Non-Fried Dahi Wada (Dahi Bhalla)

I bought a new non-stick appam patra (Appam Mold) last week and to say that I have been using it non-stop will be a serious understatement. I have made sweet appam by the dozens for the first time ever and  impressed my family, but the really really impressive bit came when I made wadas for my dahi wada dish in my appam mold. Yesss ! Wadas in made in appam style. Frankly though I cannot take the credit for this idea. It was my Aai who came up with this idea a couple of years back and always told me to do the same to make dahi wadas oil free. Many of you might also be doing it the same way but when I told my friends what I done , it was a completely novel idea to them and they loved it, not to mention they loved the Dahi Wadas too. It was their praise that prompted me to immediately blog about them. 

The entire process of making the wadas is just the same as you would for the fried version. Even the ingredients are absolutely the same. Only while preparing the wadas instead of deep frying the batter, pour spoonfuls into the appam mould. Now because I wanted them to taste just as good as the fried ones I put a few drops of oil on each wada (and I seriously mean a few drops) Cook on moderate heat for 4 to 5 mins on either side and pop them out.

Ingredients for the wadas:

3 cups urid dal (Split black lentils) soaked overnight or for 5 to 6 hrs

1 cup fresh grated coconut,

10-12 chillies,

3 tblspns cumin

2 to 3 tspns sugar

salt to taste.

Ingredients for the yogurt mix:

1 litre and a little more thick whole milk yogurt,

sugar to slightly sweeten the yogurt,

3 tspns of ginger  and chilly paste,

1 tspn cumin and coriander powder each

salt to taste

Ingredients for the tempering:

3 tblspns of oil,

2 tspns mustard

10 to 12 curry leaves finely chopped

1/2 tspn asafoetida (hing)

Method:

Soak the urid dal overnight or at least for 5 to 6 hrs,

•Grind the soaked urid dal finely along with the grated coconut, chillies , cumin, salt and sugar . While grinding the dal add water in small quantities only as much as needed to aid the process of grinding.

•Keep aside for a little while.

•Prepare the yogurt by whipping the yogurt to a smooth consistency.

•Add some milk to the yogurt to give it the consistency of a thick pouring sauce. Mix in the sugar ,salt and ginger, cumin and coriander powders and the ginger-chilly paste.

•Before cooking the wadas keep a large pan of lukewarm water at hand . Add to the water a little yogurt and mix it well . This water is used to soak the cooked wadas .

•Drop tblspnfuls of wada batter into the the mold and cook  on a very moderate heat turning them over once.

•After cooking  the first batch let them cool . After they have cooled pop them into the lukewarm water and let them soak in the water for a while until they become slightly soggy

•Repeat this process with all the wadas, putting them in water only after they have cooled slightly

•Note: if hot wadas are put in cold water they remain hard at the centre, so let them cool slightly first.

•When all the wadas have been put in the water squeeze out the water from each wada by pressing it gently between your palms and place them flat one next to the other in your serving dish.

•Pour over the prepared yogurt evenly over all the wadas

•Prepare the seasoning by adding the mustard seeds to hot oil. When they begin to splutter add the hing and the curry leaves and switch off the gas.

•Spoon this seasoning over the dahi wadas carefully . Sprinkle some chilly powder over the finished dish and garnish with coriander . Let your guest help themselves to the date and tamarind sauce

•Also offer your guests extra cumin and coriander and chilly powder .

This makes a wonderful side dish during a meal or a main snack at tea time and now you can enjoy these in unlimited quantities as they are NOT FRIED . YEHHHHHH!!!!!

Harry Potter and Yummy Rawa Idlis and Dhoklas

One weekend can be so different from another. Last weekend was simply horrible, we had a power failure for 20 hours , yes that's right 20 hours, my maid did not turn up for two consecutive days without any prior notice . Yes I have to admit , that in spite of having done all my washing up and laundry and vacuuming myself for last 6 years , I am now already used to the luxury of having a daily maid come in and do all that for me and although I don't have a major panic attack if she doesn't turn up I do get a bit irritated no doubt. And to top it all the hattrick was completed by no water supply. Aaghhhh !!! But I some how managed to keep my calm and keep things going.

But this weekend has been a delight so far. Saturday started late and that is very late. After a quick trip to my son's school to complete some scholarship formalities we had a leisurely brunch of idlis and dosas washed down with cups of hot filter coffee and aromatic ginger tea at a nearby restaurant. Afternoon was spent helping D with his homework and preparing a bit for his forthcoming unit test (surprisingly it went very well with D co-operating to the T). But the best bit came in the evening which we spent with Harry Potter. Reading this you might think that I am a big Harry Potter fan ,but believe me you couldn't be further from the truth. I am probably the biggest Harry Potter non-fan ever , so much so that I am always teasing hubby and son that I am going to start a Non Harry Potter fan club etc etc. So the funniest thing is I have not watched any of the Harry Potter movies nor have I read any of the books other than 1/2 of  the first one but today I watched the last one Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2. That too in 3D in a cinema hall .Can you beat that?  And I quite enjoyed it. My friends laughed at me saying that I am probably the first person who has started enjoying Harry Potter in the reverse order. Come to think of it I am kind of toying with the idea of reading Harry Potter :)) Lets see how long my interest in HP lasts.

Anyway speaking of brunches and idlis reminds me that I too made some idlis last week. These were simple Rawa Idlis which I sometimes serve as Idlis and sometimes as Dhokla. They taste just as awesome either way.

When made as Idlis I just put a couple of vegetables like grated carrots and maybe peas in them and sometimes even cashews and as dhokla I just add loads of fresh coriander and green chillies. They are perfect to take on picnics or as a healthy afterschool snack. Here's how I make them:

Ingredients:

1 cup coarse Rawa (ordinary Semolina, not Idli rawa)

1 cup water

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1/2 cup grated carrots

1/4 cup par boiled peas (or frozen ones which are already par boiled)

1/4 cup urid Dal  which have been soaked it water for 1/2 an hour (split black lentils)

handful of chopped cashews

2 green chillies very finely chopped

Some chopped coriander

1 tspn Eno Fruit Salt

1 tspn sugar

Salt to taste

Method:

Mix all the above ingredients keeping the soda-bi-carb for the last.

