Guilt Free Potato Chips??

Is this even possible. And the answer is Yes. Thanks to the  good old microwave. Recently I have been seeing my grocery store having potatoes on sale.They were really a bargain & I brought a huge bag and didn't use much of it ,until I made this potato chips. Its very easy and we can munch on it knowing that we are not guilty...thats a relief.
Herez how I made ...


Guilt Free Potato Chips

Ingredients:
Russet Potatoes
salt
For seasoning the chips
Chilli powder
salt
oil/oil spray.

Method
Peel the potatoes. Slice the poatoes in a mandoline into thin rounds.
Bring water to boil
add salt generously.
put  the potatoes and blanch them for 3mins.
Remove and cool them on a towel neatly one by one.
Now this is the stage where the waiting begins.we need the potatoes to be nice and dry.drying them in sunlight is a good option too. allow it to dry for atleast a couple-a days.
Now at this stage we can store the well dried potatoes in an airtight container and use it when we need.or get chowing right away!
Now the best part.
You could fry them in oil like any other chips ,but thats not gonna be guilt free though.But the other option is to microwave it. here is how....
Take a microwave plate
arrange the dried potatoes on it and microwave for 1-2mins until they become crisp and golden.
now add the seasonings to it,to make the seasonings stick to it,add oil and mix well.
Enjoy!

Broccoli Dal

I love Broccoli and my love towards that vegetable has made me go crazy in trying out different recipes with it. Its such a nutritious vegetable ,often often in chineese takeout dinners and thrown away ! I love it for its vibrant color,nutty taste and sharp crisp texture . For me ,Broccoli can be made any which way and i would eat it without any hesitation. But my family needs the broccoli to be spiced up. My son loves this recipe and it really is very easy for all the struggling Mom's trying to get some nutrtional veggies into their kids meal. Broccoli Dal is one of my favourites and I hope it becomes yours soon too!

Broccoli Dal

You will need


Broccoli crown  chopped into bite size pieces 2cups
Onions 1 chopped finely
Green chilies 4/5 chopped finely
Ginger chopped 1
Tomatoes cut into quarters 2
Salt
Turmeric 1tsp
Coriander powder 2tsp
Jeera powder 2tsp


Masoor dal 1cup soaked in water for 30mins.

Whole clove 2
Bay leaf 1
Ghee 2tbsp



Garnish:
Lemon juice
Coriander leaves chopped.



Method:
Pressure-cook the dal with 3cups of water along with tumeric, bayleaf, clove for about 4-5 whistles. The dal has to be well done,

In a kadai heat some ghee and add the onions, greenchillies& ginger and sauté well.

Next add the Broccoli and the dry masala powders and mix well.

Transfer the dal into a pressure pan, and keep it in simmer. Add the Broccoli  mixture over it and add salt and tomatoes. Add some water to thin the dal if need at this point.

Keep it in pressure pan and continue cooking for another 3 whistles.

Garnish and Serve hot .


For more information on Broccoli visit      http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.phptname=foodspice&dbid=9

Sepankazhaungu Varuval (Roasted Taro root )

Off  all the root vegetable delights this one is my favourite. Its requires a bit more attention and preparation than potatoes but its worth the effort. Taro is very starchy and gummy and not much of a flavour on its own. But the magic of spices makes this roasted delight irrestitable.My mother back home did hours of prep work,by 1st steaming them,deskining and the cooking over low flame in a iron skillet to get it nice and golden and crispy. But now since we all have oven at home,why not use it? so herez my modern version to yet an another delicious Roasted root vegetable!


Sepankazhaungu Varuval (Roasted Taro root )

Ingredients:

Taro 1pound

dry masalas:

chilli powder 1tbsp

salt according to taste

tumeric powder 1tsp

dhaniya powder 1tbsp

hing a pinch

Oil

for tempering

Mustard seeds 1/2tsp

curry leaves 5-6

whole dried red chillies 2-3

Method

In a pot of water add the taro root and bring it up to a boil. Putting the taro in cold water and then bring them to cook is technique  used in all the root vegetables.this method ensures that they are well cooked and doesn't make them starchy.test the doneness of the taro with a fork or a knife. it has to be tender in the center.

Now allow it to cool for an hr or so. this process can be done a day ahead.

now deskin them and cut them into rounds. the flatter it is the  more surface for the spices to stick to them.

Now mix in oil all the dry spices and then apply them evenly on the steamed taro.

now perheat the oven to 400F and roast them for 30-40 mins until they are nice and golden,turning them once in betweeen.

now heat oil,temper the mustard,curry leaves and redchillies and pour over the roasted taro.

serve with any maincourse.

taro = taro root = dasheen = arbhi=sepankazhangu=coco = cocoyam = eddo = Japanese potato = baddo = elephant's ear = old cocoyam = sato-imo Pronunciation: TAHR-oh Notes: If you'vsampled poi at a Hawaiian luau, then you're already familiar with taro. Many people don't think much of poi, but taro can be served far more advantageously. It has an interesting, nutty flavor, and it's quite good in stews or soups, or deep-fat fried or roasted. In its raw state, it can be toxic and harsh on the skin, so wear gloves or oil your hands when handling it, and always cook it before serving it.

Layered Tikki Chaat & Vegetable Puffs ( Leftover special!)

