Caramelized Onion Mushroom Tart


Sweet Caramelized Onions + Peppery Sauteed Mushrooms + Crisp Pastry + Creamy Cheese Sauce = Yum yum YUM!!!

How to make eggless vegetarian mushroom quiche recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.com

If you've ever enjoyed this combination, I need not say more. If not, then you are definitely missing out on something. Raj definitely did, the guy just won't eat mushrooms. I had to make something else for him, but that's a recipe for another week. But for now, it's all about this individual sized portion of rich cheesy heaven.

How to make eggless vegetarian mushroom quiche recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.com

This Caramelized Onion Mushroom Tart is perfect for the cold winter days. Winter always makes me want to have rich warm food. I'll give you two options - wait for winter. When the nights are cold, snuggle up under a blanket on the sofa or next to the heater and eat a warm hearty sized portion of this amazing Caramelized Onion Mushroom Tart, OR, say why wait for winter when I can have this piece of yummy goodness right now.

Read on to find out why you should be choosing option 2. 

How to make eggless vegetarian mushroom quiche recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.com


Caramelized Onions are super delicious. Sweet, soft, rich brown is the way to go. Caramelizing onions is a slow process, you have to lovingly delicately coax those pungent crisp onions into sweet submission. But here's the good part, you can caramelize them in advance and stock them in your fridge. After that they can go into sandwiches, on top of crackers or soups, or you know, eat them just like that standing in front of your fridge. They taste great anyway. To caramelize the onions, slice the onions into slices and then gently fry them on low heat with a pinch of salt until they brown slightly. Then add balsamic vinegar, sugar or jaggery, and a little bit of water or stock and let them cook until they are sweet, soft and dark brown. Just make sure they never burn or they will turn bitter. I promise you this is the only time bit of the tart that actually takes some effort.

Mushrooms - The easiest part of the tart. Clean them, slice them, saute them. Sprinkle over some salt and pepper and they are done. My favorite thing about mushrooms is how quickly they cook. Don't you just love it. I prefer when my mushrooms still have texture and bite to them, so I tend to undercook mushrooms. You go ahead and cook them how you like them. Remember, they also cook in the oven when the tart is baked after assembling.

How to make eggless vegetarian mushroom quiche recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.com


Pastry seem daunting to you? All that rubbing cold butter with flour until it resembles sand? Keep that for another day. What I have here is a vegan pastry that can be made in under 5 minutes. Well, except the baking part, of course. Here's a recipe I learnt a long time ago - whisk cold water with oil and it combines to form a smooth emulsion. Add flour and salt to this and gently fold in. No kneading required. In fact, the recipe asks you to not knead. Mix until combined and then refrigerate it for 15-20 mins and then roll out and blind bake them for 15 more minutes until they are done. Wasn't that the easiest pastry you ever made?

The last bit is the Sauce. It is creamy, rich and cheesy. This sauce is what brings together the whole tart and also imparts the maximum flavour. It is a basic white sauce, may be slightly thicker than usual with added cheese. This sauce needs to be thick cause the tart does not contain any eggs, so a thin sauce will make your pastry soggy and the tart runny. To make the sauce, just fry flour in oil or butter and add milk. Add in the garlic, salt, pepper and nutmeg and simmer until you get the desired consistency. Then just mix in grated cheese and allow it to cool slightly before adding to the tart. 

The number of steps may look a lot, but then good things need some effort. Let's be realistic, I don't see you caramelizing onions or making a cheesy white sauce on a busy weeknight, but if you get a free night or weekend when you decide to sit at home and watch classic movies on TV, then give this Caramelized Onion Mushroom Tart a try, and I promise you will not regret the effort you put in. And when you are as well putting in the effort, let me tell you, make how much you think you will eat, and a little more, cause these tarts are DIVINE!!! Thank me later :)

How to make eggless vegetarian mushroom quiche recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.com


If you liked this, you may also like:

  • Vegetable Quiche - Mixed vegetable tart
  • Eggplant Pizza - Guilt free pizza made with grilled eggplant as the base, topped with tomato sauce and cheese.
  • Stuffed Potato Skins - Baked potato skins stuffed with an instant tomato sauce, fried green Capsicum and Mozzarella cheese.


