Lahsun Shev Recipe | Garlic Sev Recipe [Video]

Garlic Sev or Lahsun Shev is deep fried savory strings made of chickpea flour that has been flavored with garlic. Serve garlic sev as an evening snack during tea time. Garlic Sev is vegan.

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So how have you guys been? I'm making an appearance after a gap of few weeks now.

For the first time, it is not because I was busy with work, but because I was on vacation. Finally!! The last real vacation that did not involve attending weddings or meeting family was when we went to Bali in 2017 and we were both craving some "us" time. This year we kept it local and visited North East India.

Before I went on vacation, I shared the recipe of the BEST CHOCOLATE CAKE ever!!! I hope you tried that out cause that's a keeper. But that cake, was what I wanted to make for Gee and Raj's birthday. They had asked me for totally different things.

Gee, not one with a sweet tooth and someone craving a certain savory for months now, asked me to make her Garlic Sev, the way they sell in Goa. She's been trying her luck to find something similar in Bangalore, but not succeeded. I thought I would attempt to make some for her. Whether it tastes exactly like the one she buys in Goa, it is up to her to tell, but I thought it was really really tasty and it was so simple to make.

Garlic Sev or Lahsun Shev is deep fried savory strings made of chickpea flour that has been flavored with garlic. The dough is very simple, just a few ingredients. The dough doesn't require any real kneading, just enough to combine all the ingredients together. Then you need a sev press or any press really that can shape the sev. Using the press, release the dough straight into the hot oil and deep fry until crisp.

The amount of garlic I used gives the sev a mild garlic flavor. To get a more prominent flavor, add more garlic.

Garlic Sev stores well for 1-2 weeks in an airtight container, but, I assure you it won't last that long for you to test. This thing is so addictive, it will be gone in a jiffy. Serve garlic sev with tea during tea times or just snack day long.

If you made this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment here or on Facebook,  tag your tweet with @oneteaspoonlife on Twitter and don't forget to tag your photo @oneteaspoonoflife on Instagram. You can also email me at onetspoflife@gmail.com I'd love to see what you are up to.

If you like this recipe, do not forget to share it with your friends and family! 

You can follow One Teaspoon Of Life on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest or you can subscribe to One Teaspoon Of Life and receive all the latest updated via Email

Video Recipe

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Garlic Sev Recipe | How to make Lahsun Sev

Garlic Sev or Lahsun Shev is deep fried savory strings made of chickpea flour that has been flavored with garlic. Serve garlic sev as an evening snack during tea time. Garlic Sev is vegan.

Recipe Type:  Snacks
Cuisine:            Indian
Prep Time:     15 minutes
Cook time:     30 minutes
Total time:     45 minutes
Yield:                One small jar

Ingredients:

1 cup Chickpea Flour (Besan)
5 to 6 Garlic cloves
0.25 tsp Asafoetida (Hing) (Use gluten-free hing)
2 tsp Red Chilli Powder
1 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 Tbsp Oil
Salt to taste (Curd)
Oil for deep frying
Water as required

Method:

1. Blend the garlic, asafoetida, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, salt and 1 Tbsp oil with a little water into a smooth paste. The mentioned amount of garlic gives a very mild flavor, add more garlic for a more prominent garlic flavor.
2. Take the chickpea flour/besan in a large bowl and add the blended garlic masala.
3. Knead until combined. Add more water if required. If it is too sticky, add a little more chickpea flour/besan. Adjust salt or red chilli powder as required.
4. Take a chakli press or a sev press and select the sev plate of the thickness you desire. Grease the plate and the press.
5. Add in a portion of the dough to the press and stuff it in tight.
6. Heat oil for deep frying.
7. Once the oil is hot, press the sev directly into it.
8. Allow the sev to cook for 1-2 minutes on medium heat, then flip it.
9. Cook for 4-7 minutes until crisp and lightly browned.
10. Remove from heat and either place it on an absorbant paper towel or a collander.
11. Once the sev has cooled completely, gently break it into smaller pieces.
12. Store in an airtight container so that sev remains crisp.

