Moong Dal Kachori.

Moong Dal Kachori is a easy to make and very very tasty to have with hot cup a tea for a breakfast or as a evening snacks. This recipe is sitting in my draft from ages, Since the climate is getting cold here so I think it's a right time to post this recipe.. I have taken this recipe from NishaMadhulika.com and thanks to her for such a awesome recipe. Do try and let me know.

Ingredient's For Filling.

1cup moong dal (soaked for 2 hours)

1tbsp finely chopped ginger garlic

2 finely chopped green chillies

Pinch of Hing

1/2 tsp fennel powder

1/2 tsp cumin

1/2 tsp dry mango powder

1/2tsp turmeric, 1/2tsp coriander powder, 1/2tsp red chilli powder

2tbsp oil

Salt to taste.

Ingredient's For Dough.

2 cup Maida (all purpose flour)

1/4 cup oil

Salt to taste.

Cooking Method.

Take maida in a big bowl, add salt and oil and mix well. Now add little water at a time and knead soft dough same as required for making chapatti. Don't knead the dough too much. Cover the dough and keep it aside for 15-20 minutes to set. Meanwhile prepare stuffing.

Stuffing:

Coarsely ground the soaked moong dal. Set it aside, Preheat pan and add 2tbsp oil in it. When oil is hot, add cumin seeds and saute for while. After sauteing cumin seeds add hing, green chilly, red chilli powder, coriander powder, ginger garlic, fennel powder and saute the spices for few minutes. Now add grounded dal, salt, garam masala and dry mango powder. Mix all ingredients really well. Stir constantly and cook dal until it dries. Take out the roasted dal in a bowl and allow to cool. 

Take little amount of dough, equal to size of lemon, and roll to a round shape. Take one dough ball and flatten it with help of your fingers giving it a shape like bowl. Now fill this bowl with 1 tsp stuffing and lift from all sides for sealing the stuffing. Likewise prepare all kachoris. 

Preheat a enough oil in a deep frying pan for frying kachoris. Oil should be medium hot for frying kachoris and now roll the stuffed dough ball with your hand or fingers gently into thick kachori. Place the kachori in medium hot oil for frying. Place as many kachoris as possible in the wok at one time. Flip the side when kachoris turn puffy and are slightly brown from beneath. Keep flipping the kachoris and fry until they turn golden brown in color. Keep the flame low and medium, to get crunchy and crusty kachoris. Place the fried kachoris over a plate with absorbent paper. Likewise fry all kachoris.

Serve kachoris with green coriander chutney or sweet chutney or you can even eat them as it.

Masala Vada / Sabbasige Soppu Masala Vadai / Dill Leaves And Lentil Fritters.

Dill Leaves Madala Vada.. Dill is a unique plant, because both its leaves and seeds are used as seasoning. It is rich in vitamin A, C, B6, folates, riboflavin, calcium, iron and other important minerals. Using of dill leaves in masala vada it is very common in south India and they make different varieties of fritters with this leaves. Even I love adding this leaves in different recipes and I cook dill leaves saag with potato, when goes very well with roti.. When ever I cook this leaves at home the smell of the leaves stays for atleast 2days and I love that and I rarely cook any fried items but when ever I cook I always make it a point to add fresh green leaves.. Adding dill leaves to fritters it gives a very nice smell and unique taste and you'll end up having more.. The people who are weight concious needs to watch out when you cook this masala vadai.

Ingredient's.

1 cup channa dal

1tbsp sooji/rawa

2tbsp besan

1 Onion, 3 green chilles(finely chopped)

1/2tsp fennel seeds

2tbsp chopped coriander and mint leaves

1 spring curry leaves

1 inch piece ginger

5-6 garlic cloves

Salt as needed

Oil for deep frying.

Cooking Method.

Soak channa dal for 3-4 hours. First grind ginger, garlic and fennel coarsely.

Then drain channa dal completely and add it in two batches and grind coarsely. (Not too smooth)

In a mixing bowl add grinded channa dal, fennel mixture. Then add onion, green chilles coriander and mint, salt, sooji, besan and curry leaves.

Keep a bowl with water and wet both hands. Make equal sized balls first for uniform sized vadas. Mean while Heat oil in deep frying pan. Shape each ball to flat patties of medium thickness.

Deep fry in hot oil until golden in colour,flipping once in between. Cook in medium flame to ensure even cooking and golden colour. Drain in paper towel.

