Where was I and Nanizza!!!!

Some of you might me thinking - why this blog is not being updated for almost a year now! Well, I have a reason, and pretty good reason for that!

A new member has been added to our family by the most gracious Allah (swt). After a wait of six long years, I found out I was expecting in December last year! Our bundle of joy arrived on August 22. A baby boy, born at 11:14 PM, weighing 6.13 pounds, and 19 and a half inch long. Our little bundle is so adorable, precious, and lovable. Sincere Thank You to everyone who prayed for us and gave us their best wishes. 

After a very long time, last night I made this delicious snack. I do prepare regular food but something innovative was done last night after almost a year. I one leftover naan that  I had ordered for a dinner party at our house and didn't wanted to waste it so I tried using it as a pizza base and it came out so good. 

Ingredients:

1. One leftover naan
2. One fried chicken (or any leftover chicken)
3. Half onion - cut in large slices
4. Half bell pepper - cut in medium pieces
5. One mushroom - cut in medium slices
6. Two tablespoon chili sauce
7. Cheese - your flavor, I used yellow American Cheese, two slices
8. Chat masala - optional. 
9. Oil - one tsp

Process:

1. In a small pan, heat oil, add in chicken, onion, bell pepper, mushroom and chili sauce. 
2. Mix well and let it cook for 6-7 minutes. Keep stirring every once in a while. 
3. Preheat toaster over to 350 degrees. Spray baking tray. 
4. Place naan on a baking tray, spread chicken and veggie mixture, spread cheese. 
5. Toast for 10 minutes or until cheese melts. 
6. Sprinkle chat masala and serve hot!!

ENJOY!!!

Read More

Nachos

Somethings you just fantasize over, even though you know that I won't be as hard as making Shahi Chicken. Nachos was one of these things. I, for some reason, always thought that this is something I won't be able to make until one day we ordered Nachos from a local place and what we got was burnt, not enough cheese, no guacamole and tiny little portion (not even enough for one person) for a price of $9. It ruined my evening big time and I was not going to compromise this again.

The next day I was on a mission to make perfect nachos. And hurray! It was a no pain job and I can't believe I never tried this simple yet delicious recipe before. Talk about low confidence....

Ingredients:

1. One large bag of Tortilla chips (I used Tostitos brand "With a Hint of Lime")
2. For Salsa - One big red onion chopped, One big tomato chopped, One green bell pepper chopped, a bunch of fresh cilantro chopped, salt and lime juice to taste
3. Guacamole - see recipe here
4. Sour cream - store bought
5. Refried beans - store bought
6. Mexican four cheese - store bought

Process:

1. Place all of tortilla chips in a baking pan.
2. Spread all of Mexican four cheese on top of the chips.
3. Bake for 10-15 minutes (at 350 degrees Fahrenheit) or till cheese melts.
4. In a bowl mix together all the items in #2 and make salsa.
5. Spread salsa over to one side of the chips and cheese.
6. Spread sour cream over to other side of the chips and cheese.
7. Spread guacamole over to another side of the chips and cheese.
8. Lastly, spread refired beans over to the last side of the chips and cheese.
9. Serve immediately.  

If you like, you can mix together salsa, guacamole, sour cream, and refried beans and place it on top of chips. I like to spread it out separately 'cause everyone have their own preferences of what they want to eat.

ENJOY!!!

Read More

Mozzarella Sticks

This snack is to die for if you are a cheese lover, like I am... We always order this from our local Pizza shop and at UNO's, we always used to wonder how exactly they make this sinful delicious side dish. This was when I was in my teens. Later on, I got so addicted to making everything at home and tried variety of recipes from all over the world but never tried to make these sticks; until the other day, my niece mentioned it to me and said she loves it. I decided to make this for her. I went on Google and searched variety of recipes and finally decided to make my own recipe for it, a bit spiced up and a bit Indianized, may I add. :)

Ingredients:

1. Store bought mozzarella sticks
2. One cup all purpose flour
3. One cup Italian bread crumbs
4. One beaten egg
5. One tblsp red chili powder
6. One tbsp chaat masala
7. Oil for deep frying

Process:

1. In a bowl, mix together bread crumbs, red chili powder, and chaat masala, keep aside.
2. Dip sticks in all purpose flour (one by one).
3. Dip floured sticks in egg and coat well (one by one).
4. Roll egg coated sticks in bread crumb mixture (step 1). 
5. Again, dip the crumb coated sticks in egg and coat well (one by one). 
6. Again, roll egg coated sticks in bread crumb mixture (step 1) (one by one). 
7. Keep the double coated sticks on a plate and put it in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes. 
8. In the meanwhile, heat oil for deep frying the sticks. 
9. One oil is well heated, add two sticks at a time and deep fry till golden brown. 
10. Keep fried sticks on the paper towel for excess oil to be drained out. 
11. Serve hot with ketchup....

