STUFFED-IDLI PAKORA

I have another crazy snack up my sleeve, the one I created about 8 years ago for another one of my 'after-dinner birthday surprises' I had planned for my husband. Not only did I have to hide the fact that at 10.30pm. that night our house was going to be full of friends, I also had to tell him that I was too tired to go out. And for that the wanna-be actress in me had to be woken up. I had to bring in all my acting skills to the fore. Well, I surely would have embarked on a flourishing acting career had there been a film personality at the party. Sigh!!
Well, it was quite a task stopping my husband from eating all those lovely melt-in-the-mouth Idli-Pakoras that I had made 'for a late dinner'.

Fortunately, our friends barged into the room on time and saved the rest from being devoured.

Stuffed Idli Pakora

This is a complete protein dish to which vegetables have been added giving some roughage and macro nutrients. The idlis contain rice and pulses and the batter for the outer covering is made up of powdered pulses, thereby making this dish a complete protein.

DEEP-FRYING at an optimum temperature and for an optimum duration makes oil a cooking medium rather than an ingredient. During the process of deep-frying the moisture in the food-to-be-fried gushes out in the form of steam and prevents oil from entering it, thus limiting the oil as cooking medium.

However, this oil can quickly turn into an ingredient :

.If the temperature of the oil is too high, as this dries out the moisture quickly and allows oil to enter.
 The food item will also remain undercooked.

.If the temperature of oil is not hot enough, as the resultant steam is not gushing out from the food item.

.If deep-fried for a long time, as this dries out the food item and there is no steam left to block the entry
 of oil.

.Oil absorption also seems to be affected by the surface texture. A smoother texture seems to absorb
 less oil.

 Breaded fried foods absorb more oil as the hot oil comes in contact with the dry bread crumbs which
 give out no steam. Also, the oil gets trapped in the uneven surface, between the crumbs.

Shallow frying of food makes the oil an ingredient.

So between the two choices, I would settle for a deep fried smooth textured food item.

STUFFED IDLI PAKORA

Ingredients:

makes 24

.Steamed Kidney Bean And Rice Cakes (Idli) or plain idli...........12, halved

For the stuffing:

.Peas..........................................................1/4th cup

.Carrot.......................................................1/4th cup, finely chopped

.Broccoli....................................................1/4th cup, finely chopped

.Potato.......................................................1/4th cup, finely chopped

.Green capsicum/Bell pepper......................1/4th cup, finely chopped

.Onion........................................................1/4th cup, finely chopped

.Mint chutney.............................................2 Tbsp.

.Salt...........................................................1 1/2 tsp. or to taste

.Garlic........................................................1/2 tsp., finely chopped

.Green chili.................................................1 tsp. finely chopped

.Coriander leaves.......................................1 Tbsp., finely chopped

.Red chili powder.......................................1 tsp.

.Fennel seed powder..................................1 tsp.

.Roasted cumin seed powder......................1/2 tsp.

.Lime juice.................................................1 tsp.

For the outer covering:

.Chickpea flour(besan)...............................2 cups

.Rice flour..................................................3 Tbsp.

.Green chili................................................2 tsp.,finely chopped

.Ginger......................................................1/2 tsp.,grated

.Coriander leaves.......................................3 Tbsp.,finely chopped

.Red chili powder......................................2 tsp.

.Fennel seed powder.................................2 tsp.

.Soda-bi-carbonate...................................1/4th tsp.

.Yogurt(thick)............................................2 Tbsp.

.Water.......................................................1 1/2 cup

making idli pockets

Method:

Preparing the Idlis for stuffing:

.Cut the round idli discs into halves.

.Using a sharp paring knife cut out pockets as shown in the picture.

.Scoop out the cut-outs and set aside.

.Repeat with remaining idli halves.



For the stuffing:

.Crumble the scooped-out idli. Set aside.

.Boil together, peas, carrot, broccoli and potato with a little salt.

.Mash roughly. Add chopped onions, bell pepper, mint chutney, garlic,
 green chili, coriander leaves, red chili  powder, fennel seed powder,
 roasted cumin seed powder, scooped-out idli crumble, salt and lime juice.
 Mix well. 

.Set aside.

