.....From My Palate

vegetarian

Khasta Matar Kachori

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Welcome Back! New improved look of my blog has creatively recharged me to dive in and explore the infinite number of recipes I wanted to share with you. Recipes that I always wanted to try or already tried but never got a chance to take pictures and post. Yes! there are times when I cook and wanted to share it with the world but didn’t get a chance to take pictures. Cooking, styling food, taking pictures, editing, writing, and the list is long….all this work sometimes dampens my spirits and makes me lazy, and furthermore, I get little time to sit and enjoy the food with my family.

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But right now my spirits are high and creativity is bubbling inside me, pushing me harder towards the kitchen. Weather is also looks like working for me by making the day appropriate for the dish. Cloudy day with partial rain now and then, warm weather with sun playing hide and seek…confusing but making me sure to go back to my roots by cooking Chatpati Khasta Kachori Aloo.

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Kachori aloo is a popular holiday breakfast (with garma-garam Jalebis) in Uttar-Pradesh. On all my visits to India I make sure I have this breakfast at least once with my family. It brings back so many fond memories of the past.

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Kachoris are flaky deep fried delights that goes well with aloo ki sabji. I made matar ki kachoris instead, keeping in mind the likeness of my younger one. I sent the pictures to my mom on WhatsApp, to let her know that I am creating same memories in US too!
Thank you Mom.

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Khasta Matar Kachori
Author: Bhawana
Ingredients
  • Dough
  • 2 cups All Purpose Flour
  • 2 tbsp. Suji (Semolina)
  • 1 tsp. Besan (Gram Flour)
  • 1/4 cup Oil
  • Salt to taste
  • 1/4 tsp. Baking Soda
  • Warm water to make dough, as needed
  • Oil to fry
  • Peas Filling
  • 1 1/2 cup Peas, shelled.
  • 2-3 Green Chilies, chopped
  • 1 tsp. Ginger, grated
  • 2 tbsp. Oil
  • 1/2 tsp. Cumin Seeds
  • 1/4 tsp. Asafetida
  • 1/4 tsp. Turmeric Powder
  • 1 tsp. Coriander Powder
  • 1/2 tsp. Fennel Seed Powder
  • Red Chili Powder to taste
  • 1/4 tsp. Garam Masala Powder
  • 2 tsp. Besan (Gram Flour)
  • 1/2 tsp. Amchur Powder
  • Salt to taste
Instructions
Dough
  1. Mix flour, salt, baking soda, besan and suji.
  2. Add oil and mix it well.
  3. Now add warm water as needed and knead it to a firm and smooth dough.
  4. Cover it with wet cloth and keep aside for 30 minutes.
Filling
  1. Boil peas until soft (if using fresh peas).
  2. Drain and mash them coarsely with the back of the spoon
  3. Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds and asafetida powder.
  4. Add green chilies and ginger. Now add all the masalas and peas.
  5. Mix it well and add besan.
  6. Keep sauteing the mixture until all the water evaporates and the mixture is dry.
  7. Take a small portion of a dough and roll it in to a smooth ball.
  8. Flatten a ball with a palm and place the stuffing in the middle, cover and seal the ends.
  9. Roll it lightly with a rolling pin.
  10. Deep fry kachoris on medium/low flame till golden brown on both sides.
  11. Drain and serve hot with aloo ki sabji and chutneys.

Spicy Cranberry Dry Curry

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Your life does not get better by chance.
It gets better by change.
-Jim Rohn

It is difficult to accept change in life for a person like me, who likes being comfortable, while sitting in its own shell without any modifications in life at all. It is difficult to come out of comfort zone and start again like a new. But the more I detest changing in life, I always welcome and like changes around life. I don’t know if it makes any sense but I like changes in only few things. By now you must have noticed change in the look of my blog. Yes! I got a new look and really excited sharing with you all.

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Lot of work behind the scene has gone to make it possible and I could not have done this without the help of my dear hubby Mr. M who is solely and only person who made it happen. I cannot thank him enough and do appreciate his time and interest in my avocation.

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Coming to the recipe now, today’s recipe is for the spicy food lovers. If you are bored with your everyday food and wanted to add a spicy kick to it, this recipe is for you. It is a good side dish that gives a food a chutpati spicy kick.

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I remember watching my dad in awe with his likeness for green chilli with every food. My mom used to make Karonde hari mirch ki sabji and dad relished his food without any green chilli that day. I never saw karonda here in US but cranberry is the one that comes closest to it.

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Spicy Cranberry Dry Curry
Author: Bhawana
Ingredients
  • 2 cups Cranberries, cut in halves
  • 5-6 Green Chilies, chopped
  • 2 tsp. Oil
  • 1/2 tsp. Cumin seeds
  • Pinch of Asafetida Powder
  • 1/4 tsp. Turmeric Powder
  • 1/2 tsp. Coriander Powder
  • 1 tsp. Aachar Masala (according to taste)
  • 1 1/2 tsp. Sugar
  • Salt to taste
  • 2 tbsp. Raisin
  • 1/4 tsp Garam Masala
Instructions
  1. Soak cranberries in water for few minutes, drain and keep aside.
  2. Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds and asafetida powder.
  3. When cumin seeds begin to crackle, add cranberries and green chilies.
  4. Add turmeric, coriander, aachar masala and salt. Mix it.
  5. Now add sugar, raisin and garam masala.
  6. Cook it another 2 mintues.
  7. Sprinkle amchoor powder for taste and serve.