After making this dish, I had to do my food photography session, my niece was very patience throughout the whole process, however at the end she could not hold herself back and kept wandering around the plate full of this delicious snack... You can see the innocence in her eyes... Isn't she the cutest baby!!! I love her to death... 

This post is dedicated to my little niece... Love you Gudda... 

ENJOY!!!

Read More

Chicken Pakora

During my childhood years, I had never imagined that I would be eating chicken pakoras in my adult years. As we were growing up, onion pakoras, mirchi pakoras, bread pakoras, aloo pakoras were the only pakoras that we would eat. Never imagined a non-vegetarian pakoras!! Time has changed, and so has the cooking. Things are being mixed and matched, creating more fusion food than ever before. 

I first had chicken pakoras at one of our family friend's house and I so fell in love with it. It is fairly simple to make and tastes so good. It is a must try!

Ingredients:

1. Boneless Chicken - half a pound - cut in small cubes
2. Tempura Batter Mix
3. Fresh coriander - a bunch - finely chopped
4. One medium onion - finely chopped
5. 4-5 green chilies - finely chopped
6. Oil for deep frying

 Process:

1. Mix all the ingredients, except oil, using a warm water. 
2. The batter should be of medium consistency - not too thick, not too thin.
3. Keep marinated for about an hour. 
4. Heat oil in a wok, and deep fry pakoras till golden brown. 
5. Serve hot with green chutney or ketchup. 

ENJOY!!!

Reposted this recipe at http://desizayeka.blogspot.com/2012/07/ramadan-collections.html
Submitting to the following events (see further details at the link above):
Joy from Fasting to Feasting - V

Ramadan Friendly Recipes

Read More

Masala Dosa

Masala Dosa – Oh Gosh! You have no idea how many memories are attached with this particular dish. My fast friend in my school in India was South Indian, her lunch would always have different kinds of dosas and my lunch would be the same roti with various curries. We always used to switch our lunches as I loved her dosas and she loved my rotis. :). Oh those good old days! 

 

Also, being from Gujarat, this dish was a luxurious meal for us. Every time we go out to eat, Masala Dosa would be the only thing I would order just like my other cousins. Keep in mind, that in 1990s Indian-Chinese was still unheard of and people normally just cooked food at home rather than go out to eat because whatever you find at restaurants over there you could easily cook at home. With an exception to masala dosa, hence this became a luxurious meal for us. Mom used to make masala dosas in summer vacation time every year and that day would be like Eid for us! I can go on and on about my love for masala dosas but I think I should stop here and focus on the recipe since it’s quite lengthy.  

 

But, before I jump on to the recipe, I want to give you some briefs about dosas. Dosas are fermented crepes made from rice and urad dal. Its origination is from South India but is very well known all around India. It is available in almost all Indian Restaurants in United States.  

 

Ingredients: 

 

For Batter: 

• Three cups uncooked rice  
• Two cups urad dal (split and husked black gram)  
• 1 tsp fenugreek seeds 
• Salt to taste   

For the potato filling: 

• Three medium potatoes, boiled and cut into 1 cm cubes 
• One large onion, thinly sliced 
• Half cup green peas 
• Half tomato, chopped 
• 3-4 large, hot green chillies, slit in half  
• 2 tsp mustard seeds 
• 1 tblsp ginger, minced 
• 1 tblsp lemon juice 
• salt per taste 
• 3-4 curry leaves 
• 1 tsp turmeric 
• 2 tblsp cooking oil
• Handful of chopped coriander  

For the coconut and coriander chutney:

• 5 large hot green chillies
• 1 small clove garlic
• 1 tsp ginger
• A bunch of coriander, including stalks
• 5 tblsp desiccated coconut
• 1 tbsp cooking oil
• 2 tblsp lemon juice
• Salt per taste
• 3 tblsp sugar

Process:

 

For the potato filling:

1. Heat the oil in a large pan and add the mustard seeds. Wait for them to pop, and then add the curry leaves, onions, chilies, turmeric and ginger.

2. Allow to cook on a low heat for 5 minutes. Add the salt, sugar, lemon, tomato, peas and potatoes. Mix well.

3. Let it cook for about 5-10 minutes, stirring in between.

4. Once done, garnish with chopped coriander and mix well.

For the coriander chutney:

1. Blend together all ingredients using a food processor.

For the batter:

1. Wash rice and urad dal separately in cold water for up to 5-6 times.

2. Place them in two separate large bowls and cover with warm water overnight. In the urad dal bowl add in fenugreek seeds.