The mixture should have the same consistency as ordinary idli batter.

If you find it too thick just add some more water.

Give it a taste once you have mixed it and adjust the seasoning accordingly. 

It does not need any resting time.

Just leave it aside until you oil the Idli moulds and then you can immediately steam them.

Serve hot with coconut chutney or ketchup. 

On other occasions make the batter with finely chopped green chillies and plenty of fresh coriander and steam the batter as dhoklas like in the pic below

Serve the Dhoklas with the traditional tempering of hot oil , mustard, asafoetida and curry leaves. Put dollops of hot and sweet ketchup on top of each piece to make it pretty and also easy to eat.

Kadhai Paneer and Hot Phulkas (A Killer Combination)

Ooooh it really feels good to blog again. I have been away from the blogging scene for so long that that it feels like it did when I had just started Food-n-More in UK. It was the only thing I could think about . I used to constantly check (like about 50 times a day) to see if there were any new comments and everytime I made something new I wouldn't let hubby or son have a taste of it until I had photographed the dish from all possible angles and was finally satisfied with my amateurish photography attempts. They have always been so sweet and indulgent about it . Hubby has always proudly shown off Food-n-More to all his friends and colleagues and son is so sweet that he has started his own blog in which he posts about the different construction toys he makes. He also calls it by a name similar to my blog . He calls it Struxx-n-More because he wanted something just like Food-n-More. Needless to say that they are both very happy that I am blogging again.

There have been times when I made food especially for blogging and then at other times I have blogged about recipes that are firm favourites in my house with classic ingredients. A very hot favourite of mine is Paneer. Just thinking about it makes me smile. I love to cook with paneer, so much so that if I am having guests over hubby usually asks me  "So what paneer recipe are you thinking of madam?" And he is usually not wrong in guessing that there will be atleast one paneer dish.

I don't exactly remember when I made this Paneer Kadhai because I cook so often with paneer, but I thought it good enough to share with you guys. Chapatis is another thing I love to make. Whenever we had get togethers in the UK where all of us pooled in and prepared the meal ,chapatis were always alloted to me, or rather I always volunteered to make chapatis. Believe me well made soft chapatis can very often be the show stopper.  So this makes the picture above my all time favourite meal. Delicious Paneer and  soft pliant chapatis hmmmmmm !!!!

Recipe for Paneer Kadhai: (taken from Tarla Dalal and tweaked a bit here and there)

500 gms paneer 

2 cups capsicum (or coloured bell peppers which I have used)

2 tsp coriander seeds

5 whole red chillies

3/4 tsp dried fenugreek leaves (kasuri methi)

2 green chillies, chopped

2 tsp chopped ginger

4 tomatoes, chopped

2 tbsp chopped coriander

3 tbsp ghee

salt to taste

For the paste

6 cloves garlic (lehsun) mixed with a little water

Method

1.Cut the paneer and capsicum into cubes

2.Pound the coriander seeds and red chillies together.

3.Heat the ghee, add the garlic paste and cook on a slow flame for a few seconds.

4.Add the capsicum and pounded spices and cook on a slow flame for 30 seconds.

5.Add the green chillies and ginger and fry again for a few seconds.

6.Add the tomatoes and cook until the ghee comes on top.

7.Add the kasoori methi and salt and fry again for a few seconds.

8.Finally, add the cubed paneer and cook for a few minutes.

9.Sprinkle coriander on top serve hot and enjoy it yourself too.

A Super Bowl (Veggie Lentil Curry with Jeera Rice)

Hi guys!! I know I know , I have been as bad as ever. Neglecting my blog again for days now. Just got caught up doing other things (like playing Farmville!!) . But now I am back and have something wonderful to share. Wonderful yet very very simple to make , but very nutritious ,mind you. I made this dish just 2 days back. Got the recipe from a diet magazine and the picture in it was so good that I had to make it immediately.
This dish is perfect for those days when you have the middle of the week dinner blues and can't think of what to put on the dinner table that day. Well this ones a winner. It's fast to cook and very little washing up to do later as it can all be eaten from a single bowl.


What you need:
2 medium onions chopped
2 medium sweet potatoes peeled and cut into chunks
1 cup of uncooked masoor dal (split red lentils)
1 cup of green beans cut into pieces
1 cup of cauliflower florets
1/2 cup of green peas
1 tblspn each of garlic and ginger paste
1 heaped tspn mustard seeds
1 tspn cumin
1 tblspn hot curry powder
1 tspn chilly powder (more if you like)
1/2 tspn turmeric powder
Oil to cook
coriander to garnish


Method:


Heat about 3 to 4 tblspns of oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds first. When they begin to splutter add the cumin and fry for about 30 secs.
Next add the onions and the ginger- garlic pastes and fry well
Add to this the curry powder, chilly powder and turmeric
Now add the lentils and the vegetables, salt and 3 to 4 cups of water.
Bring to a boil and then lower the heat to simmer.
Cover and cook until the veggies are cooked and the lentils are mushy. The beans take the longest to cook , so if they have cooked , rest assured that the rest of the veggies have cooked.
Adjust the seasoning according to your taste and garnish with chopped coriander


Have this curry with a rice of your choice. I made simple jeera rice and  just made a salad to go with it. It makes  a quick and power packed supper with minimum hassle.


Right! Now  after that spicy curry here's something completely different. Recently I was introduced to the GrazeBox. What is a GrazeBox?  Well it  is just what it sounds like . It's a box which contains 2 or 3 types of nibbles which you can graze on throughout the week. It's the best thing to have to control those  4o'clock hunger pangs .It contains delicious things like nuts, raisins, seeds  dried fruit ,fresh fruit and even some exotic spicy nibbles.  This is what a graze box looks like from the outside. 

And this is my box from last week. I ordered  a graze fresh box and got all this delcious stuff in it. Believe me it's supposed to last you for atleat a week but it  was gone in minutes.

So if you are in the UK and interested in ordering one yourself  or would just like to know more about graze then  do visit http://www.graze.com/

If you feel like ordering one then please use the promotional code below. That will give you your first box free.

free box code: LYLD625A

So go Grazing!!

