Street Food

Gota (fritters)

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Gota (fritters) are made with chickpea flour and vegetables. The most common type of gota is methi (fenugreek) ni bhaji (greens) na gota (fritters). Fenugreek greens are widely available during winter months. Gota is very popular street food and usually eaten as a snack with hot tea. When you buy gota from a street vendor or farsan (savory food) shop, you will also get kathi chutney,  Green Papaya Cachumber and stir fried green chilies, especially in Gujarat.

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Methi ni Bhaji na Gota

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Serves: 4

Fenugreek greens fritters
Ingredients
  • 2 cups chickpea flour or more
  • ½ cup coarse whole wheat flour or cream of wheat
  • ¼ cup yogurt or buttermilk
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 cups packed chopped methi ni bhaji (fenugreek greens either fresh or frozen, thawed)
  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro
  • 2 jalapeno or serrano chili, minced
  • 2-inch piece of ginger, peeled and minced
  • 1 teaspoon coriander seeds, toasted and crushed
  • ½ teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric
  • ½ teaspoon chili powder
  • 3 teaspoons salt
  • 4 teaspoons sugar
  • Water as needed
  • Canola or similar oil for frying
Directions
  1. In a medium sized mixing bowl, whisk together 1 cup water, olive oil and yogurt or buttermilk. Add chickpea flour and ¼ cup of wheat flour or cream of wheat. Combine flour with water, if some dry flour remains, it is fine.
  2. Add spices, greens and rest of ingredients (except water). Combine with flour and if batter is too dry gradually add more water until thick fritter batter forms. Let batter rest for an hour.
  3. Heat oil in a frying pan until ready to fry.
  4. Just before frying, add remaining wheat flour or cream of wheat. Check the consistency of batter. If it too thick, add more water to thin out. If it is too thin, add more chickpea flour. Taste seasoning and adjust according to taste. If you want to make spicier, add more chili powder.
  5. Once oil is hot enough to fry, drop about 2 tablespoons of batter for a fritter with your hands or small ice cream scoop. Drop 6-7 fritters in hot oil and fry them until golden brown and crunchy, 3 to 4 minutes. Repeat until all batter is gone. You can let excess oil drip from fritters on a paper towel lined plate or wired racked pan.
  6. Serve warm and accompanied with any one or more condiments like cilantro chutney, kathi chutney, green papaya cachumber and cucumber raita. Can be served as a snack or an appetizer.
Notes
You can also make this same recipe with spinach.

 

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Vegetable Forward

Chile Relleno with Paneer

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Chile Relleno with Paneer

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Serves: 4

Ingredients
Directions
  1. Make paneer bhuraji and tikka masala gravy according to directions.
  2. Char poblano peppers on open flame of stove or under the boiler. Once blackened, transfer them to zip lock bag or a bowl covered with plastic wrap. Let them steam for 10-15 minutes.
  3. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
  4. Remove the blackened skin from peppers. Make a slit in middle and remove seeds. Stuff peppers with paneer bhuraji. Transfer them to a baking dish and bake them for 10 to 15 minutes until peppers and filling is warmed through.
  5. To serve, pour about half a cup of gravy on individual serving plate and top with stuffed pepper. Serve with a nan and/or rice.

 

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Recipes, Sweets

Ladoo

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Ladoos are made thoughout in India at home and also readily available in sweet shops. The round shaped sweet is called ladoo and there are many varieties of ladoo. Different types of ladoos are made depending on occasion and festival. This sweet is favorite of children. It can be eaten as a snack or with a meal as a sweet.

During month of August or September (on the fourth day of Bhadarva Sud in Hindu calendar) comes Ganesh Chaturthi. This year it was on September 2, 2019. Ganesh is the elephant-headed god of wisdom. The festival of Ganesh lasts for 10 days. His favorite food, ladoos, are made and offered to him as prasad. In the region of Maharashtra, special steamed ladoos called modaks are made with rice flour, coconut and jaggery. In Gujarat, ladoos are made with whole wheat flour and jaggery.

Many Indians keep fast during certain days. Sometimes on a day of fast, some people avoid eating regular meals or will eat only one meal and avoid eating food with salt after a meal. On those days to keep strength people may eat fruits, dry fruits and nuts. Whenever my mother had a fast, she used to make shing (peanuts) na ladoos on that day. These peanuts ladoos are quick and easy to make. The recipe can be adapted for other nuts.

