Puneri Batata Vada#Alphabet Challenge

Puneri Batata Vada is different from what you get in Mumbai.  When I, first ate them, was, surprised to to have a entirely different version of vadas. These are not spicy and no tempering is given to the potato filling and they are like patties. Check the  Vada Pav (Mumbai Style)  recipe.

Ingredients  

4 Medium Potatoes- boiled and mashed
2 Green chilies - minced
1/2 Inch Piece Ginger - minced
3 Cloves Garlic - minced
1 Small Onion - minced
1 Tablespoon Coriander Leaves - finely chopped
1 Tablespoon Mint Leaves - finely chopped
1 Teaspoon Lemon Juice
1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric Powder
1 Teaspoon Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Salt or to taste
For the Batter
1 Cup Besan / Chickpea flour
A pinch of Chilly Powder
A Pinch of Turmeric Powder
For Serving

Fried Green Chillies / Mirchis - as required
Dry Lasun Chutney 
Mint  Chutney

Method
Batter for the coating
In a bowl add besan, salt to taste ,turmeric and red chilly powder and water. Mix well. Make sure there are no lumps. If required you may add more water very little at a time and keep mixing. The batter should not be very thick and not watery. The consistency should be such that it forms a thick coating on the potato vada.

To make the Vada 

In another bowl / plate take the mashed potatoes. Add the green chilies, garlic, ginger, coriander, mint, onions, salt to taste and lime juice, mix well. Divide them into equal portions. Oil your hands lightly and make patties. Keep aside

In the meantime heat oil in a deep frying pan / kadai. The heat should be on a medium low.

To fry the batata vada

Once the oil is hot enough to fry the vadas, dip the flattened patties with the batter. Leave them very gently and carefully in the oil one by one.

Fry the vadas turning the sides only after one side is cooked and golden. Repeat the process for the rest of the vadas.

Transfer them to a paper towel to remove excess oil.

Now that  frying the vadas,  is done, in the same oil deep fry some green chilies.  Sprinkle some salt on them. Green Chillies / Mirchis will be ready to eat with the vada.

Serve hot ... 

These vadas are fried to perfection, crisp and served on its own or with Dry Lasun Chutney , or Mint  Chutney or Kethcup and fried green chilies. They taste awesome. 

Labels :  Starters,  Street food, Savory Snacks, Pune, Kids delight, Snacks, Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten free, Alphabet Challenge 

• Culinary Cam: A Parade of Pickles, Including Pickled Chard Stems 
• Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice: Creamy Potato Salad with Crunchy Fennel 
• Blogghetti: Easy Peanut Butter Chocolate Swirl Bark 
• Food Lust People Love: Homemade Piri Piri Sauce 
• A Messy Kitchen: Layered Berry Panna Cotta
• Mayuri’s Jikoni: Palak Paneer Paratha 
• Jolene’s Recipe Journal: Parsley Pesto 
• Magical Ingredients: Peas and Poppyseed Paratha
• Karen’s Kitchen Stories: Pork Carnitas (Instant Pot) 
• Sneha’s Recipe: Puneri Batata Vada 
• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Southern Potato Salad 

Jamun/Indian Blackberry Chia Jam#SundayFunday

Jamun/Indian Blackberry is summer fruit and love eating it. Wanted to make a jam so made this with chia seeds. A delicious jam. 

Jamun, or Indian blackberry, is highly regarded for its benefits to diabetics, stomach pain, arthritis, certain digestive issues, and diabetes. Improvement in the hemoglobin level of the blood. It contains compounds like jamboline and jambosine that help regulate blood sugar levels.

Ingredients2 Tablespoons Chia seeds
4 Tablespoons Water
1 Cup Water
1 Cup De Seeded Jamun
½ Cup Sugar

Method

Soak chia seeds in 4 tablespoons water and let it sit for about 10 to 15 minutes or until the chia seeds have swollen up.
In a large sauce pan, add the jamun pulp & water. Turn on the flame and let the pulp simmer until it thickens.
Add sugar and mix while it simmers. Use the stick blender and blend. Place it back on the low flame Then add the chia seeds and cook till it thickens. Let this cool.