3. After the soaking period discard the soaking water, reserving about two cups.

4. Place the soaked rice and urad dal in a blender and blend to a thick paste. Add salt and mix well.

5. The consistency of the batter should be just so that it covers the back of a spoon.

6. Add a little bit of the reserved soaking water to help with the blending process.

7. Blend the batter to a degree where it's grainy – this is what's going to make your dosas crispy.

8. Place the dosa batter in an extra-large bowl. Cover loosely and ferment overnight in a warm place.

To make the dosas:

1. Heat a non-stick frying pan, take a small paper towel, dip it lightly into the oil and grease the pan.

2. Take a ladle-full of the batter and spread a larger pancake.

3. Spread the batter in a circular motion, starting from the inside swiftly.

4. When the top becomes dry, take about a ¼ tsp of oil and spread it gently over the dosa with the back of a spoon or spatula.

5. When the back of the dosa turns golden some of the potato mixture into the middle of the pancake and fold the dosa from each sides.

6. Take the dosa off the pan place on a plate and serve with coconut chutney.

I have this step by step instruction for you to use as a guide, but trust me making the dosa is one of the easiest thing to do.

For all my Indian readers, this dish must not be new to you but I am sure it is one of your favorites! For non-Indian readers, you have to try this!! SOON!

You might have some leftover dosa batter after you are done feeding 4 people. You can freeze the batter for later use or make these delicious dosa cakes or uttapam as breakfast item or tea-time snack to munch on.

ENJOY!!!

 

Read More

Bread Pakora

Shruti Kakkar: "Kya pata, aaj frendship kar raha hai, kal I love you bol dega." (Who knows, you are making me friend today, tomorrow you will tell me "I Love You".

    

Bittu Sharma: "Nahi yaar, BREAD PAKORE ki kasam, aisa kuch nahi hoga." (No, this won't happen, I swear by Bread Pakora!)

The above dialogues are from Band, Baaja, Barat movie... One of my all time favorite movie!! It was not till I watched this movie that I realized how much Bread Pakoras are famous in Delhi, India's Capital. I always thought that this was the snack that my buaji (Dad's sister) invented and is only eaten in our family.. oh Gosh, how childish I was am :).

I later on met couple of my friends from Delhi and asked them about bread pakoras and found out that this is one of the local street snacks just like Pani-puri & Dhoklas of Gujarat and Vada-Paus of Mumbai. Buaji used to make this snack for us every now and then and it was our all time favorite dish. I actually learned this from her. I would like to dedicate this post to my Buaji who has always been there for me us, in our good and bad times; for fulfilling all of our random demands of food, such as home-made samosas, dhoklas, handwa, Dahi-bade, noodles, chana-chatpati, and much more. She is a great person to be with and is an excellent cook as well. If I can only be half of how she is, I would feel my life to be fulfilled!!!!

Bread Pakoras are very easy to make and can be served as a tea-time snack or guest serving. Bread Pakoras are famous as an Iftar item in our household. I am sending this recipe to Iftar Moments event hosted by Sister Ayeesha of Taste of Pearl City and to What's everyone Having for Iftar event hosted by Sister Roha of Hyderabadi Cuisine Recipes.

Ingredients:

1. Two medium potatoes - peeled, cubed, and boiled.
2. A bunch of fresh coriander leaves
3. Two-three green chilies - finely chopped.
4. 1/4 tsp Turmeric Powder
5. One tblsp lemon juice
6. Salt per taste
7. For tempering - half tblsp cumin seeds, half tblsp mustard seeds, and two tblsp oil.
8. For Batter - Half cup chickpea flour, 1/2 tblsp red chili powder, 1/2 tblsp dhaniya powder, a pinch of turmeric powder, salt per taste, and Half cup warm water.
9. Six breads - cut diagonally
10. Oil for deep frying.

Process:

1. Mash boiled potatoes, add in coriander leaves, lemon juice, green chilies, salt and turmeric powder. Mix well, add a little bit of water (only if needed).
2. Heat oil for tempering, add in cumin and mustard seeds, let it splutter, then sprinkle over potato mixture and mix well. Keep aside.
3. The potato mixture should look like this filing that I had previously made for Aloo Paratha.
4. Mix all ingredients for batter - make sure there are no lumps of chickpea flour and the batter should be more towards the thicker side. Adjust water quantity as needed.
5. Spread some potato mixture on the one of the diagonally cut bread, place the second bread on top and press tightly. Repeat the process for rest of the breads.
6. Heat oil for frying.
7. Dip the potato filled breads into the batter and deep fry till golden brown. Repeat for the rest of the sandwiches.
8. Serve hot with some tomato ketchup.

Do give these a try, you will start swearing by Bread Pakoras!!! Bread Pakore ki Kasam Yaar!!! :)

ENJOY!!!

Reposted this recipe at http://desizayeka.blogspot.com/2012/07/ramadan-collections.html

Submitting to the following events (see further details at the link above):
Joy from Fasting to Feasting - V

Ramadan Friendly Recipes

Read More

Katori Chaat!!!!!!!!!!!!