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Shankarpole

Chakli

Baked Papdi

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Milk Rusk Recipe | Sweet Bread Rusk Recipe [Video]

Milk Rusk is a twice baked sweet bread. Milk Rusk is sweet and tastes best with a hot cup of tea. Rusk is a popular tea-time snack in India.

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How do you like your chai/tea? I like mine slightly strong with little milk and 1 tsp of organic jaggery powder, that brown chocolatey kind, with a rusk to dunk into it.

I LOVE dunking biscuits and rusks in my tea. I sometimes dunk cakes and bread too, but that's a story for another day. I've been dunking rusks for years and loved how the crispy hard rusk just melts once dunked. My snack box usually has a packet of rusk from the local bakery, coz those are the BEST!

So one Saturday, when I was relatively free, I decided to bake some myself. So there are sweet rusks and savory rusks. I am not sure if the savory one is native to only Bangalore and surrounding areas because I had never seen one before. But that's my least favorite one, so totally ignoring the existence of that one. There are 2 types of sweet rusks, the bread rusk and the cake rusk. The cake rusk is like a biscotti, where one bakes a cake first and then slices it and bakes again until it dries up and becomes a crisp sweet cake rusk. That's a recipe I still need to try. This time I tried the second recipe, which is of bread rusk. 

To make the bread rusk, one needs to bake a sweet bread first and then slice it and bake it again until it dries up to give the crispy hard rusk that we all enjoy.

About the Sweet Bread

• Bread rusk takes a considerably longer time to make because it includes the rise time of the bread. However, this is free time as you don't need to monitor it, just leave it in a warm place to rise.

• Sweet bread takes longer than regular bread to rise. The added sugar slows down the process, so you will have to wait longer. It took me around 4 hours to get a good rise out of the bread, it may take longer if you live in a cooler area. 

Once the bread is ready, it doesn't take very long to make the rusks if you have a large oven and a sheet pan. I had to make mine in batches, so it took me some time to bake them all.

But the wait was worth it! The satisfaction of dunking a home baked rusk exceeded the boredom of the waiting period. Happy Rusk Baking to you!!

If you made this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment here or on Facebook,  tag your tweet with @oneteaspoonlife on Twitter and don't forget to tag your photo @oneteaspoonoflife on Instagram. You can also email me at onetspoflife@gmail.com I'd love to see what you are up to.

If you like this recipe, do not forget to share it with your friends and family! 

You can follow One Teaspoon Of Life on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest or you can subscribe to One Teaspoon Of Life and receive all the latest updated via Email

Video Recipe

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Milk Rusk Recipe | Sweet Bread Rusk Recipe

Milk Rusk is a twice baked sweet bread. Milk Rusk is sweet and tastes best with a hot cup of tea. Rusk is a popular tea-time snack in India.

Recipe Type:  Snacks
Cuisine:            Indian
Prep Time:     6 Hours
Cook time:     1 Hour
Total time:     7 Hours
Yield:                Makes 20-25

Ingredients:

2 cups All purpose flour
0.5 cup Milk Powder
3-4 Tbsp powdered Sugar
0.5 cup lukewarm Water
1 tsp Sugar
1 tsp Active Dried Yeast
1 tsp Oil
1 tsp Milk
Water as required

Method:

1. Add the 1 tsp of sugar and the active dried yeast into the lukewarm water and mix well. Keep is aside for 5-10 minutes to bloom.
2. Take the flour, milk powder and powdered sugar in a large bowl.
3. Add the yeast and mix well.
4. Knead into a smooth dough using water.
5. Coat the dough with the oil and cover and keep aside to rise until doubled. This may take 2-4 hours.
6. Once the dough has doubled, punch it down and knead it gently for 2-3 minutes.
7. Divide the dough into 2 and shape into rolls. Cover and keep aside to rise again.
8. Preheat the oven to 180 degree C.
9. Once the loaves have doubled, brush the loaves with milk and bake for 30-40 minutes until done.
10. Allow the bread to cool completely, then slice into rusk slices.
11. Preheat the oven to 180 degree C.
12. Place the rusk in a single layer in a baking tray and bake for 20-30 minutes.
13. Flip the rusks after 10 minutes.
14. Cool on a wire rack.
15. Store in an airtight container. Serve with tea or coffee.