Serve hot with tea/coffee or coconut chutney as side dish for vada .

Pav Bhaji (Mumbai Street Food)

Pav Bhaji.. Yet another Mumbai's famous street food. As I have mentioned in my last post that what ever the street food we want to eat here. I have to cook at home only.. So I have been trying out many recipes on every weekends so that we don't forget the Indian famous street food. When I had been to Mumbai for the first time may be in 1998, there one of my friend had taken me to have Pav Bhaji. Belive me I din't like it at all and she felt bad. To keep her heart I had just eaten few bites.. The main reason was I use to think alot that whether he has washed his hands or not and he is looking clean or not.. That's where I use to stop myself to eat anything on streets. Then again I had gone to Mumbai form my office work and everybody forced me to have Pav Bhaji and I really don't belive myself I ate the full plate, it was so tasty. After that when ever I go to Mumbai I always eat Pav Bhaji everyday. Nowadays I don't think that much, but still I see people around and my H keeps telling me just eat don't look around..

Nowadays everything has become so easy to cook at home, so only we don't prefer to go out and eat specially street food. I keep trying many street food recipes which my H will miss because of me.. Never mind it is always good at home rather then eating out... Though this dish takes a little time and effort but it is worth waiting and I don't have pav buns in my picture but we had it with pav only. Because the pav was vanished while I was taking pictures.. Do try this dish and enjoy :)

Ingredient's

2 medium potatoes, peeled and diced

1 cups chopped cauliflower, 1/2 cup chopped green beans

1/2 cup peas, 1/2 cup chopped carrots, 1/2cup chopped cabbage

2 green chilies chopped

2tbsp ginger garlic paste

3 medium tomatoes, 1 large onion (finely chopped)

1/2tsp red chili, 1/2tsp turmeric, 1/2tsp coriander powder

1tbsp pav bhaji masala

1 tablespoon fennel seed powder (saunf)

1tsp dry mango powder

1/4 cup chopped coriander leaves

2tbsp butter, 2tbsp oil

Salt to taste

6 pav buns.

For Garnish:

1 medium chopped onion

few chopped coriander leaves

Few pieces of thinly sliced lemon

2tsp butter.

Cooking Method:

Boil all the vegetables with 1½ cup of water in a pressure cooker for 2 to 3 whistle. Don’t add too much water, just enough to cook.

After the vegetables are soft and tender, drain the excess water and mash them coarsely with a fork or potato masher.

Heat the oil and butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add onion and saute for 1 to 2 minutes. then add tomatoes, green chilies, coriander, and ginger garlic paste and sauté for 2-3 minutes until they are soft.

Next add the red chili powder, fennel powder, turmeric, coriander powder and pav bhaji masala, mix them well and cook till the raw smell goes. Now add mashed vegetables. By using you wooden spoon, simultaneously mash and stir all the vegetables for 5 minutes. Add salt and stir-fry for another minute. Add about ¼ cup of water or as needed, and let it cook for a minute.

Turn off the heat. and add dry mango powder, mix it well

Toast the pav bun on tava using butter over medium heat until buns are golden brown from both sides.

Serve hot toasted buns with bhaji, garnish with chopped onion, coriander leaves, butter and sliced lemon.

Tamarind, Mint and Fennel Chutney

Fennel Seeds (Sauf) are very effective for digestive problems. These seeds can be chewed upon or had as a tea decoction for beneficial effects upon the stomach. In India, these are routinely chewed upon after meals to aid in digestion after a rich meal while acting as a herbal mouth freshener.Fennel seeds often provide quick and effective relief from many digestive disorders. They help to overcome gas, cramps, acid indigestion, and many other digestive tract maladies. Making this chutney is very very easy and one of my all time favorite chutney, u can make this chutney and store in the fridge for atleast 2 to 3 weeks. it goes with every thing, i love to eat with plain rice when ever i am lazy to cook. and it is one of the best chutney what i feel.

Ingredient's

1 bunch of mint leafs
1 small size ball tamarind
3 green chillies, 3 stems coriander leafs,5 to 6 curry leafs and 1 small onion
1/2tbsp cumin seeds, 1tbsp of funnel seeds
Salt to taste.

Making Method
Grind all together in a mixture grinder to smooth paste, add salt in the last.
Remove in a serving bowl and Serve with any thing which u like.. specially with Roti and Dosa.

I am sending this recipe to Cooking with Fennel Seeds hosted by Priya, and Jagruti of (joy of cooking)