Adai - A healthy energy-rich Crepes

Adai ingredients getting Sun-Dried

Adai is a healthy, high-energy breakfast dish of Tamil Nadu, India. Adais are packed with fibre and protein, and are low in refined sugars. Adai is nothing but dosa or a pancake, which is a pure vegetarian crepes relished instantly. Traditionally, Adai is prepared in combination of one or more lentils along with rice soaked for sometime, whipped to a fine batter and then cooked on a pan. A similar dish, called pesarattu is made in Andhra too, in combination with rice and green gram.

Murukku

Murukulu

For Janmashtami/Gokulashtami / Krishna Jayanthi, prepared this Murukku / Murukulu / Chakli. Rice flour is a main ingredient in this crispy snack, groundnuts / peanuts are added for that extra taste. The groundnuts are roasted lightly to give that extra crispy and crunchy flavor. This south-Indian addictive Murukku is almost forgotten snack in big cities, but its nutritive value is immense. It is a great after-school snack for the kids. 

Mosaravalakki

Atukulu Daddojanam

Mosaravalakki is dished out of flattened rice / Aval / Atukulu / Avalakki along with fresh curds. The dish though famous all over India, called by different names, namely, 'Thayir Aval', 'Dahi Poha', 'Gopalkala' and 'Atukulu Daddojanam', is similar to Curd rice. In Karnataka, the dish is called by the name Mosaravalakki as this is made more common in the state and served for Gods as Naivedyam or Prasad. Mosaru Avalakki can be garnished with grapes and pomegranate seeds, which makes the dish more rich in appearance. 

A Classic Mumbai Style Vada Pav

Vada Pav

Vada Pav is a Mumbai's favorite and authentic street food. Though a lot of variations has been brought in the preparation of this Vada Pav, still the basic one remains a hit. The taste of Vada Pav is hidden in the garlic chutney, which is got a nutty-spicy-sour taste. A fresh herb flavor is got with the addition of the Green Chutney, which is a mixture of green chilies, mint and coriander leaves to the Vada Pav.

Masala Borugulu / Spiced Puffed Rice

Masala Borugulu

Masala Borugulu / Spiced Puffed Rice is an addictive spicy-crispy snack, which is made in a jiffy. This snack is famous all over India and called by different names, Murmure, Muri, Mandakki Oggarane, Murra, Mamra and Pori. As the Monsoon has started all over, I prepared this for the evening snack. Bangalore having the cool and pleasant weather, enjoying the Masala Borugulu with a cup of chai / Coffee brings nostalgic memories.

Ammani Kozhukattai - a spicy savory for Ganesh Chaturti

Ammani Kozhutattai

Ammani Kozhukattai are rice-based steamed dish tempered with some spices and grated coconut for the sweet-spicy combination. This steamed dish Ammani Kozhukattai is very popular during the Ganesh Chaturti to serve for Lord Ganesh. This spicy dish is prepared in combination with the sweet dish called Modak/Kadubu/Kozhukattai/kudumulu.

Baby Corn Manchurian

Baby Corn Manchurian

Baby Corn Manchurian is an Indo-Chinese starter liked by most of them. Baby Corn Manchurian is also considered as one of the street foods of India. What a nice way to have the corn and veggies combined with variety of sauces that gives a lip-smacking taste all in one go.......!

Unnakaaya

Unnakaaya

Unnakaaya is a sweet dish of Malabar Origin. Unnakaaya dish is an authentic dish named after a cotton seed and thus sweet is acquired the shape. For the cotton-like thing inside the seed, grated fresh coconut is stuffed inside the mashed bananas and deep fried or shallow fried. In this sweet, sugar is added in a very small quantity as coconut and bananas accumulate the natural sweetness in this delicacy. Though any form of cooking ripe bananas can be considered to prepared Unnakaaya, a special type of bananas are used, which is called Nenthrapazham in Malayalam and available plenty in those regions.

