Vada -Pav - My Style

Vada - Pav is a popular Chat food in Maharastra and North India. It is world wide famous these days. I just thought of preparing Vada Pav one evening when it was raining heavily. The weather was chill. It is 100 % natural to crave for some fried item to munch. Anyway, there were some boiled potatoes in the pressure cooker. I felt preparing some thing using them. And some Pav (bread) which I brought the previous day. With these two main ingredients the plan of Vada - Pav started. One more thing to note I do not enjoy eating these things since most of the outlets prepare Vada - Pav using onions, garlic and also Vanaspathi or Dalda, which I am not in favour of using them. So when I crave for these Chat, it's mostly done at home.

Though the process is long you will surely enjoy the process once you start cooking. That is my opinion and that is me. Think of some thing, I would like to start doing it.. This applies to myself. I am not boasting my self. This attitude of mine is letting out my feeling. I will see that my enthu will not disappear until I finish preparing and serving them. Afterwords I sit down, relax and enjoy my food.

This Vada - Pav has no onion or garlic but the lovers of garlic and onion can add these favourites. I have seen people who enjoy eating onion and garlic feel the absence of it in their food. So be happy and try this Vada - Pav recipe and let me know your opinion/comments.

Here is a recipe of Vada -Pav . which is a very good snack or stomach filling chat and will be loved by all the age group and the whole family.

Things needed :

Potatoes : 5 to 6 (medium sized)
Capsicum : 2
Green Chilly : 2 to 3
Ginger : 1 Tea spoon (Grated)
Salt : to taste
Besan (Gram flour ) : 1 Cup
Red chilly powder : 1/2 Tea spoon
Jeera (Cumin seeds) : 1 Tea spoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Tea  spoon
Urid Dal : 1/2 Tea spoon
Water : Required water
Oil : 1 Cup
Pav ( any kind of buns) : 2 packs (12 ) or  according to your requirement.
Ghee : 2 Table spoons
Sweet and Spicy Chutney : 3 to 4 Table spoons.

Method :

. Potato Palya ( Dry potato curry ) : Preparation

1. Wash and pressure cook potatoes. Remove potato skin once it is cool. Smash it nicely and keep it aside.
2. Wash and cut capsicum. (Remove the seeds before cutting ). Cut it into small pieces.

3. Wash and remove the outer skin of ginger grate it, cut green chilly and coriander leaves in to small and keep it aside.
4. Now keep a pan on the fire. Heat and put 1 tea spoon of oil and put jeera, mustard seeds and urid dal. Fry for 10 seconds.

5. Add curry leaves, green chilly and cut capsicum and fry till they turn soft. Add turmeric powder ( a pinch ), salt and mix it well.

6. Add smashed potatoes to the capsicum mixture and fry for 2 minutes nicely. Stir slowly and mix it well. Add cut coriander leaves
and remove the ready palya from the pan. Keep it in a bowl.
7. Divide in to small portion and prepare in to small size ball. Keep it aside.

. Vada Preparation : Frying step.

8. Put besan in a big bowl. Add salt, jeera and red chilly powder. Mix with sufficient water and prepare dough. (Let it be bit thick).

9. Keep  a pan on the fire and add oil. Heat it on medium flame.
10. Take a potato mixture (which is a ball size) dip in besan flour dough and put it in hot oil. Fry on both sides till it is cooked. Remove from the pan and place it on kitchen tissue, so that extra oil will be absorbed by the tissue.

 11. Repeat the same and prepare Aloo bonda and keep it aside.

.Vada Pav Preparation:

12. Keep a dosa pan or nonstick pan on the fire.

13. Cut Pav in the middle and place it on the tava and roast. Roast on both sides.

14. Apply ghee to inner side of the bun.

15. Put some more chutney on the bonda.

16. Top up with other slice of a bun and press a little .

17. Now Vada -Pav is ready to serve. You can also serve a cup of curd along with this chat.
18. Repeat the same with remaining buns and Aloo Vada and prepare Vada - Pav.

Sweet and Spicy Chutney :

Things Needed :
Coriander leaves : 1 bundle  ( 2  handful)
Mint Leaves : 1 small bundle ( 1 Handful)
Green chilly : 2 to 3
Dates (Fresh ) : 5 to 6
Jeera : 1/2 Tea spoon
Salt: according to requirement.

Method : 
Wash both leaves, green chilly and grind it with green chilly , dates, jeera  and salt with little water. Remove from the Mixi Jar and put it in a small bowl.  Your Sweet and Spicy Chutney is ready to serve.

