Sev Puri (Chaat) – Memories of an Indian Summer. My Guest Post for The Kitchn

Posted on April 21, 2010 by Sala @ Veggie Belly

This is my recent guest article on The Kitchn..

Chaat always brings back memories of carefree childhood weekends spent at my parents’ beach house in India. I’d walk over to the beach in the afternoon when the tide is low enough to pick sea shells. I’d return home with my pail full and stomach empty. A gorgeous bowl of chaat would be waiting for me – crunchy, sweet, tangy, spicy, filling all at the same time. I’d sit on the verandah eating chaat, listening to the waves crashing near by and watching the kites sail over me.

Chaat on weekends still transports me back to those balmy evenings in India. Sev puri is my favorite kind of chaat (‘chaat’ is a general name for this Indian street food; there are several variations). Sev puri are little puffed, fried rounds of dough (puri) stuffed with crispy noodles (sev), potatoes, onion, yogurt, tamarind chutney and mint chutney. The whole thing is then finished with a sprinkling of amazingly zestful chaat masala – a blend of salt, red chilli, coriander, cinnamon, ginger, anise, pepper, cumin, cardamom, clove, mace, carom and dried mango.

Above: Armando, the man who works at the local Indian store. He is El Salvadorian and his kowledge of Indian ingredients is encyclopedic. He watches all the bollywood movies and gets offended if they dont offer spanish subititles! Gotta love DC/VA!

You will need to make a trip to the Indian store for this recipe. You could attempt to make all the ingredients at home, but that would be time consuming. Why bother when you can buy the same thing at a store!

This is a basic recipe for sev puri; I encourage you to be creative with it..you are limited only by your imagination. When pomegranates are in season, I like to sprinkle some on top for a colorful, refreshing sweetness. A little chunk of pineapple tucked into the sev puri is divine (toss the pineapple chunks in chaat masala for a delightful sweet-savory flavor). To make these sev puris vegan, simply leave out the yogurt and use hummus, tahini or cashew butter instead. If you don’t have pani puris, try making this with tortilla chips instead; Scoops! will be perfect for this.

Finally, there is only one way to eat a sev puri – put the whole thing in your mouth! Don’t try to bite into it, just pop the whole thing in your mouth!

Sev Puri (Chaat) Recipe
Serves about 6

1 medium potato, boiled, peeled and diced
½ cup canned chickpeas, drained
3-4 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
40 pani puris* (fried rounds of dough)
½ cup yogurt
½ cup sev* (crispy noodles)
¼ cup date-tamarind chutney*
¼ cup mint chutney*
1 tablespoon Chaat Masala*
1/4 tablespoon red chilli powder or cayenne or paprika
A few sprigs of cilantro

*easily available at any Indian store

Mix together the boiled diced potato, chickpeas, red onion, ¼ teaspoon chaat masala and salt. Set aside. Gently poke a hole on one side of a pani puri. Make it large enough so you can stuff it with the potato mixture. Place some potato mixture inside the pani puri cavity. Top with about ½ tablespoon of yogurt. Sprinkle some sev on top of the yogurt. Then add date-tamarind and mint chutneys. Finish by sprinkling a little chaat masala and chili powder over the top. Repeat with all pani puris. Serve immediately.

Purple Cauliflower

Posted on December 2, 2009 by Sala @ Veggie Belly

purple-cauliflower

Just a picture for you today. Purple cauliflower tastes just white cauliflower. Its a great, colorful addition to crudite platters. We steamed this lightly and dipped it in hummus.

The purple color is caused by the presence of the antioxidant group anthocyanin, which can also be found in red cabbage and red wine.^[7] Varieties include ‘Graffiti’ and ‘Purple Cape’. In Great Britain and southern Italy, a broccoli with tiny flower buds is sold as a vegetable under the name “purple cauliflower.” It is not the same as standard cauliflower with a purple curd. - Wikipedia

Bruleed Bananas and Oatmeal

Posted on November 17, 2009 by Sala @ Veggie Belly

oatmeal-bruleed-bananas

Its really weird, I’ve been craving bananas like crazy. No im not pregnant thankyou very much. Just a craving for some nice, ripe, sweet bananas in an un-pregnant sort of way. This breakfast dish of oatmeal and bruleed bananas hit all the right notes. Its easy enough to make on a busy morning; the oatmeal takes 4 minutes to make and you can brulee the bananas while the oats cook. This is also special enough to serve guests..wow them with some brulee torch action!

creme-brulee-torch-and-bananas

If you have a creme brulee torch, just skim the top of the sugar with the flame till sugar melts. I enjoy my creme brulee torch. Its theraputic in a pyromanic kinda way. But dont get carried away with the creme brulee torch, be careful not to burn the sugar! If you dont have a brulee torch, just stick the sugar topped banana pieces under the broiler.

bruleed bananas oatmeal

Oatmeal with Bruleed Bananas Recipe

serves 1

1/2 cup oats
1 cup milk
1 small banana
2 tbsp brown sugar, more if you like it sweeter. You could also use regular white sugar.
1 tbsp butter, optional. I didnt use.
a tiny pinch of salt
1/8th scant tsp allspice or cinnamon or pumpkin spice

Bring milk to boil, add oats and cook on medium heat for about 4 minutes (or cook the oats according to package instructions). Add sugar to oatmeal if desired.

