Chinese Bhel

          "Chinese Bhel"  the name says it all Chinese & Mumbai ...a lip smacking Indo Chinese  chaat which is a quick mix of simplest  ingredients. 

Ingredients:

2 cups noodles (ex:  Hakka noodles, or Maggi Noodles )

4 tbsp chopped red onion.

1/2 cup red or green cabbage shredded.

1/2 cup shredded cucumber

1/4 cup shredded carrots

2 tbsp chopped red or green bell pepper 

4 tbsp fresh cilantro/coriander very finely, chopped

2 stalks of green/spring onion, chopped

1/2 tsp very very finely julienne fresh ginger

2 tbsp oil

For the sauce: (adjust the quantity of each of the ingredients below to your taste)

1 tsp soya sauce 

2 tbsp schewan sauce

1 tbsp ketchup

1  tbsp any hot sauce 

Method for noodles:

1. Boil 4 cups of water and add 2 tablespoons of oil. Add the noodles while stirring occasionally and cook until they are soft but not cooked. Drain well.

2. Spread the noodles on a clean piece of cloth and allow to dry for at least 20 mins.

3. Heat the oil in a wok or frying pan over a medium flame. Fry small quantities of noodles at a time in the hot oil until light brown.

4. Remove the noodles from the oil and drain on absorbent paper. Repeat with the remaining noodles.

Method for Bhel :

1. Whisk all the ingredients for the sauce in a bowl.

2. Place the fried noodles in the serving bowl and add all the above dry ingredients except the sauce. Toss.

3. Spoon the sauce uniformly over the noodles and toss again. Serve right away before the noodles get soggy. 

 

Corn Canapes (sev puri with a twist)

Tangy ameican sweetcorn salad stuffed in canapé cups

 INGREDIENTS

American corn kernels, frozen 1 cup (at room temperature)

Sev 3tbsp

Canape Cases 15 (frozen Athens Mini Fillo Shells)

Onion 1/2 cup chopped

1tbsp red chilli sauce

1/2 tsp Chaat masala

2 tbsp Lemon juice

2tbsp chopped tomatoes

1/2 cup chopped mango (optional)

1/2 tsp salt

 METHOD:

In a bowl add onions, chopped mangoes and the American corn, & finally the tomatoes. Add red chilli sauce, add chaat masala. Add lemon juice, salt to the corn mixture and toss well.

Bake the canapés in a baking tray at 350 degrees until little crispy for 2 to 3 mins. Place the corn mixture in the canapés. Sprinkle sev. Serve when you are ready to eat.

ALOO ANARDANA CHAAT

INGREDIENTS:

2 large Potatoes, peeled & boiled 1 inch pieces

1cup Pomegranate pearls

½ Onion chopped

1/2cup Peanuts, roasted

2tbsp Fresh coriander leaves

2 tbsp Fresh mint leaves, chopped (optional)

1 tbsp Chaat masala

1 tsp Salt or to taste

½ cup Sev

1tsp Lemon juice

2tbsp Green chutney (recipe in the blog)

1tbsp grated carrot for garnish (optional)

 METHOD:

In a large bowl combine potatoes, pomegranate pearls, onion, peanuts, coriander leaves, mint leaves, chaat masala and salt and toss well. Add sev, lemon juice and green chutney and toss the mixture again. Transfer the mixture into individual bowls and serve immediately. Garnish with grated carrot.

Katori chaat / Spicy tarts

Katori Chaat is one of the most delicious chaat I have ever eaten. These are similar to “Tarts” but filled with a spicy mixture of sprouts and chutneys. Generally the katoris are deep fried in oil, but I got the inspiration to bake it. The word “Katori” means a small vessel/bowl that holds the filling. The katori’s / tarts can be made in advance & stored in an air-tight container for about a week. Just rustle up the filling and serve these pretty tarts as a snack any time of the day.
Another option to make this katori chaat is to use the “Tositos” scoop chips, it looks similar to katori’s.

Ingredients
For the katoris
1/2 cup plain flour (maida)
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 tsp salt

Method of Katori:
Combine the flour, butter and salt and make a stiff dough using a little water. Knead very well & keep aside for 10 mins. Divide the dough into 2 equal portions. Roll out each dough into (¼") thickness. Cut round shapes of the dough using a large (2") diameter cookie cutter or use katoris to cut the dough. Prick all over with a fork (not to deep). Place these on the back side of a muffin shaped baking tray. Preheat oven at 350degrees & bake for 10 mins. Cool the tart/ katori’s.




