Sweet Sakkarpara | Sweet Fried Dough Diamonds

This is also very famous snack from Gujarat. Made by everyone  and all has different way of doing it, some put it in sugar syrup to make it sweet , some add sugar in dough only and make this. We make it second way, Add sugar in dough , make big circle and then cut it in diamond shape and enjoy with tea. You can make this from all purpose flour and sooji (semolina) or whole wheat too. Here I have recipe of AP flour and sooji.

Ingredients : 

2 cup All purpose flour - Maida
2 tbsp. Sooji - Semolina
Pinch of Cardamom powder
4 tbsp. ghee
pinch of salt
1 cup or as per taste powdered sugar
oil for frying
Milk  to make a dough

Method:

Mix flour , sooji, ghee , sugar and knead the dough with milk.
Knead dough nicely and make big balls from it.
Roll out each ball in big circle.
Cut pieces such a way so it become diamond in shape.
Meanwhile heat a oil to deep fry on medium flame.
Since it has AP flour it will take time to fry and get nice brown color so keep the flame on medium.
when oil is hot, add few pieces of diamonds in it , don't overcrowd the pan, give some room so it cooks nicely. turn them over so it gets nice brown color on both sides. Take it out on paper towel
Repeat till you done and make a cup of cardamom tea and enjoy this munchies.

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Sliced Eggplant and Potato Dry Curry - Ringna batata nu Shak

This is the recipe of my mom, she used to make this and we always had it with Khichdi or rotli. Now my sister also make it at her home and me too. This is very easy but delicious shak (subji). You can have it with hot roti or khichdi too. Pair it with dal and you have your whole platter.

Ingredients 

1 long purple eggplant - matchstick slices
1 Potato - Matchstick slices
1 tbsp. ginger, garlic, green chili paste
1 tbsp. red chili powder
1 tsp. turmeric powder
1 tbsp cumin-coriander powder
salt to taste
fresh chopped coriander leaves
2 tbsp. oil
1 tsp. mustard seeds

Method:

Cut the potatoes and eggplant in matchstick slices.
Heat a pan, add mustard seeds, when its popped, add ginger garlic paste, all powder masala and mix it and add vegetables along with salt.
Add 1-2 tbsp. water. Cover the pan and cook it on medium to low flame.
When the potato is cooked and water is gone, shut off the flame and sprinkle coriander leaves and enjoy hot with phulka or khichdi.

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Tikkhi Sev | Spicy Chickpea Flour Noodles

I think in all over India every region makes their kind of spicy sev, being a gujju we love "farsan" means snacks which has fry and non fried both items. This is a very famous snack which all family have their own recipe. This one from my family. Mom used to make this spicy one during Christmas for the guests but I made it less spicy due to husband's health and kids also can not take that much spice. But if you like it spicy you can add more red chili powder and enjoy it.

Ingredients : 

1 cup Besan - Chickpea flour
1 tbsp. red chili powder
1 tsp. Ajwain - carrom seeds
3 tbsp. oil to knead the dough
salt to taste
oil to deep fry
As needed water to make the dough

Method:

Mix all the ingredients except oil to deep fry and make a soft dough.
Fill the mixture in dough machine.
Heat the oil in the high flame and then gradually put it on medium flame. Press the dough thru extruder in circular movements.
Make sure its not too big circle otherwise it will be raw from the middle. Make sure all sev falls in oil only.
Deep fry on medium flame till its nice yellow color. Turn over so the other side also get fry.
Take it out on paper towel and repeat till the dough last.
If you like to keep it in big circle you can keep it that way or you can crush it and put it in dry air tight container and enjoy with your tea.

Hearth and Soul Blog hop: April 3rd Week - Zesty South Indian Kitchen
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Undhiyu Pulav

To make undhiyu from scratch is takes lot of time. And its only for me so I avoid that but its my favorite dish, so I used frozen undhiyu mix whenever i have craving for that. Its always in my frozen. But in that mix, small eggplants are not good, so i get rid of that and use fresh one. So this is also quick weeknight meal. Pair it with simple kachumber and diner is done.