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Wheat Flour Ladoo

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Serves: 12

Ingredients
  • 2 cups ladoo (coarse whole wheat) flour, available in Indian grocery stores.
  • 1 tablespoon chickpea flour
  • 4 tablespoons canola oil
  • ½ cup or more warm water
  • 1 cup sugar or more or 1 ½ cups jaggery or more shredded with knife
  • 1 cup ghee (clarified butter) or more, melted and warm
  • 1 ½ teaspoons ground cardamom
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 2 tablespoons toasted almonds, finely chopped
  • ¼ cup white poppy seeds, for garnish
  • Vegetable oil for frying
Directions
  1. Combine wheat flour, chickpea flour and canola oil in a large mixing bowl. Gradually add water and form into firm dough. Use more water if needed. Knead the dough until smooth. Divide the dough into 14 to 15 equal parts and form into balls. Take one ball into palm of your hand and make a fist with ball. Tightly press the dough with your hand and make oval shaped dough (muthia). Repeat with rest of the dough balls.
  2. Heat oil in a frying pan until hot enough to fry. Fry the muthia, 4 to 5 at a time until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the muthia to a paper towel lined large mixing bowl to drain excess oil. Once all muthia are fried, remove the paper towel. Cover the bowl with a plate and let muthia cool down for 10 to 15 minutes.
  3. Break muthia into smaller pieces with your hands or with a wooden spoon. In a food processor, process small pieces until it resembles wet sand in 3 to 4 batches. Transfer to a big mixing bowl.
  4. Add sugar (skip if you are using jaggery), almonds, cardamom and nutmeg and mix well. Taste ladoo mixture and add more sugar if it is not sweet enough. Make a well in the center and add ¾ cup of ghee. If you are using jaggery, add jaggery in the ghee. With warm ghee, jaggery pieces will start to melt. With hands combine ladoo mixture with jaggery and ghee. Break unmelted pieces of jaggery with hand while mixing and taste ladoo mixture. Add more jaggery if it is not sweet enough.
  5. Take handful of mixture into hand and try to form a ball. If mixture does not stay together then add more ghee until the mixture stays firmly together. With a small ice cream scoop, scoop ladoo mixture and press firmly. Drop it on a plate and form a tight ball (ladoo) with your hands. Repeat the process until all mixture is used.
  6. In a pie dish or a small baking pan spread out poppy seeds. Drop a ladoo on poppy seeds and roll it gently between hands to evenly coat poppy seeds. Transfer to a serving plate. Repeat with remaining ladoo. Let ladoo stand for at least two hours to solidify ghee. It is served as a sweet on special occasions. (makes about 24 ladoo)

 

 

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Shing na Ladoo

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Serves: 6

Ingredients
  • 1 cup dry roasted shing (peanuts)
  • ⅓ cup powdered sugar
  • 3 tablespoons ginger powder
  • ¼ cup or more ghee (clarified butter), melted
  • ½ teaspoon cardamom
Directions
  1. Ground peanuts in food processor until like a wet sand. Transfer to a mixing bowl.
  2. Add rest of ingredients to ground peanuts. Combine them with your hands. Take handful of mixture into hand and try to form a ball. If mixture does not stay together, add more ghee until the mixture stays firmly together. With a small ice cream scoop, scoop mixture and press firmly. Drop it on your hand and form a tight ball (ladoo) with your hands. Roll between your hands to make it smooth. Repeat the process until all mixture is used.
  3. Serve as a snack or sweet.

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Tofu Forward

Singapore Noodles

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Singapore Noodles

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Serves: 4

This noodle recipe is the result of influence of Indian and Chinese cuisine in Singapore.
Ingredients
  • ½ cup neutral oil, divided
  • 2 tablespoons curry powder
  • ¼ teaspoon or to taste cayenne pepper
  • 8 oz. rice noodles (vermicelli)
  • 3 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 package of firm tofu
  • 2 shallots, sliced
  • 1 red pepper, sliced
  • 1 large carrot, cut into 2 inch strips
  • 2-inch piece of ginger, finely minced
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon black pepper
  • ½ cup green peas
  • Juice of ½ a lime
  • 4 scallions, thinly sliced
  • ½ cup chopped cilantro
Directions
  1. Drain tofu and remove excess liquid from tofu by putting it between two baking sheets covered with paper towels and weighing it down with cans or a heavy pan. Cut into ½-inch dice.
  2. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a wok or a skillet until shimmering and sauté curry powder and cayenne pepper for a minute or until fragrant.
  3. Soak rice noodles in 8 cups of boiling water for 5 minutes or until soft. Once soft, drain water and toss with curried oil, soy sauce and sugar in a mixing bowl. Set aside.
  4. Heat 3 tablespoons oil in a wok or a skillet until shimmering, Stir fry tofu until light golden brown, 7 to 8 minutes. Drain excess oil from tofu and transfer tofu to noodle bowl.
  5. Add remaining oil to wok or skillet until shimmering. Stir fry shallot, red pepper and carrot for 2 to 3 minutes. Add ginger and garlic and stir fry with vegetables for a minute. Season with salt and black pepper.
  6. Add ¾ cup water or vegetable broth to wok or skillet. Add noodles with tofu and let everything cook together until water or broth is absorbed. Add peas, lime juice and stir.
  7. Before serving, garnish with scallions and cilantro. Serve warm.