For the main filling
1 cup moong sprouts (boiled with a pinch of salt)
a pinch asafetida (hing)
½ tsp chilli powder
2 tsp cumin(jeera) powder
1 tsp dry mango powder (amchur powder)
1 tsp chole masala powder
1tsp oil
½ tsp salt or to taste

Filling preparation:
Heat oil in a pan add the asafetida/ hing & add the sprouts, chilli powder, jeera powder, amchur powder, chole masala, salt & mix well. Cook on a slow flame for 2 to3 minutes. Keep it aside.


For serving:
¼ cup chopped onions
½ cup beaten yoghurt (dahi)
Imli ki Chutney as per taste
Green Chutney as per taste
Sev or nylon sev
chaat masala as per taste

How to Serve:
• Fill each tart with a portion of the moong filling & chopped onions.
• Top with beaten yoghurt, little imli ki chutney, little green chutney, pinch of chaat masala. Garnish with Sev & some chopped coriander leaves
• Serve immediately. Don’t make it before hand. It will get soggy.

Tips: Instead of moong you can even make it with Corn, Chana/ garbanzo beans. Try adding any kind of sprouts.

Tomato Chaat

I just can’t resist thinking that every time I went to Bangalore I used to have this delicious chaat. It’s a street food famous in Bangalore & a must have spicy chaat. It’s mouthwatering & very light & healthy too.

Ingredients
Tomato 2 sliced in round shaped
Onion 1cup chopped
Carrot grated 1cup
Green chutney 2tbsp (recipe in the blog)
Jeera powder 1tsp
Chat masala 1tsp
Salt ½ tsp
Red chilli powder 1/4 tsp
Sev for garnish
Puffed rice/ Murmura ¼ cup
Fried peanuts chopped ¼ cup
finely chopped cilantro 1tbsp
Lemon juice: 2-3 drops

Method:
•Powder mixture: Mix the jeera powder, red chilli powder, salt, chat masala and keep it aside.
•Cut the tomato into slices (round shaped). Place these slices next to each other on a serving plate. Apply green chutney on each tomatoes.
•Smear the powder mixture all over the tomato slices well. Put a tsp of chopped onions & grated carrot on each slice of the tomatoes.
•Sprinkle some lemon juice on each of the slices.
•Generously sprinkle roasted peanuts, sev & puffed rice.
•Garnish with cilantro. Serve immediately.

Nacho Chaat

Ingredients:
• Green chana dal 2 cup
• Cinnamon stick small piece
• Cloves 2
• Bay leaves 1 small
• Jeera 1tsp
• Mustard seeds 1tsp
• Onions chopped 2tbsp
• Nacho’s 1 cup
• Onions chopped for garnish ½ cup
mint & coriander chutney 1cup (recipe below)
sweet tamarind chutney 1cup (recipe below)
Method:
• Pressure cook the chana dal with 3 cups water.
• Just take 2 whistles in the cooker & switch it off. Don’t over cook them (must not be mashed) don’t strain the extra water from the dal. Let it be as it is.
• Add oil in a pan & add the jeera, mustard seeds, bay leaves, cinnamon stick, cloves & onions & fry them.
• Later add the mint chutney (recipe below) & fry for 5 mins.
• Add the chana dal (including the water in it) to the above mixture & add salt as per taste. If it’s too thick add some water to make it in to a soup consistency. Boil for 5 mins.
• Serve hot or cold with nacho’s, sweet tamarind chutney (recipe below) & garnish with chopped onions.

Mint & Coriander chutney
Ingredients:
• 1 bunch fresh mint leaves
• ½ bunch fresh coriander leaves
• 1" piece of ginger
• 2 green chilies
• 2tbsp dalia (vodchikala)
• 1tsp jeera
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp lime juice
Method:
Cut off roots from the coriander and any thick stalks from the mint and discard. Wash the mint & coriander leaves thoroughly. Grind all the above ingredients (including the salt which you can add more of later to suit your taste) into a smooth paste.Store in an air tight container for a week.

