Bhelpuri - The Tongue Tickler

Who Dosent Love Street Foods?? 

Bhelpuri is one among very famous street food which nobody can say no to!!
Its, yummy and chatpata and biggest advantage is healthy and low calorie snack. Nutritious Filling and delicious what more one needs to get convinced to make this yummy street food at home???

I Really wanted to make this from long time and finally the day came when mom brought packets of puffed rice one of the main ingredients. Once this was in my hand I slowly started preparation towards tamarind chutney , green chutney and veggies, every ingredient is very important. Though it takes time for preparation of ingredients, but once you got all, then making and serving it can be done in jiffy.

I should tell you!! You can organize a party and serve this to almost 20-30 people with no trauma I shall tell u how in later part.

Lets get started!!
Serves-  10-12 people generously
 
Ingredients:
Puffed Rice – 2 Packets
Potato – 2 -3 boiled and diced
Onion – 2 large (chopped Wash it 2-3 times nicely)
Cucumber – 2 (peeled, deseeded and chopped)
Tomatoes – 3-4 (deseeded and chopped)
Grapes – cut into 2
Roasted Peanuts: ½ cup or more (de-skinned)
Tamarind Chutney – As needed
Green Chutney – As needed
Sev- Nylon sev or normal thick sev For Garnishing as needed

Method To Prepare One Plate Of Bhelpuri
-    In a large bowl take 2 tablespoon of all the ingredients each except Puffed Rice and mix it well.

-    Just Before Serving Add 2 cups of puffed rice and mix thoroughly.
-    Garnish it with some more grapes and Sev
-    Serve immediately.
 
Notes:
-    2 cups puffed rice may feel more but when puffed rice comes in touch with all the moisture content in the veggie mixture it starts to shrink this is another reason to add puffed rice just before serving.
-    You may add coriander leaves and carrot chopped too
-    Washing Onion is optional but I do it to reduce the strong taste which some onions carry.
-    Deseeded and chopped cucumber gives gud crunchiness while eating.
-    Don’t use sour tomatoes. Use the ones used for sandwiches.
-    You may add pineapple/ pomegranate too instead of grapes.
-    Adding Fruits are optional but enhances the taste of bhelpuri when you get some sweet to chew in between.
- You may also add crushed puris to this totally optional

The amount of ingredients I prepared was just for 4-5 people. But We had Some guest the very day and you have to believe me that this much amount of ingredients was enough for almost 10 people and also guests helped themselves with 2nd and 3rd helpings too.

You can serve these for parties easily as you can have the veggies mixed with chutney ready ahead and just add in the puffed rice and serve with garnishings, its a total mess free deal to make everyone happy :)

You may also add more chutney from top if you like depending upon your taste.

Impression:
It was Sweet, Spicy, Crunchy and Chewy all in one. Adding of grapes helped to balance the spiciness bhelpuri carried.
With no single doubt everyone liked it very much including guest.
Mom said she liked it a lot as she said she was able to feel all the flavors which made the dish outstanding!!

Do Try It Guys And Let Me Know Your Feedback!!
If Any Doubts Feel Free To Ask In Comments Section or contact me directly in my fb page/profile It would be my pleasure to answer all your queries

Stay Tuned For More Updates
Till then its me Aara
Signing Off Bubyeeee…..

Sharing my recipe with sys - w series show your styles to the world

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Sweet Potato Indian Fries

I am Late But Wishing all my Fellow Bloggers and Readers A Very Happy New Year And Year Full Of Happiness and Blessings!! 

Wishing All my Muslim Brothers and Sisters, Rabbi-ul-awwal Mubarak It is 3rd Month Of Islamic Calender And Our Prophet Muhammad SAW was born in this month! Its month of blessings and Many of our fellow Muslims Also Celebrate It Very Grandly In their Locality and Mosque etc etc.. So this is a short intro abt Rabbi-ul- awwal

Today I have come up with a interesting recipe my innovation with sweet potatoes. I wanted to make dry curry with sweet potatoes, but my mom and bro were making faces coz its something new Im experimenting with lolz. You can imagine a daughter cruely brutally forcing her new experiments to her family members ha ha well its funny but it makes me feel angry :P 

After making sweet potato halwa with carrot I still had a large one left of lying un-noticed, today I tot of using it and here I come up with Indianized version of sweet potato fries which is deep fried with aromatic flavors fused in giving it a unique taste, Im glad I tried it and you should trust me that my mom and bro who always criticize my new innovations were eating it without complaint :D

Lets Peek-a-boo into the recipe

Ingredients: 