 

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Recipes, Vegetable Forward

Cauliflower Manchurian

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Gobi Manchurian

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Serves: 4

This recipe is a fusion of Chinese and Indian cuisine to suit Indian taste. It is believed to be created by Chinese community living in city of Kolkata (State of Bengal), eastern part of India.
Ingredients
  • 1 medium sized cauliflower (gobi), cut into 2 inch florets
  • Neutral Oil for frying
For Batter:
  • ½ cup AP flour
  • ½ cup corn starch
  • 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste, see Note.
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon hot sauce
  • ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
  • Water as needed
For Sauce:
  • ½ cup tomato ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • ½ teaspoon rice wine vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon ginger-garlic paste
  • 1 jalapeno or Serrano chili, minced
  • 3 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated
  • 2 tablespoons neutral oil
Directions
  1. To prepare sauce, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a small sauce pan until shimmering. Add chili, ginger-garlic paste and white parts of scallions and sauté them until soft, 2 minutes. Add ketch up, honey and soy sauce and stir to combine. Let sauce come to boil and let it simmer for 7 to 10 or until sauce thickens. Cover sauce and set it aside.
  2. While sauce is simmering, combine batter ingredients except water in a large mixing bowl. Gradually add water to make thin batter (like tempura batter). Add cauliflower florets and gently stir florets to coat evenly with batter.
  3. Heat oil in a frying pan until hot enough to fry. Shake off excess batter from florets and fry them in batches of 6 to 7 until golden brown, 5 to 7 minutes. Drain excess oil on paper towel lined plate.
  4. Once all florets are fried and drained transfer to a large mixing bowl. Pour sauce over florets and stir to coat with sauce. Transfer to serving bowl and garnish with green parts of scallions. Serve immediately as a side dish and/or Scallion Paratha
Notes
Ginger-garlic paste is available in Indian grocery stores.

 

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Recipes, Sweets

Tea Masala Cookies with Candied Ginger

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Tea Masala Cookies with Candied Ginger

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Serves: 24

During Diwali festival, variety of snacks including cookies are made to share with family, neighbors and guests. I developed this recipe during that time.
Ingredients
  • 2 ½ cups AP flour
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 tablespoons tea masala
  • 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted soften butter
  • 1 large egg or ¼ cup heavy cream
  • ½ cup candied ginger, roughly chopped in bite size pieces
Directions
  1. Pre heat oven to 375 degrees.
  2. Combine flour, baking powder, salt, tea masala and cardamom in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
  3. In a bowl of stand mixture, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Add an egg or heavy cream and beat for 30 seconds or until combined. Scrap sides of bowl to combine everything.
  4. Add flour and beat to combine on low speed for 30 seconds or until flour is just combined. Remove the bowl.
  5. Add candied ginger and stir to combine with dough.
  6. Using a small ice cream scoop, drop cookies on parchment paper lined cookie sheet, leaving 2 inches of space in between.
  7. Bake for 9 to 10 minutes or until edges are turning light golden brown.

 

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Condiments, Recipes

Chutney

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Cilantro Chutney

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Fresh coriander or Cilantro chutney
Ingredients
  • 1 bunch of cilantro
  • 1 to 2 jalapeno or serrano chilies or to taste
  • ½ inch piece of ginger
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 3 to 4 teaspoons sugar or to taste
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • Water as needed
Directions
  1. Remove thick stems from cilantro and wash it immersing in water. Transfer into colander and wash it under running water. Let most of water drain from cilantro. Put cilantro into blender or food processor bowl. Add salt, sugar and lemon juice. Cut chilies into 2 to 3 pieces and add it. Peel ginger and cut into couple of pieces and add it. Make into smooth paste. If things do not move add little water. Makes about ¾ cup of chutney. Keep it refrigerated.
  2. You can also add roasted peanut and/or shredded coconut.