It will thicken further as it cools. Once it reaches room temperature, pop it in the fridge and serve chilled on slices of bread. Enjoy!!

Labels: Jamun, Indian Blackberry, Java Plum, Jam, Chia seeds, Sugar, Preservatives free, Homemade, Sunday Funday

• Blackberry and Apple Slaw from Palatable Pastime
• Blackberry Cobbler from Mayuri's Jikoni
• Blackberry Ricotta Pizza from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Fresh Blackberry Margarita from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Fresh Blackberry Tarts from Food Lust People Love
• Jamun/Indian Blackberry Chia Jam from Sneha's Recipe
• Roasted Blackberry & Rosemary Goat Cheese from Amy’s Cooking Adventures
• Summer Berries Flaugnarde + Olallie Gin Fizz from Culinary Cam

Semolina Cucumber Cake#SundayFunday

I have already posted a cucumber cake recipe, that is eggless and made with idly rava, this one is totally different and unique. This cucumber that I got is directly from the framers field again that is the big yellow cucumber if you see the early recipe you'll get the information about that cucumber.

This cucumber had hardly any seeds, was so cool and had a sweet taste. I grated 3/4 of the cucumber and the remaining we sliced and enjoyed.

Ingredients
3 Cups Packed Cucumber - see notes
2 Cups Jaggery
2 Cups Fine Semolina/Rawa
1 Cup All Purpose Flour
1 Cup Freshly Grated Coconut
3 Eggs
100 Grams Butter
3 Tablespoons heaped Ghee
1 Teaspoon Baking powder
1/2 Teaspoon Baking soda
A few drops of Vanilla essence

Method

Wash and peel the cucumbers and cut them vertically, scoop out the pith (seeds). Grate the cucumber and then lightly squeeze out the juice.

In a big vessel add the semolina, jaggery, cucumber, coconut, and stir well till there are no lumps. Finally add the ghee and butter stir again till well incorporated and keep it for soaking minimum for an hour. 
Grease cake tin with ghee or butter.
Preheat oven at 180°C for about 15 minutes.

Sieve the flour, baking powder and baking soda and mix it properly. 
Beat the eggs and pour it into the batter and whisk it well then add the flour and and fold it into the batter.

Pour the batter into the prepared tin bake it for an hour.

Perfectly baked Semolina Cucumber Cake. 
My Notes
Taste the cucumber before you grate it, if it's bitter do not use it.
Do not squeeze the cucumber of all the juice then the semolina/rawa will not get enough moisture to soften.

Depending on the size of the tin, moisture in the cake batter and oven used the baking time may vary between 1 hour to 1 hour 20 minutes.

You can't unmold this cake, so cut the desired pieces in the pan itself and gently lift it.
If you want a brown surface you can change the oven settings to the 'Broil/Grill' mode for the last 3 minutes (I did it), brown crust adds to the taste.
Adjust the jaggery to your taste.

Labels: Cake, Cucumber, Healthy, Semolina, Coconut, Jaggery, Sunday Funday,

• Cucumber and Avocado Salad from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Cucumber Raita from Cook with Renu
• Cucumber Rosettes from Amy’s Cooking Adventures
• Roasted Apricots, Cucumber, and Tomato Gazpacho with Alioli from Culinary Cam
• Semolina Cucumber Cake from Sneha's Recipe
• Sesame Cucumber Radish Salad from Food Lust People Love

Homemade Cherry Pie Filling#FoodieHoliday

No store-bought pie filling because today we’re making cherry pie filling completely from scratch with fresh cherries and preservatives free. The flavor of the cherry pie filling with few drops of vanilla and almond extracts add richness and depth and a touch of lemon juice keeps the overall flavor fresh and bright. 