Sweet Potato - 1 large (2 cups of potato fingers)

All Purpose Flour - 3 tsp (heap)

Corn Flour - 4 tsp (heap)

Ginger Garlic Paste - 1 tsp

Pepper Powder - 1/2 tsp

Red Chilli Powder 1/2 tsp

Salt to taste

Water as per needed

Oil to deep fry

Some curry leaves

Red Color (purely optional)

Chaat Masala (optional)

Method:

- Peel the sweet potato and dip it inside water, Now Slice the potatoes evenly and then cut thick enough to fry as chips (see the pic below)

- In a pot take water and bring it to boil, now immerse these sweet potatoes and let it sit in boiling hot water for 1 min and drain it, allow it to come to room temp. 

- Mean while mix APF , cornflour, dry spices and salt with enough water to make a thick paste. And mix the blanched sweet potatoes into this spice mixture.

You are Ready To Fry!

- Heat oil in low medium drop these marinated potatoes one by one and fry it in batches also add curry leaves into the oil for extra flavor while frying. Each batch should take aprox 3-4 mins. Make sure you dont over fry Its ok if these r soft.

- When u are finish frying the whole thing, get ready to fry it again. This is done to obtain crispiness.

- You can fry it immediately after finishing frying 1st time or still keep it as it is and fry when ur ready to consume.

- 2nd fry should be again done in low medium heat till you get nice hard outer coating. dont over fry. 

- Once you are done remove it into tissue/ news papers and allow the excess oil to drain.

- When it cools you are ready to munch these crispy yummies

Toss Some Chaat masala to these fries and Serve (optional, see notes)

Ready to Munch as it is or serve it along with Ketchup/dip

Notes:

- As you peel the potato and cut it to fingers make sure u immediately immerse it into the water, As I noticed it was getting black and patchy as it gets dried.

- As I saw it was getting patchy I added some red food color to it, but later while frying it was realized that the color is getting too dark! but still as it was fried in low temp, I was able to maintain the color without make it look over fried or burnt. So if u want u can skip the food color and obtain nice golden brown color.

- Add more spices if u desire to eat spicy,  as it is sweet potato it observes the amt of spices I had added, you can add more spices for real spiciness if u wish.

- Adding chaat masala is purely optional. As I felt sweet potato had neutralized the spices I added chaat masala to these after 2nd fry and tossed it to mix well. It gave a very unique flavor on the whole. May be next time I would add spices a little more but not much! 

- I did the 1st fry in the afternoon and 2nd fry in evening. It was quiet crispy enough to store in air tight container until we consumed after 2 hrs, So u can really be calm while doing this! there is no urgency at all, you can take ur own time and do the 2nd fry when ever u desire

Impression:

I loved the new taste in my mouth! Just different. I planned to blog this today itself as new innovation of 2014 and was eating it again and again to give it a name :P lol I can be funny ;)

My bro dosent like sweet potato, but later he started asking me where is the fries u were making? and he had his share without any fuss

My Mom She told me 2-3 time that she liked it, it has come out very nice, except for the chaat masala, she would have liked more with sweeter taste! (now thats her choice she dosent like much of chatpata flavor from chaat masala)

Also My mom said she will bring more sweet potatoes and I should make this again!

My dad is sweetheart he eats all my cooked food without any fuss! yes he do gives his gentle reviews as he eats but for this he dint say anything which meant he liked it and was ok with the taste!

Dear Friends Hope u enjoyed this new recipe Also do try making it! as winters is almost ending and sweet potatoes wont be available that easily after sometime :)

When u try pls give ur humble feedback So that others can benefit with ur reviews

Want Some? :)

Stay tuned for More recipes

Bubye Until then 

With lots of love 

Aaraaa

Sending my recipe to 
Cook With Comfort

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INDIAN HONEY BREAD - SHAHED KI ROTI

This is it!!!

I got no long introduction to share, but as I said in my earlier post, when I try something new and it turns out gud i cannot resist myself from sharing it here :)

I was seeing this post in vahrevah.com fb page from long, but dint bother to watch the video, Today morning I was just scrolling down and tot lets watch it!! and all I got was filled with excitement to try it. Waited till evening though and this was the result lolz!!

So all credit to Sanjay Thumba for this!!