 

 

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Garlic chutney

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Ingredients
  • 8 to 10 large cloves of garlic
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • ½ teaspoon of roasted cumin seeds
  • 3 to 4 teaspoon red chili powder
Directions
  1. Put everything into food processor and make it into fine paste.
  2. You can also add roasted peanuts, shredded coconut and roasted sesame seeds. This chutney will have coarse texture.
  3. Makes about ½ cup.

 
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Tamarind and Date Chutney

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Sweet and Sour Chutney
Ingredients
  • 10 to 12 whole pitted dates
  • 3 small pieces (golf ball size) jaggery (Indian raw sugar) or ½ cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • Water as needed
  • 1 tablespoon tamarind pulp
Directions
  1. Put dates, salt and jaggery or sugar in a small microwave safe bowl. Cover with enough water so that dates are immersed in the water. Cover with plastic wrap. Cut a 1 inch slit in the middle to escape steam. Cook for 7 to 8 minutes in the microwave. Remove the plastic wrap and let the mixture cool for 5 minutes. Transfer the cooked dates into blender and add tamarind pulp. If there is little water left in the bowl, add more water to cover dates and blend it into smooth consistency (slightly thinner than ketchup). Taste the chutney and adjust seasoning. Pass the chutney through a fine sieve and serve cold with samosa, fritters, etc. This makes about 1 cup chutney.
  2. You can also add ¼ teaspoon each of chili powder, cumin powder and coriander powder to make it more flavorful.

 
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Red Pepper Chutney

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Recently we visited my husband's cousin in Atlanta. His cousin's wife Dipti made this chutney with a meal, which was really delicious. This is her recipe.
Ingredients
  • 1 14oz. jar of mild or hot Piquante peppers or roasted red peppers, drained
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • Juice of ½ a lemon
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon paprika or chili powder (optional)
  • ¼ cup crumbled jaggery (Indian raw sugar) or dark brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
Directions
  1. Combine all ingredients in a blender jar or food processor bowl. Process everything until smooth paste. Transfer to a serving bowl. This makes about 1½ cup chutney. This can be served with appetizers or a dip. It can last in a refrigerator up to a month.

 
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Tomato Chutney

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Serves: 4

Ingredients
  • 3 Roma or plum tomatoes, ¼ inch diced
  • ½ jalapeno or serrano chili, thinly sliced
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
  • ⅛ teaspoon asafetida
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric
  • ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon sugar or to taste
  • 2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped
Directions
  1. Heat oil in a small soup pot until shimmering, 2 to 3 minutes. Add cumin seeds and let them sizzle. Add asafetida and turmeric. Add chili and sauté it for 30 to 40 seconds. Add tomatoes and season with salt and sugar. Let tomatoes cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Off heat add cilantro and stir to combine. Can be served as a salsa. Best served with stuffed paratha.

 
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Cranberry Chutney

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Several years ago I had this chutney when I visited west coast. Ever since then I make this chutney during fall. It goes well with potato pancakes, samosas, fritters and many more.
Ingredients
  • 6 oz. fresh cranberries (1/2 of 12 oz. bag)
  • 1 8 oz. can of mandarin oranges, drained
  • ½ bunch of cilantro
  • 1 jalapeno or serrano chili, roughly chopped
  • 2 inch piece of ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • ⅓ cup sugar or to taste
Directions
  1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl of blender or food processor. Process it until almost smooth, keeping some texture.
  2. Makes 1 cup.

 
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Kathi Chutney

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Kathi chutney is served with methi ni bhaji na gota (fenugreek green fritters), fafda (chickpea flour crisps), etc. When you buy gota or fafda from a street vendor or farsan (savory food) shop, you will also get this chutney, especially in Gujarat.
Ingredients
  • ¼ cup chickpea flour
  • 1 tablespoon yogurt
  • ½ cup water
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon mustard seeds
  • Pinch of asafetida
  • ¼ teaspoon turmeric
  • 5 to 6 curry leaves
  • 1 jalapeno or serrano chili, cut lengthwise
  • 1 tablespoon cilantro, finely chopped
Directions
  1. Combine chickpea flour, yogurt and water in a bowl until smooth paste. Heat oil in a small pot until simmering. Add mustard seeds and let them sizzle. Add rest of the ingredients and sauté it for 30 seconds. Add chickpea flour mixture and immediately stir to avoid lumps. Keep stirring until chutney thickens, for 3 to 4 minutes. Consistency of chutney should be like ketchup. Remove from heat and transfer to serving bowl. Serve it warm, if chutney thickens too much loosen with warm water. Garnish with cilantro. Makes about ½ cup.

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