Ingredients :

1 packet frozen undhiyu mix
2 cups of basmati rice
3 small eggplants
1/4 cup peanuts
1/3 cup desiccated coconut
1/2 cup chopped coriander leaves
4-5 or as per taste green chilies
2 tsp. ginger paste
salt to taste
2 tbsp. Lemon juice
3 tbsp. oil
Whole Spices

Method:

Wash and keep aside undhiyu mix.
In a blender, add peanuts, coconut, coriander leaves, green chilies, ginger paste, salt and lime juice and little water to make a paste.
Add that paste in undhiyu mix. Cut the eggplants in the middle and stuff it with green masala too.
Take a pressure cooker (you can make it in big pan too but I wanted to make and eat fast, I did it in cooker)
Add whole spices (black pepper, cloves, green cardamom, cinnamon stick).
When it pop, add undhiyu mix with and rice and enough water and salt and cover with lid.
Cook it on medium flame till two to three whistle.
Let the cooker cool down. Then open up and enjoy with your favorite raita. I had with simple tomato and onion kachumber.

Hearth and Soul Blog hop: April 3rd Week - Zesty South Indian Kitchen
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Banh Mi Vegetable Burger Sandwich

So made a burger for him, kids had a regular burger, for me, I made banh mi sandwich. Everything was ready just have to make pickled vegetables and done. I used both burgers for me, readymade as well as chickpeas burgers too. For non vegetarian, you can use pork, chicken and vegetarian you can use tofu too. You can grill the whole thing and make grilled banh mi too.

Ingredients for pickle Vegetables 

1 cup warm water
1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
2 tbsp. sugar
2 tsp. salt
chopped vegetables like carrot, radish, onions, Jalapenos

Method :

Mix the water, vinegar, sugar and salt until its dissolve.
Put the vegetables in it and cover with the pickling liquid.
Leave it in liquid for at least 30 minutes or overnight.

For sandwich :

1/2 French baguette , I like soft bread so I used french whole baguette
2 burgers - homemade or readymade
Butter as needed
1/2 cucumber thinly sliced
1/2 cup pickled vegetables without liquid
few strings of fresh coriander leaves
Sriracha sauce

Method :

Take your bread, apply butter on it.
Put on one slice of bread, burger, top it with pickled vegetables, cucumber, coriander leaves, sriracha and close it with another slice. If you are making grilled cheese, add cheese and grilled it.
Otherwise, enjoy it as it is.

Hearth and Soul Blog hop: April 3rd Week - Zesty South Indian Kitchen
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Chickpea and Spinach Burger

Since he can not have anything ready made or frozen food, I have to make it fresh everything. Generally for burgers I use morningstar products which is easily available in supermarkets here and kids love that too. Before his illness that way easy way for all of us now not for him but rest of us still enjoy ready made. So we three had readymade and made this for him. Its really easy when I was done making it. Whip everything in blender, make pattice and cook it, enjoy with burger bread or sandwich , choice is yours. I used black beans too, you can use just black beans and make it too. I already boiled and froze beans so just have to throw it and use it in dishes whenever I wanted , but you can use tin too.

Ingredients :

1 cup boiled chickpeas
1/4 cup black beans
2 cups baby spinach
1/4 cup chopped onion
3 cloves of garlic
Lime juice and salt as per taste
1 brown bread or  1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
1/3 cup Mozzarella cheese
Few leaves of cilantro


For burger / sandwich toppings

Grilled vegetables - green and red capscicum, onions, spinach, mayo

Method:

Put beans, spinach, onion, garlic, bread, cilantro in blender and make  a paste, it's upto you how puree or little bit of whole pieces you want.
Take it out add salt, lime juice and cheese.

Make burger size patties.

If you have time, put it in fridge for 30 minutes so it's nice and firm.
Take it out and shallow fry it in pan, till its nice and brown on both sides.

Take your bread, assemble is as you like. For him , just use little bit of mayo, grilled vegetables and burger.

Enjoy your delicious, quick, healthy homemade burger at home.

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my legume love affair event roundup – The Veggie Indian Lisa’s blog, Susan’s blog

Sprouts Pulav

Weeknights are busy so put the food on table and done with all chores is also quick. This is very easy , one pot dish, I made lot of dishes with using sprouted beans. so was not in the mood to make curry so I have to make rotis too with it. thought about putting everything in cooker and 2 release and done. You can enjoy it with raita but not a big fan of it so had stuffed big chilies with it. I like spicy so color of my pulav is red, but if you like less spicy, add less red chili and more turmeric to give yellow color. But I don't cook for the picture for the blog, I cook so I can enjoy my food. So you can adjust the seasoning as per your taste.