I used stevia to reduce the sugar in this pie filling and it taste so good. Homemade cherry pie filling that uses fresh or frozen tart red cherries is easy to make on the stovetop in 15 minutes with just 3 simple ingredients. My cherry pie filling recipe is the thick, juicy cherry pie filling. 

Ingredients

2 Cups Cherries - pitted & halved
2 Tablespoons Sugar
1 Teaspoon Stevia
1 Tablespoons Corn Flour
1 Tablespoon Lime juice
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
3 -4 Drops Almond extract
¼ Cup Water

Method

In a large sauce pan, add the cherries, sugar, water , lemon juice, together until thoroughly combined. Place this on medium low flame and let is cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until the cherries soften . Then add the cornstarch cook till the filling thickens. Switch off the flame add the vanilla, and almond extract and let it cool. Used the stick blender to make a slightly chunky pie filling. Cover filling and place in the refrigerator and use whenever you want. 

You can freeze this pie filling for 6 months too. It stay good in the freezer. 

Labels: Preservatives free, Foodie Holiday, Pie Filling, Cherries, Homemade, International Cuisine

This month we are sharing in Foodies Holiday Cherry Recipes 

Magical Ingredients: Black Forest Baked Oats

Art of Natural LIving: Homemade Cherry Shrub

Karen's Kitchen Stories: Cherry Chocolate Cookies

Hezzi-D's Recipe Box: Cherry Coffee Cake

Sneha's Recipe: Homemade Cherry Pie Filling

A Day in the Life on the Farm: Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Cherry Salsa

The Spiffy Cookie: Mini Cherry Lime Greek Yogurt Cheesecakes

Fresh Fig Cake With Walnuts Crumb Topping#SundayFunday

Fresh Fig Cake With Walnut Crumb Topping is so delicious and perfect for when fresh figs are in season. This cake is so light and delicate and combined with the crunchy walnut crumb topping, it’s just superb! It’s also great for tea time too!

Ingredients
3 Eggs
1 Cup Vegetable oil
½ Cup Sugar
½ Cup light brown sugar
½ Cup Water
1½ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
2 Cups All Purpose Flour
2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
¾ Teaspoon Salt
1¼ Teaspoon Cardamom powder
1/3 Cup Crystalized Ginger - diced
8 Fresh Figs - sliced vertically 
For The Crumble
½ Cup All Purpose Flour
½ Teaspoon Baking Powder
A Pinch Salt
2 Tablespoons White Sugar
2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
¼ Teaspoon Cinnamon powder
71 Grams Butter - melted
½ Cup Chopped Walnuts

Method 

Preheat oven to 180°C.

Grease a 9” cheesecake pan butter and set aside. If you use a smaller pan the top and bottom of the cake will burn, the time taken to bake will be longer.
In a large bowl combine eggs, oil, sugars, water and vanilla extract. Whisk to combine and set aside.

In a small bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt and cardamom. Whisk to combine.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk slowly to combine. Stir in the candied ginger.
Pour cake batter into pan, arrange figs cut side up, in a circle around the cake. Set aside.
To Make The Crumble 

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, sugars and cinnamon until combined. Add the melted butter and stir with a fork until a crumble forms. Then stir in the walnuts.
Sprinkle crumble on top of figs and cake, evenly distributed.

Bake cake for 50 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. If top starts to brown too quickly cover with foil until fully baked through. 

Allow to cool and serve for tea time or for Sunday brunch.

Labels: Cakes, Figs, International Cuisine, Walnuts, Sunday Funday

Sunday Funday

Figs

• Fig and Prosciutto Pizza by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Fig Bites in Phyllo Cups by Palatable Pastime
• Fig Newton Bars by Amy's Cooking Adventures
• Fresh Fig Cake With Walnuts Crumb Topping by Sneha's Recipe
• Fresh Fig Margarita by Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Gelato di Fichi by Culinary Cam