If you liked this, you may also like:

Fruit Biscuit

Almond Cookies

Baked Papdi

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Chhole Pulao | Chickpea Pilaf [Video]

Chhole Pulao is a spicy rice main made with chickpeas or kabuli chana. This vegan and gluten-free rice is made by cooking fragrant Basmati rice with a spicy tomato based masala and boiled chickpeas.

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Chhole Pulao - a combination of two of my favorite dishes - chhole and pulao, now encompassed into one dish! Growing up, this was our Sunday lunch (mostly). My mom made her famous Pulao and Chhole on Sundays and on special occasions. It was a family favorite. The idea of combining both and making one dish originated from Instagram. A long time ago, one of my favorite Instagrammers, thegutlessfoodie posted her meal of a Chhole Pulao, albeit without chickpeas in there. I loved the idea and took on to making this dish. It has been a success. 

This Chhole Pulao simply put, is made by cooking a dry version of our regular Chhole or chickpea curry and mixing in cooked Basmati rice. It is an easy to make meal and it can be prepped well in advance. You can cook the chickpeas a few days ago and store them in the fridge, for an even easier approach, just buy canned chickpeas. The Basmati rice also can be cooked in advance and stored in the fridge. You can also make it with leftover rice, any variety you have. I personally like cooking the masala fresh, because it really doesn't take much time, but you can also make this in advance and on the day of the meal, just combine the three.

For the past two weeks, I have been stressed with very little time at my hands to cook a meal. It is at times like this, that recipes like Chhole Pulao come very handy. As far as I prep everything on the weekend, the weekdays seem easier.

Since the Chhole Pulao is a carb-heavy dish, so it ends up satiating you. I call it comfort food. Chhole Pulao is a plant-based meal that fits well into the Vegan lifestyle. It can be served as a main dish at festivities and celebrations. 

If you made this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment here or on Facebook,  tag your tweet with @oneteaspoonlife on Twitter and don't forget to tag your photo @oneteaspoonoflife on Instagram. You can also email me at onetspoflife@gmail.com I'd love to see what you are up to.

If you like this recipe, do not forget to share it with your friends and family! 

You can follow One Teaspoon Of Life on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest or you can subscribe to One Teaspoon Of Life and receive all the latest updated via Email

Video Recipe

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Chhole Pulao Recipe | Chickpea Pilaf Recipe

Chhole Pulao is a spicy rice main made with chickpeas or kabuli chana. This vegan and gluten-free rice is made by cooking fragrant Basmati rice with a spicy tomato based masala and boiled chickpeas. 

Recipe Type:  Main
Cuisine:            Indian
Prep Time:     15 minutes
Cook time:     45 minutes
Total time:     60 minutes
Yield:                Serves 2

Ingredients:

1 cup Chickpeas, boiled
0.75 cup raw Basmati Rice
0.75 cup Tomato Puree
2 Onions
2 Tbsp Oil
1 Tbsp Ginger-Garlic Paste
1 tsp Cumin seeds
2 Tbsp Chhole Masla
1 tsp Coriander Powder
2 Tbsp Kasuri Methi
Coriander leaves to garnish
Salt to taste
Water as required

Method:

1. Wash the Basmati rice 4-5 times until the water runs clear. Soak the Basmati rice in water for 15 minutes.
2. After 15 minutes, boil 1.25 cups of water with a pinch of salt. Drain the rice and add it to the boiling water. Cover and cook on low heat until the rice is cooked. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
3. Heat oil in a large kadhai and add in the cumin seeds.
4. Once the cumin seeds splutters, add in the sliced onions. Fry until the onions are golden.
5. Add in the ginger-garlic paste. Saute until fragrant.
6. Add in the chhole masala and the coriander powder and stir fry for 1-2 minutes.
7. Add in the tomato puree and cook on low heat until the liquid evaporates and the masala thickens.
8. Add salt to taste and mix well.
9. Add the cooked Basmati rice. You can also use any leftover rice instead of Basmati rice.
10. Mix well until completely combined. You can adjust seasoning at this stage.
11. Sprinkle kasuri methi and mix well.
12. Remove from heat and garnish with fresh coriander leaves.
13. Serve hot with raita.