Caramelized Onion Mushroom Tart


How to make eggless vegetarian mushroom quiche recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.comCaramelized Onion Mushroom Tart is a tart made with sweet caramelized onions, pepper sauteed mushrooms, an easy vegan pastry and creamy rich cheese-y white sauce.

Recipe Type:  Breakfast / Snacks
Cuisine:            International
Prep Time:     30 minutes
Cook time:     60 minutes
Yield:                6 Tarts (3.5" each)

Ingredients:


For the Pastry:

1 cup All Purpose Flour
0.25 cup Olive Oil
0.5 cup cold Water
0.25 tsp Salt

For the Filling:

2 large Onions
10-12 button Mushrooms
1 tsp Balsamic Vinegar
2-3 Tbsp Water
2 tsp Jaggery Powder or Sugar
1.5 Tbsp Oil + 2-3 tsp Oil
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

For the Sauce:

3 Tbsp Olive Oil
1.5 Tbsp All Purpose Flour
1.25 cups Milk
25gms Cheese or 2 Cheese Cubes
3-4 cloves Garlic
0.25 tsp Nutmeg
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste

Method:


To make the Pastry:


Whisk together 0.25 cups of water and the oil to form an emulsion.
Take the flour in a large bowl, add salt.
Add the emulsion to the flour and mix with a spatula or hands until combined.
Fold the dough 4-5 times, do not knead.
Wrap the pastry in plastic wrap and rest in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 200 degree C.
Grease the tart tins.
Divide the pastry into 6 equal parts. This recipe uses 6 individual tart tins of 3.5" diameter. If you plan on making one large tart, do not divide the dough.
Dust the counter with flour and roll out the pastry until it is big enough to cover the tart tin.
Place the rolled out pastry in the tin and gently press the pastry in tin. Remove any excess pastry from the sides.
Put in baking beans and bake the pastry for 12-15 minutes or until done.
Allow them to cool a little and then remove the pastry shells from the tins and keep aside.

To make the Sauce:


Heat oil in a pan.
Once the oil is hot, add in the flour and fry for 45-60 seconds.
Add the milk and allow it to come to a boil.
Lower the heat and add the salt, pepper and nutmeg.
Continue to simmer for 1-2 mins until the sauce thickens.
Grate the cheese into the sauce and mix well.
Simmer for another 2-3 mins and remove from heat. If the sauce has become very thick, add 1-2Tbsp milk to loosen it.

To make the Filling:


Slice the onions lengthwise.
Heat 1.5 Tbsp Oil in a frying pan.
Once it is hot, add the onions. Add a pinch of salt and mix well,
Fry the onions on low heat until they are golden brown. Caramelizing onions takes time, this may take around 18-20 minutes.
Add the balsamic vinegar, sugar or jaggery and 2 Tbsp of water and allow to cook for another 8-10 minutes.
When the onions are brown, sweet and soft, remove from heat and keep aside.
Slice the mushrooms.
Heat oil in a pan and when it is hot, add the mushrooms.
Add salt and pepper.
Saute the mushrooms for 4-5 mins until soft and remove from heat.

Assembling the Tart:


Preheat the oven to 200 degree C.
Place the caramelized onions and mushrooms in the tart.
Spoon in the sauce.
Sprinkle another layer of onions and mushrooms on top.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the top browns.


How to make eggless vegetarian mushroom quiche recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.com
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Wedding Anniversary Gajar ka Halwa

5 years of love, 5 years of disagreements.
5 years of understanding, 5 years of why-can’t-you-understand-me moments.
5 years in happiness and sadness. 5 years of ups and downs.
5 years of sharing work, 5 years of fighting over the TV remote.
5 years of buying new stuff, 5 years of we-really-need-to-get-rid-of-stuff.

How to make gajar ka halwa or carrot halwa recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.com

5 years since we tied the knot. Sunday, the 16th was our 5th Wedding Anniversary. Somehow, being as different as chalk and cheese we’ve made it work. 
10 years ago, I saw him across the room and wanted to get to know him. I did get to know him a few months later. We became friends, very good friends. Friends who fell in love eventually.

