Chole Bhature

Ingredients

For Chole

• 1 cup kabuli chana (white chick peas), soaked overnight 
• 1 tea bag or tsp tea leaves , tied in a muslin cloth (optional)
• 1/2 tsp cumin seeds (jeera) 
• 1 onion, finely chopped 
• 12 mm (1/2") piece of ginger (adrak), grated 
• 2 cloves of garlic (lehsun), grated 
• 2 tsp chole masala 
• 2 tsp chilli powder 
• 2 tsp dried mango powder (amchur) 
• 1/4 tsp turmeric powder (haldi) 
• 1 tbsp coriander (dhania) powder 
• 1 tsp cumin seeds (jeera) powder 
• 2 tbsp oil 
• salt to taste

For the Bhature

• 1/2 cup plain flour (maida) 
• 1/2 cup potatoes, boiled and grated 
• 1 1/2 tsp oil 
• salt to taste 
• oil for deep-frying

Lets Get Cracking

For Chole

1. Put the soaked, washed channa in a cooked with enough water, tea-pouch and bay leaves. Pressure cook till done. (approx. 6-7 whistles). Cool about 5 tbsp. channa for grinding. 
2. In a mixer, blend together 1/2 tomato, 1 onion and 1/2 tbsp. coriander. Keep aside. Chop remaining tomatoes and onions fine.
3. Heat oil in a large skillet. Add cumin seeds to splutter. Add ginger-garlic and fry for a minute. Add chopped tomatoes, onion and fry till tender. Add paste, fry further 3-4 minutes. Add all dry masala except cinnamon-clove powder.
4. Stir and fry till oil separates. Add drained channa and 2 cup water which was drained from channa. Stir and bring to boil. Simmer for 7-8 minutes till gravy thickens.
5. Take in serving dish. Heat ghee in a small sauce pan. Add the chillies and cinnamon-clove powder. Add chopped coriander and pour hot over the channa. 
6.  Squeeze lemon over channa. Stir in seasoning gently.

For Bhature

1. Mix all the ingredients above and knead well using enough water to make soft dough. Cover it with wet cloth and keep it in a warm place for 2-4 hours.
2. Make a lemon sized ball and roll them out to chapatti sized circles with ¼ cm thickness.
3. Heat oil in a deep frying pan and fry bhaturas till they turn slightly golden and place them on paper towel. Make sure that you don’t fry the bhatures long because you want them to be soft and light golden. 
4. Serve them with Chole and vegetable salad and relish.

Enjoy :) :) :)

Dahi Papdi Chat

Ingredients

• 10-12 Papadi (used cumin flavored flat poories)
• 1 Potato (boiled & mashed)
• 1/4 cup Chick peas (boiled & mashed)
• 3/4 cup Curd (well beaten)
• 1 tsp Chat masala
• Few pinch Red chili powder
• Few pinch Cumin powder
• 1/4 tsp Sugar (optional)
• Salt to taste

For Garnishing

• 1 Onion (finely chopped)
• 1/2 cup Sev
• Few bunches coriander leaves
• 1-2 tsp Tamarind Chutney
• 1-2 tsp Green chutney. 

Lets Get Cracking

1. In a bowl add mashed chick peas, potato, red chili powder, cumin powder, chat masala, salt and mix every thing well.  Beat the curd with little salt and sugar and set it aside for a while. 
2. In a serving plate place the papdi/ poories, spoon full  the above made chick peas masala on each poories. Pour curds , and  garnish with all the garnishing ingredients. 

Serve immediately. Enjoy :) :) :)

Pav Bhaji

Ingredients

• 12 pav buns (ham burger buns could be substituted)
• 1 cup peeled and cut potatoes
• ½ cup diced carrots
• ¼ cup cut beans
• ¼ cup chopped cabbage
• 1 cup cut cauliflower florets
• ½ cup finely chopped capsicum/green bell peppers
• ½ cup finely chopped onion
• 1 cup finely chopped red ripe tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic/garlic paste
• 2 tablespoons pav bhaji masala (I have used Everest Pav Bhaji Masala)
• 1 tablespoon chaat masala
• 1 teaspoon garam masala
• ½ cup cooked green peas
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons butter and more to spread on pav buns
• 2 tablespoons chopped coriander
• 1 teaspoon Vegetable/Sunflower oil
• Salt to taste

Lets Get Cracking

1. Cook the potatoes, beans, carrots, cauliflower, and cabbage until very soft and mushy.The vegetables can all be cooked together either in a pot or a pressure cooker. Once cooked, mash the vegetables well until nice and mushy.
2. Cook the peas and keep it aside as whole peas for garnishing towards the end.
3. Heat oil in a frying pan; add onions, garlic and sauté until tender.
4. Add capsicum and sauté until tender; add tomatoes and sauté until soft.
5. Add pav bhaji masala, chaat masala and garam masala and sauté for a few minutes.
6. Add the mashed vegetables, salt, butter and lemon juice and sauté well for 5 minutes. Be cautious will adding salt as all the masala’s contain some amount of salt.
7. Garnish with peas and coriander.
8. Toast the pav buns on the griddle with butter.
9. Serve the bhaji with hot pav buns.

Enjoy :) :) :)

Bread Pakora

Ingredients

• 2 slices of bread
• 1 small cup gram flour
• Salt to taste
• Red chilli powder as per taste
• A pinch of baking soda
• Water
• Oil for frying

Lets Get Cracking

1. Make a basic flour batter, by mixing gram flour, salt, red chilly powder, soda and water.It’s consistency should be thick enough to coat bread pieces.
2. Cut the slice in any shape viz; square, rectangle, triangle etc.
3. If green chutney is available, you can apply a little of it on bread slice before dipping it in batter, it provides a tangy taste to pakoras.
4. Dip them in flour batter and fry in hot oil till light golden brown.
5. Serve immediately with ketchup or chutney.

Enjoy :) :) :)