Delicious Kesar Pedhas (Delights of Blogging)

Hi all ! Hmmm ... I must say I was a bit disappointed to see only one comment to my Mango Moods post. I am  sure though that many of you have read it and are also giving  a good thought to what you can make and send in . So do that people and send in as many entries as you like . Let me tell you entries have actually started trickling in. So I can see light at the end of the tunnel.

Anyway let me get back to this post because this too is  a special post. I call it my "Delights of Blogging" kind of post and that's because it is a recipe I have followed from someone else's blog and has turned out delightfully well. All the credit for this recipe  goes to Ramya of Foodie Catalog. Thankyou Ramya for this awesome recipe I have always been on the lookout for a good recipe for Pedhas. I just love Pedhas and always wanted to make some at home especially as the ones we get here in UK come nowhere near the ones I am used to eating in Pune. So when I saw Ramya's recipe and her photos I just had to make some. I barely managed to wait until I could go out and buy some condensed milk.

The verdict on the Pedhas?  SUPERB !! Simply Superb!! They taste  so fresh and delicious. I shared some with a couple of friends and they were full of praise. One of them even said that had I not told him that they were homemade he would never have known. So there you are.

Now me being me I had to tweak the recipe a little, for the usual reason of not having one or the other ingredient at home . This time it was the butter. I did not have any, so I used ghee. That's it .

Ingredients:

Milk Powder – 2 cups

Condensed Milk – 1 can (14 OZ)

Ghee – ½ cup

Saffron – few strands

Water – 2 tsps

A pinch of salt

For decoration I used  milk masala , which is nothing but a combo of crushed pistachios, almonds, cardammom and saffron

Method:

1.Take a large wide mouthed microwave safe bowl and heat the ghee just until it melts.

2.Now add both the condensed milk and milk powder and microwave on full power  for 4 –5 mins stirring after every minute.

3.Heat water and add saffron. Mix with the dough and microwave again for another 4 to 5  more mins. The mixture kind of begins to thicken and also rise up . Be very careful when microwaving the hot mixture. Do not forget to stir frequently.

4.Cool the mixture  for a good 10 mins until it  is warm enough for you to handle . It get's the consistency of  chapati dough.

5. Now roll the pedhas. If tyou do this while the dough is still warm the Pedhas will roll into smooth balls. Give the pedhas a slight dent in the centre so that they look like the shop bought ones. Sprinkle with my suggested milk masala or any other dry fruit of your choice.

These Pedhas taste even better the next day. After a day or two store them in the fridge so they keep longer. Just microwave as  many as you want for 5 secs before eating or serving and they will taste fresh again. Next time you have a Pooja at your place amaze your guests with this Prasad.

Delicious Butter Chicken with the Restaurant Taste

Hi everyone ! So Diwali is behind us now and so are all the rich sweets and treats. So it's time for something different now. I tried out this Butter Chicken a few days back and it turned out pretty good and tasted just like the restaurant one we get in India. I checked out a recipe from http://www.videojug.com/ which is a fabulous site with very clear and step-by-step easy videos on how to make lots and lots of delicious recipes. Do check it out yourself sometime. I almost followed the entire recipe just as shown except for one step, and that is regarding pre-cooking the chicken. On videojug they have sauteed the chicken before adding it to the curry but I find that makes the chicken very chewy. So I grilled the chicken breasts in the oven until completely cooked and then cut them into bitesize pieces.

You will need…
2 chicken breasts,
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp butter
1 onion, chopped
¼ tsp cinnamon
1 tsp garlic, crushed
1 tsp ginger, crushed
½ tsp ground turmeric
1 tsp chilli powder
2 tbsp ground almonds
220 g can of whole peeled tomatoes/ or chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp natural yoghurt
2 tbsp fresh coriander or spinach, chopped , 1 heaped tblspn kasoori methi (which was not in the original recipe )
salt and pepper

Method:
Step 1:
Smother the chicken breasts with the vegetable oil and season well with salt and pepper
Step 2:
Grill the chicken breasts in the oven at approx 200 deg C for around 30 mins or until completely cooked .
Step 3: After removing from oven let it rest for a few minutes before cutting it into bite-size pieces and put it aside
Step 4:
In a frying pan melt the butter.
Step 5:
Fry the onion with the cinnamon.
Now add the onion and cinnamon and fry together in the pan.
Step 6:
Add the remaining ingredients.
At this point add the crushed garlic, crushed ginger, turmeric, chilli powder, almonds, peeled tomatoes, tomato paste and the natural yoghurt. Stir all of the ingredients together and mix thoroughly.
Step 7:
Bring to the boil and cook.
Bring the ingredients to a boil and stir for 4-5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Step 8:
Add the chicken.
Put the chicken back into the pan and combine with the other ingredients.

In last stage of cooking add the kasoori methi. Before adding it microwave it for a few seconds and then crush it slightly between your fingers to release it's flavour.
Step 9:
Add the fresh coriander.
To compliment the dish, garnish with coriander,or fresh spinach ,or finely chopped spring onions and mix with the sauce.
Step 10:
Serve steaming hot and eat up with Naan Bread or Rice!

Wish you all a very Happy and Delicious Diwali

!! दीपावलीच्या तुम्हा सर्वांना खूप खूप शुभेच्छा !!

!! Happy Holidays to all on Food-n-More !!

It's just around the corner now!

Yes, it is ,isn't it? Diwali is almost here now and I am so excited. I am completely into the Diwali fever. And this is inspite of the fact that I am in the UK where things are definitely nowhere as exciting as they are back in Pune. I have started preparing the snacks and am also going to make a Aakash Kandil very soon to hang outside my door. Well maybe not outside but definitely inside my house.
I made two snacks today. I started with those that keep the longest. They are Chiwda and Shankarpale. Two classic Diwali snacks . And today I will share with you the Shankarpale I made.