Raj is probably the nicest guy around. A man who hurts not even a mosquito (literally!!), much to my annoyance. A man with immense patience - he can entertain toddlers for hours and teach technology to senior citizens. But totally loses it when someone cuts in front of his car breaking traffic rules. A man who sings well but has two left feet when it comes to dancing (he may as well be fighting Kung Fu with me). Totally low maintenance guy, whom I love very much, no matter how much he annoys me at times.


Today morning as I was waiting for the bus, I was trying to think of the things we have in common and while we are more different than similar, we do have quite a lot of stuff in common…

  • Travel – We both love to travel, we’ve always loved to see new places and take long drives. We loved the snowcapped peaks of Manali just as much as the pristine waters of Phuket. We were equally mesmerized by the Taj Mahal as we were by the Sigiriya Rock in Sri Lanka.
  • Desserts – Both of us have a massive sweet tooth and are always trying to curb it. But yes, desserts are our weakness, no matter how much we try.
  • Movies – We may have different tastes in movies, I love rom coms and he love his action movies (typical Man.. Duh!), but give us an Animated Movie and we are willing to tolerate the headache we both get from the 3D glasses.
  • Jamie Oliver and Top Gear – He’s all about cars and I’m all food, but for a change we both love watching Jamie Oliver cook things we would probably never eat and watch them test drive cars on Top Gear that we will never buy.
  • Tea – Tea is what led to this marriage according to me. We bonded over cups and cups of tea and still cannot get enough of.

How to make gajar ka halwa or carrot halwa recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.com

This Gajar ka Halway is a dedication to our 5 years of Marriage. 5 years ago, just before we got married, Raj told me he makes the most amazing Gajar ka Halwa and will one day make it for me. I’m still waiting for him to make it… I probably will be waiting for the next 5.  So instead of denying myself of the sinful pleasure, I made it myself. 

Gajar ka Halwa or Carrot Halwa is a traditional North Indian carrot pudding that is made by slow cooking grated carrots along with milk, sugar, ghee and dry fruits. It is a sweet rich dessert, fit for special occasions, like our Wedding Anniversary.

You can either grate the carrots or use a food processor to shred them. Use juicy carrots, avoid fibrous ones. The grated carrots are first lightly roasted in ghee. Then they are slow cooked in milk on low heat. Traditional recipe uses full fat milk. I used regular toned milk. Once the milk has almost evaporated, add the sugar. The sugar will melt and you will again find liquid in your halwa. I love some desserts very sweet. Adding the 1 cup of sugar will make the halwa very sweet. I suggest adding half a cup and letting it evaporate, before adding more if you prefer your desserts to be less sweet. Once all the sugar has evaporated, add the cardamom powder. I also love adding a lot of dry fruits to my desserts. I added almonds, cashew nuts and raisins after lightly frying them in ghee. 

Although I love cold Gajar ka Halwa, it tastes best when served warm. It also is great when paired with a scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream.

How to make gajar ka halwa or carrot halwa recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.com

If you liked this, you may also like:

P.S - You know my biggest accomplishment? After 5 years, I finally got him to smile when the camera is pointed at him.

Gajar ka Halwa | Carrot Halwa


How to make gajar ka halwa or carrot halwa recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.comGajar ka Halwa or Carrot Halwa is a slow cooked North Indian carrot pudding made with grated carrots, milk, sugar, ghee and dry fruits.

Recipe Type:  Breakfast
Cuisine:            North Indian
Prep Time:     15 minutes
Cook time:     1 Hour 45 Minutes
Yield:                Serves 5 to 6


Ingredients:


3 cups grated Carrots (300 gms)
2 cups Milk
0.75 to 1 cup Sugar
0.5 tsp Cardamom Powder
3 Tbsp Ghee
8 to 10 Almonds
8 to 10 Cashew nuts
8 to 10 Raisins

Method:


Heat 2 Tbsp ghee in a kadhai and add the grated carrot.
On low heat, fry the carrots for 4-5 mins, stirring continuously.
Add the milk and continue to simmer on low heat until all the milk has evaporated. Stir occasionally.
This will take around 30-45 minutes. By the time the milk has evaporated, the carrots would have almost cooked.
Now add the sugar and continue to cook on low heat. The sugar will melt and the halwa will again have liquid in it. Continue to stir occasionally.
Once all the liquid has evaporated, add the cardamom powder and mix well.
Remove from heat.
Heat the remaining ghee in a small pan.
Add sliced almonds, split cashew nuts and raisins and saute until the nuts brown slightly.
Add the nuts to the Gajar ka Halwa and mix well.
Serve warm.