Note :

You can make use of onions and garlic  while preparing Aloo Dry curry. ( I did not use )

Using cooking soda in besan (gram flour ) is optional. ( I have not used).
Let the Aloo curry be bit thick. Do not add any water while preparing curry.
Do not over cook potatoes. If they turn very soft you will not be able to make potato balls and while frying it absorbs more oil.
You can use jaggery instead of fresh dates or use both of them .(dates and jaggery) to make the Sweet and Spicy chutney more sweet.
You can also grind  Spicy chutney separately .( Grind only mint, coriander leaves , jeera and green chilly together and add salt to it).
Sweet chutney can be ground separately by using fresh dates, little jaggery with very little water.
I added lemon to the Sweet and Spicy chutney. ( optional : use tamarind : add a small marble size of tamarind or Mango powder).


The whole preparation time : 1 Hour.
Preparation time : 20 minutes
Frying time : 15  minutes.
Vada Pav preparation : 15 minutes.
Sweet and Spice chutney preparation : 10  minutes.
The whole process : 1 Hour ( 60 Minutes).

MOUTH WATERING VADA PAV

Mishaal - Tikky -Chat .

Hello Every one. This is one of the earlier post of mine and I am updating the recipe with some information and benefits about having Pulses/Legumes/Beans in our diet.
Mishal  Tikky Chat is a snack and is njoyed normally in the evenings. Mishal means different kinds of pulses. Pulses/Legumes are full of proteins. Having Legumes at least once a week is a healthy habit.

Here I have cooked Alsande Kalu/Black Eyed Pulse), Green Gram and Kabooli Channa.
Things Needed: Lets see some benefits of having legumes in our diet.
Lets see some benefits of eating pulses/ Legumes/beans.
Pulses are good source of protein. It is good substitute for vegetarians to get protein. They are low in fat and full of fiber. They contain good source of Iron. They contain certain amount of vitamins and minerals like zink, folate and magnesium. They contain antioxidants. They control the level of sugar and maintain healthy blood glucose and insulin leves, which is beneficial for diabetes and  regulate blood pressure.
Lets see the recipe Now : It has three steps 
1. Cooking Mishal (mixed pulses).
2. Tikky preparation
3. Sweet and Spicy Chutney
I have used minimum spices for the Mishal and for Aloo tikky I have added lots of coriander leaves.
1. Step 1 :
For :  Mishal ( Mixed Pulses )
To Cook 
 Alasande Kalu ( Black eyed Pulse ): 1 cup.
Green Gram :( Hesaru Kalu ) : 1/2 Cup.
Channa ( kabooli ) : 1/4 Cup.
Potato : 2 Medium Sized.
To Add : 
Ginger : 1 Tablespoon. (grated).
Tomatoes : 3 to 4.
Salt to taste.
Coriander leaves : 2 to 3 Tablespoons.
Cumin Seeds : 1 Teaspoon
Green chilly : 2 to 3.
Garam Masala : 1/2 Teaspoon.
Chilly Powder : 1/2 Teaspoon.
Oil : 2 Table spoons.
Butter or ghee : 1 Tablespoon..

 Method : 
1. Wash and soak Pulses together for at least 4 to 5 hours. ( Or over night)
2. Wash potato and cut it into bigger pieces.
3. Pressure cook all the pulses and potato together for at least 8 to 10 minutes. Let it cool.
4. Wash and cut tomatoes, green chilly, coriander leaves and grate ginger.
5. Keep a pan on the fire and heat .Put a table spoon of oil. Put jeera and fry for 1 minute.
6. Add cut tomatoes and fry. Add ginger, garam masala and chilly powder. Add cut green chilly.
7. Fry nicely and add cooked pulses and potato.  Add Salt and turmeric powder.
8. Stir it well and let it boil for 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in between.
9. Put cut coriander leaves and remove it from the pan to a serving bowl. Add a tablespoon of butter
to Mishal. Mix it well.