These are All-Butter Shankarpale and believe me they just melt in the mouth. I know Shankarpale are normally made with ghee but try them with butter and you will love them.
So here we go:
Ingredients:
1 cup salted butter,
1 cup + 2 tblspns water,
1.5 cups sugar,
approx 750 gms plain flour
oil for deep frying

Method:
Put the butter ,sugar and water together in a heavy bottom pan and heat gently just until the sugar completely dissolves
Switch off the heat immediately,
Set aside and let this mixture cool down
When it is cool start adding the flour and go on adding it until you have a medium soft dough (Dough should not be too soft , nor too firm. I have stated the quantity of flour as 750 gms but that is only an approx measure)
Once the dough is kneaded cover it and and let it rest for 1/2 hour
Then divide it into equal sized parts and roll out each part thinly.
Cut out diamond shapes and fry on a moderate heat until light golden in colour.
Drain onto a paper towel and store in a air tight container when cool.

That's my first recipe for you this Diwali . I plan on making a few more snacks which too I would love to share with you so do come back again soon and check them out.

!!!Happy Diwali Cooking!!!

Kutcchi Dabeli

You all probably know from many of my previous posts that we friends have regular tea get-togethers on Fridays. It gives the kids a chance to have a great time on the last day of the school week and it gives us ladies an excuse to meet and chat and eat tasty snacks. Well this week it was my turn and my choice of snack was this ever -popular Kutcchi Dabeli. For those of you who aren't familiar with Kutcchi Dabeli ,it is a Gujarati snack ,it's name being derived from the place Kutch in Gujarat. But it is a very very popular street food in Maharashtra and is probably just one place below Vada-Pav which tops the best-seller list of street-food.

Very surprisingly though I never ate Kutcchi Dabeli when I was in college. Never even once. I ate it the first time here in England when a friend made it . I just loved it and have ever since wondered why I never ate it earlier. I mean if it tastes so good at home it must be great when eaten on the road-side, right?? Well I definitely will find out the next time I am in Pune ,which unfortunately is not so soon. So till then I will keep making it at home.

Now Kutcchi Dabeli needs a special Masala /Spice Mix which is easily available back home, but not here in UK. The most popular brand is Siddhi Masala , so I had my sister bring me a few packs of that when she last visited. But it can be substituted with cumin-coriander powder and garam masala which is also a blend of the same spices just probably in different proportions.
So now on to the actual process :

Ingredients for approx 12 Dabelis:
12 soft rolls /buns
1 kg potatoes boiled ,peeled and mashed,
1 pack of Dabeli Masala (100 gms) OR
2 tblspns each of coriander and cumin powder, 2 tblspns of garam masala, 1 tblspn of chilly powder,
Salt to taste (you don't need any salt if you are using the dabeli masala . It has everything in it.)
Date and Tamarind Chutney,
Red chilly and garlic chutney (blend red chillies, garlic salt and sugar together in a blender with a little water)

For the garnish:
Seeds of one or two pomegranate,
Sev,
2 finely chopped onion,
Salted/spicy peanuts
Finely chopped coriander

Method:

• Boil and mash the potatoes and keep aside,
• In a pan heat 4 to 5 tbslpns of oil , add to that the mashed potatoes and all of the 100 gms of dabeli masala or the alternative spice powders with the salt. (Remember no salt if using the Dabeli Masala) and mix it all well. Your filling is ready.
• Spread out this filling evenly on to a large plate and garnish generously with all the garnishings as you see in the pic. It looks very pretty.

To serve:

Split a bun in half and spoon both the chutneys in it first, then put about 2 tblspnfuls of potato filling on top .

• Put some more salted nuts and sev if you wish.
• Top again with date and tamarind chutney and close with the top part of the bun.
• Butter the bun on both sides and brown it nicely on a tawa/flat pan.
• Serve hot

Wheat and coconut cream pudding

A couple of days back my good friend Kavita left UK and went back to India for good. Before leaving she gave me a bagful of groceries that she had left over and obviously couldn't finish before she left. This is a normal practice amongst us friends . Whenever one of us is leaving for good we kind of have a grocery distribution programme between us . The person who is leaving accumulates all the store cupboard groceries that she cannot use up and asks us to take what ever we fancy . So everyone kind of gets to explore her groceries which is fun . Although of course it is no fun to have one of your group leave forever. It leaves a kind of empty void that is very difficult to get used to.

So this time along with other things I got something that I had never used before. She had a container full of hand-threshed whole wheat from her family farm back home in India. So it was of the best quality ever. K said her mom-in-law and sisters in law make a kheer out of it although she had never tried it herself it UK. My initial enthusiasm on recieving it faded a bit when I saw the whole grain and wondered how I would cook it. I have cooked bulgar wheat before but this was something else altogether.

So I tentatively cooked it in my pressure cooker with some water. Thankfully it cooked beautifully and the kheer or pudding that I made from it turned out just fabulous. I cooked it in coconut milk and the taste was mind-blowing. So thanks to K for that! Bulgar wheat being widely available and imparting the same taste is my recommendation as a substitute to the wheat I used for this pudding

Ingredients:

3/4 cup Bulgar Wheat,

1 can of coconut cream

1/2 cup fresh grated coconut,

3/4 cup jaggery (or use light brown muscovado sugar)

a generous pinch of saffron,

1/2 a tspn of cardammom powder

1/2 cup approx milk (to thin the kheer if needed)

2 tblspns ghee (clarified butter)

Method:

Cook the Bulgar wheat with the grated coconut and some water in a pressure cooker for 3 whistles.

In another pan heat the ghee and add the cooked wheat and stir for a couple of minutes

To this add the coconut milk/cream from the can and stir it in well,

Next add the jaggery/sugar and the saffron . (you can soak the saffron in warm water or milk for some time but it's not neccessary)

Now simmer the kheer /pudding for a good 20 to 25 minutes on a very low heat, stirring occasionally so it does'nt stick to the bottom of the pan.

If you would like it a bit thinner in consistency add the milk. Remember it becomes thicker and thicker as it cools down, so it a good idea to have it a bit thinner than you would like when it is hot.

Switch off the heat after 25 mins and sprinkle the cardammom powder and stir it in well.

This pudding tastes good warm or chilled. We love it chilled. So I chilled it in the fridge for an hour before serving. To serve decorate with cashews or almonds or any dry -fruit of your choice.

