Indian Street Food Snacks.....delicious spinach pakoras, pani puri, bhel puri

samai.in

Street food snacks  are an exciting and  delicious part of travel in India or anywhere in Asia  from pakoras to pani puri, pau bahji and bhel puri a piquant tangy potato onion and puffed rice snack.

Recipes for spinach pakora, pani puri and bhel puri are below and I can assure you they are scrumptious incredibly morish and yes absolutely addictive.Spinach pakoras are one of many typical Indian snacks wrapped in newspaper and sold in the thousands of street vendors.

Spinach Pakoras

• 50g chickpea flour
• 1tps tumeric powder
• 1/4 tps chilli powder
• 1/2 tps salt                                                      
• pinch of bicarb soda
• vegetable oil for frying
• 100g small spinach leaves
• 2 tps chat masala - recipe to follow

Mix the chickpea flour with the tumeric, chilli powder, salt, bicarb soda and 2 tbs water to make a thick batter- it should be like pancake batter. If it is too thick add a bit more water, if too thin add a bit more flour.

Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok to 180 degrees Dip the spinach leaves in bundles in the batter and add to the hot oil. Fry for a few minutes until crisp and golden. Drain on paper towel Dust with chat masala.... and enjoy

Chat Masala

• 1 tps black peppercorns
• 1 tps cumin seeds
• 1/2 tps ajwain seeds
• 1 or 2 tps pomegranite seeds
• seeds from 3 green cardamon pods
• 1tps black salt
• 1 tps amchur powder
• 1 tps ground ginger
• 1/4 tps asafoetida
• 1 tps chilli powder

Grind whole spices into a fine powder then stir through the other ingredients Store in a sealed jar. These spices are available from good Indian markets

or food suppliers like The Fiji Markets at Newtown

This recipe is from Christine Manfield beautiful book on India called "Tasting India"........truly worth a look if only to be dazzled by the glorious photos.

Bhel Puri

• 20g puffed rice
• 10g sev
• 2 red shallots minced
• 6 thin slices of green mango cut into fine matchsticks
• 2tbs chopped coriander
• 2tbs diced tomato
• 3 tps lime juice
• 1/2 tps chat masala - previous blog
• 250g potatoes boiled and finely diced
• salt to taste
• chilli powder to taste

en.petitchef.com

Puris - use same recipe below as for pani puri
Tamarind sauce use the same recipe below
Coriander Minty sauce

• 50g coriander leaves
• 50 g mint leaves
• 2 small cloves garlic
• 2 small green chilies
• 2 red shallots
• 1 tbs lime juice
• 1 tps white sugar
• 1 tps salt

Blend all ingredients to a smooth pasteLeave in the fridge until needed

Use your fingers to mix the puffed rice, noodles, shallots,mango,fresh coriander leaves tomato lime juice and chat masala in a bowl

Mix in enough tamarind chutney and coriander mint sauce to season and misten the mixture. Lightly crush the fried puri's and combine them with the bhel mixture, adding a bit extra tamarind chutney and coriander mint sauce as needed Spoon into bowls to sauce.

Its amazing there are so many quite complex flavours in this and different textures its hard to beat.

Pani Puri

• 1tbs chopped mint
• 6 tbs thick plain yoghurt
• puri
• 1 cup semolina flour
• 2 cups  fine flour 
• Oil to deep fry 

Filling

• 2tbs vegetable oil
• 2tbs cooked masoor dal
• 100 g cooked potato peeled and diced
• 1 tbs cooked chickpeas
• 1/2 tps salt
• 1/2 tps chilli powder
• 2 tps chat masala

Combine the semolina flour and the wheat plain and add enough water to make a stiff dough. Knead for 5 minutes to soften the gluten. Roll out 2/3 rds of the dough into a long cylinder and cut off twenty, 3 cm pieces. Then roll each piece into a small ball. Roll out each ball into a round

Cover with a damp cloth and set aside.

Filling

Heat the oil in a large frying pan and fry the dal, potatoes and chickpeas together for 2 minutes, tossing to combine Season with salt, chat masala and chilli powder.

Heat the oil in heavy pan and cook Puri's a few at a time pressing lightly with the spatula until they puff up.