For the outer covering:
.Mix together all the ingredients and whisk till smooth and light. Aerating
 the mixture adds lightness to the batter.

stuffed idli pockets



How to proceed:

.Fill the stuffing gently into the idli pockets.
.Heat oil. Drop a little test batter into the oil to check the temperature.
 It has reached optimum temperature when the drop of test batter rises
 to the top immediately but does not change colour or burn.
.Dip each stuffed idli into the batter and coat evenly on all sides.

.Drop it gently into the hot oil. Add a few more and deep fry till
 golden.

.Drain well on a kitchen absorbent paper.

.Serve hot with Mint Chutney.

Note:
.You can get Idli from an Indian restaurant that serves South-Indian
 fare, to skip making them yourself. Though those will be plain ones.
.Use 12-24 hrs. old idli for this dish.
.This dish is quite pungent. Reduce the amount of chili to make it milder.

NUTTY PANEER BITES (COTTAGE CHEESE)

Many years ago I created this starter for a surprise party that I was throwing for my husband.
No it wasn't any of those landmark birthdays but just one between them. Everybody throws landmark ones but the fun is in those in-between ones, and in those 'No-Reason Parties'.
As for every party, I need to create something new, I made these Nutty Paneer Bites and rolled them inside strips of grilled red and yellow capsicum/bell peppers and tied them together with beautiful chives and grilled them in the oven till light spots appeared. Sadly, this is the one recipe I mentioned in my earlier post Cheesy Potato And Chive Scones that almost labelled me a copy-cat without being one.



nutty paneer bites with mint chutney

Adding nuts to this dish packs it with the micronutrients, macronutrients and antioxidants that we need for an healthy life.
Cashews contain a high level of oleic acid, present in olive oil and other monounsaturated fats, that is good for the cardiovascular health.
Just 1/4th cup of cashews everyday :
.Can give you approx 35 to 40% of the daily requirement of copper which helps in absorption of iron
 in the body and is known to reduce colon related illnesses, osteoporosis and has many more benefits.
.Can give approx. 25% of the daily Magnesium requirement that helps to balance the calcium and
 regulates nerve and muscle tone.
.Though, they do contain oxalates which are known to interfere with calcium absorption if the oxalates
 become concentrated in the body fluids, a good amount of chewing and relaxation can help in calcium
 absorption.

Almonds contain vitamin E and are also known for keeping the blood sugar under control.
Almond skins contain flavonoids. Both together increase the resistance of the low density lipo-proteins(LDL) to oxidation. They also contain magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, copper, vitamin B2 and many other nutrients.

Ingredients:
.Paneer(cottage cheese) slab........400g

For the marinade:
.Cashew nuts.................................3Tbsp., chopped
.Almonds.......................................3Tbsp., chopped
.Pistachio nuts...............................3Tbsp., chopped
.Green chili....................................1/2tsp., finely chopped
.Coriander leaves...........................2Tbsp., finely chopped
.Garlic............................................1/2 tsp., finely chopped
.White vinegar................................2Tbsp.
.Salt................................................1 tsp.
.Red chili powder..........................1/2 tsp.
.Garam masala powder..................1/2 tsp.
.Dry raw mango powder................2 tsp.

Method:
.Rinse a store bought slab of fresh cottage cheese.

For the marinade:
.Mix the ingredients for the marinade.
.Cover the slab with this marinade so that all the paneer slab is well coated from all sides by the nuts.
.Marinate in the refrigerator for 7 to 8 hours or overnight.

How to proceed:
.Heat a griddle or a non-stick flat pan. Add 1 tsp. of oil.
.Gently place the paneer slab on the hot griddle.
.Cook on low to medium heat till the nuts are toasted.
.Repeat on all 6 sides.
.Remove on a cutting board and let rest for 5 minutes.
.Cut into 1x2inch pieces and serve hot with mint chutney or set aside for use in other recipes(to follow).


nutty paneer bites

Note: .These nutty paneer bites can be used in a vegetable curry preparation or added to the fried rice or
 just eaten with a dip as a starter. It can be added to sandwiches and salads too.
.Wrap them in strips of roasted red bell pepper and tie it up together with chives and grill in a hot oven
 till brown spots start to appear.