If you liked this, you may also like:

Methi Rice

Tava Pulao

Chana Masala

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Lauki Kofta Biryani Recipe | How to make kofta biryani [Video]

Lauki Kofta Biryani is a spiced vegan rice dish made with fried dumplings of bottle gourd (lauki), spices, mixed vegetables and fragrant long basmati rice.  Perfect for Sunday lunch!

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Wanna know a secret?

We NEVER eat biryani in restaurants!

At least, I may once in a blue moon, but Raj absolutely detests biryani from restaurants. But whip it up at home and he'll enjoy it. We are yet to find a restaurant biryani that hits all the right buttons for us. We usually find that restaurant biryanis are high on spice and low on flavor, either have no vegetables or have undercooked vegetables and like all takeout, extremely greasy. No wonder he abhors it, which is quite surprising for a lot of friends. Bangalore is almost Biryani Town, with at least 2-3 biryani outlets on every main road and here, there are people who won't even look at one.

So, once in a while, just to treat ourselves, I put on my chef's hat and cook up a biryani that suits our tastebuds and our sensitive tummies. I add spices for flavor but reduce the chilli powder, so we still taste flavor, but not get burned by the heat. I always add a lot of vegetables, because I simply love the different textures. And a Biryani isn't a Biryani for me if it is not made with fragrant Basmati rice. 

The story of this Vegan Lauki Kofta Biryani, goes back a few months, when I was irritated with Raj for being fussy during vegetable shopping. He kept rejecting all my choices of vegetables for the week, that I lost it and made him shop what he wanted for the whole week. In came the lauki or bottle gourd, one of my least favorite of the veggies. I'm not sure even he likes it. But there it was staring at me from my fridge for a week. And finally on a Sunday, when I was in a good mood, I decided this lauki deserved to be finally eaten and this Lauki Kofta Biryani was born. And since, I've made it multiple times and we've all had a hearty sunday lunch.

Lauki Kofta Biryani, as the name suggests, contains koftas or fried dumplings made from grated lauki. The water from the grated lauki is squeezed out and a few spice mixes are added for flavor. I added chickpea flour or besan and corn flour as the binding agent to make the koftas. You can add potatoes or breadcrumbs or even grated paneer. I've tried with Paneer and it gave me these amazing rich and chewy koftas. You can either shallow fry the koftas, pan fry the koftas or even deep fry them. If your kofta feels crumbly after cooking, add it to the biryani only while serving, instead of cooking it in the masala.

I added a lot of boiled vegetables to the Biryani, but you can skip it and let only the kofta shine. If you want to add vegetables, you can add cauliflower, beans, carrots, green peas, potato, or broccoli. Cut them chunky and cook them to your liking. I like my beans completely cooked, while my cauliflower still crunchy. 

Use aged Basmati rice to get the best results. I always cook my biryani rice with spices for added flavor, but if you don't have whole spices, you can give them a miss. Or if you want a change, you can also cook the rice with saffron for a richer feel. 

The masala made with onions and tomatoes is what imparts flavor to the biryani. A Biryani does take more oil than a pulao, don't skimp on it too much, it will impact the flavor. The oil is what ensures that the rice takes on the flavor of the masala. I used store bough biryani masala, you can grind whole spices to make your own too. 

Lauki Kofta Biryani can be prepped in advance too. The rice can be cooked a few days before and so can the masala. Vegetables too can be boiled in advance. I would only suggest making the koftas fresh.

Biryani tastes best when served with raita or salan. You can try this Boondi Raita to go with the Biryani,

If you made this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment here or on Facebook,  tag your tweet with @oneteaspoonlife on Twitter and don't forget to tag your photo @oneteaspoonoflife on Instagram. You can also email me at onetspoflife@gmail.com I'd love to see what you are up to.

If you like this recipe, do not forget to share it with your friends and family! 

