Snacks – Meal Haven

Methi Green Peas Cutlets

Snacks, Vegetarian

Ingredients:

For the filling

Grated or coarsely powdered Khoya/mawa – ¼ cup

Milk powder – ¼ cup

Grated paneer – ¼ cup

Raisins – 10

Coarsely ground cashewnuts – 10

Cardamom powder – ½ tsp

Pepper powder – ¼ tsp

Salt- as required

For the outer covering/coating

Freshly chopped methi leaves – 2 cups

Boiled fresh peas or frozen peas – 1 ½ cups coarsely ground

Ginger garlic paste – ½ tsp

Green chillies – 2 (finely chopped)

Coriander powder – 1 tsp

Garam masala powder – ¼ tsp

Powdered roasted gram flour – ¼ cup

Oil – 1 tsp

To coat the cutlet:

All purpose flour (Maida) – ¼ cup

Water as required

Bread crumbs – ¼ cup

Salt- to taste

Pepper – ¼ tsp Oil – for frying

Preparation

In a bowl, add the ingredients required for filling and mix it well. Keep it aside. Make small balls and keep it aside.

Take a pan. Heat it and add oil. Then, add the finely chopped green chillies and saute. Add ginger-garlic paste and saute again. When the raw smell disappears, reduce the flame to low and add the coriander powder. Do not let it burn. Add the chopped methi leaves and stir fry it. Next, add the coarsely ground peas alongwith the garam masala powder and fry well. Add the powdered gram flour and mix it well.

When the mixture cools down, make balls and make small circular shaped discs and place on a plate. Place the khoa balls in the middle of each disc and cover it with another circular disc and shape it into a ball and press slightly in the middle to form a patty.

In a bowl, add the all purpose flour, pepper and salt. Add water to make a batter of cream like consistency that coats a back of a s spoon. It should neither be too thick or too thin. Dip each patty in the batter and then drop it in the plate of breadcrumbs to coat it well. Repeat the same for all patties.

Brush the patties with oil and place them in the air fryer tray in a single layer. You may fry it in an air fryer at 200 degree C for 10-15 minutes. Flip them after 8 minutes to let the other side cook until it is golden and crisp.

You may also shallow fry it in a tawa/pan with little oil on medium flame, if you do not have an air fryer.

Oil Free Onion Pakoda

Snacks

These air fried pakodas are so good that you will not miss the deep fried ones. With less time spent in kitchen frying them and with no messy oil splatterings, air fryer is a boon and a healthier option for deep fried food.

Ingredients:

Gram Flour/Besan/Kadala Maavu – 1 cup

Rice flour – ¼ cup

Sliced Onions – 1 cup

Carom seeds/Ajwain/Omam – ½ tsp

Asafoetida – a pinch

Red chillie powder – 1 tsp

Turmeric powder – 1/4 tsp

Water – ½ cup

Salt – as required

Hot oil – 1 tsp

Oil – 1 tsp to brush on top of pakodas

Chopped Coriander leaves – 2 tbsp

Green chillies – 1 or 2 (finely chopped)

Preparation:

In a cup, add the sliced onions, coriander leaves, green chillies, red chillie powder, turmeric powder, asafetida, carom seeds and mix well. Then, add the gram flour, rice flour, salt and hot oil. Mix it well and then add water little by little. Add just enough water so that it sticks to each other. Do not make a runny paste.

Take the basket of the airfryer and spoon a tbsp. of the batter into it in a single layer, leaving gap in between the pakodas. Brush them with little oil.

Heat the air fryer to 200 degree C for around 10 minutes. Turn over and cook for another 4-5 minutes.

Check in between as the temperature differs for each brand of air fryer. Transfer to a paper towel and repeat the process for another batch of pakodas.

Serve hot with coriander chutney.

Broccoli Bites

Snacks

An easy snack to assemble and a healthy fried snack with just a tablespoon of oil. Crispy and spicy, these broccoli bites are crowd pleasing with its crunchy texture and beautiful colour.

Ingredients:

Broccoli florets – 10 -12

Panko bread crumbs or ordinary bread crumbs – 1 cup

Garlic powder – ½ tsp (optional)

For the Sauce:

Hot Sauce -1 1/2 tbsp

Ketchup – 1/2 cup

Soya sauce – 1 tbsp

Sugar – ½ tsp

Pepper powder – ¼ tsp

Vinegar – ¼ tsp

Olive oil – 1 tbsp + 1 tsp

Water – 2 tbsp

Corn starch – 1 tsp

Preparation:

To make the sauce, take a pan and heat it. Add 1 tbsp of oil and add the ketchup, soya sauce, hot sauce and 1 tbsp oil and mix well. Add the pepper powder, vinegar and corn flour mixed with a tbsp of water and put off the stove. Add sugar and mix well. Keep it aside and let it cool.

Spread ¼ cup of breadcrumbs in a plate and keep it aside.

To make the broccoli bites, dip each of the raw broccoli florets in the sauce, dip it in the breadcrumbs to fully coat it. Repeat this process with all the florets.

Arrange the broccoli florets in the air fryer basket in a single row. Heat it to 200 C for 10-13 minutes. The time will vary according to your broccoli floret size.

You can also make this in a pre- heated oven and turn it in between for crisper bites.

Enjoy with any sauceof your choice…

Dynamite Prawns

Snacks

This starter served at PF Chang’s is so popular that almost every table in the restaurant has this dish. I have tasted it a couple of times and it is one of my favourite starters. It is easy to make and is ready under 30 minutes.

