simple...so I made Bread rolls with mint flavoured potato filling!!

Here goes the preparation. The proportions are a bit sketchy rather than detailed..since it is a leftover recipe.

2 medium potatoes boiled and de-skinned and mashed

4-5 Bread pieces with edges removed

1 Tbsp of Mint paste

1 medium Onion finely chopped

2 green chillies finely chopped

1 inch Ginger piece -grated

1 tsp garam masala

pinch of turmeric(optional)
oil to cook and fry

salt to taste

Heat 1 tbsp of oil in a pan and when its heated add the onions and the green chillies and the turmeric. Saute till the onions are transparent.Add grated ginger and saute further for 1 min. Add the garam masala, salt and the mashed potatoes. Mix it over the flame for 2-3 mins. Remove the pan from the flame and add the mint paste , mix well. Allow it to cool. On cooling make table tennis sized balls out of potato mix.

Take a pot of water with a wide mouth. Take one piece of bread, dip it fully in the water and pull it out immediately. Hold the bread piece between your palms and squeeze it enough to release the water and not damage the now fragile piece of bread. Still holding the bread piece in one of your palms, place one of the potato mix balls prepared earlier on to the bread and close the bread over it. All open ends should be closed. You might want to tap the ball to elongate it so that the bread closes better on it. Repeat the process with rest of the bread pieces.

Heat oil for frying in a deep skillet. Lower the Bread rolls into the oil once heated. Take care not to overcrowd the skillet with rolls. Change sides in between for even frying. Take the rolls out when it attains the golden brown colour. Place it in tissue paper for the extra oil to go away.

Serve it with Tomato sauce and Corriander chutney while warm.

It is definitely a winner when guests drop in, in the evening and something nice and quick needs to be prepared.

Corriander Chutney

It would seem like chutney season on khichdi....

Chutneys, i feel add so much to a meal!

Having a bland meal?....eat it with a real tangy, spicy chutney..Add it to the lunch box..and we have that little extra something there...

Less in quantity...but adding so much more to the essence of having a great meal.

I started making this Corriander chutney out of the lark...I had a desire to add some fresh greens to the meal...and definitely was not in mood of adding coconut to it...

So just took

2 cups of corriander leaves

1 inch ginger piece - cut into small pieces

1 Tbsp Of chopped onions

2-3 green chillies

1 tsp lime juice(optional)

Salt to taste

Grind the entire ingredients in the grinder. Add a little water if your grinder demands it..mine did. The amount of green chillies can be adjusted. This chutney can used for sandwiches, as an accompaniment to Roti-Sabji..or with samosas or anything else you may want to have it with.

I served it along with Bread Rolls.

Onion Chutney

My mom makes this onion chutney, without which I would never eat Dosha. She would make the usual coconut chutney for the entire family an this onion chutney only for me.

When I started living away from her I tried making this same chutney.But I have never been able to get the same taste as she makes it. I guess it holds true for all of us, however hard we may try, recreating the same magic thats in our mother's hand, things never taste the same!

When I came across the ingredient for this month's JFI , onion I decided that its time that this Chutney should find its place in my Blog.

Ingredients
1 cup finely chopped onions
1 Tbsp Red chilli powder (can be increased or decreased as per hotness desired)
1 tsp coconut oil
1 tsp cooking oil

In a heated skillet put the chopped onions. Do not put any oil since we want the water to evaporate from the onions. Keep on stirring it at regular intervals. When the onions turn golden and start showing signs of wilting, add the chilli powder. Stir it further for 3-4 mins. Now add the cooking oil and saute it for 3-4 mins. The chilli powder and the onions should be well sauted. Remove from flame and grind it along with salt in the mixie to a rough consistency and not to to a paste. To the chutney now add coconut oil for flavour.
Simple isn't it? And believe me if you have liking for things that are spicy and hot...this one is for you.

This would be my entry for Jihva For Ingredients and for the Monthly Mingle -Comfort foods

Gajar Ka Halwa

Come winters and I start waiting for red carrots for making halwa. Unfortunately in bangalore both winters and red carrots come very late around december end. But still the wait is worth it!
I prefer the red carrots over the orange ones, for making gajar ka halwa.

The recipe is very simple so usually I end up making it every weekend and keep it in the refrigerator. No doubt by the end of winters both me and hubby would have gained a few kilos!