SAGO CRUSTED STUFFED CHILI CROQUETTES

I love sago-wada and I also love stuffed spicy chili.
So I decided to put them together into one preparation for one of my after-dinner parties. These parties are great when you don't feel like cooking an entire meal and yet want to have friends over and this snack just fits the bill. It is spicy just like the spicy conversation that continues through the night into the early hours of the morning. Or is perfect for a ladies-only party or at a tea party.

Sago wada is one of my favourites and is one dish that has to be included in my friend Meenal's menu if she is inviting me. I really don't care if I have eaten it just a few days ago or even on the same day. She makes the most fabulous ones. Like me she loves long beautiful spicy chilies. This dish has been created especially for her by me.

sago crusted stuffed chili croquettes

Sago is prepared from the starch extracted from the center of the tropical palm stems.
It is very high in Carbohydrate but other nutrients are almost negligible. It is used in puddings, papads, khichdi, croquettes and is used as a thickener.
Combining it with peanuts and other nuts and seeds, adds to it some nutritive value. However, when fried, like most starchy foods it tastes great.

Sago is used in the texile industry to size the fibre.

Chili on the other hand is rich in Vitamin C. Red chili which is the ripe fruit contains more Vitamin C and carotene than green and yellow chilies. They contain  most of  the B vitamins especially Vitamin B6 and are very rich sources of potassium, magnesium and iron. Adding chilies to the food not only adds the punch but also helps the digestive system to absorb the non-heme iron from beans and grains in the meal.

SAGO CRUSTED STUFFED CHILI CROQUETTES
Ingredients:
makes 6
.Long green chili...................3 slit and de-seeded
.Long red chili......................3 slit and de-seeded
                                       or
.Jalapeno or Pasilla or Anaheim or Fresno Pepper.........6 slit and de-seeded

For the stuffing in the chili:
.Potato................................100g or 1/2 cup, boiled and mashed
.Cottage cheese(paneer)......90-100g. approximately 1/2 cup, grated and tightly packed
.Peanuts...............................2 Tbsp. roasted and coarsely crushed
.Sesame seeds.....................1 Tbsp. toasted
.Coriander leaves.................2 Tbsp. finely chopped
.Green chili..........................1/2 tsp. finely chopped
.Ginger................................1/2 tsp. grated
.Dry raw mango powder......2 tsp.
.Red chili powder.................1 tsp.
.Garam masala powder.........1/4th tsp.
.Asafoetida powder..............1 smidgen (optional)
.Salt......................................to taste
.Lime juice............................1 tsp.

For the sago crust:
.Sago pearls..........................3 cups, small sized
.Potato..................................200g, boiled and mashed
.Peanuts................................6 Tbsp. roasted and coarsely crushed
.Sesame seeds.......................3Tbsp. toasted
.Coriander leaves..................1/4th cup, finely chopped and tightly packed
.Green chli............................1 tsp.
.Ginger.................................1 tsp. grated
.Red chili powder..................1 1/2 tsp.
.Garam masala powder.........1/2 tsp.
.Dry raw mango powder.......1 1/2 tsp.
.Salt......................................to taste, approximately 1 to 1 1/4th tsp.
.Spicy Coriander Dip............3 Tbsp.

Sago Crusted Stuffed Chili Croquettes

Method:
Getting ready for the recipe:
.Wash and soak sago pearls in luke warm water for atleast 5 to 6 hours to overnight or until double in
 size and crushes easily between fingers.
.Drain well and marinate 1 1/2 cup of the soaked sago pearls in the Spicy Coriander Dip for 15
 minutes.
.Set aside the remaining sago pearls in a plate for crusting the stuffed chili.
.Wash and boil the potatoes with skin in a pressure cooker.
.Mash, but do not mash into a mushy mix.
.Dry roast 1 cup skinless peanuts and coarsely powder them when cooled. Store in an airtight container
 until further use.
.Toast the sesame seeds required for the recipe.
.Prepare the Spicy Coriander Dip and store in the refrigerator until further use.
.If using homemade fresh Cottage cheese(paneer), prepare it ahead or grate the ready store bought
 cottage cheese and set aside.
.Chop the green chili and coriander leaves and grate the ginger and set aside.