You can follow One Teaspoon Of Life on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest or you can subscribe to One Teaspoon Of Life and receive all the latest updated via Email

Video Recipe

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Lauki Kofta Biryani

Lauki Kofta Biryani is a spiced vegan rice dish made with fried dumplings of bottle gourd (lauki), spices, mixed vegetables and fragrant long basmati rice.

Recipe Type:  Main
Cuisine:            Indian
Prep Time:     30 minutes
Cook time:     60 minutes
Total time:     90 minutes
Yield:                Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

For the Lauki Kodta

1 Bottlegourd
3-4 Tbsp Besan (chickpea flour)
1 Tbsp Cornflour
0.5 tsp Garam Masala
0.5 tsp Turmeric Powder
0.5 tsp Red Chilli Powder
Salt to taste
Oil to fry

For the Biryani

1 cup Basmati Rice
2 medium Onions, sliced
1 cup Tomato Puree
2 cups mixed boiled Vegetables (cauliflower, carrots, beans)
0.5 cup Coriander leaves, chopped
0.5 cup Mint leaves, chopped
1 Tbsp Ginger Garlic Paste
2 Tbsp Biryani Masala
0.5 tsp Turmeric Powder
1 tsp Shah Jeera (Caraway seeds)
1 Tbsp Dagad Phool (black stone flower)
2 Cloves
1 Green Cardamom
1 Black Cardamom
1 Bay leaf
0.5" Cinnamon
4 Tbsp Oil
Salt to taste
Water as required

Method:

1. Wash the basmati rice 4 to 5 times until the water runs clear. Soak in 2 cups water and keep aside for 30 minutes.
2. After 30 minutes, boil 1.5 cups water in a pan and add 0.25 tsp salt, cloves, green cardamom, black cardamom, bayleaf and cinnamon to the water. Allow the water to come to a rolling boil.
3. Drain the rice and add to the water. Cover and cook on low to medium heat until the rice is cooked and all the water is absorbed.
4. Allow to cool uncovered.
5. To make the kofta, peel, cut and deseed the bottle gourd. Grate or shred the bottle gourd.
6. Add a little salt and keep aside for 10 minutes.
7. After 10 minutes, squeeze out the water from the bottle gourd.
8. Take the squeezed bottle gourd in a bowl. Add in the salt, red chilli powder, turmeric powder, garam masala, corn flour and besan. Mix well until combined. If the batter feels wet, add more besan.
9. Heat oil for frying the koftas, you can either deep fry or shallow fry the koftas.
10. Shape the koftas and fry until browned and crisp. Remove from heat and keep aside.
11. Heat 4 Tbsp oil and add in shah jeera and dagad phool. Saute for 30 minutes.
12. Add in sliced onions and fry until the onions are golden brown.
13. Add in the ginger garlic paste and saute until fragrant.
14. Add the tomato puree and cook on low-meidum heat for 6-8 minutes or until oil separates.
15. Add in the biryani masala and turmeric powder, mix well. Cook on low heat for 3-4 minutes.
16. Add in chopped coriander and mint leaves.
17. Add in the boiled vegetables and the kofta. Mix well until combined.
18. Add in the basmati rice and mix until completely combined.
19. Serve hot with raita.

If you liked this, you may also like:

Soya Biryani

Jackfruit Biryani

Mushroom Biryani

Methi Rice

Ghee Rice

Corn Spinach Pulao

Raw Mango Rice

Mint Rice

Palak Rice

Read more ...

Dahi Vada Recipe | How to make Dahi Vada [Video]

It's still Summer, the perfect time to have these chilled Dahi Vadas. Dahi Vada is a popular Indian snack that consists of soaking a savory lentil donut in yogurt and topping with a combination of sweet and spicy chutneys and some spice powders. 

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Cool and refreshing! Just 2 words to describe this Dahi Vada.

Dahi Vada has been a favorite of mine since childhood, the soft vadas dunked in a sweet dahi (yogurt), what's not to love. And in a place like Goa which is always hot, the chilled vadas are always welcome.

Apart from eating cool stuff, how do you keep your cool?