Step :2
For Aloo Tikky.
Things Needed :
Boiled Potatoes : 4 to 5 ( bigger size).
Bread : 6 to 8  slices.
Coriander leaves : 1 full bundle. ( Handful).
Jeera : 1 /2 Teaspoon.
Ginger : 1 Tablespoon.( grated ).
Garam Masala : 1/2 Teaspoon
Jeera powder : 1/2 Teaspoon
Green Chilly : 1
Salt : As required
Oil : 5 to 6 Tablespoons.
Method :
1. Wash and pressure cook potatoes with little water for 6 to 8 minutes. Let it cool. Remove the outer skin. Smash potatoes and keep it aside.
2. Wash and cut coriander leaves, green chilly and grate ginger.
3. Take a big bowl. Add bread and powder it with your finger. Add smashed potatoes.
4. Add cut coriander leaves, grated ginger and thin cut green chilly.
5. Add garam masala, jeera powder and salt. Mix all the ingredients nicely. Prepare the dough.
6. Divide the dough into small portions.
7. Keep a tava/pan on the fire and heat. Sprinkle little oil.
8. Take portion of prepared dough flatten it on your palm. Shape them according to your wish.
9. Place them on the hot tava. Put little oil on the top and cook for 1 to 2 minutes.
10. Turn the other side and cook for another 1 minute or till it turn slightly crispy.
11. Remove from the pan to a plate. Repeat the same with remaining dough.
12. At time you can cook 3 to 4 tikkies .
Step 3
Sweet and spicy Chutney : 

Spicy Chutney 
Things Needed :
Pudina / Mint leaves : 1 Bundle
Coriander Leaves : 1/2 Bundle.
Green chilly : 2
Jeera Powder : 1/2 Teaspoon
Chat Masala : A pinch
Salt : Required salt.
Method 
1. Wash and grind pudina, coriander leaves, green chilly, jeera powder. Add salt and  a pinch of chat masala powder nicely with little water. Remove from the mixi jar to a serving dish.

Sweet Chuteny :
Things Needed :
Dates : 10 to 15
Tamarind : 1/2 of marble size .
Jaggery : 1 Tablespoon
Salt : Very little
Method : 
Remove seeds from dates and soak in warm water (very little water) for 5 minutes. Grind soaked dates, tamarind and jaggery together. Add salt. You will have very nice sweet chutney.
Now Serving
Put a  Spoon full of  Mishal on the plate. Arrange 1 to 2 Aloo tikky  on the top of pulses and put a small tea spoon of  sweet and sour chutney and little cut onions on the top of tikky .  Serve Mishal Tikky chat  when it is piping Hot.

Note : 
Use only little spicy chutney. Pulses must cook soft to get the good taste. You can add channa masala instead of  garam masala.
Using red chilly is an optional.  Cook Aloo Tikki on low flame  to get the better taste. (Adjust the heat in between. Low/Medium.
Time : 1 Hour . (The whole process except soaking beans)
Serves 4 to 5

Carrot - Corn and Bread Bajji Chat.

Carrot , corn and Bread Bajji Chat is a snack and can be eaten in the evening or as starter too. Remember this snack is a heavy item and if you are eating as starter consumtion should be little.

Things Needed :
Carrots : 2
Corn : 1 cup.
Bread Bajji : 10 to 15
Sweet and hot Chutney : 2 Table spoon.
Method :
Wash and grate carrots and keep it aside .Boil sweet corn and let it cool .  Mix grated carrots and boiled sweet corn in a bowl. . Now arrange the Bread bajji in a plate . Apply ( spread ) sweet chutney on the bread bajji and  put mixted corn and carrots and serve .


Preparing Bread Bajji.:
Bread slices : 4 to 5 .
Oil : 1 Cup.
Besan or Channa Powder : 1/2 cup.
Chilly Powder : 1/2 spoon.
Salt : as required.
Jeera ( cumin seeds ) : 1/2 tea spoon.
Water : required .

Mix besan, chilly Powder, jeera and salt. Prepare batter adding little water. Keep it aside. Cut bread slices in to small pieces and keep it aside.
Now keep a pan on the fire.  Put oil and heat.  Dip bread slices in already prepared besan dough and fry them on medium heat . At time 4 to 5 pieces can be fried. Fry on both side and remove from the oil. Repeat the same with the rest.

Sweet and hot chutney: 
Wash and grind Pudina leaves, coriander leaves, green chilly,  little tamarind, 1/4 spoon jeera and 4 to 5 dates together till paste with little water . Remove from the jar and add required salt to it. Keep it in  a small bowl . Do not add more water.
Note : The chutney should be thick. Do not add any other spiece to it.  While preparing bajji dough do not make the dough watery . The watery dough will take more oil while frying and the  bajjis will be oily. See the consistency of dough is like idly dough.
Sweet  and hot chutney can be prepared separately and can keep it in fridge for a week. Can add little jaggery or honey if you like sweet taste.
You can also add pomogrante to the carrot mixute if you like.
3 to 4 Serves.

Paapdis for Sev Pooris or Or Pappadi chat

Papaadis are small Pooris, which are used in Chats and can be eaten plain pooris too..