 For the stuffing in the chili:
.Mix all the ingredients for the stuffing in a bowl and stuff into the slit chilies and set aside.

 stuffed chili croquettes(without sago crusting)

.For the outer covering:
.Put together in a large bowl, the boiled potato, marinated sago pearls, peanuts, sesame seeds,
 coriander leaves, green chilies, ginger, red chili powder garam masala powder, dry raw mango
 powder and salt to taste.
.Mix well and set aside.

How to proceed:
.Divide the potato mixture evenly and with wet palms spread the potato mixture for the outer covering
 onto the chili to cover it evenly from all sides, leaving the stem visible.
.Repeat with all the stuffed chilies and set aside in a plate for 10 minutes to air-dry.*

.Spread the remaining soaked sago pearls in a plate preferably in a single layer.
.Roll the stuffed and layered chili in the sago pearls to evenly crust them on all sides.
.Press lightly to fix the sago pearls onto the potato.

.Heat oil in a pan.
.Add a small piece of the mixture to check for temperature. The oil is ready when the piece rises to the
 top immediately but does not turn brown right away.
.Add one chili at a time or at the most 2*.
.Do not stir for 2 minutes. When it starts colouring flip* and cook on the other side, flipping often, till
 golden.
.Drain on a kitchen absorbent paper.
.Serve hot with Spicy Coriander Dip or Quick Red Hot Salsa or use my home made sour cream recipe
 that I use in my Burrito With Vegetable Filling.

Note:
*At this point the croquettes can be deep fried without the sago crusting if you like.
 Crusting with sago gives a very crisp crust that stays crisp longer than the uncrusted version.
*While adding the chili to the hot oil, dip the slotted ladle(preferably a flat one) in cold oil(to prevent
 the uncooked croquette from sticking to the ladle).
. Place the stuffed, crusted chili onto it and gently lower it into the oil. This prevents the splattering of
 oil and protects you. One at a time prevents the chilies from coming in each other's way while flipping.
*Flip often to get a crisp evenly coloured coating.
.Lower the heat while adding the chili to the hot oil.
.After adding the chili to the oil increase the heat to bring it back to the required temperature.
.Once the oil has reached the required frying temperature lower the heat to an even medium to hot
 range.
.If the oil is cold, the fried product will absorb a lot of oil.

Caution while using Chilies
Hands:
.When handling chilies try to wear gloves. If like me you too prefer bare hands be careful not to touch
 your face or eyes.
.In case while handling chilies, you do experience the fire in your hands DO NOT WASH them as
 water spreads the fire. Capsaicin, the fiery compound is not soluble in water so the best way to handle
 it is by turning it into a salt. In a bowl add 1 part of bleach to 5 parts of water and dip your hands
 quickly into it. .Do not keep for long as it may irritate the skin.
.Another solution that I often use is soaking my hands in a bowl of luke warm water to which I add 1
 Tbsp. of salt. My hands do burn for about 2 minutes but the burning subsides very quickly after that.

Mouth:
.Fats found in the dairy products are good for dissolving the Capsaicin compound and prevents some of
 the capsaicin molecules from finding the pain receptors on the tongue. It is the fat in the dairy products
 that is the magic ingredient, so do not use low-fat sour cream or low-fat yogurt as it will not help.

PEPPERY CABBAGE AND CORN BROWN RICE

Health experts keep telling you that all white foods such as white rice, white bread, white flour, pasta, cookies, table sugar, crackers etc. are not good for health. They spike up the sugar level in the blood. Having been stripped off their outer layer, the grains used for these processed foods are fiberless, thereby not giving the feeling of satiety and hence we end up over-eating these products. The body absorbs them quickly making us hungry soon after.

Ever since I first heard of it I had been wanting to change over to the browns, but never really had the courage to make that change. So for years I never even gave it a try.

Wanting to be a good example to the children and to bring along a healthy change, I had been giving this a great deal of thought. And since a thought is nothing if not converted to action I finally decided to make a dish using brown rice.

Skeptical about my family taking to this change easily, but not wanting to give up without a fight, I went off to the market, where I had been seeing these brown rice varieties increasing everyday.
I decided to take a pick.
If I had to make a change, I had to go all the way.
So I picked up brown rice that had been parboiled, the white version of which is known for its taste and flavour- Basmati Rice.
And came home with a bagful of Parboiled Brown Basmati Rice.



peppery cabbage and corn brown rice


Parboiled rice is very healthy as the process of removing the husk from the rice is by parboiling it. That saves the B complex vitamins from being lost.
Brown rice is nothing but unpolished rice which has more nutrients from the bran and more fiber. White rice does not contain any fiber. Some more information in my previous post Mixed Lentil Soup.