Flip over and fry for another 30 seconds then drain on paper towels

To serve make a hole in the puri's and spoon in the filling then sprinkle with chopped mint. Arrange on plates, swirl the tamarind sauce and yoghurt on top and sprinkle with the chopped mint.

Tamarind Sauce

• 1 cup thick tamarind liquid
• 25g shaved palm sugar
• 2 tps roasted ground cumin
• 1/2 tps black sea salt

Bring tamarind water to the boil, simmer for 5 minutes, until slightly reduced and thick.

Add the palm sugar and continue to cook over moderate heat for another 5 minutes

Add the spices and salt, taste and adjust if you want. Allow to cool before serving.

India Street vendor making Large Puri's

 Street food - roasted corn 

Indian street food snacks .....pau bahji, green mint chutney, gram fritters and coriander chutney

                         

 No one was ever turned away from our house unfed or unwatered. 

The breaking of bread breaks down barriers.

Food soothes and assuages.

Romance is continued after breakfast.

Friendships are made over lunch, enemies resolved before dinner. That is the power of food

Hardeep Singh Kohli Indian Takeaway...Courtesy of Tasting India Christine Manfield

How can you think of India without thinking of scrumptious food....in all aspects of Indian life you are immersed in such a diverse wonderful feast for the senses  -colours, spices, textiles, aromas, music, tastes, chaos, humor, noise, ritual and at the same time India boasts an ancient culture full of myth, divine stories, deep traditions and boundless faith. A spectacular, stunningly beautiful place.....with food that wakes up the senses and tastebuds like no other.

Pav Bhaji

courtesy of - http://www.rakskitchen.net/2009/07/pav-bhaji.html

I made this delicious very buttery dish just once....it is loaded with butter....and gorgeous green chutney and served with soft bread  rolls....well !!!! 

No wonder Indians love their food with snacks like this.....

Its not a slimming snack thats for sure..... but mouth-watering, unctuous and tasty.

Pav Bhaji 

500g potatoes, boiled, peeled and diced

1 cup cooked small chopped mixed vegetables - carrots, beans, peas, cauliflower

1/2 cup chopped onions

1/2 cup  ghee

4 green chilies slit and finely chopped

1/2 inch ginger, sliced finely

4-6 tomatos diced

1 tsp red chili powder

1 tsp ginger garlic paste

salt to taste

3 tbsp butter

1 tsp garam masala

a bunch of fresh coriander chopped

2 tbsp lemon juice

lemon wedges for garnish

4 pao or soft bread rolls

Heat ghee in a pan.

Fry the 3/4 of the onions till light brown. 

Add green chillies, ginger and tomatoes and saute  for 2-3 minutes. 

Reduce heat and add the red chilli powder, mixed vegetables and potatoes.

With a metal spatula mash and stir for 5 minutes. 

While stirring sprinkle the ginger garlic paste which has been dissolved in 6 tablespoons water. 

Add salt and 2 tabs butter 

Increase the heat and stir well.

Sprinkle garam masala, coriander leaves, lemon juice and remove from heat.

Garnish with remaining chopped onions.

Green Mint Chutney

Mint leaves 1/2 cup

Coriander leaves 1/2 cup

Green chillies 4 nos.

Onion 1/2

Garlic crushed 2 cloves

Chat masala 2 tsp 

Lemon 1/2 juice

Salt as needed

Water as needed

Combine all the ingredients and grind to a smooth paste in a blender using very little water.

Refrigerate and use as required

Apply the remaining butter on the buns, cut in half then place them on a pre-heated frying pan or griddle 

Fry until golden brown on both sides. 

Spread buns with green chutney and Serve with the bhaji and a lemon wedge
Chat Masala
1 tps black peppercorns
1 tps cumin seeds
1/2 tps ajwain seeds
1 or 2 tps pomegranite seeds
seeds from 3 green cardamon pods
1tps black salt
1 tps amchur powder
1 tps ground ginger
1/4 tps asafoetida
1 tps chilli powder
Store this in a sealed jar for use as a dry spice to sprinkle on your cooking at the end...