Paniyaram

Paniyaaram

Paniyaram is addictive breakfast dish from Southern India. Its has got various names and cooked in wide varieties, such as - Kuzhi Paniyaram, which is prepared in both salt and sweet version and the sweet Paniyarams are cooked by adding jaggery, coconut and flavored with cardamom in Tamilnadu, India, and in Gods own country Kerala it is Unniyapam, belended with mashed bananas and grated coconut for the people with sweet-tooth. This dainty delicacy is known as Gunta Pongadaalu / Gunta Ponganalu / Gunta Punugulu in Andhra Pradesh and Appe / Guliappa / Gulittu / Paddu in Karnataka, India. The spicy Paniyaram can also have sautéed onions and green chilies mixed with the batter for that extra yummy taste.

Mirapakaaya Bajji - Menasinakaayi Bajji / Mirchi Bajji /Mezhaga Bajji

Melaga Bhajji / Mezhaga Bhajji

Mirchi Bajji is a street food usually found in South Indian chaat corners and also places like hill stations this is a common sight and great temptation. Street food vendors at the beach sides of Chennai, including Marina and Golden beach also serves these hot-hot Mirchi Bajji to all the tourist, giving their taste-buds a unique spicy treat. Though there are loads of other street foods available but among them Mirch Bhajjis with extraordinary flavor is  inviting to one & all and can hold to be a snack-of-the-day in any get-together or in-house parties. Usually in South India, people prefer spicy food, so the Mirchi Bahjji also goes well as a side dish with any favorite rice meal.  On the streets of south India, Mirchi Bhajji is also known as Melaga Bajji / Mirapakaaya Bajji / Menasinakaayi Bajji to name a few.

Bhutte Ka Kees /Grated Corn Chaat - Indore Special

Bhutte Ka Kees

Bhutte Ka Kees is a Chaat recipe synonymous to the Indore city, which is the commercial capital of the state of Madhya Pradesh. Bhutte Ka Kees is a season dish prepared when fresh corn is available. 'Butte' means corn and Kees refers to the grated part. Authentically this corn kennels from the cob are grated and then proceeded with the recipe. But nowadays the corn in frozen way is available all through the year at all places. In this case, the corn kernels can be blended coarsely and then considered in the recipe. These grated corn is tempered with mustard seeds and spiced with green chilies. To retain the moisture in the corn after tempering, chopped onions are used here though this also adds taste to the whole dish. Grated coconut is garnished in Bhutte Ka Kees, which adds mildly sweet taste with the herby flavor of chopped coriander leaves topped over the nutritional corn dish.

Sev Puri

Sev Puri Chaat

Sev Puri is chaat with a twist of savory snack and chutney stuffed in puffed pooris. Pooris are topped-up with tamarind and coriander chutney along with chaat masala, red chilly flakes making each bite a crunchy sweet, tangy and spicy that would awaken the senses. Sev Puri Chaat is available in different versions with local touch or flavor depending upon the geographies. Even sometimes flat pooris called papdis are used to make sev Puri Chaat. 

Aloo Tikki Chole Chaat - A North-Indian Chaat

Tikki Chhole Chaat

Aloo Tikki Chole Chaat is a crispy aloo tikki  (potato cutlets) dunked under the yummy chole or chickpeas gravy, topped with tangy tamarind chutney and green coriander chutney. The overall texture of the chat is crisp, spicy, tangy with intense herby aroma; giving Tikki Chole Chaat the perfect burst of flavors. Here the Aloo Tikkis are savory patties - shallow-fried in pure ghee until golden brown. The tikkis are made up of boiled mashed potatoes along with soaked sago pearls in few numbers to get crunchiness. The chhole gravy is lightly spiced with normal spice powders, so it can be paired well with two chutney toppings over the Tikkis. Aloo Tikkis can also be served plain, and enjoyed with topping of chutneys and curd for that extra taste. 