Rice is an incomplete protein source and needs to be combined with other protein sources(other than cereals) such as pulses, legumes, meat and milk products to give a complete protein source that has all the amino acids. Pulses and legumes along with cereals make a perfect protein combination for the vegetarians.

This rice pops in the mouth and was an instant hit with my family. And ever since that first hesitant try we have been eating this rice very often.
I also learnt that it was not my family but me who was resistant to the change.

It works very well with spicy curries..


CORNY PEPPERY CABBAGE BROWN RICE
Ingredients:
serves 3
.Parboiled brown Basmati rice.................1 cup(raw)
.Water........................................................2 cups
.Salt............................................................1/2 tsp.
.Bay leaf.....................................................1


.Butter........................................................1 Tbsp.
.Olive oil....................................................1 Tbsp.
.Yellow onion.............................................1 diced
.Red bird's eye chili....................................1, finely chopped
.Ginger.........................................................1 tsp., grated
.Garlic..........................................................1 clove, finely chopped
.Black cardamom.........................................1
.Black peppercorns......................................6
.Cumin seeds................................................1 tsp.
.Corn kernels................................................1/2 cup
.Cabbage.......................................................diced
.Fresh ground black pepper powder.............1 tsp.
.Salt...............................................................to taste
.White vinegar...............................................2 tsp.

Method:
.Wash and soak the brown rice in 2 cups of water, for 10 minutes.
.Add 1/2 tsp. salt and 1 bayleaf and cook till just done.
.Set aside.
.Heat olive oil and butter in a pan.
.Add cumin seeds, garlic, red chili and ginger and saute for 2 minutes or until fragrant.
.Add bay leaf, black pepper corns, and black cardamom and saute for 1 minute.
.Add onion and a pinch of salt and saute for 2 to 3 minutes.
.Add the corn and  saute for 4 to 5 minutes.
.Add the cabbage and saute further for 2 to 3 minutes until glossy.
.Add the freshly ground black pepper powder and mix well.
.Add the cooked brown rice, vinegar and salt to taste and mix well.
.Stir fry for 3 to 4 minutes.
.Garnish with coriander leaves.
.Serve hot with Yogurt dip (2 recipes).


peppery cabbage and corn brown rice


Note:
.This rice is made the same way as fried rice, except that this one can be made with hot as well as cold
 rice.
.A Vegetable Pilaf or Pulav made with this rice tastes equally good.
.I always cook this rice with a little salt and a bay leaf as I find it tastier.
.Add a little finely chopped spring onions with greens to the Yogurt dip for that extra flavourful crunch.
.This preparation can be eaten with Tzatziki too.
.Combine this with a Spicy Yogurt and Chickpea soup (Kadhi) to get a complete protein.

BURRITO WITH VEGETABLE FILLING

I like burritos and I like them filled with nice crunchy vegetables, spicy red tomato salsa, refried beans, cheese and not to miss the guacamole. I make my low fat version of sour cream as I love a large dollop of it on and in my burrito. It always makes its presence felt.


Eating one of these fills my stomach but I need a second one to be contented.

A meal like this and my basketball playing children find me a perfect candidate to take along to see their matches. For once the coach in me is so content that they can play their game in peace.

These are easy to carry in a lunch box.
A complete meal and has all the food groups.
A complete protein meal with the cereal and legume combination with the mushrooms.
It has fiber from the vegetables especially from the snow peas which give about 3g of fibre for every 100g. Snow peas are very low in saturated fats, cholesterol and sodium and is a good source of Vitamin B6, riboflavin, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium and is a rich source of vitamin A,C,K, thiamin, folate, iron and manganese.

BURRITO WITH VEGETABLE FILLING
makes 8 healthy, scrumptious vegetarian burritos

Ingredients:
.Tortilla wraps..................8(store bought- large sized)

For the filling:

.Olive oil...........................2 tsp.