S.P.D.P

Have you heard of the abbreviation S.P.D.P before? Well if you are from Pune or have lived in Pune for a while you are sure to know what I am talking about. It's the most popular dish in the most popular cafe in Pune. The dish is Sev Potato Dahi Puri , a tantalising combo of crisp puris filled with boiled potato, beaten yogurt, sweet and sour tamarind chutney, hot chilly and mint sauce, finely chopped onions and tomatoes all topped with more yogurt and crispy sev. In short it is heavenly.

The cafe is of course Vaishali on Ferguson College Road . For those of you who don't know Pune so well Vaishali is the most popular hangout for people of all ages in Pune. Mostly frequented by college going teenagers, it is also a favourite with ladies who come there in groups maybe for theie kitty parties or just to catch up on the latest with their friends , with people who come there for steaming hot idlis and delicious coffee after a session of tennis or badminton in the morning , and of course with pensioners who come there to relax and enjoy the youthful atmosphere . It is considered a great achievement to get a table in Vaishali as soon as you get there. Normally you need to wait at least 10 to 15 mins unless you are fortunate to know a waiter there who will be kind to procure a table for you at once.

So coming back to S.P.D.P it is a dish I have eaten umpteen times at Vaishali and have of course replicated it at home on many occasions too. I made it a few days back and could barely spare a few puris to take a picture of the dish. In my family we are notorious for devouring all kinds of chaat items in a matter of minutes

Making this in the UK requires a bit of planning as the puris are available only at the Indian grocers (you can make them at home but I find that a bit tedious ) and you must have plenty of coriander ,mint and chillies at hand not to mention tamarind and palm sugar or demerara sugar for the chutney .

So you need:
1box of Pani Puris or flat Puris (whichever you prefer, it is easier with the pani puris as they are puffed and therefore easier to fill )
2 large potatoes boiled and coarsely mashed,
3 to 4 cups of sprouted moong beans (this is optional but I recommend it , soak green moong lentils one day earlier and then wrap them up the next morning in a thin cloth till they sprout )
1 large onion finely chopped,
1 large tomato finely chopped,
Sweet and sour tamarind chutney (recipe given below)
Chilly and mint sauce (recipe below)
2 cups beaten yogurt (add a little sugar and salt to this)
Chilly powder to sprinkle on top
Chaat masala to sprinkle on top (available at Indian stores)
Fine Sev (available at Indian stores)
Fresh coriander for garnishing

Whew!! thats quite a list.

Prepare ahead:
Tamarind Sauce or chutney
Boil a handful of tamarind fruit in water till the tamarind goes all soft and pulpy, let it cool a bit, then check to see that there are no seeds in the pulp, remove seeds if you find any. Strain this boiled tamarind so that you have a smooth pulp left ,
Add double the quantity of palmsugar (jaggery) to the pulp, 1 tspn chilly powder, 1 tspn salt, 1/2 tspn each of cumin and coriander powder and blend it all together in a blender. Give it a taste and adjust seasoning. If you find it too sour add more jaggery and blend again.
Your tamarind sauce is ready

For the mint and chilly sauce:
Blend together a handful of mint leaves, 3 green chillies, and a handful of coriander with 2 to 3 tspns of lemon juice and a tspn og salt. Add a little amount of water while blending but keep it to a minimum as we do not want a very runny sauce.

Now the assembling:
To serve place 6 puris on a plate. Make a hole on the top of each one them to put in the different fillings.
First put in the boiled potato bits, then come the sprouted moong beans, now the onion and tomato, , next add the yogurt and the two sauces, and finally top it all with plenty of sev, another lashing of yogurt and season with chaat masala ,chilly powder and salt. Garnish with corainder and serve.

Don't get discouraged by all the prepping that is involved. The final product is worth every bit of effort it takes

Mango Mastani (It's seriously addictive)

My memories of enjoying a Mango Mastani go back a long long way, right to the time when I was about 10 years old. I mean today Pune has some fabulous Mastani places where the Mastani is sold in many different flavours but back then my dad used to take us to a small place , a stall actually, located at Saras Baug (readers from Pune will know the location ) . It was called Vasant Cold Drink House . It belonged to a friend of my dad's and he and sold the most awesome Mango Mastani made from fresh Alphonso mangoes and made in a hand turned ice cream maker. Eating this Mastani was a luxury and at a price as low as Rs.10.00 per glass it was practically free considering today's prices. A Mastani today costs around Rs.60.00 to 70.00 at Sujata Mastani in Pune .

So every time I think of Mastani I always remember that small place which gave me my first taste of this beautiful beautiful dessert. No wonder it's also got this royal name . Mastani was a danseuse and wife to Bajirao Peshwa . She was a stunning combination of beauty and bravery that history recollects and it is said that her skin was as smooth and delicate as porcelain. Well our Mastani is just as beautiful, don't you think?

So here's my version of the Mango Mastani:
As it the Mango season I used fresh mangoes but otherwise just go ahead and use canned mango pulp, but preferably Alphonso mango.

To make 2 tall glasses of Mastani you need:
Pulp of 1 large Alphonso Mango or 2 medium ones (or of course the equivalent in canned pulp)
1.5 glasses of cold whole milk,
4 tpns sugar
lots of ice cubes
And good quality mango icecream or mango kulfi (I used kulfi)

Method:
Whizz up the milk ,mango , sugar and ice in a blender until thick and frothy. Pour out into tall glasses upto three quarters. Then put in 2 scoops of mango icecream on the top and decorate with cubed mango and some whipped cream . Put in a straw and a long spoon and serve chilled. Or drink it and go straight to heaven.

Other good variations are :
Rose milkshake and mango icecream,
Rose milkshake and pistacchio icecream,
Strawberry milkshake and vanilla icecream
But of course nothing comes close to the total mango version.

Five Star Dal Fry

See guys I have kept my word and am posting every few days now. In fact I keep rushing to take pics every time I have a dish ready to serve. I just hope I can keep it up.

