Thursday 29 September 2016

PAPDI TOKRI CHAT ( CRISPY BASKET SNACK)

PAPDI TOKRI CHAT (CRISPY BASKET SNACK)

 My Recipe published in the magazine

This recipe was published in the Vancouver-based Darpan magazine. Here is the online link. 




In the month of January, I got my new cell phone, when I was feeding all the personal information and my email address etc on my phone, I thought to check if everything is fine. I opened my mail to check the latest email and to my big surprise, there was a mail from the editor of Darpan magazine, in which she mentioned that she would like to feature myself and a few of my recipes in her magazine for the April 2016 issue, I couldn’t believe my eyes. After reading it few times, I realized, yes it is addressed to me and she wanted me to response to that mail. I was so delighted and felt as if I am on top of the world. I replied to the mail and agreed to send all the information to her, together with all the recipes and pictures etc.



While I was still floating in the air of joy, with the wings of that delighted and wonderful feeling. I gave a tap on my head and reminded myself that I have a lot of work to do. In a short span of time, I had to plan, finalize the recipes, organize things, buy ingredients and cook, and then take nice clicks. Oh, so much to do, I told myself, “Oh dear, don't waste time, stop dreaming and start thinking”. And then the whole process started. I planned, finalised the recipes and arranged the ingredients and started cooking. In this process, I had to check the schedule of my son-in-law as well, because he usually takes all the high-resolution pictures of my recipes. I managed to finish everything on time and met the deadline, it was a big relief.


 

Darpan magazine has been a part of the Vancouver media Industry for the past 11 years. The magazine which releases once in two months, caters to Indians, Canadians and Indo-Canadian readers and covers topics ranging from renowned Indian and Indo-Canadian personalities, entertainment, politics, global Indians to lifestyle related topics like health, food, tech, travel, and much more.



Now came the most difficult part of waiting, for the publication of the magazine. I waited for around one and half months, and then my dream came true. Yes, the magazine is right in front of me, which I got by post, because I live in Calgary which is around 700 km from Vancouver. I’m really proud that my recipes got published in a Canadian magazine, and now I will share the recipes from the magazine here on my blog!



This is a delectable and delicious appetizer which is a street food and very popular in India and it is also available in almost all Indian restaurants in India and abroad. In papadi chat, papadis are made in a round disk shape like small cookies, the same papdi I have converted into a basket shape which looks awesome in a presentation.



 
These dainty baskets are made with white flour and semolina and are filled with crunchy vegetables like onion, potatoes, green peas and chickpeas, and garnished with sweet, sour and tangy tamarind and mint chutney, yogurt and spices.


To make these baskets, we need two small steel strainers, to give a shape of a basket and to fry as it is with the strainer in the hot oil. They can be made, few days in advance and can be kept in an air-tight container, which can really save time later when you have to serve to guests. At serving time we only need to organize the filling, then it should be filled, garnished, decorated and served immediately to avoid being soggy.

RECIPE

INGREDIENTS FOR PAPDI



250 grams all-purpose flour
250 grams semolina (Suji)
1/4 cup oil
salt to taste
Oil for frying

FOR FILLING


200 grams soaked and boiled chickpeas (White channa/chhole)
100 grams green peas (fresh or frozen)
2 big potatoes boiled and finely chopped (400 grams)
1 big onion finally chopped (200 grams)
2 cup dahi/yoghurt, beat well with egg beater
1 cup tamarind chutney
1/2 cup mint chutney
salt and red chilli powder to taste
1 tsp roasted and ground cumin seeds
1 tbs oil
1 tsp cumin seeds
3 tbs chat masala (optional)
3-4 green chillies finally chopped (optional)
3 tbs dried and sliced cranberries
100 grams thin savoury seviyan (optional)



METHOD FOR PAPDI



In a big bowl mix white flour and semolina with salt and oil, mix well and make medium hard dough by adding little water.
Divide the dough in 25 pieces and make small balls, flatten them in between your palms.
Roll with a rolling pin, double the size of the rolled out dough to double the diameter of your strainer.
Press this rolled round piece in the strainer with your fingers giving the shape of the basket.
Heat oil in a wok and fry in hot oil with the strainer till golden brown.