A few months ago, I had posted the recipe for Medu Vada or Uddina Vada, that forms the base of this Dahi Vada. I never claim to be an expert or a chef, I am just a home cook who loves cooking and taking photos of food. But when I posted the recipe of Medu Vada on one of the Facebook Groups, a nasty man commented that it is okay for me to make misshapen vadas for home, but if I had to post it on Facebook, I should make them perfectly round. I was so upset when I read the comment, but Raj calmed me down and asked me to ignore it. And then I realized the power of women. By the time I woke up the next morning, a bunch of women had replied aptly to the man as well as asked me to continue posting. I haven't thanked each of those women personally, but I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of them once again. The way all the women got together and defended me, made me feel so special and loved. 

It reaffirmed my belief that Food Connects People!

Also, it got me thinking, why we assign so much importance to perfection and detail. Why do vadas or laddoos have to be perfectly round? Why do we want perfectly concentric circles in our Chaklis?Why to vegetables have to be blemish free and shaped perfectly? While I got thinking about all this, it reminded me of watching Jamie Oliver talk about "wonky vegetables" and how that desire for perfection led to so much food waste around the world. As a food blogger, it is my job to make my food look as good as possible, but I would never resort to using food coloring or wax or any of the other tactics advertising companies use to sell food. So while my food may be imperfect in shape and appearance, I can assure, it is food that I eat as well as I serve to my family. 

Deep thoughts, I know for a very light and refreshing recipe post, but I had to say it.

So don't worry if your food or your clothes or your hair doesn't look perfect. Own it! Ignore the bad and absorb the good.

Wishing you a Sunny day ahead!

If you made this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment here or on Facebook,  tag your tweet with @oneteaspoonlife on Twitter and don't forget to tag your photo @oneteaspoonoflife on Instagram. You can also email me at onetspoflife@gmail.com I'd love to see what you are up to.

If you like this recipe, do not forget to share it with your friends and family! 

You can follow One Teaspoon Of Life on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest or you can subscribe to One Teaspoon Of Life and receive all the latest updated via Email

Video Recipe

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Dahi Vada Recipe

Dahi Vada is a popular snack in which a savory lentil donut is soaked in sweet and salty yogurt and then topped with sweet tamarind chutney, spicy green chutney and spice powders. Served chilled, this make a perfect summer snack.

Recipe Type:  Snacks, Breakfast
Cuisine:            Indian
Prep Time:     4 Hours
Cook time:     60 minutes
Total time:     5 Hours
Yield:                Makes 12 small dahi vadas

Ingredients:

1 cup Urad Dal
1 Tbsp Rice Flour
6-8 Curry leaves, finely chopped
1 Green Chilli, finely chopped
0.5 tsp Pepper, freshly crushed
A pinch of baking soda
500gms Yogurt
4-5 Tbsp Tamarind Chutney
4-5 Tbsp Green Chutney
1-2 Tsp Cumin Powder
1-2 tsp Red Chilli Powder
Salt to taste
Oil to fry
Water as required
Coriander leaves to garnish

Method:

1. Wash the urad dal and soak the dal in water for around 3-4 hours.
2. Drain the dal and grind into a fine batter. Use as less water as possible. The batter should be thick.
3. Heat oil in a kadhai to deep fry the vadas.
4. While the oil heats, add in the rice flour, green chilli, pepper, baking soda and salt. Mix well until combined. IF the dough feels watery, add a little more rice flour.
5. Once the oil is hot enough, wet your hands and take a spoonful of batter onto your fingers. Using the wet finger of the other hand, make a hole in the center. Watch the video for help on how to do this.
6. Gently drop the vada in the oil.
7. Fry on high heat for 1 minute, then lower the heat slightly and continue to cook until the vada becomes golden brown.
8. Now gently slide this batter into the oil. Stir the vada occassionally and flip it, so that it cooks evenly. Cook until golden brown on both sides.
9. Remove the vada from the oil and immediately drop in a bowl filled with water.
10. Gently immerse the vada in the water and let it soak for 30 minutes.
11. Meanwhile, whisk the yogurt (dahi) until smooth. Add in salt to taste. You can also add in a little sugar and a tempering of mustard seeds to the yogurt.
12. To serve, take 1-2 vadas and gently squeeze out the water and place in a serving bowl. Spoon over some of the yogurt (dahi) along with a little of the yogurt, top with a spoonful of tamarind chutney, green chutney and sprinkle cumin powder and red chilli powder. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves and serve.
13. If planning to serve later, then squeeze out all the vadas and place in a large bowl, pour the yogurt on it and chill in the fridge. Top with the chutneys and spice powders before serving.

