Curry leaves are used at home not only for frying: 8 ways to use them

The enjoyment of food significantly increases during tea time or lunch if served with crispy papads and chips. However, ready-made papads sold in stores often contain various chemicals, preservatives, and low-quality oil. If you want to provide your family with tasty and healthy food, you should avoid store-bought papads containing impurities.

At home, you can prepare absolutely pure, white, crispy, and tasty potato papads with minimal cost. The advantage of these papads is that they can even be used during fasting. Below is a simple way to prepare them.

To prepare, you will need the following ingredients: 1 kilogram of large potatoes (white and fresh potatoes are best for chips); 1 large spoon of rock salt or regular salt (to taste; use rock salt when preparing for a fast); 1/2 small spoon of papad har / baking powder (optional, for extra crispiness); 1 small spoon of ground red pepper (for papads); 1 small spoon of cumin; 2 large spoons of finely chopped green coriander; 1 large spoon of oil (for greasing hands).

First, boil and peel the potatoes. Then, grate them to remove all the tubers.

Next, add salt, cumin, ground red pepper, green coriander, and a little oil to the potato puree, mixing thoroughly until it forms a dough.

After this, small balls are formed from the potato mass. A little oil is applied to a plastic sheet, a ball is placed on it, a second plastic sheet is placed on top, and then the papads are pressed with a heavy plate or cutting board to form a round papad.

The finished papads must be dried in the sun for one day. After drying, they should be stored in an airtight container for up to a year, and when desired, fried in hot oil and enjoyed.

During the holiday season, people often buy expensive sweets in stores to offer to deities or delight guests; however, there is a risk of counterfeiting in such products. This time, it is recommended to forgo artificial sweets and prepare very tasty, crispy, and healthy lentil modak at home.

The specialty of this recipe is that it does not require turning on a stove to prepare mawa or spend much time. These modaks, made from roasted peas and nutritious nuts, are prepared in minutes and surpass the taste of expensive confectionery.

Ingredients:

For preparation, you need: 1 cup of roasted peas (without husks), 1/2 cup of palm powder or ground sugar, 1/4 cup of chopped mixed nuts (almonds, cashews, pistachios), 2-3 tablespoons of melted ghee, 1/4 teaspoon of cardamom powder, 1-2 tablespoons of milk (for binding), and a modak mold.

Preparation Instructions:

First, the roasted peas should be ground in a food processor until they reach a very fine powder consistency. Then, this powder is transferred to a large bowl and thoroughly mixed with the ground sugar/palm powder, cardamom powder, and finely chopped nuts. Melted ghee is gradually added to this mixture, stirring carefully by hand until it reaches a shape-holding consistency. If the mixture seems dry, a little milk can be added. After this, the modak mold is lightly greased with ghee. The prepared mixture is firmly pressed into the mold. The mold is carefully opened, and the finished modak is removed onto a plate. This process is repeated until all the modaks are ready. Thus, delicious and nutritious lentil modaks are ready in minutes, without the need to use a stove.

If other vegetables run out at home, you can prepare a tasty and spicy potato bhurji instead of usual dishes. This recipe allows you to diversify your diet, as constantly eating the same lentils can cause boredom.

Potato bhurji is prepared using aromatic roasted cumin and the spiciness of dried red peppers. Thanks to this, the dish not only cooks very quickly but is also so delicious that it is eaten with pleasure, whether by children or adults, served with flatbreads.

For preparation, you will need: 4 medium potatoes (boiled and lightly mashed), 1 teaspoon of cumin, 2 dried red peppers (broken into pieces), 2 green peppers (finely chopped), 0.5 teaspoon of turmeric powder, 0.5 teaspoon of red pepper powder, 0.5 teaspoon of amchur powder, 2 tablespoons of oil or mustard oil, salt to taste, and finely chopped fresh green basil for garnish.

First, heat the oil in a pan. As soon as the oil heats up, add the cumin and dried red peppers so they sizzle. Then add the finely chopped green pepper to the pan and fry for a few seconds.

Next, add the mashed boiled potatoes, turmeric, red pepper powder, and salt to the pan. Simmer the potatoes over medium heat for 5–7 minutes until they become slightly golden and crispy. Finally, add the amchur powder, mix, and cook for another minute before turning off the stove.

Sprinkle the finished dish with chopped green basil and serve hot with flatbreads or paratha.