Vegetable seekh kebabs

ingredients

serves: 4

4 Potatoes, boiled
500 g (1.1 lb) Yam (jimikand), boiled
100 g (3 1/2 oz) Cauliflower (phool gobhi), cut into florets, boiled
100 g (3 1/2 oz) French beans, finely chopped, boiled
100 g (3 1/2 oz) Carrots (gajar), finely chopped, boiled
125 g (4 oz) Cottage cheese (paneer), mashed
1/2 cup (60 g) 2 oz Cashew nuts (kaju), ground
2 tsp (12 g) Ginger (adrak) paste
2 tsp (12 g) Garlic (lasan) paste
1/2 cup (150 g) 5 oz Onions, minced
2 tsp (10 g) Green chillies, minced
1 cup (25 g) Green coriander (hara dhaniya), minced
1 tsp (2 g) Cumin (jeera) seeds, roasted
1 tsp (2 g) Red chilli powder
Salt to taste Vegetable oil for basting

method

1. Mash the boiled vegetables together to a fine paste. Add the remaining ingredients (except oil) and knead to a stiff dough. Keep aside for 30 minutes.

2. Spread the mixture along the length of the skewers. Bake in a preheated oven (150-180°C or 300-350°F) for 10 minutes. Remove, baste with oil and bake further for 5 minutes.

3. Remove from the skewers and serve hot.

Potato patties with green gram stuffing

ingredients

makes: 11 - 12

1 kg (2.2 lb) Potatoes, large, washed, boiled, peeled, mashed
2 tbsp (30 ml) 1 oz Vegetable oil
1 cup (200 g) 7 oz Green gram (moong dal), soaked for 30 minutes, drained
2 tsp (4 g) Turmeric (haldi) powder
1 tsp (2 g) Red chilli powder
3 tsp (6 g) Cumin (jeera) seeds, lightly roasted, powdered
Salt to taste
1 cup (250 ml) 8 fl oz Water
1 tsp (2 g) Mango powder (amchur)
Vegetable oil / Ghee for shallow frying

method

1. Heat the oil in a pan; add green gram, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, cumin powder, salt, and water. Cook covered on medium heat until almost done.

2. Add the mango powder and cook for a few more minutes, ensuring that the green gram grains remain intact. A little more water may be added, if required. Keep aside.

3. To the mashed potatoes, add salt to taste. Divide this equally into lemon-sized portions. Grease your palms and roll each portion to make a ball, then flatten into a smooth, round patty about 1/2 inch thick. Put 2 tsp of the green gram filling in the centre. Fold the edges together and seal the filling inside. Flatten again with the fingers to a 3 cm thickness. Keep aside and shape all the pieces this way.

4. Heat a few drops of oil / ghee on a griddle (tawa) or a non-stick frying pan; lay the patties flat on it. Cook on medium heat, adding a few drops of oil around the edges. Turn over when deep red and crisp. Repeat on the other side. Remove and drain the excess oil on absorbent kitchen towels.

5. Serve hot with mint chutney

FRIED GRAM FLOUR CRISPIES

Ingredients

serves: 4 - 6

1 cup (100 g) 3 1/4 oz Bengal gram flour (besan)
1 tbsp (15 ml) Vegetable oil
1/4 tsp (1/2 g) Black pepper (kali mirch) powder
1/4 tsp (1/2 g) Red chilli powder
a pinch Asafoetida (hing)
2 pinches Soda bicarbonate
Salt to taste
4 tbsp (60 ml) 2 fl oz Water
Vegetable oil for deep-frying

Method.

Mix the Bengal gram flour and oil with black pepperpowder, red chilli powder, and asafoetida.

  Dissolve the soda bicarbonate and salt in water and then boil it at once. When this mixture cools, mix it with the Bengal gram flour mixture. Add enough water to make a stiff batter.

  Heat the oil in a pan; put the batter in a mold with holes and press over the oil. Fry till golden and crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain the excess oil on absorbent kitchen towels.

  Cool and store in airtight containers.

Aloo Rolls (Refined flour rolls stuffed with potatoes)

ingredients

serves: 5 - 6

500 g (1.1 lb) Potatoes, boiled, mashed
2 1/2 cups (250 g) 9 oz Refined flour (maida)
2 tsp (10 ml) Vegetable oil
1/2 tsp (1 gm) Cumin (jeera) seeds
1 inch Ginger (adrak), finely chopped
a few Green chillies, finely chopped
1/2 tsp (1 g) Turmeric (haldi) powder
Red chilli powder to taste Salt to taste Vegetable oil for deep-frying

method

1. Knead the flour with enough water to make a medium-soft dough. Keep aside.

2. Heat the oil in a pan; add cumin seeds. When it starts crackling, add ginger and green chillies. Mix well. Add potatoes and the remaining spices; mix well. Remove and keep side.

3. Divide the dough equally into 10 portions. Roll each out into a round roti; roast and shallow fry each roti with oil. Repeat till all the rotis are made.

4. Spread 3 tbsp of potato stuffing on each roti and roll tightly. Serve hot.

SPINACH PAKORA

• 1 10 oz. package frozen Chopped Spinach
• 1.5 Cups Besan (chick pea flour)
• .25 Cup Rice Flour
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1 teaspoon Cayenne pepper

Mix all dry ingredients into thawed spinach (not drained). Deep fry.
It's really yummy :-) 

EASY PAKORA

(for coating potatoes, onions, whole spinach leaves, eggplant, etc.)

• 1 Cup Besan (chick pea flour)
• .25 Cup Rice flour
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 1 teaspoon Ground Cumin
• .5 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
• 1 Cup cold water.

Mix all dry ingredients together. Mix in cold water while stirring constantly to avoid lumps. Dip vegetables in batter and deep fry.

ONION AND POTATO PAKORAS(FRITTERS)

I love this as a snack it can also be a starter great with and old late night movie too!

• 1 1/2 cup chick pea flour (Besan or Gram)
• 1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
• salt to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon tumeric powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ajma seeds (optional)
• 2 /3 cloves of garlic (depending on how garlicy you like it)
• 1 cup warm water
• 2 cups thinly sliced round potatoes
• 2 cups thinly sliced round onions
• oil for deep frying

Sieve flour into a large basin add salt, tumeric powder, chilli powder, ajma seeds, crushed garlic and stir well. Gradually add the water until the mixture turns into a smooth batter (strring with a fork is easiest) if too thick add a little more water if too thin add a little more flour. Heat the oil in a 'karahi' or a deep pan. Dip the potatoes and the onion rounds into the batter and drop gently into the oil for deep frying. (If the oil is too hot then the outside will burn and the inside won't cook). Once golden in colour take out of oil drain on kitchen paper and serve hot. Accompaniments can be tomatoe chutney or good old ketchup!

Grannys tip: If you want to make the pakoras light and fluffy add 1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda in the batter and stir well. You can of course apply this principle to any vegetable of your choice even bananas :-) !