How many of us struggle with the leftovers being passed around without anyone wanting to eat them. Every leftover can be spiced up ,altered and created into a brandnew dish without even knowing it was the leftovers from our earlier meals. Creativeness is key in this ,at the same time the nutrition has to be retained as we may be overcooking the food. Herez an example of my leftover special and also my entry to the   Left Over delicacies Event hosted by our friend  Chef of the Lounge @  http://spicylounge.blogspot.com/
Thanks for coming up with such a challenging event!

Layered Vegetable Tikki Chaat

      The tray of tikki's arranged and served right before the party


Ingredients
Left over Vegetable ( any dry (non gravy) ) vegetable would work
Potatoes Boiled and mashed 1
Boiled peas 1/2cup
raisins 2tbsps
onions diced 1/2cup
Dry masalas
Chaat masala 1tsp
dhaniya powder 1tbsp
salt
garam masala 1tbsp
Bread crumbs 1/2cup
oil/butter for pan sauting the tikkis

Method:
Mix the Leftover Vegetable along with the rest of the ingredients and make a mixture.
lightly dust in the breadcrumbs and pan saute the tikkis on each side until brown and crisps.

Serving the Tikkis:
U will need
Medium spiced Store brought salsa
green chutney
tomato ketchup
yougurt
sev
Arrange the tikkis on the platter.
on each of them layer the salsa,green chutney,tomato ketchup,yogurt and sev
serve hot!

Vegetable Puffs

The same ingredients are used in the Vegtable puffs
after making the mixture from the Leftover vegetables ,fill them in a thawed stored brought puff pastry sheet and bake according to the package instructions.
serve with the same chutneys and sauce.

Mumbai Usal

Mumbai Usal.

Usal is basically a spicy curry made with dried or sprouted legumes. The popular ones are Matki usal,Mattar usal and Moong usal. Usually Matki and Moong are sprouted before used to make usal. Today I am posting a recipe for Mutter usal,which can be substituted with matki or moong sprouts if u want.

Usal is usually served with pav,lemon wedges,onions and raw green chillies. Its exteremely tasty and poor man's food in Maharastra.Its extremely famous on the road side hotels, dhabha's on Maharatra highways ,canteens,railway station cafeteria and local bus stands ,as it is tasty and filling . Its served a lot during lunch and there is a twin called misal which is basically usal topped with farsaan and sev.Other variations include pakodi usal pav,where crisp onion pakoda's are crushed and toped over usal.,samosa usal ,wada usal and on and on. But the classic never gets worn out and its a popular favourite in my hometown....

Hope u make it and enjoy it!


Method
Part 1

Soak 1 cup of white peas(vatana) in 3 cups of water for 3hrs.

Pressure cook with salt,tumeric and a pinch of hing just for 2-3 whistles.(otherwise it will become very very mushy).

Part 2

Gravy

Ingredients:
chopped onions 1cup

chopped tomatoes 1cup

chopped ginger,garlic and green chillies 2tsp each

tumeric powder

garam masala powder 2tsp

chilli powder 1tsp

jeera seeds& mustard 1tsp each

salt

oil 1tsp


Method

Heat oil in a kadai.

add the jeera seeds & mustard and then onions. saute for 2mins. next add the ginger,garlic and chillies.

fry well.

Next add the tomatoes,add the masala powder,salt and the cooked peas.

add 2cups of water and simmer for about 30mins in medium flame.

at this stage u can serve it with pav or bread ,But traditionally,this is topped with spicy rasa or gravy and then served.Its taste is fully enhanced only if u serve it with rasa.

I like this to be served with rasa,because it reminds me of my college cateen and the golden days !!!


Part 3
Rasa(or spicy gravy)

oil 2tbsp(NOTE THAT ITS TABLESPOON NOT TEA SPOON)

onions finely chopped 1/2cup

chilli powder 2tsp

garam masala powder 2tsp

lemon juice 1tsp

corriander chopped 1/2cup


Method

Heat oil,add the onions. fry it till its golden brown.

now add the chilli powder, garam masala powder and immediately add 1cup of water.

add salt and allow it to boil for 5-8mins.

put off the flame.

add the lemon juice and the corriander chopped.





serving suggestion.

option 1

pour the rasa on the usal and serve.


option 2

Take 2 laddles of usal in individual serving bowls.

take 1 laddle of rasa and pour on top of the usal.

on the sides :pav/bread/naan.onions and lemon.

Red Pepper Chutney

I'm always fascinated with the different range of colored peppers that are available these days at our grocery stores. And we don't make much use of it except for stirfries . When I came across the goodness of Red peppers which has more vitamin c than an orange I decieded to make the best use of it in my kitchen. I made this chutney and it became a favourite, the natural sweetness of the redpepper makes the chutney more tasty!This recipe is particularly healthy since it has just a few drops of oil,and it doesn't over cook the pepper ,so its nutritional values are intact. Plus it just takes 10mins ,so before the rice is cooked the meal is ready!

RED PEPPER CHUTNEY

Ingredients:
1 Large Red pepper diced into cubes and seeds removed
5-6 dried red chillies (Add more for more spicy chutney)
salt
tamrind extract 2tsp
Hing a pinch
urad dal 2tbsp
oil 1tsp

Method
Heat oil,add the urad dal and red chillies and fry till they are roasted and golden
remove and set aside
now add the diced pepper in the remaining oil and fry until they are just soft
in a blender ,grind together the peppers,dal,chillies,tamrind paste,salt & hing into a thick chutney consistency.
serve with rice,dosa,idlies or chappatis.