Ingredients

1 kg finely grated carrots. The finer the carots are grated the better is the taste.

1 cup sugar (can be increased or decreased as per individual's taste).

1/3 cup clarified butter (ghee) for the halwa

100 gms cashewnuts, raisins

2 Tbsp clarified butter(ghee) for frying the the dry fruits

100 gms Dried whole milk (khoya, mawa).

1/2 ltr milk

Before starting on the halwa make sure that the khoya is soft. Mash this khoya with hand and keep aside

In a pan heat 2 Tbsp of ghee. When heated add the cashews and the raisins and fry till golden brown. Keep aside. I erred and you can see the black cashews in the photograph!

Cook the grated carrots and the milk in a thick bottom wok till no more milk is visible. Add the sugar and the fried dry fruits to this mixture and cook further. The sugar will dilute. Cook until the water evaporates. Now add the ghee to this mixture and let it saute on low flame. Keep on mixing it at regular intervals so that the halwa does not stick to the bottom. Its done when you see that the color of the carrots have changed to a dark maroon. Also it would start exuding the ghee. At this point add the mashed khoya, mix well and keep on mixing it for another 10-15 mins at regular intervals.

Bingo! we have the gajar ka halwa ready....never mind the calories!

Let it just melt in your mouth :)

Fish Fry

There has been no doubt in my mind that I am a fishivores if there exists a category like that!

This fish fry has been a grand success at home and derives its origin from malluland – Kerala. For this recipe I use Rohu (Greas carp Fish), a fresh water variety, but this same recipe can apply to any other fish that you wish to fry. And yes I like it really hot. Also Rohu is a bony fish so please be aware!

½ kg Rohu (Greas carp Fish) cut in 1.5 inches pieces. This would come to around 8-9 pieces

For the marination

1.5 Tbsp of ginger garlic paste
1 Tbsp of black pepper
1 tsp of red chilli powder
1 tsp of curry leaves paste (4-5 curry leaves)
Pinch of turmeric
1 Tbsp of Curd/1 tbsp of lime juice.
Salt to taste

To fry 5-6 Tbsp of oil

Mix all the ingredients for marination and smear it on the fish pieces and keep it for 2-3 hrs in freezer. When done take a pan, add the oil and let it heat at full flame.
When the oil is heated add the fish pieces keep some distance between them close the lid and lower the flame.
Let it cook for 7-10 mins. Remove the lid and increase the heat . The fish is ready to change side when it comes off the pan easily. Change sides and fry it till both the sides get the brown crispy look.

Fried fish is ready to savour!

This would also be my entry for RCI - Cuisine of Kerala

Jhatpat Chhole

I had always wanted to share the 'jhatpat chhole' recipe. The chhole event at Anna Parabrahma decided the timing. Its easy and faster to make. I received this recipe from one of my friends mom. This chhole was always a part of her birthday treats at home, primarily because its delicious and can be cooked in huge quantities without much hassle and with almost a guarantee that it will come out well.

1 cup Kabuli Chana (chickpeas) -soaked overnight

1.5 cups onion finely chopped

3 med tomatoes finely chopped

2 tbsp corriander powder

1 tsp dry mango powder

1 tsp cumin powder

1/4 tsp turmeric powder

1 tsp garam masala

1 black cardamom (crushed)

1/4" cinnamon stick

3-4 cloves

1 tbsp ginger

1 tbsp garlic

1/3 cup oil

1 cup water

salt to taste

Drain the water from kabuli chana. Add all the ingredients mentioned above and the kabuli chana in a pressure cooker and mix well. Put the lid and let it cook for around 35-45 mins.

When the pressure is released mash up a part of the kabuli chana to make the gravy thick. The consistency of the gravy should be thick so you may heat it for sometime for the any extra water to dry off.

This would be my entry for Anjali's chhole event.

Besan Ka Halwa

Now this recipe is special...u know why..because it comes from the better half.
One of the few dishes he prepares for me.

1.5 cups chickpea flour(besan)
3/4 cup clarified butter(ghee)
1 cup milk
1/2 cup Sugar
cashews and raisins

Take a 1 tbsp of ghee and roast the raisins and cashews and keep it aside.
Now roast the flour in the remaining ghee till golden brown. Add the raisins and the sugar to it and immediately add the milk. Keep on stirring till there are no lumps and it becomes dry.
And the besan ka halwa is ready to eat!