How to make gajar ka halwa or carrot halwa recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.com


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Sweet Potato and Cheese Paratha


How to make shakharkand aloo cheese paratha recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.com

Today was day 1 of my long long weekend. Yesss!!! I have a 4 days weekend. I used to wonder if there is anything better than a long weekend, there definitely is, this 4 days weekend. 4 full days, well 3 now, I'm so excited.

Day 1 was very fruitful. I finished all my festival shopping. The market place was crazzzy. People everywhere. I guess everyone wants to finish off all their Diwali shopping this long weekend.

How to make shakharkand aloo cheese paratha recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.com


Let's talk about the Sweet Potato and Cheese Paratha. Paratha is wholewheat flatbread that is usually stuffed with either vegetable or cheese. It is a popular breakfast dish across North India. Just as I say that, I must also say I'm a big fan of all day breakfast. Breakfast for lunch, Breakfast for dinner - I'm all for it.

I made this Sweet Potato and Cheese Paratha for dinner. It was a busy day, and I wanted something hearty and filling yet easy to make. Don't let the number of steps below frighten you, the paratha is actually very easy to make. Let me take a minute to tell you just how tasty this Sweet Potato and Cheese Paratha is - It is super delicious. They have that slight sweetness of the sweet potato, the hit of heat from the green chillis and the saltiness of the melting cheese all enveloped in a crispy wholewheat covering.

How to make shakharkand aloo cheese paratha recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.com


I used regular processed cheese cubes. Use any sharp salty cheese that melts when heated. Hard or very creamy cheese will not go well with this Paratha.

I usually knead the dough well in advance and keep in the fridge. The same dough is used to make chapatis or rotis. The dough stays good for 3-4 days in the fridge. So go ahead and make it in advance and remove it around 30 mins to 1 hour before you make the parathas so the dough is pliable.

I also made the stuffing in advance and kept it in the fridge. This also stays good for 3-4 days. So for dinner, all I had to do was the assembling part, where you roll out the dough to a small circle, fill the stuffing in the center and then just fold the edges of the dough until the filling is sealed in the dough. Exactly, as you would seal a wanton or momo. Then gently roll it out as thin as you can without all the stuffing coming out. Then just pan fry it and ta-da, hot crispy parathas are ready to be eaten. Never skimp on oil while making parathas, you will lose out on flavor.

How to make shakharkand aloo cheese paratha recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.com


If you liked this, you may also like:

  • Methi Paratha - Wholewheat flatbread flavored with fresh Methi or Fenugreek leaves and spices. 
  • Szechwan Paratha - Wholewheat flatbread stuffed with a mix of cabbage, onions, capsicum and carrot cooked with chinese sauces. 
  • Sweet Potato Chaat - Sweet Potato Chaat is a flavorful street food inspired snack that is made with baked sweet potato, sweet and spicy chutneys, finely chopped vegetables, spices and sev.


Sweet Potato and Cheese Paratha


How to make shakharkand aloo cheese paratha recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.comSweet Potato and Cheese Paratha is an unleavened Indian whole wheat flatbread stuffed with a mixture of cooked sweet potato and cheese.

Recipe Type:  Breakfast
Cuisine:            North Indian
Prep Time:     45 minutes
Cook time:     45 minutes
Yield:                6 parathas

Ingredients:


For the Dough:


2 cups Wholewheat flour / Atta
1.5 cups Water
0.5 tsp Salt

For the Stuffing:


1 medium Sweet Potato
0.5 cups grated Cheese
1-2 Green Chilli, finely chopped
2 Tbsp chopped Coriander Leaves
0.5 tsp Mustard Seeds
0.5 tsp Turmeric Powder
3 tsp Oil
Salt to taste

Others:


Wholewheat flour for dusting
Oil to fry the Parathas

Method:


To make the Dough:


In a large bowl, take the wholewheat flour. Add salt and half cup of water.
Bring the mixture together and knead into a smooth soft dough. Add more water as required. Cover the dough with a kitchen towel and keep aside for 30 minutes.