I spent hours, days, months drooling over pictures of katori chaats that I would search for on Google Image. I was never able to figure out how the katoris were make and how to make them at home. I completely adore and value everything that America has to give me and I take it with no regrets and no second thoughts, however sometimes I so miss India. Not just the country but those homey feelings, those socializing in "unplanned" gatherings, monsoon, and CHAATS..... :)

I am a big time chaat fan! I can have chaats for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Every now and then pani-puris are made at home, but I always miss those unhygienic features of pani-puri that you would find at Bhaiya's Stall. I know you might think I am crazy but this is what makes up the yummilicious taste of any chaats in India, at least.

Bhaiya's Pani-Puri Stall

Me STARING at Pani-Puri Stalls....

When I went to India last time (2 years ago), I had told my hubby AG to take to me to Mahendra's Pani Puri Stall every day so I can make up for it. Every time we go to India, my Mamujaan (Mother's brother) always invite us over for dinner, and he makes Pani-Puri at home. He is an amazing cook! He would make the entire pani-puri masala, green chutney, tamarind chutney, and everything else that goes with it at home. He would also order freshly make puris, in counts of 800 to 1,000 and would invite me and all of my cousins over. We would eat Pani-Puri all day long (literally). Oh Gosh! I am so drooling right now. Here are some snaps of me enjoying pani-puris in India.

I felt like I am in Heaven!!!

Oh.. that yummy plate of Goodness!!!

For those wondering - I do have big mouth :)

Yeh Dil Maange More!!!!

So it turns out that I am not the only one in the family.

My cute little niece in India is also a fan - I miss you Gudda!!!

With that being said, and shown, you all know how crazy I am for Pani-Puri. My love for Katori Chaat is just starting now, since this is something new and I haven't really tried it a lot in India (is in my wish list for my next trip to India) :). I found this recipe in one of the Tarla Dalal's recipe book and I tried it. I must say, I should have done this early enough!

Ingredients for Katori:

1. One and a half cup wheat flour.
2. One tablespoon red chili powder, one tblsp dhaniya powder, one tblsp ginger and garlic past.
3. 1/4 tblsp turmeric powder.
4. Half tblsp lemon juice.
5. Salt per taste.
6. Two tblsp vegetable oil.
7. Half a glass warm water for kneading.

Ingredients for Chaat:

1. One cup green vatanas (dried matars/green peas) - soaked overnight and boiled.
2. One medium potato - boiled.
3. 1/4 tblsp turmeric powder, half tblsp lemon juice, 2-3 green chilies, salt per taste.
4. Two tblsp oil.
5. 1/2 tblsp mustard seeds and cumin seeds.
6. 2 or 3 curry leaves.

Ingredients for Garnishing:

1. One medium red onions - chopped
2. One small tomato - chopped
3. A bunch of fresh cilantro - chopped
4. Thin save - store bought
5. Tamarind chutney - I used store bought chutney.
6. Green (Mint-Coriander) chutney - I used store bought chutney
7. Half a cup plain yogurt mixed with 2-3 tblsp of sugar.

Process to make Katoris:

1. Mix together wheat flour, red chili powder, dhaniya powder, salt, lemon juice, turmeric powder, ginger-garlic paste, and one and a half tblsp of oil.
2. Slowly add water and knead the flour into soft dough.
3. Sprinkle the remaining oil on the dough and knead well.
4. Divide the dough into mini balls - makes about 50.
5. Roll the dough out into small puris.
6. Perk the puris with fork and keep it aside.
7. Take the mini cupcakes baking tray - upside down and spray some oil on it.
8. Place each small puris on the tray - NOTE the tray is upside down, so that puris can hold a shape of katori.
9. Spray some oil and bake it for 10 to 15 minutes in a preheated oven at 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
10. Let it cool and remove from each cupcake shells. The puris should be hard, so it should be a problem to remove them from the shells.

Process for Chaat:

1. In a bowl mix together, boiled vatanas, potato, turmeric powder, green chilies, salt and lemon juice.  
2. Heat oil in a small pan, add mustard seeds, cumin seeds, and curry leaves.
3. Let it splutter.
4. Spread the hot oil over the chaat mixture.
5. Mix well and let it cool.

Process for assembling Katori Chaat:

1. Place katoris on a serving tray.
2. Add in a spoonful of chaat mixture.
3. Garnish it with onions, tomatoes, coriander, sweet yogurt, tamarind chutney, green chutney, and thin save.
4. Serve with a BIG smile!!!!

ENJOY!!!

Reposted this recipe at http://desizayeka.blogspot.com/2012/07/ramadan-collections.html
Submitting to the following events (see further details at the link above):
Joy from Fasting to Feasting - V

Ramadan Friendly Recipes

Read More