Onion Bhajiyas

Onion Bhajiyas/pakoras- A spicy savory snack made with onions, coated in seasoned chickpea flour and deep fried to golden brown .Delicious served with chutneys.

Ingredients:

1 large onion
1 teaspoon salt
1 /2 teaspoon chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon eno salts
6 oz chick pea flour (besan)
1 tablespoon semolina
1 teaspoon ginger paste
3-4 green chillies finely chopped
1 teaspoon turmeric powder
2-3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon fresh chopped coriander
Oil for frying.

Method:

1. In a bowl add the besan and semolina,Mix throughly.
2. Add the salt, chilli powder,chillies, turmeric, ginger paste and eno salts to the besan.Keep aside
3.Slice the onions in thin slices and separate them.
4.Mix the onion slices and chopped coriander and add to the besan mixture .Toss to coat the onions throughly.Add just enough water to make the flour mixture stick to the onions.
5.Divide the mixture into 8 patties and place on a tray.
6.Heat the oil in a pan to medium hot.
7. Drop the onion patties into the oil and fry on medium heat till golden brown.(Do not cook on too high heat other wise bhajiyas will be uncooked in side)
8.Remove from oil when golden brown and drain on kitchen paper.
9.Repeat process for remainder.

Transfer bhajiyas to serving dish and serve with ketchup, chilli sauce or chutneys of choice.

Princess cup cakes

Princess cup cakes-Devine little cupcakes iced and decorated in the theme of princess. Marbled dual coloured cakes made from pink and white batter.Iced with pastel colour icing and decorated with hearts and flowers and sweet crystals.

Will make approx 12 cup cakes.

Ingredients:

8 oz self raising flour(maida)
8 oz sugar
8 oz softened butter (room temperature)
4 eggs
1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
Pink food colouring few drops.


Butter cream Icing:

100 g unsalted butter
200 g icing sugar
1 Tbsp Milk
1 teaspoon vanilla essence.
Few drops each of pink, yellow, blue food colouring.
Fondant ready to roll icing
Cake decorations of choice.

Method:

1.Preheat oven to 200 degrees Centigrade
2.Add the bicarbonate of soda to the flour and sieve the flour .Keep aside
3.Cream the butter and sugar till light and fluffy.
4.Add the vanilla essence and the eggs. Mix thoroughly
5.Fold in the flour taking care not to over mix.
6.Divide the batter into two parts.
7.In one part add a few drops of pink food colour and mix in to make the batter pink.
8. Spoon the mixture in the cup cakes alternating with one spoon white mixture and top with one spoon pink mixture. Smooth the tops.
9.Place the cup cakes in the oven to bake for approx 15-20 mins. Check if cooked by inserting a skewer in the top of the cake .If it comes out clean cakes are cooked.
10.Take out of oven and leave to cool.


Icing:

1.Cream together the butter and icing sugar  with milk and vanilla.
2. Divide the icing into 4 parts.To each part add 2-3 drops of desired food colour.Mix the icing so colour is even.
5. Using a palette knife cover each cup cake with the desired colour of icing. You can also fill a piping bag with a star nozzle and fill it with butter cream and pipe rosettes on top of the cakes instead.
6.Sprinkle on top the desired cake decoration and flowers and shapes cut out of the ready rolled fondant,
Cup cakes are ready to enjoy.

NB: If for any reason your cakes raise too much in the centre during cooking.Carefully slice the tops off to make flat before icing.

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Fairy cakes

Potato sabji

Potato (aloo) sabji-A simple dish made from potatoes cooked in aromatic spices, delicious as an accompaniment with any indian flat bread .Can be served as aside dish to accompany any dhal or kadhi and rice.

Ingredients:

3 medium potatoes

1 teaspoon turmeric

1 tablespoon oil

1 teaspoon chilli powder

1/2 teaspoon coriander powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin powder

1 1/2 teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon tomato puree

1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 tablespoon fresh coriander finely chopped for garnishing.

Method:

1. Peel and cut the potato into 4 quaters lengthwise.

2. Slice the potato quaters into 5mm thick slices.

3.Heat the oil in a pan and add the mustard seeds.Let them pop.

4. Add the potatoes and all the spices.

5.Mix 1 tablespoon water in the tomato puree and add to the potatoes.

6.Toss the potatoes so that they are covered by the spices and tomatoes.

7. Cover and cook on a low heat till potatoes are tender(In the interim keep tossing the potatoes so that they dont stick to pan bottom)

8.Transfer potato sabji to serving dish and garnish with fresh coriander.

This potato sabji is dry and an ideal side dish accompaniment with dhals and kadhi.

Puri -fried puffed whole wheat flat breads

Puri- A puffed indian bread deep fried .It is made from wheat flour,can be made plain or with masala for that spicy taste. An ideal accompaniment to all sabjis. especially potato.

Ingredients:

2 cups Indian whole wheat flour
1/2 tablespoon sunflower oil
Water to make dough

Sunflower oil for frying

Method:

1.Mix together in a bowl the flour and oil.
2. Slowly add about 3/4 cup warm water, just enough to form a firm dough, and knead till smooth.
3.Cover, let rest at least 1/2 hour, and knead again briefly.
4.Divide into small balls about 1/2 inch size balls, and roll out into 3" rounds on an oiled board.
5.Heat vegetable oil in a wok or saucepan.
6.Fry the puri one at a time, holding them under the oil on the first side until they puff. Turn and fry till light brown; drain.
7.Serve as soon as possible; these breads are not as good later.

Puri are traditionally served with any curry.

For spicy puris:

When making the dough, add to the dry ingredients:
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon chilli powder
1 teaspoon salt

Follow method same as above.

Corn vadas- debras

Corn vadas- A gujarati snack made from corn meal, savory and tasty ideal for a teatime snack, lunch box or picnics.

Ingredients:

2 cup fine corn flour
1 cup wheat flour
1 cup natural yoghurt
1 teaspoon fresh ginger paste
3 fresh green chillies deseeded and finely chopped
1 teaspoon sugar
½ cup fresh chopped green methi (fenugreek)
1 tablespoon fresh chopped coriander
1 level teaspoon eno salts
1 tablespoon sunflower oil for dough
1 teaspoon red chilli powder
1/2 teaspoon carom (ajwain) seeds
1 teaspoon sesame seeds
1 tsp turmeric
salt to taste

sunflower oil for frying

Method:

1.Mix all the ingredients except the oil for frying and make a dough. Leave overnight or for 2-3 hours.
2.Next divide the mixture into small balls, place balls 5 at a time between two sheets of oiled polythene and pat them out into flat vadas , About 2 inch in diameter and 3 mm thick
3.Heat the oil for frying and deep fry vadas in batches on medium heat until golden brown. They should puff up.
4. Drain on kitchen paper.

Will keep in airtight container for 3-4 days

Serve with fresh natural yoghurt