To make the Stuffing:


Boil and peel the sweet potato and keep aside to cool.
Once the sweet potato has cooled, mash or grate the sweet potato. Ensure there are no large chunks in there.
Heat oil in a pan or kadhai and add the mustard seeds.
Once the mustard seeds splutter, add the finely chopped green chillis and fry for 30 seconds.
Add the turmeric powder and mix well.
Now add the mashed sweet potato and salt. Mix well and remove from heat.
Allow it to cool to room temperature and add the chopped coriander leaves and grated cheese. Mix well.

To assemble the Sweet Potato and Cheese Paratha:


Divide the dough into 6 equal pieces and roll them into balls.
Divide the stuffing into 6 equal portions.
Take a ball of dough and flatten it. Dust it with wholewheat flour.
Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough to a circle of about 3.5" to 4" diameter. Dust with wholewheat flour as required so that the dough does not stick to the counter or the rolling pin.
Place the stuffing into the center of the rolled out dough and using your fingers, bring all the edges together and seal the stuffing inside the dough.
Dust the stuffed dough ball with wholewheat flour and roll it out again until the paratha has a diameter of 5" to 6".
Heat a griddle or tava and grease it with oil. Always cook parathas on high heat, cooking them on low heat will make them hard.
Place the paratha on the hot tava. Once the first side has developed small brown spots i.e. it has cooked, spoon oil on the uncooked side and spread it using a spoon.
Flip the paratha and allow the second side to cook.
Repeat the same with the remaining 5 portions.
Serve hot. Parathas taste great with butter, yogurt, chutney or pickle.

How to make shakharkand aloo cheese paratha recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.com
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Sabudana vada | Sabakki vada | Sago Poppers


Hi folks, what's cooking this week?

How to make vegan sabudana vada sabakki vada recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.com

Now that Navratri is here, what are your plans? Has that gorgeous "Ghagra-Choli" come out of the wardrobe ? Did you go for Garba or Dandiya?

I'm not sure I'll ever wear a Ghagra-Choli, but dancing the Dandiya is definitely on my bucket list and I wish to cross it off soon. 

You know what I enjoy about festivals in India? The colors. I love to see people dressed up in colorful attire. Colorful flowers in markets and adorning houses. Large "Pandals" where community or sarvajanik celebrations happen. The diyas or lanterns that are lit up outside houses. Beautiful Rangolis everywhere. It sets such a festive mood, you want to celebrate. What is it about festivals that excites you?

How to make vegan sabudana vada sabakki vada recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.com

Festivals always bring good food with them. So does Navratri. A lot of people fast during Navratri where they avoid rice, wheat, meat etc. Sabudana Vada is very popular during such "upavaas" or fasting. I don't fast, I've never done so till date and considering the foodie I am, I doubt I'll ever be able to avoid food for too long. But that does not stop me from eating all the yummy snacks like Sabudana Vada. In fact, I make them very often for breakfast or tea time snacks. They disappear quicker than I can cook them. 

Sabudana Vada is a popular Mahastrian snack made by frying balls of sabudana (sago), mashed potato and crushed peanuts. While traditionally, the vadas are deep fried, I pan fry them or shallow fry them. 

How to make vegan sabudana vada sabakki vada recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.com

To make the Sabudana Vada, first the sabudana needs to be soaked for around half hour and then drain out the water and leave the sabudana in a box or a covered bowl for 1-2 hours until they fluff up. Then add in the mashed boiled potato, crushed peanuts, curry leaves, chopped green chilli, chopped coriander leaves and salt and mix. Take lemon sized balls of this mixture and flatten them gently and place on a hot greased pan. Spoon in 1 tsp of oil on them and cook until one side browns, then flip and cook until the next side browns. If you are in a hurry, or you don't mind deep fried snacks, then go ahead and deep fry them and enjoy the traditional taste of Sabudana Vada.