Ingredients :

2 cups of basmati rice
2 cups of sprouted mixed beans
1 onion sliced
1 potato - big cubes, you can add your favorite vegs too.
Few whole black pepper, green cardamon, cinnamon stick
1 tbsp. Ginger, garlic, chili paste
1 tbsp. Turmeric powder
2 tbsp. red chili powder
1 tsp. garam masala powder
1 tsp. cumin coriander powder
salt to taste
2 tbsp. oil

Method:

Put a oil in pressure cooker, add whole spices, when it gives nice aroma, add onions in it.
let it cook and get nice brown color.
Add ginger, garlic paste along with all powder masala.
Add potato, beans and rice and mixed nicely.
Add salt.
Add enough water to cook rice and beans.
Cover the cooker and cook it on medium -low flame till it release air two times. you can make this in pan too. but for me time is crucial so i made it on cooker.
When its done and all the pressure from the cooker is gone, open up and enjoy with your favorite raita.

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Mexican Bitesize Basket

Need some quick but delicious party food or just for snack? I had this chat basket in my pantry and was in a mood to use up  but not same way as Indian chat basket. Wanted to make something different and "hatke". so here it is my favorite Mexican Ingredients in chat flavors. You don't need to cook anything, just simply put everything together and enjoy this one bite snack. Its perfect for the parties too. I used Indian chat baskets but you can here in US can used Pillsbury shells too. To keep it purely mexican , I didn't add potatoes or green or red chutneys but if you want , you can add it too.

Ingredients :

20 Chat baskets / Shells
1 finely chopped onion
3 tbsp. cooked black beans
3 tbsp. corn - cooked
1/2 Avocado mashed
Sliced cheddar and monterey jack cheese
As per taste salt , taco seasoning, hot sauce

Method:

Line up your shells.
Arrange beans, corn, onion, taco seasoning, salt, cheese and hot sauce.
Serve and enjoy Immediately.

 I had it with my favorite virgin Pina colada.

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Vegetable Enchiladas with Pumpkin Sauce #UCRecipe

This I made for my husband, since he can not have tomato so can not have tomato based sauce too , so made pumpkin sauce and put vegetables in it and served him so he can have at least some variation in his diet. Its the same vegetables but treated differently and it makes a difference.

Its the same way as this sauce, nothing fancy, just making it to little easy for him to give some variation in diet. Because i know how boring it is to eat same food again and again.

Ingredients for sauce :

2 cups of chopped yellow pumpkin
1 red capsicum  chopped
1 carrot chopped
salt and pepper as needed

Method :

Heat a pan, add two cups of water in it.
Boiled it, then add pumpkin in it and cook it, when its more than half done, add carrot in it and cook till its done. then add capsicum and cover it. It will cook in boiling water.
Let it cool down , puree it.
Heat up again in same pan, add salt and pepper in it and boiled down extra water in it.
Sauce is ready, you can use this for pasta, Mexican dishes or even for pizza sauce.

For Stuffing

2 Whole wheat tortillas
1/2 each red and green capsicum chopped
1 carrot chopped
1 tbsp. olive oil
Salt and Black pepper as per taste
Pinch of Taco Seasoning
Any grated hard cheese

Method:

In a pan, add oil in it, add vegetables and cook for minute or two.
Add salt, black pepper and taco seasoning.
When Stuffing is cold, put in it tortillas and close it with toothpick.
Add sauce and cheese on top and bake it till cheese melted.
Serve it hot with guacamole and chips

Hearth and Soul Blog hop: April 3rd Week - Zesty South Indian Kitchen

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http://www.amummytoo.co.uk/tag/recipeoftheweek/

#ExtraVeg Food Blog Challenge - May 2015 | VEGGIE DESSERTS,Helen at Fuss Free Flavours (http://fussfreeflavours.com/extra-veg/) and to Michelle at Utterly Scrummy (http://utterlyscrummy.blogspot.co.uk/p/extra-veg.html)