Ingredients :
Maida :( All Purpose flour):  2 cup
Samolina ( Chiroti Rava ) : 1/2 cup
Salt : to taste
Oil : 11/2 cup
Salt : to taste
Cooking Soda : a pinch

Method:
Mix maida ( All Purpose flour ), Salt, Samolina ( Chiroti Rava, small size Rava) and soda  nicely in a big bowl. Heat one table spoon of oil and  pour it to the mixed flour.  Mix well and add water little by little and prepare thick dough. ( Should be thick like poori  dough) .  Cover the dough and leave it for 5 minutes.
Put one or two spoons of dry maida in  a small plate . 
Now knead the dough and  take a handful of dough and make a ball . Flatten the dough and turn both side of the flatten dough in  dry maida and roll this in chapati roller as chapatis. Take a small bottle cap and cut the flatten chapatis into small circle shapes. Just make small marks on  these small pooris in a small knife to get flatten pooris.   Deep fry these small pooris on low flame to get crispy pooris.  Repeat the same for the rest of the dough.  Paapadis or pooris are ready . Leave them for some time to cool down and put them in a air tight box and use when ever you need them.

Note :  Do  not roll into very thin chapatis. Let it be slightly thick . Must fry them on  low flame to get the crispiness.  Can add butter instead of  hot oil. Do not use Dalda .( A kind of margarin). Using a small knife or the edge of the spoon to mark small cuts in the pooris help them to be flat. ( It does not allow the poori to be fluffy).  Add the hot oil on the flour and leave it for coolingfor 5 minutes and then add water to prepare the poori dough.
One more step is to roast Maida flour for 2 to 3 minutes add a spoon of oil and leave it for cooling. Then add water to prepare pooris or steam the plain flour for 8 minutes in a pressure cooker and when cools you can prepare pooris. ( No need to add any oil to steamed flour.
Step to steam Maida flour:  Keep little water in a pressure cooker. Keep a bowl upside down . On the top keep Maida in a container ( without adding water- dry flour should be steamed. You can also put this flour in a towel and tighten around the flour and them steam it).   
You can also prepare  pooris which are used in Paani pooris by flattening the chapaatis a bit thinner.   And do not cut or mark the small pooris. So that it becomes fluffy and good for paani pooris.

20 to 25 pooris can be made.

Channa -Dhahi ( Yogurt ) Chat.....

Channa -Chat is good to eat in the evenings. Its prepared using boiled channa, carrots and carrots gratings. You can use your own fillings and enjoy this chat. You can have it as it is, use it as palya or add curd and sweet and spicy chutney.

I have used channa, carrots and gooseberry. Add the toppings of your desire. Add a spoon of thick curd and enjoy.

Things Needed :

Whole Channa  (Cooked) : 1 Cup
Carrots: 2 ( Medium size)
Green Chillies : 1
Gooseberry : 1 to 2
Garam Masala :1/2 Tea spoon
Salt : to tasate
Coriander leaves : 1 Table spoon
Coconut gratings : 2 Tablespoons
Oil : 1 Tablespoon
Mustard seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon
Jeera/Cumin Seeds : 1/2 Teaspoon

Method :

1. Wash and scrape out the outer layer of carrots. Grate it. Cut green chilly and grate ginger.

2. Keep a pan on the fire and heat. Add oil, mustard seeds, jeera and cut green chilly.

3. Add curry leaves and grated carrots and fry for 1 to 2 minutes.
4. Add cooked channa and mix it well. Let all the moisture disappear. (Cover and cook).

5. Add salt and mix it well. Put off the gas and add grated coconut and coriander leaves.
6. You can serve this as Dry curry and you can have this as chat with your desired toppings.

Note : 

Soak a cup of channa for over night and then cook  with required water. You can store cooked channa in the freezer and use it whenever you need it. Use of spice is optional. You can also use the cooked channa as they are and prepare this channa chat.
Serves : 3
Time : 15 Minutes.