Sabudana Vada tastes awesome with chutney or ketchup. I don't bother with either, as no one in my family cares what comes with it, as I said it disappears quicker than it appears. 

How to make vegan sabudana vada sabakki vada recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.com

If you liked this, you may also like:

  • Sabudana Khichdi - Another popular Maharastrian fasting meal made with the exact same ingredients as this vada.
  • Sabudana Chana Vada - Sabudana Vada where Potatoes are replaced with Chhole or Chickpeas.
  • Millet Cutlets - Shallow fried cutlets made from foxtail millet and mixed vegetables.
  • Curried Brown Rice and Zucchini Fritters -  Fritters or Tikkis made with mashed Brown Rice and grated Zucchini. Spiced with Garam Masala and pan fried. 


Sabudana Vada / Sabakki Vada/ Sago Poppers

How to make vegan sabudana vada sabakki vada recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.comSabudana Vadas are shallow fried vadas or poppers made with Sabudana/Sago, Peanuts and mashed potatoes.

Recipe Type:  Snacks
Cuisine:          Indian/ Maharashtrian
Prep Time:     2 hours
Cook time:     20 minutes
Yield:              Makes 12-15 vadas



Ingredients:


1 cup Sabudana/Sago
2 medium sized Potato
2 finely chopped Green Chilli
8-10 Curry Leaves
0.25 cup Peanuts
2 Tbsp chopped Coriander leaves
A pinch Garam Masala (Optional)
1 tsp Red Chilli Powder (Optional)
4-5 tbsp Oil
Salt to taste

Method:


Wash the sabudana and drain all the water. Let it rest covered for about 2 hours or until the sabudana have softened.
Boil the potato and peel it.
Roast the peanuts and grind into powder in the mixer.
Mash the potato, add the sabudana, curry leaves,coriander and green chilies. Mix well.
Add salt, red chili powder, garam masala, peanut powder and mix well.
Shape into balls and flatten them gently.
Heat a tava or frying pan and grease it.
Place the sabudana vada hot tava and spoon around 1-1.5 tsp of Oil per vada. You may need more or less oil depending on your liking and the tava you have used. I used a non stick tava.
Flip them when they brown on one side.
Remove from heat once both the sides are browned.
This can be served with chutney or ketchup.


How to make vegan sabudana vada sabakki vada recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.com
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Sweet Potato Chaat Recipe | Shakarkand Chaat Recipe [Video]


Sweet Potato Chaat recipe with video instructions. Sweet Potato Chaat is a flavorful street food inspired snack that is made with baked sweet potato, sweet and spicy chutneys, finely chopped vegetables, spices and sev.

In a hurry? Jump to Video or Jump to Recipe


How to make shakarakand or aloo chaat recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.com

I had an in-between kinda week. Some ups, some down, but definitely busy on all fronts.

Firstly, lots of work at office. I've been spending all my time in meetings and discussions. For once, talking is really tiring me out. I've gone super early to work (by my standards) and left late almost everyday this week. And worst of all, I've been working after I reach home too. Sad state of affairs there. I hope it ends soon.

Raj had potluck on Wednesday and I cooked him a big batch of food to take to work. I took that as an opportunity to click my first ever food video. Video, Guys!!! Exciting stuff there. I'm waiting for some time so I can start editing my humongous video and add some nice captions so I can post my very first video post. If that work out, I bet you'll see more of that in the future.

How to make shakarakand or aloo chaat recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.com

I think I was all buzzed up with energy this week (or may be it was that large scoop of Cold Stone ice cream), I actually managed to finish off 2 novels this week. I'm glad that I'm back to my reading self that had taken a backseat in the recent past. It may have been something to do with the fact that James Patterson novels were so thrilling, it was impossible to put them down. I'm on his third novel and absolutely loving it as of now. I see myself reading quite a bit this weekend.

Now that the weekend is almost upon us, what are your plans? Doing something interesting or just relaxing?

I would love to tone it down a bit and relax this weekend, but I don't see it happening. My aunt is coming from out of state for just the weekend. I see a lot of running around taking her places in store for us. Gardening takes a back seat, yet again this weekend. 