So this is a dal that I have for you today . I make this quite frequently for dinner as it is a good change from the regular Amti (a maharashtrian dal preparation) that we make practically everyday . I call it 5 star dal fry not because I first ate it at any 5 star restaurant or something but because it is a combination of 5 different dals, which makes it a powerhouse of protein. The special touch comes from cooking it in pure ghee rather than everyday sunflower oil. The ghee even when used in small quantities imparts a delicious taste and aroma to the dal which has everyone helping themselves to seconds and thirds. I very often cook this dal when I am out of fresh veggies . As there are 5 lentils in here it more than provides all the nutrition to make a balanced meal and as it is thick in consistency it is also very filling

Currently as it is the mango season we try to have aamras (fresh mango pulp) for dinner whenever possible. In India we have it each and every day in summer until the Alphonso is in season but here in England we are not so fortunate although this year we have got some of the best Alphonso which we bought in Kingsbury , London. So with aamras on the dinner plate vegetables tend to take a back seat which none of us really mind as it is temporary. So on such occasions this dal really completes the meal beautifully.

So here goes:
Ingredients needed:
Fill a cup with equal quantities of :

• Toor Dal,
• Yellow Moong Dal,
• Masoor Dal,
• Whole masoor and
• Chana Dal
• 1large tomato chopped,
• 1 onion chopped,
• 3/4 cloves of garlic minced,
• 2 to 3 dry red chillies,
• 2 tspn coriander powder,
• 3 to 4 tblspns ghee,
• 2 tspns jeera (cumin seeds)
• 1/2 tspn hing (asafoetida)
• 1 tspn turmeric powder,
• 1 tspn chilly powder (optional)
• 8 to 10 fresh curry leaves,
• salt to taste
• Fresh coriander to garnish

Method:

• Wash the dals together and cook with double quantity of water and a pinch of salt and 1 tspn of turmeric powder in pressure cooker as you would for any dal.
• In a pan heat the ghee and temper it with the cumin seeds, hing, and red chillies and curry leaves,
• Next add the chopped onion, and garlic and fry on moderate heat until onion turns light golden in colour.
• To this add the chopped tomato and cook further for a few more minutes,
• Now add the coriander powder, and a little turmeric powder and cook further . Add a little amount of water at this stage.
• Next add the cooked dals and stir well. Add more water to make it as thin as you like and bring it to a boil. When it begins to boil turn down the heat and let the dal simmer for about 20 mins.
• Check the seasoning, you might want to add more salt and also more chilly powder to the dal at this stage.After 20 mins on simmer switch off the heat . Turn out the dal into you serving bowl and garnish with fresh coriander and enjoy with rice , chapatis or parathas.

You can even add a dollop of butter to the dal just before serving . It's sinfully indulgent but tastes simply awesome.

Amazingly Delicious Paneer Potato Bites

A very warm Hello to all my dear readers. Sorry I have been away for so long. Had a lot of other tasks to do and somehow in all the rush to do 20 things at the same time it is always my blog that takes a back seat. But it is never far from my thoughts. Whenever I cook something different from the ordinary my mind is planning out how I can present this on Food-n-More. In fact in the last fortnight it so happened twice that I did make some tasty snacks and was determined to take pics of the dishes but somehow I left it too late and the food was over and gobbled up (don't ask by whom) before I could get my camera out of it's case. But not this time. This time I did take pics before anyone had a chance to set eyes on what I had made. And what did I make? Yes these very delicious ,crispy and mouthwatering Paneer Potato Bites.
They were practically made in minutes . They are a great starter for any party or get together and my friends loved them. So will you!

Here's what you need:
1 large potato and 1 small one cooked ,peeled and mashed
150 gms paneer grated
2 cubes of cheddar cheese (approx 40 gms),
a handful of fresh mint leaves finely chopped,
some coriander (optional)
cumin and coriander powders 1 heaped tspn each
1 tspn sugar,
1 tspn garam masala,
1 and 1/2 tspn chilly powder
salt to taste
Oil for frying

1. Mix all the above ingredients together (except of course the oil) very well .
2. Make small bite sized balls and keep aside.
3. Heat the oil and fry the balls until golden (hardly takes a few seconds)
4. Serve on cocktail sticks with your favourite dip. I used Thai Sweet Chilly Sauce.

Now wasn't that quick?
N.B : I fried them a little before my guests were due to arrive and left them in the oven at 100 deg C. They were nicely warm and crispy when I served them. These are excellent finger food for kids' parties too.

Happy Holi everyone !

The Spring Festival of India, Holi which is on the 10th of March this year is a festival of colours. Celebrated in March or April according to the Hindu calendar, it was meant to welcome the spring and win the blessings of Gods for good harvests and fertility of the land. As with all the Hindu festivals, there are many interesting legends attached to Holi. It is the second most important festival of India after Diwali.

Special sweets are prepared on Holi with the Puran Poli taking the place of pride and in the evening friends come together around a bonfire which is a representation of burning away all that is evil and starting afresh. It is a festival of fun and frolic and the exuberance and the festivity of the season are remarkable. The day after Holi is called Dhulwad in Maharashtra and is celebrated by splashing colours and water on each other. This is particularly popular with teenagers and collegians who are seen going around the city in large groups on their bikes and scooters having a fantastic time.

So coming back to Puran Poli this is what I have for all of you today. Puran Poli is the like the heart and soul of Maharashtrian cuisine and and it's a true test of your cooking skills. It's a skill not just learnt from a cookbook but something that is handed down generations. The best Puran Poli I have eaten is the one made by my mother-in-law. They are just the ultimate and I really have to keep a check on how many I eat . Having said that I also take great pride in saying that my own Puran Polis come out beautifully as well considering the fact that I make them only once or twice a year. My family loves them and we can never have enough. So I have to share them with all of you, don't I?

For those to whom Puran Poli is a new dish, Puran is basically a sweet stuffing made from chana dal and jaggery. Poli is a flat bread. This puran is stuffed in dough and then rolled out gently to make Puran Poli which is eaten with loads of melted ghee. It is heaven on earth.

