Pani Puri (Golgappa)/Indian Street Food

The other day during my usual trip to the grocery store, my eyes spotted some fresh mint leaves. The first thing that occured to me was Golgappa.

Today, I tried to re-create the magic that the street food in Delhi has. It made me nostalgic!

Golgappa is a round, hollow, crispy puff that is punctured by hand to stuff it with spicy boiled potatoes and chickpeas. The opening is then filled with mint water and a tamarind condiment. The puff is eaten one at a time w/o biting. The fun of relishing this dish comes not only from the flavour but also from the way it is consumed.

Ingredients and Instructions:

1. Boil potatoes and add red chili powder and black salt. Mash coarsely. You can add boiled chickpeas to this. This will be the stuffing.

2. Make a puree of mint, coriander, cumin seeds, black salt, chaat masala, jal jeer powder, and some tamarind condiment, Add water and mix well. Then refrigerate.

3. Make the tamarind condiment as per this recipe.

4. Golgappa (made from a dough of semolina and all purpose flour, then deep fried). You can easily buy these at an Indian grocery store.

Butter Chicken

1. 1 yellow onion, sliced
2. Tomato paste
3. Yogurt, 1 cup
4. cream 1 cup
5. Salt
6. Sugar
7. Butter
8. Ghee
9. Butter chicken masala
10. Butter chicken paste (optional)
11. Boneless, skinless, chicken breast, cut in pieces
12. Lemon juice (optional)
13. Kasoori methi (dried fenugreek leaves - these are milder and less bitter than the seeds)
14. Deghee mirch.

Instructions:
1. Whisk yogurt and add butter chicken masala, lemon juice, and chicken to it. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 3-4 hours.
2. Heat ghee in a non stick pan and when melted, add sliced onions and brown sugar to it.
3. When caramelized, set aside and cool.
4. Make a puree of the caramelized onions. This will impart sweetness to the sauce.
5. Heat ghee in a wok, add butter chicken sauce, tomato paste, and onion puree.
6. Saute for a few minutes then add cream and deghee mirch. (I used half and half instead of full cream).
Note: The tomato paste, cream, and mirch will impart a nice orange-red colour to the curry.
7. Bake the marinade chicken in the oven for 40min at 350 degrees on parchment paper so that it doesn't stick to the base.
8. Add chicken pieces  and salt to the sauce you made in step 6. You can add milk at this time to increase the gravy.
9. Simmer on medium low heat for about 20 mins, stirring occasionally.
10. Top with kasoori methi and add another dalllop of fresh cream as a garnish.

Serve with Naan or Steamed white basmati rice.

Batata Vada (Deep Fried Potato )

1. 4-5 potatoes, boiled, peeled, mashed.
2. Garlic pods, crushed
3. Green chili, crushed
4. Salt to taste
5. Chopped fresh coriander leaves, a small bunch
6. Oil for deep frying
7. Chick pea flour (Besan)
8. Red chili powder
9. Lemon juice or amchoor powder
10. Heeng, a pinch
11. Sodium bi carbonate
12. Green onion, chopped
13. Fresh Curry leaves, 2-3 springs
14. Turmeric powder, 1 tsp

Instructions:
1.Heat oil in a non stick wok.
2. Add mustard seeds and let it splutter.
3. Add garlic, green onion, chili, curry leaves and saute.
4. Add potatoes, salt, turmeric powder, coriander leaves, lemon juice and cook mix well.
5. Add some fresh green chili on top. Set aside to cool. Make small balls of this potato when cooled.
6. Make a batter of besan, heeng, sodium bicarb, red chili powder (1/4 tsp), salt and water.
7. Dip the potato balls in this batter.
8. Deep fry.


Serve hot with Dhania ki Chutney and Chai.
Serve with buns and call it Vada Pav (a popular Maharashtrian street food)

Thepla (Fenugreek Indian Flatbread)

This is my favorite gujju dish. No one makes it like my mother-in-law. This is just an endevaour.

Ingredients:
1. Freshly picked fenugreek leaves, 2 bunches (methi)
2. Salt
3. Sugar
4. Garlic, 5 pods
5. green chili, 4
6. Yogurt, 1/2 cup
7. Oil
8. Millet/Bajra, 1 cup
9. Cornflour/Makai, 1 cup
10. Whole Wheat flour, 1.5 cup

Instructions:
1. Shred garlic and chili.
2. Make a dough of bajra, makai, and aata and mix the shredded garlic and chili in it.
3. Also add salt, sugar, oil, yogurt in it.
4. Make a dough of the above.
5. Pinch out small balls of the dough and flatten it out with your hands.
6. Using a rolling pin, flatten it further.
7. Bake on a non stick pan, each side, while applying oil on both sides.

Serve warm with hot chai!!

Home Made Spaghetti

I loved spaghetti as a kid. Here's a tribute to those cherished childhood memories! Good 'ol Spaghetti!

1. 28 oz crushed tomato
2. 6 oz tomato paste
3. 4 tsp ketchup
4. 28oz + water
5. Basil
6. Oregano
7. Black pepper
8. Salt
9. Brown sugar, 1.5 tsp
10. Chicken, cooked and cut in cubes (use sausage if you eat red meat or skip for a vegetarian variety)
11. 1-2 red onion, chopped
12. 3-4 garlic
13. Olive oil
14. Red wine, Cabernet, 1/4 cup
15. Cooked whole wheat spaghettini
16. red chili flakes
17. Parmesan cheese


Instructions:
1. In a heavy bottomed wok, add olive oil.
2. Throw in red onion, garlic and cook until translucent.
3. Add basil, oregano, black pepper, red chili flakes and mix well.
4. Add tomato paste, crushed tomatoes, ketchup, water, salt, sugar, red wine, chicken, and boil on high heat.
5. When you see bubbles, lower the heat and add water.
6. Mix and simmer for about an hour, stirring occasionally.
7. Pour this auce over cooked spaghetti and then sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top.


Home made spaghetti for your palate!