If you liked this, you may also like:

Boondi Raita

Dahi Sandwich

Medu Vada

Read more ...

Maharashtrian Tomato Saar Recipe [Video]

Nothing says Summer like red juicy ripe tomatoes. Use the tomatoes to make this simple vegan curry from India. The Tomato Saar is vegan and gluten free.

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Red juicy tomatoes = Summer, right?

Summer is the best and worst time to be in India. Yeah. Let's go with the bad thing first, it is worst because of the heat. If it weren't for the summer rains in Bangalore, I would probably be swimming in a pool of my own sweat. Ugly visual, scratch that. But the best past about Summer, the best fruits and vegetables. 

If you want to have the sweetest fruits, the juiciest fruits, you have to come to India in Summer and then probably hide yourself in an AC room the entire day. 

Come April, I had a good list of recipes I wanted to cook for Summer and share with you guys. As predicted, I never stuck to that list. I really never do, I don't know why I bother. Instead of making what I had so patiently planned (I even set a Google Calendar reminder, I know, that's deep), I went on cooking with what I found in the market. I think it worked out better this way. At least I have been cooking seasonal to a large extent.

This Tomato Saar is just that, seasonal and delicious. But then you get tomatoes all year round, so what's your excuse to not make this? I assume you have nothing, so read ahead.

The history, I first encountered this Tomato Saar when I was in College. We were working to change the hostel mess menu when someone suggested this, and the cooks (lazy as they were) actually agreed to make this. They made it for the trial menu one weekday lunch and for some reason, while I really enjoyed it, it never did make the cut to the final menu. I tend to blame the cook's stubbornness to change, that led to it being out, because it was so delicious. A term I rarely used on anything that came out of the hostel kitchen.

Ever since, I've made this many times when I want a quick curry that does not require me to boil dal or make some elaborate masala. This Tomato Saar is simple, quick, vegan, healthy, gluten free and foremost, it is tasty. It is tangy and spicy and pairs perfectly with rice or with bread. 

To make the Tomato Saar, boil tomatoes, blend them with coconut, garlic and chillies, boil this puree again and season it. That's literally it! I'm really not giving you any excuses to chicken out, am I?

So wishing you a Happy Summer! May you cook with the best of the season's produce.

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Video Recipe

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Maharashtrian Tomato Saar Recipe

Maharashtrian Tomato Saar is a simple yet flavorful vegan curry made from tomatoes and coconut. The dish is made popularly in the Western state of Maharashtra in India. 

Recipe Type:  Curry
Cuisine:            Indian
Prep Time:     10 minutes
Cook time:     30 minutes
Total time:     40 minutes
Yield:                Serves 2

Ingredients:

3 large Tomatoes, diced
0.75 cup grated Coconut
2 cloves Garlic
2 Green Chilli, roughly chopped
2 Tbsp Oil
1 tsp Cumin Seeds
Curry leaves
Salt to taste
1 Tbsp Coriander leaves, chopped
Water as required

Method:

1. Boil the roughly diced tomatoes in water until soft.
2. Drain the tomatoes and allow to cool. Keep the water it was boiled in aside, do not throw away.
3. Blend together the tomatoes, coconut, garlic and green chillies along with a little water until smooth.
4. Heat oil in a kadhai and add cumin seeds.
5. Once they brown, add in the curry leaves. 
6. Add in the tomato-coconut paste. Add the water used to cook the tomatoes as required to reach the desired consistency.
7. Add salt and boil for 6-8 minutes. Remove from heat and garnish with coriander leaves.
8. Serve hot with rice or bread.

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