Hasselback Potatoes

This is a new kind of fancy baked potatoes.

Hasselback Potatoes

Potatoes are awesome. You can make numerous dishes from potatoes - few of them involves baking. This recipe can be enjoyed any day and its also a tempting fasting dish. 

If you are french fries lover or not, you will surely enjoy this dish. And most important thing is that it is very easy to prepare with nothing much to be done. 

Since its not deep fried, you can enjoy it without much guilt. 

Preparation Time - 5 minutes

Cooking Time - 30 minutes 

Ingredients: 
2 large baking potatoes  
2 Tbsp melted Butter 
1 tsp ground black pepper
1 tsp dried basil
2 tsp olive oil

Salt  to taste

Preheat oven to 425F.

Take butter, olive oil, black pepper, basil, salt in a small bowl and mix them well. Cut potatoes from one end to other creating thin slices as shown. 

Take a baking pan and put the sliced potatoes. Now apply the butter mixture between each slices of the potato with the help of a brush or spoon. Drizzle rest of the butter on top and the potatoes are ready for baking. Put them into oven & bake for 30 mins or until golden brown as shown. The potatoes should be fork tender. 

Put some cheese between each slice and on top to get that cheesy flavor :). Cook it to impress your near and dear ones :) 

In case you are making as a fasting recipe, you can substitute ghee for butter. 

You can prepare a similar dish using sweet potatoes. 

Sabudana Kheer or Tapioca Pudding

Sabudana Kheer or Tapioca Pudding

Sabudana is also known as Tapioca or Sago. Its  a kind of processed starch eaten mostly on fasts. Sabudana kheer or call it Tapioca Pudding, is a simple, easy and quick recipe.

Prep Time - 30 mins

Cooking Time - 15 mins

Ingredients

Milk - 2 cups

Sabudana - 1/4th cup soaked

Sugar - 1/4th cup or to taste

Cardamom powder - 1 tsp

Finely sliced Almonds - 8-10

Soak sabudana for atleast 30 minutes. Meanwhile you can dream of having a tasty kheer in next 45 minutes. :) 

Take milk in a fat bottom pan. Bring milk to boil on medium heat. Then add soaked sabudana and stir well. Add sugar and cardamom powder. Reduce the heat to medium low. Stir occasionally not allowing the milk to stick at the bottom and sides of the pan. Add half of the sliced almonds. Stir the milk occasionally until the sabudana are transparent and the kheer has thickened as shown.

Take the kheer in a bowl, garnish with the remaining almonds and enjoy it hot. :) You can allow this to cool down and enjoy it as a pudding :).

Pudla (Chickpea Dosa) or Chilla

Besan Pudla or Chilla

If you thought the last few recipes were a bit time consuming, then here is an instant & quick recipe. These savory pancakes can be made anytime and are great for a quick breakfast or even for fast dinner after a long day at work. This is a traditional Indian recipe that I have modified slightly so that everyone can enjoy eating something new. :)

Preparation Time : 5 mins
Cooking time : 15 mins

Ingredients 
For the pancakes
Chickpea flour - 1 cup
Sooji or Semolina - 2 Tbsp
Chopped Green Chilies -  to taste
Minced Ginger - 1 tsp
Cilantro or Coriander leaves - few
Turmeric powder - 1 tsp
Salt - to taste
Red chili powder - 1 tsp
Garam Masala - 1/2 tsp
Oil  - 1tsp & for pan frying

For Stuffing
Grated panner or tofu - 1/4th cup
Crushed black pepper - 1 tsp
salt - to taste
Oil - 1 tsp
Parsley & basil leaves - 1 tsp (optional)
you can also use chopped cilantro or coriander leaves

Add the Chickpea flour, Sooji, Turmeric powder, Red Chili powder and Garam Masala in a bowl. Mix them well. Add water, little at a time, to make a batter with pouring consistency. Whisk well so no lumps remain. Add green chilies, ginger, cilantro, oil and salt to the batter, mix well and set aside. 

In another small bowl mix all the ingredients for the stuffing and set aside.