FOR SERVING CHAT

Fill papadi baskets with this veg and peas mixture, garnish with yoghurt both tamarind and mint chutney, sprinkle salt and red chilli powder and roasted cumin powder and chat masala.
Decorate on top with sliced green chilli, cranberries and thin seviyans and serve as it is as an appetizer.

I am sending this recipe as my blog post entry To Sweet inspiration party,  and Real Food Friday 
and wth Tasty Tuesday and Sunday food and fitness party  and with Hearth and soul blog hop and what did you do this weekend and with Cook blog share blog hop, wth Way wow blog hop. 
and wth Festa Frday and My two fav thngs on Thursday


 







 
 












 











Thursday 15 September 2016

RAINBOW FRUIT SALAD AND A POST ON A SPICE- HIMALAYAN PINK SALT

RAINBOW FRUIT SALAD AND A POST ON A SPICE- HIMALAYAN PINK SALT



Himalayan pink salt is used a lot in Indian cuisine, it is considered to be the best salt for cooking, because of its amazing taste and health benefits. In the Hindi language, it is called “kala namak or sendha namak”. In English, it is also called rock salt which is still hand mined in Punjab, Pakistan. It is also produced in other Asian countries like India, Bangladesh, and Nepal. It comes in powdered as well as crystal forms.


Since my childhood, I have used this salt, because it was always available in my mum's kitchen. In my mum's kitchen, it was readily available on the dining table, for us, to add on top of salads and drinks if required to be added on top. I remember, in my childhood, when we brothers and sisters had a mild disturbance in our stomach, my mom would say, “ Take a pinch of kala namak (pink salt) and drink a glass of water, you will be fine.” I used to think, how come this salt can work as a medicine but it worked for us. In that era, in India, mum's were using their traditional knowledge, which was based on Ayurveda to treat small problems at home.


Ayurveda is an ancient Indian science of healing naturally, with the help of plants, herbs, spices and other natural things. This Himalayan pink salt has a specific place in Ayurveda, where it can be used for treating high blood pressure, balancing our body's acidity and alkaline, and can effectively detoxify human body. 


This salt is used in Indian and South Asian cuisines as a condiment in many dishes like raitas, fruit salads, chutneys, chats, pickles etc. This salt has a distinctive flavour which can be really enjoyed when it is added to the dishes which are ready to eat. For example- fresh veg salads, fruit salads, different types of raitas, (when we add cut or diced vegetables in yoghurt) and in many chutneys, dips, pesto and chats for garnishing on top. Since is it considered to be a cooling spice, it is also added to beverages like lemonade, orange squash or different types of savoury lassis (savoury yoghurt drink). It is also sprinkled on chips and fritters. If it is used during the process of cooking, we may still enjoy the health benefits but the aroma of the salt can disappear during cooking. Chat masala which is an Indian blend of spices, black salt is the main ingredient in it.


This pink salt is appreciated by some vegans in dishes to mimic the taste of eggs for example to season tofu. This pink salt is considered as a cooling spice in Ayurveda and is used as a laxative and digestive aid. This salt is also used to treat hysteria and for making toothpaste by combing it with other mineral and plant ingredients. ( Source- Wikipedia)



 Note-  I am not advertising any pink salt.This is a picture for my readers.



It is considered to be the purest salt which is used in culinary, therapeutic and cosmetic uses. Check this website.


Coming to the recipe of no cooking and no baking. This fruit salad can go with any meal as a side dish or can be eaten as a starter.


RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 English cucumber
  • 1 big apple (200 grams)
  • 1 big pear (200 grams)
  • 200 grams strawberries
  • 100 grams blueberry
  • 1 big mango ( 200 grams)
  • Half sweet melon ( 200 grams)
  • 2 bananas medium size
  • 2 kiwi ( 200 grams)
  • Himalayan pink salt and black pepper to taste
  • 1 tbsp dry mint
  • 1 tbsp chat masala ( optional)

METHOD