Ingredients:

1 cup all purpose flour (Heaped)
1/2 cup Honey
1 tsp sauf powder heaped
1 tsp crushed black pepper 
1/2 tsp onion seeds/ kalaunji
Salt 1/4th tsp
Soda 1/4th tsp
Ghee 1tsp + while roasting
Water Little for binding

Method:
- Mix in all the above ingredients and knead it into a soft dough!!
- Keep it to rest for 15 mins or till the time your ready to cook
- Heat a tava in medium. Roll this dough into thin sheets of  paratha thickness.
- Put it in the tava and roast it both the sides till nice golden brown. Apply ghee while cooking. Serve It hot or cold
- Eat it as it is or along with any gravy u desire :)

Notes:

- Keep tava in low flame while cooking as it may get dark brown spots too quick due to honey
- original recipe calls for crushed fennel seeds, but since seeds were not available I used powder form.
- All the spices are important as everything combines and brings out nice flavor.
- After it cools down it may show stiff fragile texture which is gud sign!! 
- Makes 6 small ones and 4 big ones
- Press hard and try to roll thin, as It might tend to get thicker when we cook :)

Impression:

Mild Sweet, With perfect blend of spices!! Soft and detectable in taste!! well roasted both the sides using ghee and It was just yumm yumm :)

If u got honey at home do not wait to give it a try. Usually im not the person who likes honey!! to me It gives a smell when consumed but this was something different and additional combo of flavors made my taste buds accept it :)
Im sure you'll like and enjoy the same way I did :)

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SHAKKAR PARA

Shakkar para is my most fav snacks to much on!! I know it is for many if one has ever tasted
I made many attempts on this recipe, till I landed to perfection, Each time there were mistakes just because of my curiosity and excitement.  But now im stable enough to workout without looking out for recipe and measurements :)

This batch was made at my grandma's home as my cousins were arriving from orrisa my nani wanted us to make savory puri's and my nana asked me to make these, What I need more? when I have all the ingredients offered right away :P Stingy Me No No  But I was right away towards Preparing this without wasting my time.  Only thing which keeps me away from preparing this when I have to do single handed is though its simple it consumes lots of time to fry. One thing which can save u from getting tired is lots of oil and frying it in large batches and finish it of in 2 - 3 sets lolz but what will I do with the remaining whole lot of oil? 

That day my mom's sisters and my mom were there to take care of puri's but my youngest aunt loves working with me in kitchen and was there with me rendering her help and chit chatting 

I made it in large quantity though, but exact measurements for small quantity and trial comes here :)

Ingredients

1 cup - all purpose flour
1 cup - wheat flour
1/4th cup - oil/ butter / ghee ( i use oil always )
1/4th cup - Sugar
1/4th cup - milk
1tsp - Suji / semolina
1 pinch of salt
Oil to deep fry

Method

- Heat milk to warm, add oil and sugar, mix well till the sugar dissolves well enough.
- To the flour add suji and salt, not when the milk is still warm and knead the mixture into dough, the consistency of dough should not be soft as done for chappati but little thick as for kachoris and samosas
- Cover and keep it aside for 15-30 mins.
- After 30 mins knead again, you might see flaky dought exactly we need this consistency :)
- when u start to roll, give a hard hand to each portions of dough so that you can get a perfect round to roll out evenly.
- Roll them out thick enough as paratha, Even if u try to make it thin it will remain under a standard quality of thickness
- Cut them into shapes when your read to fry. 

Even if u cut the strips and keep it ready, it will not stick as the dough is kneaded quiet well to perfection. no need for extra efforts, just perfect measurements is required :)

- Heat oil in a pan and make sure the oil is just hot enough in medium flame. If the oil becomes too hot as you drop in these shakkar para it will be burnt immediatly thats wat happened with my 1st batch. my aunt kept oil heating from long in stove, I was unaware of it and droped the whole thing to be found burnt :-<

As we drop in these and stir in soon its found that it starts showing flaky layers from the sides and edges keep stirring time to time and let it cook it low medium heat, so that it cooks evenly and even distribution of golden color takes place.

Remove it when done, and let it cool. we cannot get to the core of crispiness of this until its cooled down and becomes more crispier. 

Once it is cooled enjoy your snacks :) 
Store it in air tight jar, I dont know how many days it can be stored for, because as soon as we see its cooled down, we start munching immediately  1st 2 batches will vanish off as it is  in my family. 