Sweet Tamarind chutney
Ingredients:
• Tamarind pulp 2 tsp
• Sugar/Jaggery 2&1/2 tbsp
• Red chilli powder 2 tsp
• Jeera powder 1/2 tsp
• little Salt
Method:
Mix all the ingredients with 1/4th cup water. Cook on a low flame stirring occasionally till the mixture becomes thick. Use as and when required. It can be preserved for a few days in the refrigerator.

Ragda Patties

Ragda Patties is one of the most delicious chat items. Patties, which on it's own makes a yummy snack to go with tea. This snack makes an excellent party dish and is loved by all.



Patties
4 potatoes boiled
2 tbsp chopped coriander leaves
2 tbsp bread crumbs (for binding)
salt, chili powder, garam masala, amchur powder as per taste.

1. Mash the boiled potatoes well to a smooth mush.
2. Add all the masalas, bread crumbs and coriander leaves and mix well.
3. Shape into flat lemon sized balls to get the shape.
4. Heat a non-stick griddle, spray with little oil . Place a few patties on the griddle and shallow fry both sides till golden.

Ragda recipe

11/2 cup yellow peas soaked overnight (green peas are not to be used for ragda)
4 tbsp onion chopped
Tadka: 1tbsp oil, mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafoetida, curry leaves
salt, turmeric powder, red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin powder.

1. Cook yellow peas till done, I pressure cook them which is the fastest , but make sure not to over pressure the peas.
2. Heat oil, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, asafoetida & curry leaves and onions. Let splutter and then add all the masala powders and boiled peas. Add more water as per desired consistency and simmer a few minutes.

For serving:
Coriander chutney, Tamarind sweet chutney
1 onion chopped fine
coriander leaves chopped
lemon/lime juice
fried goodies(sev)

Arrange 2-3 petite Patties in a bowl, let hot ragda drip over the patties. Sprinkle chopped onion and splash the two chutneys as per your taste.You can squeeze 1tsp lemon juice over it.
Finally sprinkle the fried goodies(sev) over it and enjoy a bowl of sizzling hot Ragda Patties!

Pani Puri (Golgappa)

Pani Puri one of India's favorite snack or chat. It is surely an experience eating Pani Poori. This popular Indian snack is also called Gol Gappa. Usually enjoyed at many of the street vendors in India it is becoming increasingly popular in many restaurants.Ingredients: To make Puri

Maida- 1/2 cup
Rava (Semolina) - 1/2 cup
Baking powder- 1 pinch
Salt

Mix the above ingredients with cold water and make it into smooth stiff dough. Cover the dough with a wet cloth and place in a bowl. Keep the bowl in another bowl filled with ice cubes. Set aside for 15 minutes. Make small even sized (round biscuit size) balls from the dough and roll into small circles. Put one by one in hot oil and press well with ladle to puff up. Fry till crisp and golden brown. Fry on medium flame. Store in an air tight container.

Ingredients: To make Pani:

2cups Mint Leaves Chopped
1/2Cup Coriander Leaves Chopped
Ginger 1 medium piece
Green chilies 5 to 6
Cumin seed powder 1tsp
Black Salt 11/2 tsp
Tamarind (Imli) paste 1/4 cup
Salt to taste

Pani:

Soak the tamarind in ½ cup of warm water for approximately 45 minutes. Strain out the pulp to get tamarind water.Grind together mint leaves, chopped coriander, ginger, chillies and cumin seed powder to a smooth consistency in a blender. Transfer the paste into a large bowl. Add 1 litre of water, tamarind water and continuously mixing the contents. Add black salt and salt. Mix well.
Refrigerate for about 2 hours to ensure proper blending. Keep the water cool for a better taste.

For The Sweet Chutney:
1 cup Gud(jaggery)
1 cup tamarind pulp
1 cup Dates
1 cup water
1 teaspoon powdered Jira
Half teaspoon red chilli powder

Heat all the ingredients of the chutney and sieve to get a smooth chutney.Let it cool

To serve :
Boiled and diced potatoes- 1/2 cup
Green gram- 1/4 cup (soak green gram for 6 hrs and pressure cook for 1 whistle) Black Chana -1/4 cup (soak black chana for 6 hrs and pressure cook for 2 whistle)

Later add some red chilli powder, chat masala to the Boiled potatoes.

Final Serving Method:

Make a hole with thumb on top of each pani puri. Put little cooked green gram, boiled potato, black chana & little sweet chutney and fill it with green chutney (pani). Serve immediately.