Heat a skillet or tawa and sprinkle some oil or oil spray. When the tawa is hot, pour some batter on the skillet and spread it to form a big circle approximately 6-7 inches. Sprinkle some more oil or spray on the top and sides of the Pudla. Allow it to cook.

Pudla

Check the bottom of the Pudla, if it has changed to golden brown color, flip it and allow the other side to cook. You can also make some indents with a fork to know whether it has cooked or not. If batter sticks on the fork, it is uncooked.

Remove from the skillet and continue making Pudlas from the remaining batter. 

Pudla Paneer Pancake

Once the Pudlas are made, take one Pudla and apply ketchup on one side. Applying ketchup is optional. Spread 1 tsp of the Paneer filing on the Pudla.  Put two slices of fresh tomatoes. Put another Pudla on the top of them.

Pudla Sandwich

Cut the sandwich into two or four pieces, as you wish and enjoy with Ketchup or pickle. You can also spread some pickle on the Pudla instead of or even in addition to ketchup. 

If you want to make this heavier, Toast two bread slices and put the stuffed or plain Pudlas in between. Enjoy with ketchup or green chutney. :)

This one works even for those of you who are health freaks. So go on, try it and let me know how you like it.

Fafda with Papaya Chutney & Spicy Yogurt Dip

Fafda, Papaya chutney & Spicy Yogurt Dip

Fafda is a popular Chickpea snack. It is a typical Gujarati Street Food served with savory papaya chutney and a spicy yogurt dip.  Follow this easy recipe and enjoy home made Fafdas.

Ingredients

Chickpea Flour or Besan - 1 cup
Cooking Soda - 1/4th tsp
Water -1/4th cup
Asofetedia - 1/2 tsp
Coarsely Crushed Black pepper - 1/2 tsp
Ajwain - 1/2 tsp
Salt to taste
Oil - 1 Tbsp
Oil for frying
Turmeric powder - 1/8tsp

For seasoning

1/2 tsp of black salt,
1/4th tsp red chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin powder,
1/2 tsp coriander powder
salt to taste.
Mix all the seasoning ingredients and keep it aside.

Take cooking soda in a small cup. Add 1/4th cup water into it and allow the soda to dissolve in the water.  In another bowl mix flour, asofetedia, crushed pepper, ajwain, salt, turmeric powder and oil. Add the soda water and make a tight dough. 

Add 1/2 teaspoon of oil and knead the dough well. Make equal size small balls from the dough. Heat the oil at medium heat.

Take a wooden surface. Grease it with oil or an oil spray. Take one small ball and place on the greased surface. With the help of the base of your palm, press and flatten the dough ball into a long strip.

Tip : Making strips from the dough with hand comes with practice. Dont panic if you are not able to do so. You can use a rolling pin to make strips. Roll the pin in only one direction, from bottom to up.

Fry the strips over medium heat until golden brown. Take them out and put them on Tissue paper. Sprinkle the seasoning mix. Repeat the process for all other dough balls.

For Papaya Chutney recipe check my post on Chutneys.

For Spicy Yogurt Dip visit my post on Yogurt Dips.

Yogurt Dip

Spicy Yogurt Dip

Ingredients

Yogurt - 1/4th cup

Water 1 1/2 cup

Chickpea flour - 1Tbsp

Sugar - 4 tsp

Crushed Green chillis - 1 tsp

Minced ginger- 1 tsp

Asofetidia - 1/8th tsp

Mustard Seeds - 1/2 tsp

Curry leaves 

Whole red chili broken into 2 pieces

Coriander seeds - 1/2 tsp

Oil - 1 tsp
Salt to taste
Turmeric Powder-  1/4 tsp 

In a bowl mix yogurt with water and whisk well. Add chickpea flour and whisk again so that no lumps remain and everything is mixed well.

Heat oil in a pan. Add Mustard seeds and coriander seeds. When the seeds begin to sputter add asofetideia, red chilis and curry leaves. Saute for around 30 seconds. Add green chilies and minced ginger. Saute for a minute. Add the yogurt mixture and stir well. Add salt and turmuric powder.  Allow the mixture to cook, stirring occasionally. Cook until the mixture gets thickened.  Serve Hot with pakoras or fafdas.