Recipe for Channa - Dahi Chat:

Whole Channa  (Cooked) : 1 Cup
Dahi/Curd : 1 Cup
Green chutney : 1 Table spoon
Sweet chutney: 1 Table spoon
Onions : 2
Carrot : 2 ( Medium size)
Green Chillies : 1
Garam Masala :1/4 Teaspoon
Chat Masala : 1/4 Teaspoon
Salt : to tasate
Coriander leaves : 1 Table spoon
Method :

Method:

 1. Put cooked channa in a bowl.
2. Add cut onions, coriander leaves, green chilly and mix it.
3. Add grated carrots and mix all the ingredients nicely. Add a pinch of garam masla.
4. Add salt, Add dahi/curd and mix it well. Top up with onions, carrots, coriander leaves.
5. Adding Sev / Potato chips on the top just before serving is optional.
Preparation of Sweet and Spicy Chutney.
Sweet Chutney :
Soak handful of dates, grind it with little jaggery and tamarind. Sweet chutney is ready to serve. Add a pinch of salt and mix it well just before serving.
Spicy Chutney :
Grind Green chilly, coriander leaves, little jeera/cumin seeds with required water. You can use Sonf (fennel seeds) instead of jeera. Grind it thick with required water and add water if required whenever you use it.
Add desired topping on the top of this ready channa, add dahi, chat masala and Enjoy.

Time : 10 Minutes.
Serves : 4 to 5 

Mandakki ..Chat ( Puri -Chat)

Mandakki/Puri/Puffed Rice is used for chat and different chat varieties can be prepared using this puffed rice.

Here I have tried a chat which is normally done in our homes in Udupi and around. It is simple and mundakki/mandakki uppugari as it is called.
Lets see the recipe now :
Things Needed :

Mandakki/Puffed Rice  : 2 cups.

Onions : 2 ( Medium sized)

Coconut : 2 Table spoons ( fresh and grated )

Rasam Powder/Sambar Powder : 1 Teaspoon
Green chilly : 1 

Salt : to taste

Coconut Oil : 2 to 3 Tea spoons.
Groundnut : 2 Tablespoons (Dry roasted) (Optional).

Method :

1. Cut onions in to small pieces and keep it aside. Grate coconut and keep it aside. 

2. Put cut onions, green chilly and grated coconut in a big bowl. 

3. Add rasam powder and very little salt. (Some time puffed rice do contain salt).
4. Mix all the ingredients nicely.
5. Add ready puffed rice and mix it again.

6. Add a spoon of coconut oil and mix it nicely and serve with little roasted groundnuts on the top.

7. It should be served immediately or it might turn as soft.

Note :
Adding groundnuts on the top before serving mandakki/mundakki is optional. Adding coconut oil is optional. You can add cut tomatoes, grated carrots along with onions. Adding green chilly is optional. Adding any brand of rasam/sambar powder is optional. ( I have used home made rasam powder).
Time : 10 Minutes 

Serves 2 to 3
I have use Ready Puffed rice prepared at home. (Added little corn flakes and groundnuts)
Here is a link for : Puffed Rice with crispy corn flakes.
 Crispy Mandakki (Murmure) Kadle Puri

Avalakki( Beaten Rice ) Chat

Awalakki ( Povva in gujarati, awal in tamil ) /Beaten rice, chat is a snack..and you can enjoy this dish in the evening with Tea. We call it as avalakki oggarne.
Awalakki is one of the handy grain I can say because we can prepare so many dishes by using Awalakki.

I have used Oganic Avalakki, little organic jaggery, green chilly and the seasoning. You can create your own chat with using vegetables, peas, or any fried dishes like ompudi, khara seve, Sev or even potato chilps.
Let us see the recipe now : As I said it is simple and no onion or garlic is used here, one can have this avalakki during their fasting time. You can prepare as snack for ladies get together or party.

Things Needed:
Thin Awalakki : 1 cup
Green chillies : 2
Salt : to taste
Coriander leaves : 4 sticks
Jaggery : 1 Tablespoon
Coconut Oil : 1 Tablespoon
Mustard seasoning : 1 Tablespoon

Method:
1. Grate coconut and keep it aside.
2 Wash and cut green chilly into small.
3. Clean Awalakki/poha/ pova/beaten rice and keep it aside.

4. Take a big bowl. Add coconut, awalakki, salt, jaggery and mix it nicely.
5. Keep a small pan and add coconut oil and heat. Add mustard seeds and let it splutter.

6. Add cut green chilly and fry for 10 seconds. Add curry leaves.
7. Now put this mustard seeds seasoning to awalakki and mix it nicely.
8, Shift this to a serving bowl.
9. Top up with your own creation and serve.

Toppings : 
Grated carrots. cut cucumber, cut onions, cut or grated mango or goose berry (Nellikai), roasted or fried ground nuts, Fried Sev (any variety) or potato chips.

Note : 

Top up awalakki with your own creative and yummy toppings. The healthy way is to top up with onions, grated carrots and little Goose berry grating/raw mango gratings.
Use of coconut oil is optional. Use of more/less spice is optional. Use of any spice like garam masala, chat masala, coriander powder, jeera powder is optional.
Serves :2 to 3 
Time : 20 Minutes.