Most of the Indian cuisine today is a perfect blend of native indian food and unique culinary practices brought by various settlers. Appetizers and Snacks are a very modern addition to the Indian meal. The essence of Indian cuisine lies in the aroma of spices blended together and added to enhance the flavour and nutritional of each dish.
Samosa
Ingredients
Refined Wheat Flour 1 1/2 cup
Potatoes 3 medium
Garden peas 1/2 cup
Shredded Cabbage 1 cup
Chopped Onion 1 cup
Chopped Green Chili 2 tbs
Ginger Paste 11/2 tsp
Mint leaves 1/4 cup
Coriander Leaves (dhaniya) 1/2 cup
Vegetable Oil 3 tsp and separate for deep frying
Salt as per taste
Method:
- Boil potatoes, peel and slightly mash.
- Boil peas and cabbage and keep aside.
- In a non stick pan, heat oil and add chopped onions until light brown.
- Add ginger paste, coriander, mint, green chili and fry for one minute.
- Now, add salt and the boiled peas, cabbage and mashed potatoes and Stir well.
- Let it cook for a minute, remove from heat and keep aside.
- Mix flour and salt.
- Melt 3 tablespoons of butter and add to the flour and salt mixture and mix well.
- Add a few tablespoons of water at a time, to the mixture and make into dough.
- The consistency of the dough is similar to that of chapati.
- Divide the dough into walnut sized balls and flatten each ball to form a circle.
- The size of each circle is roughly six inches in diameter.
- Divide the circle into two (half circles).
- Wet the edges of each half circle.
- Place sufficient amount of stuffing in the middle of the half circle and fold the corners in, so that, the end result looks like a stuffed triangle.
- Pinch the edges lightly, they should seal easily because they are wet.
- In a wide skillet, heat oil over medium-low.
- When oil is hot, deep fry the stuffed samosas until they become pale brown in color.
- Remove from skillet and keep aside.
- After frying all the samosas to a pale brown color, re-fry them, over medium heat, once again to a deep brown color.
Tips and Variations Serve with ketchup or tamarind chutney or mint chutney.
Batata Wada
Ingredients
Potatoes 3/4 lb
onions medium 4 (chopped finely)
bengal gram flour 2 cups (besan)
green chillies 4
A small piece ginger
cloves garlic 4
grated coconut 2 tbsp
Sugar to taste
Juice of one lime
coriander leaves A few sprigs (chopped)
Oil for deep frying
mustard seeds 1 tsp
turmeric powder 1 tsp
red chilli powder 1/2 tsp
cumin seeds 1 tsp
A pinch of soda bi carb (baking soda)
Salt as per taste
Method:
- Boil potatoes, peel and slightly mash.
- Blend together the green chillies, garlic and ginger to a fine paste.
- Mix together the potato, onions, ginger and garlic chilli paste, coriander leaves, sugar, lime juice and salt to taste.
- Heat a little oil and add the mustard seeds and curry leaves.
- When the mustard crackles, remove from heat and add to the potato mixture and mix well.
- Make a smooth batter with the bengal gram flour, salt to taste, cumin seeds,red chilli powder and turmeric powder.
- Add a teaspoon of hot oil when making the batter. Let the batter remain thick.
- Divide the potato mixture into equal sized portions, the size of a lemon.
-
Dip each ball in the batter and deep fry till golden brown in color.
Tips Serve hot with with chutney or ketchup.
Onion Bhaji
Ingredients
Large onions 2
Plain Flour or Besan 4 tbsp
Milk 2 tbsp
water to mix
eggs 2
paprika 1 tsp
dry coriander 1 tsp
dry cumin 1 tsp
turmeric 1 tsp
garlic powder 1 tsp
oil for deep frying and shallow frying
Salt as per taste
Method:
- Chop onions into fine strips then fry gently until slightly softened ,then leave to cool.
- Mix flour, seasonings ,milk and eggs together to form a smooth paste ,add water to make a slightly runny consistency.
- Add the onion and mix thoroughly.
- Heat the oil in pan for deep frying ,when medium heat drop spoonfulls of the mixture in and fry until deep golden and crispy.
Tips Serve hot with homemade garlic dip.
Medu Wada
Ingredients
udad dal 2 cups
green chillies 4
a pinch of asafoetida
a few curry leaves
oil for frying
Salt as per taste
Method:
- Wash and soak the dal for 4 hours and then grind to a fine paste.
- Add chopped green chillies, asafoetida, salt and curry leaves to the ground paste along with 3 tbsp. of hot water.
- Make small balls and flatten them on your palm. Make a small hole in the center of each portion.
- Make couple of them at a time and deep fry in hot oil till golden brown.
- Drain out oil on a brown paper.
Tips Serve hot with coconut chutney.
Bhel Puri
Ingredients
Puffed rice or Rice krispies
Gram flour vermicelli
turmeric powder 1/4 tsp
rock salt 1/4 tsp
boiled potatoes
oil 1 tsp
puris
Method:
Bhel mix
- Heat 1 tsp oil and add rock salt and turmeric powder.
- Add puffed rice and on a very slow fire roast them for 5 minutes.
- Add shev, potatoes, onions and crush puries into the above mix.
Date and tamarind chutney
- Take 4 oz of date and cook in microwave oven for 5 minutes.
- Add 1 tsp of tamarind paste, 2 tsp sugar, 1/2 tsp cumin powder , 1/2 tsp corriander powder.
- Blend to a fine paste in a liquidiser.
Tips Onions should be finely chopped. A dash of lime juice is recommended.