Gram Fritters
Fritters are called so many different things across India
bhaji, vada,
Vegetable oil for frying
Coriander chutney.... recipe to follow
1tbs chopped mint

1 tbs shredded white radish
Fritters
2 cups channa dhal
1/2 cup urad dhal
1 tps salt
1 tps freshly ground black pepper
1tbs minced ginger
3 small green chillies minced
pinch of asafoetida
handful of chopped coriander leaves
Wash the dal's and soak in separate bowls for 4 hours. Drain and grind the dal separately in a blender with a little water to make a slightly grainy paste.
Mix the two dal pastes together with the remaining ingredients stirring until thoroughly combined.
Heat the oil in a heavy skillet.
Drop small spoonfuls into the oil and fry for 3 minutes until golden brown, swirling them in the oil with a large mesh spoon so the fritters cook evenly Drain on paper towels
Can be served piled up in a bowl with the chutney over the top and sprinkled with shredded mint and white radish.

Coriander Chutney
2 tbs chopped coriander leaves
1 tbs chopped mint leaves
2 tps ginger garlic paste
1 tps cumin powder
1/2 tps salt
Blend all the ingredients with just enough water to make a smooth paste.
Ginger garlic paste is made by blending 10 large garlic cloves and 8-10cm piece of ginger with a little water or pound in a mortar and pestle to make a paste

Many thanks to Christine Manfield for her fantastic recipes from her book Tasting india

madhavanpalanisamy.com

Pakoras, Patties and Hindi

The word pakoṛā is derived from Sanskrit पक्ववट pakvavaṭa-

Pakoras or sometimes called Bahjji are traditionally  Indian street food snacks and made of a variety of vegetable pieces in a besan or chickpea batter and lightly fried such as  spinach-palak, onion- pyaaz, cauliflower - gobi, capsicum - shimla mirch, eggplant- baingan, potato - Aloo or whatever you wish....kuch bhi chaho
They are fun to make, great to eat as snacks or party food and at the same time one can learn Hindi
Sometimes pakoras are made from a mix of vegetables like a patty see recipe for Aloo Tikka.

Pakoras

• 1 cup besan-chickpea flour
• 3 tablespoons rice flour 
• 1 tablespoon of coarsely ground coriander powder -dhania
• 1 teaspoon cumin seeds -jeera
• 2 chopped green chilies- mirchi
• 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro - hara dhania
• 1 teaspoon salt to taste
• 3/4 cup of water -paani
• oil to fry -thel pronounced like whale with a T instead of W
• Choice of vegetables 

Try thinly sliced potato, parboiled small cauliflower florets, onion rings, handfuls of spinach leaves or capsicum pieces

Mix all the dry things together - besan, rice flour, coriander powder, and salt. 

Make a batter like pancake batter by adding water slowly

Add the green chilies and cilantro and mix altogether

Heat the oil in a pan on medium high heat.

The frying pan should have at least 1-2 inches of oil

Dip the vegetable slices in the batter one at a time and slowly drop in frying pan.

Fry the pakoras in small batches. The pakoras will take about 4 to 5 minutes to cook.

Turn them occasionally. Fry the pakoras until both sides are golden-brown.

Repeat until all cooked

They should be crisp, golden brown, drained then served with mint coriander chutney or date and tamarind chutney

  Aloo Tikka 

• 3 big potatoes cooked
• sea salt to taste
• ground black pepper
•  2/3 cup frozen peas defrosted
• 1/2 tbs minced ginger
•   finely chopped coriander leaves
• pinch garam masala
• red chili powder to taste 
• 1 tsp coarsely ground dry roasted cumin seeds
• Oil

Mash the peas, using a fork.

Combine the stuffing ingredients cumin, salt, ginger, coriander leaves  red chilli and garam masala but  not the oil mash briefly. 

Divide into 10 portions and reserve.

Peel the cooked potatoes and mash them very finely into smooth mashed potatoes. 

Add salt and pepper and knead until properly mixed. 

Divide into 10 portions.Take each portion of potato mixture and make a ball.

One at a time, gently flatten each ball into a round patty of about 1/2-inch thick and place a portion of stuffing in the center and fold the edges together. 

Flatten it into a 2-inch patty. Repeat for the remaining portions. 

Heat 1 tsp. oil in a non-stick pan over a low heat. 

Pan-fry until golden brown on both  sides over very low heat.