Cut the banana into about 1/2 inch thick discs. Mix sugar, butter if using, salt and allspice/cinnamon/pumpkin spice. Place equal amounts of this mixture on top of cut banana discs. Gently pat the sugar mixture down so that it covers most of the banana disc. Using a creme brulee torch on low heat, brulee the sugar mixture just till it melts (see picture above). Take care not to burn the sugar.

To brulee without a creme brulee torch – Place banana slices topped with brown sugar mixture on a baking sheet. Place in the oven and broil on low just till the sugar melts and becomes golden. Be careful not to burn the sugar.

Indian Apple Pickle

Posted on November 7, 2009 by Sala @ Veggie Belly

indian-apple-pickle1

This is my grandmothers recipe. The granny smith apples in this pickle make a tart, sweet, spicy condiment that is perfect with rotis and breads. Make sure you use the roasted fenugreek powder, it makes a big difference! Also make sure you use tart cooking apples (I love granny smiths!); the mealy sweet apples wont work.

indian-apple-pickle2

Indian Apple Pickle
makes about 1 1/2 cups

2 large granny smith apples or other tart, cooking apples
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp black mustard seeds
1/8 tsp fenugreek powder (lightly roast fenugreek seeds in a dry pan over low heat and then grind to a powder)
1/4 tsp asafoetida
1-2 green chillies
3/4 tsp urad dal
a few curry leaves
1/2 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp chili powder
salt
4 tbsp vegetable oil

Core the apples and dice them into tiny cubes. Toss with lemon juice and set aside. Heat the oil in a pan and add mustard seeds. When they crackle, add fenugreek powder, asafoetida, green chilies, urad dal and curry leaves. Stir on medium high heat for about 1 minute. Then add diced apples. Cook, stirring occassionally till the apples are slightly soft, about 10 minutes. Add turmeric, chili powder, and salt to the apples and cook another 5 minutes. Taste and adjust for salt and lemon juice. Once cool, store the pickle in an air-tight container in the fridge. Pickle will last about a week.

The World’s Best Caramel Corn Recipe

Posted on November 3, 2009 by Sala @ Veggie Belly

caramel-corn2

Did you get a lot of trick or treaters for Halloween? We got about 95 kids! There are a lot of kids where we live. And I think we are the only ones who havent added to the population of this neighborhood.

S & I decided we wont hand out the same old, commercial nutter butters and peanut butter cups this year. We wanted to give trick or treaters something home made. But because we dont have kids, I wasnt quite sure what to make. Then I came across this Amish recipe online. I trippled the recipe and put the caramel corn into clear treat bags with a twistie tie. I’m SO glad I made it! It was a great hit. The kids LOVED it. It tasted amazing.

Before I give you the recipe to the worlds best caramel corn, here is something that happened on halloween night:

A bunch of kids rang our door bell on Halloween night and then peeped through the glass door panels. S was approaching the door to open it..

“loooook! hes wearing an eskimo costume!”
“Sssshhhh! its not a costume!”
.
.
.
no, S is not an eskimo, neither does he look like one.

caramel-corn4

I know that giving you this recipe after halloween is not exactly helpful. But this will make a great snack at any holiday party. And since popcorn hardly weighs anything, it would be wonderful to make this caramel corn and ship it to friends and family for the holidays.

This recipe on allrecipes.com has 452 positive reviews and 15,442 people have saved it; I can see why! It is super yummy and addictingly good.

caramel-corn5

Caramel Corn Recipe on allrecipes.com posted by Anita Louise
about 28 servings

7 quarts plain popped popcorn
2 cups dry roasted peanuts (optional)
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup margarine (I used butter)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Place the popped popcorn into two shallow greased baking pans. You may use roasting pans, jelly roll pans, or disposable roasting pans. Add the peanuts to the popped corn if using. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F (120 degrees C). Combine the brown sugar, corn syrup, margarine and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring enough to blend. Once the mixture begins to boil, boil for 5 minutes while stirring constantly.

Remove from the heat, and stir in the baking soda and vanilla. The mixture will be light and foamy. Immediately pour over the popcorn in the pans, and stir to coat. Don’t worry too much at this point about getting all of the corn coated.