Me and my aunt kept munching as we prepared other batches of shakkar para :)
We also tried to click for the texture of this but dint reach to perfection though, still something can be shown :) When biting clicks were not getting perfect my aunt suggested lets cut it with knife and I literally had to say her " Pagal hai kya?" crazy :D

I seriously cannot explain what a pleasure it is when I make these :) Its so addictive that it can be finished off in a jiffy and the best thing to make it at home, is you can adjust how much sweetness you want to add, and being health conscious one can omit using maida completely and compensate it with half maida, half wheat flour and half amt of oats also :D you got me right!! I have also tried oats :)  

May be i'll make another variations with oats along with this and put up here

Kids Love it to the core, My 3 yr old cousin enjoyed this treat, my other cousins loved it too!! My 1st aunt demanded y dint I make more???? She kept questioning me and I had no answer lolzz

Notes: 

- Pinch of salt gives gud taste.
- suji gives added crunchiness can be omited if u dont have.
- I also used vanaspathi once instead of oil, turned gud.
- make sure sugar is all dissolved do not add sugar directly and knead , had bad experience with it huh.
- If the dough turns little runny or still need more moisutre always feel free to add or subtract milk or flour as per need
- Remember always to fry it in low medium heat and be there to give a stir after regular interval, this will help to give nice evenly golden color
- Just at the point you start removing from oil, high up the flame for a while this will help oil drain out well. (optional)

Wanna A Bite????? :)




Sending to 
Outdoor Feast

My Bowl Of Snack

What is with my cuppa - 2

Monsoon Temptations

Kids Delight, Valli

Cooking With Love Cousins & Sara's Announcement page

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CHICKPEA SALAD

Hey Guys Wats Up?? 
I've Been Away From Blogging For Sometime, Kept busy With my Family and Cousins and slowly im learning that though Im new To blogging and an enthu blogger as well but I also want to enjoy a quality time with my family :) Yes, Family Friends & Relatives always remind you of food, and trust me its food running in my mind all these days lolzz n also I dint forget to click for blogs :D

Though Im not the one who cooks a lot as complete meal for my Family these days. My cousins r staying at granny's place so my aunt is taking care of cooking & Alhamdulillah my mom's health is fine now so she is on her move to prepare most of the delicacy Im helper behind :D

There R many events going on which I check with updates when ever I have access to my pc, But for some reason like Family and own sake I've kept blogging at back seat for this month alone, yet dont know how the coming up months would move coz we start with Ramdhan Very next month and certainly Im preparing myself yet disturbed on how it might move (Various Reason). And so my stories will go on and on ..............

Lets Get back to the Recipe :)

Arent the pics tempting???? 
Seriously yes!!! This is a very Healthy Salad, Which can be used as a Diet Meal. Snacks and yes also does satisfy your food carvings :)

We R used to make Sundal As all of us know, there r different ways to make it. But I came up Inventing this Recipe For the Sake of High Protein Diet. So here it goes 

Ingredients

Boiled Chickpea - 1 cup
Cabbage Roughly Chopped 1 cup
Onion Chopped - 1 medium / large size as you preffer
Cucumber 1 large, De seeded and chopped
Capsicum - 1 Medium size
Lemon Juice According to taste
Pepper powder as needed
Salt as required
Oil 1 tsp / Butter if u like

What the hell oil doing in a healthy Salad?
Well Just that I cannot stand the Smell and Taste of Raw Onion and Capsicum :) a little alternative to cook them a little and make it edible for me :)

Method:

- Take oil in a pan and put in Onion and capsicum, Cook it for aprox 1 or 2 mins in medium flame till raw smell of onion and capsicum goes but yet the veggies r firm but not soft.
- Add in chickpea and rest of the veggies, Toss well.
- Remove From pan, Add salt, pepper and Lemon Juice According to your preferences :)
You can trust my taste buds for this and Enjoy a Healthy Dish!!!

Notes:

- Do not over cook onion and capsicum if it turns soft you cannot enjoy this dish as a salad
- If you are tolerant to raw onion and capsicum then skip step 1 and proceed
- I removed the seeds from cucumber as I wanted only the crunch part in my salad.
- You can add in more veggies if you like, I used just basic veggies which was available at home.
- I also added more of lemon juice to it, which complimented well along with the entire thing
- I had used left over chickpea

Serves - 2 People as half meal/ 4-6 people as snacks / 1 person Like me can eat the whole plate of it :D

Impression:

The Whole thing is packed with crunchiness Soft Boiled chickpea Goes Well along with this Veggie Platter. Best Enjoyed When ur not in hurry to eat. The more slowly u eat the more you enjoy :). If ur getting late and in hurry to finish it quick then stop it there. Since its too much crunchy to eat you might really not like to eat 

Check out a lovely give away event at Sara's Kitchen Do participate its very simple :)

Linking to  What with my cuppa - 2, Monsoon Temptations, My bowl of snack, Mission explore foods : Lentils

 

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