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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Flat Breads, Recipes

Methi na Dhebra

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Methi na Dhebra

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Serves: 6

Millet flour flat bread with fenugreek greens (fenugreek greens are bitter greens, especially eaten during winter months)
Ingredients
  • 2 cups bajri (millet) flour
  • ½ cup bhakhri flour or cream of wheat
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric
  • ¼ teaspoon chili powder (optional)
  • 2 teaspoons salt or to taste
  • 4 teaspoons sugar or to taste
  • 3 cups fresh chopped methi (fenugreek) leaves or frozen, thawed
  • ¼ cup chopped cilantro
  • 2 jalapeno or serrano chili, finely minced
  • 1 inch piece of ginger, finely minced
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely minced
  • ½ cup yogurt (not Greek)
  • Neutral oil for semi frying
  • ½ cup all-purpose flour for dusting and rolling
Directions
  1. Combine millet and wheat flours, olive oil, salt, sugar, turmeric and chili powder in large mixing bowl with hands. Add methi, cilantro, chili, ginger, garlic and yogurt. Mix them with hands and knead into soft dough. If mixture is dry, add some water to knead into soft and smooth dough. Cover dough with a plate or a kitchen towel and let it rest for 30 minutes.
  2. Divide dough into 20 to 25 equal parts and form into balls.
  3. Place all-purpose flour into a flat dish. Roll a ball of dough into flour and flatten it on a smooth cutting board (wooden or marble). Dip the flatten dough circle into flour again on both sides. Roll out into 4 inch diameter circle, dusting with flour if the dough starts sticking to the board.
  4. Heat a griddle or a flat non-stick pan on a medium heat. Transfer the dhebra on to heated pan. Let the first side cook for 30 seconds to 40 seconds or until small bubbles appear on surface and flip to the other side. Let the other side cook for one minute. Pour about one teaspoon of oil on the top surface of dhebra and flip. Cook the dhebra by pressing with a spatula on top surface for 30 to 40 seconds and flip. Cook the other side same way. Remove from the heat. Repeat the process with all the remaining dough balls.
  5. Serve as a snack or lunch with cilantro chutney and/or tomato chutney. Can also be served with a vegetable.
Notes
You can also use greens like spinach or kale in this recipe instead of fenugreek greens.

 

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Recipes, Vegetable Forward

Moola ni Bhaji nu Shaak

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Moola ni Bhaji nu Shaak

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Serves: 4

Ingredients
  • 2 bundles of radishes with greens (bhaji) or 1 bundle of daikon (moola) with greens
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
  • ⅛ teaspoon asafetida
  • 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro, for garnish
Flour mixture:
  • ¼ cup chickpea flour
  • ¼ cup dhana-jeeru (spice blend of ground coriander and cumin)
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder or to taste
  • ¼ teaspoon garam masala (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 3 teaspoons sugar or to taste
  • 2 tablespoons roasted unsalted peanuts, finely chopped (optional)
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
Directions
  1. Cut off greens from radishes or daikon. Cut into thin ribbons and wash it thoroughly and let the excess water drain.
  2. Prepare flour mixture: Mix chickpea flour along with oil and spices in a small mixing bowl. Set aside.
  3. In a non-sick pan or a cast iron pan heat oil on a medium high heat. Add fenugreek seeds and let it sizzle. Add asafetida and let it heat for 10 seconds. Add greens and cover the pan. Let it cook for 5 minutes or until wilted. Uncover the pan and stir the greens. Spread the flour mixture evenly on top of wilted greens. Cover the pan again and let it cook for 5 more minutes or until the flour mixture is cooked.
  4. Uncover the pan and stir the greens with flour mixture. Let it cook uncovered for 5 to 7 minutes or until shaak is almost dry and bhaji is crispy. Serve warm with rotli.
Notes
You can also make same recipe with beet greens, curly kale like greens.

 

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Recipes, Street Food

Patra

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Patra

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Serves: 8 servings

This recipe is made with taro leaves, which are not easily available in Indian grocery stores. If you find it use it otherwise use collard greens or chard.
Ingredients
  • 1 bunch collard greens
  • 2 cups chickpea flour
  • 3 teaspoons salt or to taste
  • 5 teaspoons sugar or to taste
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1 teaspoon dhana-jeeru (spice blend of ground coriander and cumin)
  • 1 teaspoon garam masala
  • ⅛ teaspoon clove powder
  • 2 teaspoons green chili, minced
  • 3 teaspoons ginger, minced
  • 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
  • 1 ½ cups water or more
  • Juice of 1 lemon
  • 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro, for garnish
  • 2 tablespoons shredded unsweetened coconut, for garnish
For Vaghar:
  • 3 tablespoons oil
  • ½ teaspoon fenugreek seeds, optional
  • 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
  • 2 teaspoons sesame seeds
  • ⅛ teaspoon asafetida
Directions
  1. Wash collard greens and drain water as much as possible. Dry each leaf with paper towel. Cut each leaf from each side of stem, discarding the stems. Make three piles of half leaves, big, medium and small. Cover with kitchen towel while you make chickpea flour paste.
  2. Make paste: Combine chickpea flour, dry spices, salt and sugar in a medium mixing bowl. Add green chili, ginger, garlic and lemon juice. Gradually add water and make a thick paste.
  3. On a flat surface, spread a big size half leaf and generously spread chickpea paste on the leaf with a hand or a spatula. Add a medium size half leaf on top of paste. Spread chickpea paste on the leaf. Take a small size half leaf, put on top of paste and spread chickpea paste on the leaf. Fold about 1 inch of left and right side of leaves inside (the paste side). Spread chickpea paste on the folds to tightly seal them. Tightly roll the leaves to resemble a small cylinder. Repeat the process until all the half leaves are used. If there are small pieces of leaves, you can spread it out on larger leaves and seal it with paste before rolling out. Try to make a roll with at least two half leaves. You will get 15-18 rolls.
  4. In a steamer pan, arrange the rolls in a single layer. If all the rolls do not fit, let the first layer steam for 5 minutes and then stack remaining rolls. Steam the rolls for 25 to 30 minutes or until rolls are fully cooked. Let it cool down for 30 to 40 minutes. After this the rolls can be frozen. First freeze on a baking sheet, leaving some space in between, then put in a zip lock bag. Before using them thaw them for 1 to 2 hours.
  5. Cut the rolls into ¾ inch wide pieces. Heat oil in a wok or a frying pan. Add fenugreek seeds and let it sizzle. Add mustard seeds and let it sizzle. Add asafetida and sesame seeds. Immediately add the rolls and stir everything. Let Patra heat on low heat until the bottom layer is golden brown, stirring few times. Garnish with cilantro and coconut flakes. Serve warm as an appetizer or a side dish.

 

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