How to make shakarakand or aloo chaat recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.com

I'll now stop ranting about busy weeks and busy weekends and get down to business.

This Sweet Potato Chaat is E-X-P-L-O-S-I-V-E ! Yup, it totally is. Every spoonful is a flavor bomb.
Chaat is one word for a variety of Indian street food that is served in tiny little carts all across the country. There are so many different types of chaat available - Pani Puri, Bhel Puri, Sev Puri, Masala Puri etc. This Sweet Potato Chaat is inspired from Aloo Chaat and Dahi Puri. 

This Sweet Potato Chaat has many layers, the first is baked sweet potato. While it can be fried, I chose to bake it just to keep it healthier. You can deep fry it or parboil the sweet potato and then shallow fry them. I had imagined that the sweet potato will turn too sweet for my chaat, but with all the chutneys and sprinklings, it actually tasted very good and added just a slight hint of sweetness to the entire dish.

How to make shakarakand or aloo chaat recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.com

The Sweet Potato Chaat is incomplete without the chutneys. I used 2 chutneys out here - spicy and fresh Coriander Mint Chutney and the tangy and sweet Tamarind Date Chutney. The 2 chutneys balance each other out in flavor. If you are making these chutney, make a little more and store it in the fridge, they both taste amazing with a variety of finger food or make really awesome marinades and dressings.

Chopped onions, tomatoes and coriander add crunch and freshness to the chaat. I would recommend that you do not skip any of them if you can help it.
I also zinged up the chaat with yogurt, but if you are a vegan, feel free to skip it. 

How to make shakarakand or aloo chaat recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.com

Chaat is never complete without the chaat powder. Chaat Powder is a mix of spices and you can easily get them in stores. I also add Black Salt in all my chaats, it gives it another layer of flavor. It has a funky smell and can be turning off to some people. You can replace it with Himalayan Pink Salt or regular salt. 

Add a handful of fine Sev and a squeeze of lime and you are done. 

Don't get bogged down by all the instructions, just mix up everything in one bowl and serve it. The ingredients below are just a guiding value, customize the chaat according to your liking. Adjust the quantities as per your taste. If you tried the Sweet Potato Chaat, leave me a comment with your experience.

How to make shakarakand or aloo chaat recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.com

If you liked this, you may also like:



Video Recipe





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Sweet Potato Chaat


How to make shakarakand or aloo chaat recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.comSweet Potato Chaat is a flavorful street food inspired snack that is made with baked sweet potato, sweet and spicy chutneys, finely chopped vegetables, spices and sev.

Recipe Type:  Snacks
Cuisine:            North Indian
Prep Time:     30 minutes
Cook time:     20 minutes
Yield:                Serves 2-3


Ingredients:


1 large Sweet Potato
1 Onion, finely chopped
1 Tomato, finely chopped
0.5 cup whisked Yogurt
3-4 Tbsp Tamarind Date Chutney
3-4 Tbsp Mint Coriander Chutney
2-3 Tbsp Coriander Leaves, finely chopped
1 cup fine Sev
2 tsp Red Chilli Powder
2-3 tsp Oil
2-3 tsp Lime Juice (optional)
2-3 tsp Chaat masala 
2-3 tsp Roasted Cumin powder to taste
1-2 tsp Black salt to taste
Salt to taste

Method:


1. Preheat the oven to 220 degree Celsius.
2. Peel and dice the sweet potato into 1 cm sized cubes.
3. Mix in oil, 2 tsp red chilli powder (optional) and salt with the sweet potato and place it on a baking tray in a single layer.
4. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the sweet potato is cooked.
5. Allow it to cool a little.
6. Depending on how many servings you want, divide the sweet potato.
7. Place the sweet potato on a plate.
8. Add in mint coriander chutney, tamarind date chutney, cumin powder, black salt, red chilli powder and chaat masala as per taste and mix well. Add lime juice if desired.
9. Add in finely chopped onions, tomatoes and coriander leaves.
10. Top with fine sev and serve immediately

How to make shakarakand or aloo chaat recipe at www.oneteaspoonoflife.com
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