Yellow onion....................1/2 cup, diced

.Garlic...............................1/2 tsp., finely chopped

.Oyster mushrooms............1 cup

.Shitake mushrooms...........6 large, blanched, de-stemmed and quartered

.Button mushrooms............6 large, de-stemmed and quartered

.Snow peas.......................1/2 cup, de-stringed and cut into halves

.Spring onion greens.........1/4th cup, cut into 1 inch pieces

.Asparagus........................1/2 cup, cut into 1 inch pieces

.Red bell pepper...............1 cup, cubed

.Yellow bell pepper.........1 cup cubed

.Zucchini...........................1 cup, quartered and cut into 1/2 inch thick slices

.Dried oregano leaves.......1/2 tsp.

.Dried basil leaves............1/2 tsp.

.Black pepper powder.......1/4th tsp.

.Chili flakes.......................1/2 tsp.

.Salt...................................to taste

.White wine vinegar..........1 Tbsp.

.Vermouth cooking wine....2 Tbsp.

.Lettuce..............................1 cup, shredded
.Parmesan cheese...............1/2 cup, grated
.Mozzarella cheese............1 cup, grated
.Drunken Refried Beans.....1 recipe
.Quick Red Hot Salsa.........1 recipe
.Rustic Guacamole.............1 recipe

For the sour cream:
.Ricotta cheese....................1/4th cup
.Thick yogurt.......................3/4th cup
.Thickened cream................2 tsp.

Method:
.Using a brush gently remove any dirt from the mushrooms. Alternatively, gently wash them like I do.
.Blanch the shitake mushrooms, de-stem and quarter them.

.De-stem the button mushrooms and quarter them.

.Tear the oyster mushrooms lengthwise.
 .Prepare all the vegetables and set aside.



vegetable filling for burritos

For the filling:

.Heat olive oil in a wide pan.

.Add the onion and saute for 2 minutes on medium

 heat.

.Add the garlic and cook for about 30 seconds to a

 minute, until slightly browned.



.Add the mushrooms and a pinch of salt and saute

 over high heat, stirring continuously for about 1

 minute or until all the oil is aborbed.

.Reduce the heat and add the vermouth and white

 wine vinegar and cook on low heat for 3 to 4

 minutes.

.Increase the heat slightly, so all the moisture from

 the mushrooms evaporates.

.Add the dry herbs, black pepper powder and

 chili flakes.

.Saute for another 4 to 5 minutes on medium to high heat, stirring intermittently so as to allow the

 mushrooms to colour slightly.

.Add all the prepared vegetables and saute further for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring continuously, till all the

 vegetables are glossy.

.Add the salt to taste. Mix well.

.Cook further for 30 seconds.

.Add the spring onion greens and mix gently.

.Remove from heat and set aside.

For the sour cream:

Whisk together all the ingredients until smooth in texture.

How to proceed:

.In a bowl mix together the parmesan and mozzarella cheeses.

.Heat a griddle and warm the pre-made shop bought tortilla wraps.

.Shred the lettuce leaves.

.Divide the refried beans into 8 portions.



tortilla with refried bean and vegetable filling



.Lay out 1 burrito at a time and apply 1 tsp. of salsa on it.

.Sprinkle a little of the cheese mixture.

.Lay out a little bed of shredded lettuce on it.

.Spread out 1 portion of the beans onto the lettuce bed.

.Add one portion of the vegetable filling, a little of the cheese mixture, a little red hot spicy salsa,

 2 tsp. of rustic guacamole and a dollop of the prepared sour cream mixture.

.Wrap them into rolls.

.Repeat with the remaining tortillas.

.Grill on a hot griddle or lay them all on a baking sheet with the open-ends at the bottom and grill in a hot oven or 3 to 4 minutes or till

 the cheese just starts to melt.

How to wrap a burrito:

.Place the filling in the centre lengthwise.

.Fold the bottom flap at least about 2 inches.

.Bring the left side up over the filling and tuck it in under the filling.

.Create a small fold diagonally with the remaining side of the burrito for extra protection and to

 maintain the shape without opening while you are eating.

.Bring the remaining flap over the filling to close it tightly.

.Place this joint-side down onto a baking sheet for grilling, or wrap in a food-grade paper to carry

 along in a lunch box.