Bake for 1 hour, removing the pans, and giving them each a good stir every 15 minutes. Line the counter top with waxed paper. Dump the corn out onto the waxed paper and separate the pieces. Allow to cool completely, then store in airtight containers or resealable bags.

Stuffed Baked Tomatoes with Ricotta, Sweet Corn and Pesto

Posted on September 9, 2009 by Sala @ Veggie Belly

baked-stuffed-tomatoes3

Can I just say that this dish is spectacular to make while the lovely summer tomatoes are still around! This is a great make- ahead tomato recipe. Once youve stuffed the tomatoes, you could keep them covered in the fridge for a day or two before baking.

vine-ripe-tomatoes

Juicy, round, vine ripened tomatoes are just perfect for stuffing. Red or green peppers will also be great for stuffing.

scoop-out-tomatoes

Cut the the tomatoes in half horizontally. Scoop out the flesh and membrane using a spoon. Be careful not to scoop all the way into the skin. Save the tomato flesh for another dish that calls for tomatoes. Dab the cavities of the tomatoes with a paper towel. You need to dab away all the juice and moisture inside the tomatoes.

stuff-tomatoes-with-ricotta-filling

Mix together ricotta cheese, sweet corn, pesto, garlic and parmesan. Stuff the tomatoes with the filling. Then sprinkle bread crumbs on top.

drizzle-butter-before-baking

Place the stuffed tomatoes in a buttered or oiled baking dish. Drizzle a little butter or olive oil on top of the tomatoes. Bake till the tomatoes are soft, about 15-20 minutes. Then broil till the tops are golden. Done!

baked-stuffed-tomatoes2

They come out warm, smelling like basil, juicy on the inside and crispy-golden on top. The ricotta is creamy and the little bursts of sweet corn are oh-so-yummy. A perfect dish!

baked-stuffed-tomatoes

Serve these stuffed, baked tomatoes as a side dish. Or serve them with a green salad as a main course.

baked-stuffed-tomato

A sprig of thyme makes things pretty..

Ricotta, Sweet Corn and Pesto Stuffed Baked Tomatoes Recipe
makes 12 pieces
6 small tomatoes
8 tbsp Ricotta cheese
3 tbsp Parmesan cheese
3 tbsp store bought pesto
2 cloves Garlic, minced
6 tbsp Sweet corn
Salt, pepper (keep in mind that the parmesan and pesto already have salt)
10 tbsp Bread crumbs, I used Italian garlic and herb bread crumbs.
Butter or olive oil
Preheat oven to 400 f.Cut the tomatoes in half horizontally. Scoop out the flesh using a spoon. Dab the tomato cavities dry (See pictures above). In a bowl, mix together all other ingredients except tomatoes, bread crumbs and butter/olive oil. Spoon this mixture into each tomato half. Top with bread crumbs (approximately 1 tbsp breadcrumbs per tomato half). Gently pat the bread crumbs down. Drizzle a little butter or olive oil on top of the stuffed tomatoes.

Place stuffed tomatoes in a buttered or oiled baking dish. Bake for 15-20 minutes. Then turn the oven to broil and broil till the tops are golden, about 1 minute.

Roasted Beet and Orange Dip with Walnuts

Posted on September 1, 2009 by Sala @ Veggie Belly

beet-and-orange-dip3

This recipe is a copycat version of the beet and orange dip at our local Wegmans grocery store. Wegmans don’t add walnuts to their dip. But I like the nutty, creamy muhammara-like flavor that the walnuts add to this dip. Its sweet, tart and great for dipping pita bread or in a vegetable crudite platter. I love the brilliant color of beets too. But if you don’t like beets, try this with carrots.

beets-with-greens

Dont throw away beet greens. They taste great chopped up and sauteed in some olive oil, garlic and a splash of balsamic vinegar.

fork-tender-roasted-beets-in-foil

I love the delightful earthiness of roasted beets. They take about an hour in a 400 degree oven to get fork tender. If you are in a hurry, use drained, canned beets. Once the beets are roasted, all you do is puree them with some toasted walnuts, balsamic vinegar, orange juice and garlic.

beet-orange-dip1

I served this dip with carrot and celery sticks and toasted mini whole grain pita bread.