Here's how I go about it:

Ingredients for the Puran:

1.5 cups chana dal

1 cup jaggery

1/2 cup sugar,

1/4 tspn grated nutmeg

1/4 tspn cardammom powder,

1/8 tspn saffron strands soaked in warm water

1/4 tspn salt,

3 cups water to cook the chana dal

Ingredients for the outer cover or Poli

1 cup wheat flour finely sifted

1 cup plain flour (maida)

1/4 tspn salt

8 to 10 tblspns of oil to knead the dough,

1 cup rice or plain flour to dust while rolling out the poli

Method for cooking the Puran:

Ideally the chana dal is cooked in a open saucepan till it gets soft and mushy but I prefer to cook it in a pressure cooker as that is much faster and and I don't have to watch it all the time. So place the chana dal with double quantity of water and pinch of turmeric in a pressure cooker container and then pressure cook it . I cook it for a little longer that I would cook normal dal .

While this is cooking prepare the dough for the poli. Mix the 2 flours and salt and form a soft dough by adding enough water. Pour all oil and knead well. The quantity of oil seems a lot but believe me it is necessary to make a delicious puran poli. Leave the dough covered for 1 to 11/2 hour.

When the dal is thoroughly cooked and mushy remove the container from the cooker and drain the excess cooking liquid from the dal. This is called Kat and is used to make a delicious spicy soupy meal accompaniment called Katachi Amti.

What I do now is blend the dal well with a hand mixer still it is smooth with absolutely no grainy texture. Then place this dal ,the jaggery and sugar in a heavy bottom pan and cook it on a low flame stirring frequently till the mixture thickens to the point where if you insert a serving spoon in it , it will stand in the mixture. This is how experts test it. Finally add the nutmeg , cardamom powders and the soaked saffron and give it all a good mix . Switch off the gas. Stirring the mixture frequently is important as it sticks easily to the bottom of the pan.

After the Puran has cooled you can rolling out the Puran polis by taking a ball of dough and thrice as much puran . Roll out the dough a little then place the Puran over it and pulling all the edges to the centre close the mouth of the dough. Dust a small amount of flour on the surface and on the rolling pin and gently roll the poli ensuring that the puran is evenly spread inside without breaking out of the dough.

To roast you need the tawa (skillet) just moderately hot. Roast on one side then flip once and the poli is done. Do not over cook. This is a delicate creation and treat it accordingly. To serve melt ghee and spoon generously( and I mean really generously) over the poli and with some warm saffron flavoured milk alongside. Serve hot.

White peas with Sweet Potatoes (Some simple cooking after a very sweet Christmas)

Hi and a very bright and beautiful New Year to all my avid readers. May all your troubles this year be as short-lived as your New Year's resolutions:>)

So! ! I am back again from one of my long breaks . I know I have been taking so many long breaks between posts that I think you all are probably tired of hearing my reasons. But please hear me out one more time. The break in blogging started because of the Christmas holidays. 2 weeks of sheer relaxation. I like Christmas holidays particularly as it is a holiday without having the stress to celebrate the festival as we don't celebrate Christmas . Well we do it a little bit just for my son who still believes in Santa and reindeer and all the Christmassy bits that are so important and delightful to a child . So we have some fairy lights in the house and of course he has a Christmas stocking and his Christmas present of course.

But basically what the holidays mean is husband and son at home . (i.e son for 2 weeks of course and husband only for the long Christmas weekend and on New Years.) , no getting up early to pack lunches and no nagging them both to get out of the house on time for school and office late brunches and generally a sense of taking everything easy . I was practically getting up at half past eight everyday. Felt guilty sometimes but I easily pushed the guilt away. That was not difficult at all.

Before the Christmas weekend we made sure that the fridge and store cupboard were well stocked , made a trip to the library for some good books and magazines and DVDs to loan and we were set. What more does one need? Right? Christmas Day and the next two days were spent playing Monopoly with our son. It was great . The three of us really enjoyed our time together. I also did quite a lot of cooking (you have to cook a lot when all of you are at home). But that meant I could not find the time to blog. All the time was spent by the three of us together, eating , playing games, going out, visiting friends and of course visiting the sales on Boxing Day.

But now it's back to routine. I am alone at home again doing my thing while hubby and son have gone to their respective places of duty. The festivities are over and everything is back to normal which includes the cooking. No more puddings and cakes and mince pies in my kitchen. We have had our fill. Since a couple of days I have started googling the name of whatever vegetable I have in my fridge and checking what the net has to offer . It's the best way to come up with different combos and different ways to cook that same old veggie.

This time I had soaked a cup or two of dried white peas ( that's not chana ) and wanted to cook them with another veggie. Normally I use dried white peas only to make Ragda Patties . But yesterday I cooked them with sweet potato and the result was delicious to say the least. All three of us loved it with chapatis. It was simply cooked with no fuss and minimum spices. The dish looked beautiful too because of the sweet potatoes which are a beautiful coral colour.

Here are the ingredients :

• 1.5 cups of dried white peas to be soaked overnight (they increase in quantity to a little more than 2 cups after absorbing the water)
• 1 medium sized sweet potato cubed (keep them immersed in water until you need them so they do not discolour)
• 1 small onion chopped,
• 3 cloves of garlic finely crushed,
• 1 large tomato chopped
• 3 tblspns oil,
• 2 tspns mustard seeds,
• 1/2 tspn hing (asafoetida),
• 1 tspn whole cumin (jeera),
• 1 tspn each of coriander and cumin powder,
• 1/2 tspn turmeric powder,
• 1 tspn sugar,
• some fresh chopped coriander,
• salt to taste.

Method:

• Cook the peas in a pressure cooker with some salt and the turmeric powder.
• In a pan heat the oil and temper it with the mustard seeds, hing and cumin,
• Next add the chopped onion and garlic and fry for a few minutes on moderate heat,
• Now add the tomatoes and cook further,
• Add to this all the spice powders (coriander,cumin, chilly and some more turmeric). Cook these on low heat for a further 2 minutes.
• Now add the 2 star ingredients : Cooked white peas and the sweet potato cubes, add 2 cups of water
• As the peas are already cooked and sweet potato cooks very fast you will need to cook these further for a very little time just until the sweet potatoes are done and the spices are nicely mixed and absorbed in the whole curry. Add more waterwhile cooking if you find it getting too thick . Stir in most of the chopped coriander into the dish and use the remaining to garnish just before serving.

