October 3, 20:43Aaj Tak

Recipe for Sweet and Sour Samosa Chaat with Green Pepper and Peas for the Weekend

When the weekend arrives, many people feel like eating something spicy, tasty, and reminiscent of street food. Instead of usual simple potato samosas, you can prepare sweet and sour samosa chaat by mixing boiled peas (matar), hot green pepper, whipped yogurt, and a sweet and sour sauce (sont). This combination is very popular in the street cuisine of Delhi and Uttar Pradesh.

In places where this food is served, crispy samosas are cut, and topped with hot spiced peas, chopped green peppers, finely chopped onions, and tangy sauces. If you already have ready-made samosas, preparing this dish will take only 5 to 10 minutes. Below is the simplest instruction on how to prepare such a delicious sweet and sour samosa chaat at home as in a cafe.

Ingredients

For assembling the chaat:

4 fresh or leftover samosas (slightly warm)
1.5 cups of boiled white peas or chickpeas (matar)
0.5 cup of fresh thick yogurt (whipped with 2 teaspoons of sugar)
0.25 cup of sweet tamarind sauce (sont/chutney)
0.25 cup of spicy green pepper and cilantro sauce
1 large onion (finely chopped)
2-3 green peppers (finely chopped, for spiciness)
1 teaspoon of grated ginger
0.5 cup of fine salted sev or bhujia
1 teaspoon of pomegranate seeds (for garnish)
Finely chopped fresh cilantro

Special spice mix for chaat:

0.5 teaspoon of roasted cumin
0.5 teaspoon of black salt
0.5 teaspoon of Kashmiri red chili powder
0.5 teaspoon of chaat masala

Preparation Method

First, soak the white peas overnight in water. Then, in a multi-cooker, add a little salt, turmeric, and water, and cook until soft, until 4-5 whistles sound. In a pan, heat 1 teaspoon of oil, fry cumin, hing, chopped green pepper, and boiled peas for 2 minutes. Add a little chaat masala and cilantro on top. The peas should remain slightly juicy.

Take a wide serving plate or bowl. Gently mash 2 samosas with your hands and spread them out. On the mashed samosas, pour 3-4 tablespoons of hot boiled peas (matar) so that the samosa absorbs the pea sauce. Then, evenly distribute the cold sweet whipped yogurt on top. After that, add the spicy green pepper sauce, followed by the sweet and sour tamarind and honey sauce. Sprinkle with finely chopped onion, chopped green pepper, and grated ginger. Dust with powders: roasted cumin, black salt, chaat masala, and Kashmiri red chili powder. Finish serving with a generous amount of fine chickpea sev, fresh pomegranate seeds, and finely chopped cilantro.

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www.aajtak.inSeptember 26, 18:32

Recipe for Crispy Khachori with Green Beans, Served with Spicy Vegetable Ragout

If you are tired of monotonous food like simple dal and roti all week, then this weekend is a good time to prepare something special and aromatic. Regardless of the season or the desire for a special weekend breakfast, crispy khachori with green beans will be an ideal choice.

When the filling of fried beans, seasoned with asafoetida, fennel, green pepper, and other spices, is placed in a crispy semolina shell and fried, its aroma fills the entire house.

Serving these hot, spicy, and juicy khachori with rich potato ragout creates such a delight that it is impossible to stop. Below is a simple way to prepare khachori of restaurant quality.

For the khachori dough:

2 cups semolina (or 1 cup semolina + 1 cup wheat flour)

1/4 cup clarified butter or vegetable oil (for moina)

1/2 teaspoon ajwain

Salt to taste

Cold water (for kneading the dough)

For the bean filling:

1.5 cups green beans (fresh or frozen)

1 tablespoon oil

1/2 teaspoon asafoetida (hing)

1 teaspoon cumin (jeera)

1 tablespoon fennel (chopped)

1 tablespoon whole coriander (coarsely ground)

1-2 green peppers and 1 inch ginger (grated)

1 tablespoon chickpea flour (besan) (to absorb moisture and enhance flavor)

1/2 teaspoon turmeric and red pepper powder

1 teaspoon amchur powder and garam masala

Salt and black salt to taste

Oil for frying

Preparing the dough: In a bowl, mix the semolina, salt, ajwain, and moina oil. Rub well with your hands until the flour starts to form a lump. Then gradually add cold water and knead a soft and elastic dough. Cover it with a damp cotton cloth and leave it for 20 minutes.

Preparing the filling: Lightly crush the green beans in a blender without adding water to obtain a coarse crumble. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a pan. Sauté cumin, asafoetida, ground coriander, fennel, ginger, and green pepper. Add 1 tablespoon of chickpea flour and fry on low heat for one minute. Then stir in the crushed beans and all dry spices (turmeric, red pepper, amchur, garam masala, salt), frying for 4-5 minutes until the mixture dries out. Let the filling cool and form small balls.

Shaping the khachori: Take a piece of dough, stretch it at the edges to form a bowl shape. Place a ball of filling in the center and carefully seal the edges, thoroughly enclosing the filling. Press with your fingers to give the item a flat shape.

Frying: Heat the oil in the pan to a low or medium heat (the oil should not be too hot, otherwise the khachori will not become crispy). Place the khachori in and let them float gently. When they start to expand and take on a light golden color, increase the heat to medium and fry on both sides until a crispy and golden crust is achieved.

Serving: The finished, crispy, and hot khachori with green beans should be served with spicy and juicy potato ragout and green paste.

www.aajtak.inSeptember 26, 10:12

How to make delicious and crispy potato papads at home from potatoes

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.