Here are some other ways to use this dip:

Use as a sandwich spread
Mix it into hummous for a gorgeous light pink colored dip
Serve as a platter with vegetable crudites, melba toast, olives, crackers, apple wedges

beet-orange-dip2

Dont have walnuts? Try these beet dip recipes

Beet dip with tahini from Lovely Morning
Yogurt and beet dip from Shabak’s Kitchen
Cream cheese beet dip from Vegetarian Times

beet-and-orange-dip4

Roasted Beet and Orange Dip with Walnuts Recipe
makes about 1 1/2 cups

12 oz beets (2-3 medium beets)
3/4 scant cup walnuts
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/2 tbsp sugar, depending on how sweet the beets are
2 pods garlic
3 tbsp orange juice
salt, pepper
1/2 tsp orange zest

Wash and dry the beets. Wrap them in foil,place in a baking dish and bake in a 400 degree f oven for 1 hour or till the beets are fork tender. Let the beets cool a little and peel the skin.

Toast walnuts in a pan over medium heat till they are light brown. Place the roasted beets, toasted walnuts and all other ingredients, except orange zest in a blender. Puree till smooth. Adjust vinegar, sugar, and salt to taste. Transfer the dip to a bowl and mix in orange zest. Serve chilled with pita bread and vegetable crudites.

Panko Crusted Pea Fritters with Tamarind Jelly

Posted on July 17, 2009 by Sala @ Veggie Belly

panko-pea-fritters3

Pea and potato fritters (aloo mutter tikki) are a popular snack or appetizer in India. This is an updated version of the traditional tikki. I coat the fritters in panko bread crumbs before shallow frying them to create a crispy, golden, delicate crust. Tikkis are usually served with a sweet, tart tamarind sauce. I serve the fritters with tamarind jelly instead. I added a little fruit pectin to the tamarind to achieve a nice jelly like texture. The pectin is totally optional and the end result will taste equally delicious with or without the pectin.

frozen-green-peas

The main ingredient here are green peas and potatoes. I used 1 cup of peas and 1/2 cup of boiled potatoes because I wanted the peas to be the star of this dish. Add more potatoes and less peas if you like.

add-cumin-and-chilli-to-peas-and-potato

Start by sauteeing frozen peas, boiled potatoes, chili powder and cumin.

dipp-in-panko-and-fry-fritters

Then form the potato-pea mixture into discs. Dip the discs in flour and water. Then roll in panko. Shallow fry till crisp and golden on the outside.

panko-pea-fritters

The end result is a gorgeous, golden fritter waiting to be doused in sweet, tart, cumin scented tamarind jelly..

tamarind-boiling-for-jelly

For the tamarind jelly, I used seedless tamarind pulp that comes in a block. You can find this at the Asian store. You must boil the tamarind pulp first to extract the juice. Strain the tamarind water, and add sugar, cumin and fruit pectin to it. Boil the jelly for about 10 minutes. It will thicken up nicely and when cool, become jelly-like. The fruit pectin is totally optional. The pectin only adds to the texture and not to the flavor of this jelly.

Why did I call this a jelly and not a jam? For a great write up on the difference between jam and jelly, see this article from Tastes Like Home.

For a tamarind jam recipe using fresh tamarind, see this post from Coffee and Vanilla

tamarind-jelly

When the jelly cools, it will thicken up. Once cool, store it in an air tight container.

panko-pea-fritters2

Panko Crusted Pea Fritters
Makes 6 fritters

1 cup frozen peas
½ cup boiled potato cubes (or 1 small boiled potato)
½ tsp cumin powder
¼ tsp red chilli powder
2 tbsp chopped fresh mint
Salt
1 tbsp vegetable oil

3 tbsp flour
¾ cup water
salt
1 cup panko bread crumbs
½ cup vegetable oil for shallow frying
Heat 1 tbsp oil in a skillet and add the peas (no need to defrost) and boiled potato cubes. Then add the cumin and chili powders and salt. Saute this mixture on medium heat for about 5 minutes or till the peas have defrosted and the cumin is fragrant. Turn off heat, and add mint. Using a potato masher, lightly mash the mixture and set aside.
When the peas mixture is cool enough to handle, divide it into 6 parts. Using your palms roll each into a ball and then flatten it into a disc.
In a small bowl, mix the flour, water and salt together. Place the panko bread crumbs in a shallow plate. Heat the oil for frying.

Dip the pea and potato discs first into the flour and water mixture and then place in the plate with panko. Gently coat the discs with panko on all sides.
Shallow fry the discs a few at a time in hot oil. Serve with tamarind jelly.

Tamarind Jelly
Makes about ¼ cup

1 ½ cups water
1 tbsp seedless tamarind pulp
5 tbsp brown sugar
¼ tsp cumin
A pinch of salt
1 tsp fruit pectin, optional
Place the water and tamarind in a pan and boil for 2 minutes. Using a fork mash the tamarind in the water. Then strain the mixture, pushing the tamarind pulp through a strainer.
Place the strained tamarind water back in the pan and bring to a boil. Add all remaining ingredients and simmer for 10-15 minutes or till the mixture has thickened and reduced to less than half. The sauce will thicken further and ‘jell’ as it cools.

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