Eat with hot rotis or jeera rice. It makes a very simple but hearty and healthy meal.

Ganapati Bappa Moraya

A very big Hello !!! to all my dear readers and blog friends. I am back after a very very long break and believe me I am now really really ready to blog again. My trip to India was super. It was one big social event. I was visiting friends and family left ,right and centre. Visited some nice restaurants too and ate lots of delicious stuff and inspite of all the hogging I did there I lost some weight. Isn't that amazing? I am very happy.

And here I am with my latest dish that I have just prepared minutes ago and is fresh off the stove. I couldn't have chosen a better day than today to start blogging again . Yesss! It's Ganesh Chaurthi today . That special festival of Maharashtra which is celebrated for 10 days with great pomp all over the state. Before starting any new venture we believe in praying to Lord Ganesh or Ganapati Bappa as he lovingly called in Marathi. It is believed that Ganapati can remove any obstacles that may be a hindrance in your way to success and that is the reason why any new venture is first started by praying to Lord Ganapati.

So I am definitely starting on a very good day. What I have for you today is also a very special dish made particularly on Ganesh Chaturthi as it is Ganapati Bappa's favourite. It is Modak. The one I have for you today is the fried version



Ingredients:
For the outer cover
1 cup Plain Flour,
2 tspn Fine Semolina,
3 tblspn very hot oil
A pinch of salt
Ingredients for the filling:
210 gms fresh shredded coconut
1 cup jaggery (palm sugar)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tspn cardammom powder
1/2 tspn nutmeg powder

Procedure:
Filling: (Filling can be prepared one day in advance and kept ready)
1. In a heavy bottom pan mix the coconut, jaggery and sugar on a moderate to low heat . Keep stirring until the the mixture loses moisture and becomes slightly dry. This takes about 10 t0 15 minutes
2. Switch off the gas and then sprinkle the two spice powders and mix well. The mixture is ready. Optionally you can make it richer by adding raisins, broken cashewnuts etc. Keep the mixture covered until you need it.

For the outer cover:
1. Mix all the ingredients and knead into a firm dough. Keep covered for at 30 minutes.
2. Before using soften the dough by drizzling a bit of Ghee (clarified butter) on it and pound it in a pestle and mortar. This is very tedious but very neccessary. It makes the dough pliable.
3. Now make small balls of dough. Roll out one ball at a time into a thin puri.
4. Place it on your palm and put a tspn full of filling in the centre. Pinch the sides of the puri at regular intervals and close the modak firmly from the top. Place the modak on a plate and cover the dish with a clean wet cloth so that the modaks do not dry out
5. Make all the modaks in the same way.
6. Deep fry 3 to 4 modaks at a time on a moderate to low heat. Let cool and then store a container.
This will make appoximately 21 modaks. The other version of Modak is the steamed version which is even more delicious. For the recipe click on the picture on the right side bar.

• Have also updated Chintu cartoon strip after a very long time. Sorry for not having updated for so long. Do scroll down and take a look.

Palak Paneer Parathas

I am a very erratic blogger these days. And it's all thanks to this certain project that I have undertaken. I might have mentioned it before but let me tell you a little about it. The Marathi Mandal in my city had been offered the chance to create and display a cultural showcase exhibiting all different aspects of Maharashtrian culture. This will be displayed at the local library for the entire month of April. I am leading one group and the topics we have been allocated are Marathi Food, Marathi Painters, and Sculptures in Maharashtra. The food part is the easiest one obviously but the painters and sculptures needed a bit of research. Needless to say that there are a thousand other things pertaining to the project that are taking up all my time. But believe me I am enjoying every bit of it. But that's put a strain on my blog. I am typing so much for the project that I just can't find the energy to type some more for my dear blog. But it's Easter weekend now and I am feeling a bit relaxed as there is no hard and fast routine of school and office to stick to. So here I am once again with a new recipe .

I have not followed this recipe from any book, neither had I eaten this anywhere or even heard of it before. I always make simple palak parathas and I had once eaten paneer parathas at a friend's. Now palak- paneer is a classic combo as we all know and love. So I just combined two delicious parathas and created a third equally delicious one out of it. Three cheers for me!!! OK OK I am coming to the recipe.

You need for the outer paratha dough:
2 bunches spinach or 1 bag of baby spinach leaves,
2 and 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (Atta) approx
1 large onion,
2 -3 cloves garlic,
1 tspn whole cumin,
2 tspns each of cumin and coriander powder,
2 tspn chilly powder (less if you wish),
1 tblspn roasted and powdered sesame seeds (completely optional ),
1 tspn sugar,
2 tspn salt,
3 tblspns oil.

Ingredients for the paneer stuffing:
400 gms paneer,
2 tblspns very finely chopped coriander,
1/2 tspn salt,
1/2 tspn chilly powder.

Method for the outer covering of the parathas:
1.Heat the oil in a wok and add the cumin seeds . Fry for few seconds .
2.Then add the onion and garlic. Fry these until light golden in colour.
3. Next put in the spinach leaves. They do not have to be chopped. Cook these well along with the coriander -cumin powders, chilly powder, sugar , salt and sesame seed powder. To retain the colour of the spinach do not cover the pan while cooking.
4. Once the spinach has completely cooked allow it to cool a bit and then puree it in a blender. If you have a stick blender you don't need for it to cool.
5. To this puree now add the flour . I have stated 2 and 1/2 cups but that is an approx measurement. Add enough flour to form a moderately soft dough.

Method for the paneer stuffing:
1. Grate or crumble the paneer and all the rest of the ingredients to it.
2. Now add a few drops of milk to the crumbled panner and knead it into a soft ball. This is your stuffing ready.

Final Procedure:
1. Make equal number of balls of paratha dough and paneer stuffing but the paneer balls should be double in size to the dough balls.
2. Roll out each paratha a little and then stuff it with the paneer ball . Close all the edges of the dough and roll it out again gently into a thick stuffed paratha.
3. Place it on a hot tawa and cook on both sides until tiny brown spots appear on the surface.
4. Cook all the parathas in the same way and just before serving cook them once again this time with a small amount of oil.
5. Serve with your favourite accompaniments .