Serve with chutney or tomato sauce if you have nothing else but definitely not sweet chilli. 

http://www.amusingplanet.com/2011/10/street-food-vendors-from-around-world.html

Mouth watering, hot chilli potatoes 

Biriyani and Superwoman days

ejozi.co.za

This beautiful aromatic Indian rice dish I like to make on the same day as I do a spring clean up at home Once the clean up is done, the house looks fabulous, the dinner is also ready and the house smells fantastic as the spices have slowly radiated throughout. 
Biriyani is very tasty, comforting, unctuous and appetising dinner that although appears complex is  once mastered actually is very easy to make. While the chicken marinates and the aromatic rice cooks I tidy, clean and toss out accumulated junk so I call these days my Superwoman days......
It is really invigorating to accomplish both on the same day. 
Biriyani is worth the effort and can also be made with goat or lamb if you prefer. 

I got talking to a cab driver once on my way back from the markets and I said I was about to make Biriyani. He yelled out, screeched to a halt and pulled over. Then leant in the back of the cab to know how I was going to do it. I've picked up that not many people now bother to cook this great dish in its authentic style but make a quick version. He quizzed me and was amazed that I was cooking it properly so after inviting himself to dinner we went on - No he didn't come to dinner Ha ha ha
So,
Chicken Biriyani is simply made of three parts
An aromatic cooked rice
Marinated chicken pieces
And a spicy, onion green chilli gravy
These are layered into a heavy pot and sealed then baked. Traditionally the seal would be made of thick plain dough or pastry shell. I use a large heavy based casserole dish and one day I hope to get a heavy cast iron pot with a lid - it would be perfect. There is a fantastic one at work by Iittalia - perhaps one day.

supermama.me

Chicken Biriyani

• 12 -14 small size chicken legs or thigh fillets
• Chicken on the bone is preferrable.
• Approx 2 cups Tilda rice (Tilda is a  brand of basmati rice)
• Use any superior grade basmati 
• 2-4 onions
• salt and pepper
• 2 tps mustard seeds
• 2 tps cumin powder
• 4-6 green chillies
• 2 tps coriander powder
• oil for frying – 2 tbs( spices) more for chicken
• 2 small tubs plain yoghurt
• 4 fresh garlic cloves
• fresh coriander roots
• Tin of  crushed tomatoes or fresh crushed tomatoes
• curry leaves
• handful of cashews or  peeled almonds
• handful of raisins

recipes.ebest.in

Marinade

• 3 tps garlic paste
• 3 tps ginger paste
• 4 tps coriander powder
• 1 tps garam masala
• 1 tps tumeric
• juice of  1 lemon
• salt

Aromatic rice 

• 3 cinnamon sticks
• 10 cardamon pods
• salt
• 4 cups of Tilda basmati rice
• 2 cloves
• pinch of saffron or fresh threads of saffron

In a large metal bowl combine the  garlic and ginger paste with coriander , garam masala and tumeric powders  Add lemon juice and chicken legs marinate for at least 2 hours

Meanwhile cook the rice in water with cinnamon sticks, saffron, cardamon and cloves Just bring to rolling  boil for 5 minutes then leave with a tight lid on until all water has evaporated Do not take the lid off. Leave aside.

 In a small pan add oil  cook the mustard seeds  until completely popped add the  cumin and coriander cook for 2 minutes , set aside.
Next prepare the gravy by slowly browning the sliced onions in  a heavy skillet
Add the green chillis and fresh coriander root and ½ bunch of coriander  leaves , fresh garlic that have been whizzed up together to a paste
Mix with the onions  then add the cooked spices and mix together
Add tomatoes and yoghurt .
I don't measure these much so you have to get the feel for how you like it to taste 1 tub of yoghurt and 1 tin of tomatoes makes a good consistency of gravy.
Take the chicken out of the marinade Sear the chicken legs in oil to brown Do not cook through.

Use a large heavy pot or casserole dish suitable for the oven with a lid
Pour in the gravy arrange the chicken on top then some chopped coriander then fill with the cooked rice Add cashews or almonds and raisins to the top and curry leaves( all optional)
Seal with a lid or foil or the traditional way with pastry dough and cook for 1-1/1/2 hours or until very aromatic and the chicken comes away from the bone easily.
Serve with  raitta, pappadums  and pickle or on its own.....delicious