Jhal Muri - Kolkata style

Jhal Muri Chaat

Jhal Muri is a spicy puffed rice chat made in a jiffy. Kolkata city is the original Jhal Muri paradise, which also houses variety of other famous irresistible chaats. In Bengali language, Jhal meaning 'spicy' and Muri meaning 'puffed rice'. So you have guessed it right; the Jhal Muri is a very spicy snack that demands the use of green chilies. Jhal Muri is also a concoction of variety of ingredients tossed together like puffed rice to other crunchy ingredients and a hint of tamarind pulp and lemon is added for that extra authenticity. But much more authentic flavor is brought by adding a few drops of mustard oil, giving this Jhal Muri Chat a local touch. 

Potato Spinach Cutlet - Valentine Day Treat

Potato Spinach Cutlet is prepared with the season's fresh spinach leaves, enriched with lentils and potatoes. These Potato Spinach Cutlets can be presented in a variety of shapes and one such shape I thought to make was heart shape, on the occasion of  this Valentine's Day. Generally these cutlets are hot favorite among family and friends especially with little ones. Kids who are too picky in eating their veggies, these rich-veggie cutlets will serve the purpose and you can also use your creative imagination to surprise your little ones by presenting them in various interesting shapes. These cutlets can also be topped with finely-chopped onions, tomatoes and clubbed with green coriander-chili chutney and tamarind chutney to get the Chaat feel.

Dahi Bhalla - Punjab's delicacy

Dahi bhalla

Dahi Bhalla is a Chaat delicacy, found all over India in one form or another and in some regions it is also known as Dahi Vada. The plating of Dahi Bhalla varies in different parts of India. Bhalla or Vada is a fried dumpling prepared with Black gram / Urad Dal, which is soaked in water for some time and then blended into a thick smooth paste. The Bhalla is then soaked in water in-order to get tenderness and this also remove excess oil in it; then dropped it in a bowlfull of curd or yogurt. Just to give this delicacy a hint of garnishing; green chutney and tamarind chutney is poured over it, and other spices also sprinkled over for that extra yummy mouthful chaat flavor. 

Fruit Chaat - Chandini Chowk Wala

Fruit Chaat

Fruit Chaat is a refreshing Chaat full of flavors and bright bold fruity colors. The addition of the Chaat Masala, which is a blend of cumin, black salt, coriander, dried ginger, salt, black pepper, dry mango and red chilly, perks up the flavor in the Fruit Chaat. Lemon juice soaked fruit chunks, yield tangy flavor to the Fruit Chaat. Though this Fruit Chaat is hit in all seasons, but scores a perfect-ten in scorching summer heat. The Fruit Chaat is quite famous in Chandini Chowk (opposite to the Red Fort, Delhi), which also houses variety of other Chaats too.

Mathri / Mattis

Mathri is a classic and comfort snack especially prepared during winters with an addition of fenugreek leaves and a dose of pepper with a piquant seasoning of carom seeds, which can also be stored for couple of days. Mathri is usually prepared during this time of the year to be taken along with your hot coffee/tea. The snack is taken as a breakfast also since its quiet filling. Enjoy this savory flaky snack and here's the recipe follows.

Kul Kuls - Christmas Festival Delicacy

Kul Kuls is a famous sweet recipe of India, especially dedicated from the Goan Cuisine. This delicacy is generally prepared during Christmas festival, and shared among family, friends and relatives. Kul Kuls is an authentic dish prepared from age old days. In those days the design is given to these Kul Kuls with the help of a bamboo basket, later on started with the fork or combs and nowadays the market is flooded with the variety of tools, where these Kul Kuls are shaped differently. There are various other names given to these shell shaped Kul Kuls like Kidiyo's (Mangalore), Gala Gala, Teepi Gavvalu (Andhra) etc. 

Aloo Kachori

Aloo Kachori, an Indian street food snack, which is included in the chaat section makes a wonderful and tasty appetizer with hot coffee/tea. One can relish Aloo Kachori, any time of the day and best tasted in the combo of chutneys/dips, the tamarind and dates chutney, and the coriander chutney. These Kachoris can be tasted with Yogurt/curd, called famously as Dahi Kachori. The Kachoris are also paired with potato curry. Any kachoris to give it a healthy way, sprouts and beans can be added along with curd, and two chutneys. People from different parts of India, relish these Kachoris in different ways giving it a unique appeal to the particular place.