Ingredients

Prawns (peeled and deveined ) – 15-20

White Sesame Seeds – a few for garnish

Black Sesame Seeds – a few for garnish

Spring Onions – 1 sprig

For the batter:

Corn flour – 4 tbsp

All purpose flour – 1 tbsp

Pepper powder – 1/4 tsp

Garlic powder – less than 1/4 tsp (optional)

For the Sauce 1:

Mayonnaise – 1/4 cup

Sriracha or any hot sauce – 2 1/2 tsp

Tomato ketchup – 1 1/2 tsp

Honey – 1/2 tsp

White vinegar – 1/2 tsp

Sesame oil – 1/4 tsp

Sauce 2 (Alternative Sauce)

Alternatively, you can use Thousand Island sauce and Thai/Any Sweet chillie sauce insteadof mayonnaise, ketchup and honey. Personally, I prefer this sauce to the mayo one.

Thousand Island Sauce – 3 tbsp

Any Sweet Chillie Sauce – 2 tbsp

For the marinade :

Beaten Egg – 1

Soya sauce – 1/2 tsp

Salt – 1/4 tsp

Chillie powder – 1/4 tsp

Grated Garlic or garlic powder – 1/2 tsp

Preparation:

Wash and keep the prawns aside.

In a wide bowl, add the chillie powder, soya sauce, salt, beaten egg, garlic and whisk all of it. Add the prawns and make sure it is well coated.

In another bowl, add pepper powder, corn flour, all purpose flour and salt. Mix well and keep it aside.

Heat oil in a frying pan. Add shrimps covered in the egg mixture, one by one to the cornflour bowl and coat it well. Make sure to dust off or shake off the excess flour and drop it into the hot oil. Deep fry on medium heat for about 1 minute pers side and cook the other side. Make sure not to overcrowd the pan. Remove immediately and drain on paper towels.

Toss the fried shrimps into the bowl with sauce and mix with a spoon. Garnish it with black sesame seeds, white sesame seeds and spring onions. Serve hot.

Sweet Potato and Paneer Cutlets

Snacks

A guilt free snack full of proteins which is tasty and can be made in a jiffy.

Ingredients:

Sweet Potatoes – 2

Panner – 3/4 cup

Corinder leaves – 1 tbsp chopped

Green chillies chopped fine – 2

Onion chopped fine – 1 medium

Sesame seeds – 2 tsp (optional)

Salt

Oil for shallow frying – 4 tbsp

Preparation:

Wash and cut the sweet potatoes in 2 pieces. You may pressure cook the sweet potatoes for 2 whistles or 10 minutes. When it cools down, remove the skin, mash it and keep aside.

Grate the paneer or blitz it in a mixie for 30 seconds.

In a bowl, add the sesame seeds, finely chopped green chillies, coriander leaves, finely chopped onions, grated paneer, salt, mashed sweet potatoes and mix it well. Make equal sized round balls and flatten it in the shape of a tikki or cutlet.

Add oil in a pan. When it is hot, reduce the flame and place the tikkis/cutlets on it and shallow fry. When it turns golden on one side, flip it and cook the other side.

Serve it hot.

Savoury Spicy Diamond Cuts/Namak Para

Snacks

A fried crunchy savoury snack made using flour, cumin seeds and mild chillie powder. An addictive snack which was always prepared at home during the festival of diwali.

Ingredients:

All purpose flour or Wheat four – 1 cup

Hot oil – 1 1/2 tbsp

Asafoetida/hing – a pinch (optional)

Ajwain or carom seeds – 1 tsp

Cumin seeds or Jeera – 1 tsp

Salt to taste

Red chillie powder – 1/2 tsp

Baking Soda – a pinch ( if using wheat flour only)

Oil for deep frying

Preparation:

In a bowl, mix flour, salt, ajwain, jeera, chillie powder, hing and salt. Mix well and add hot oil to it (pic 1). Add water little by little and make a firm stiff dough. Moisten your hands and knead until the dough is smooth. A soft dough will not make the diamond cuts crisp.

Make small balls of the dough and roll it out into thin discs. Make sure that it is not thick but thinly rolled out (pic 2)

Using a cutter, draw lines on it diagnally to get the shape of a diamond.(pic 3). You may transfer the cut diamond cuts onto a plate.

Heat oil in a pan. When it is hot, lower the flame to medium and drop the diamond cuts into it. Stir them immediately. Do not worry if the diamond cuts sticks to it as it will begin to separate in oil as you stir. Maintain the heat on a medium flame as low heat will make it hard (pic 4).

Fry them in batches and drain them on a kitchen towel. Cool and store them in air tight containers.

Milagai and Vazhakkai Bhajji (Chillie and Raw Banana Bhajji)

Snacks

A perfect snack for a raining afternoon. This easy-to-make recipe is prepared using simple ingredients available in the pantry. It tastes best when served warm along with green chutney or tomato ketchup. You can serve this mouth-watering recipe as an appetiser for parties, pot luck or a family get-together.

Ingredients:

Large green chilli – 6 or Raw green banana -2

Gram flour – 1 cup

Baking soda – 1 tsp

Water – 1/2 cup or as required

Refined oil as required – for fyring

Hot Oil – 1 1/2 tbsp

Salt as required

Chilli powder – 2 tsp

Asafoetida – 1/2 tsp

Rice flour – 1 1/2 tbsp

Preparation:

Wash the green chillies/raw green banana well. Once washed, cut the chillies from the centre and remove the seeds. Slice the banana/green chillies lenthwise as shown in the picture.

Heat 1 1/2 tbsp oil in a kadai until it is smoking hot. In a bowl, add the gram flour, red chillie powder, salt, asafoetida, rice flour and mix well. Add the hot oil to it and mix it well. Add the soda to it alongwith water and whisk it well to a slightly thick consistency but not running or pouring consistency. The batter is now ready. The key to crispy bhajjis is the hot oil added to the batter.

Now start heating oil in a deep frying pan over medium heat. Take the chillies, coat them well with the batter and dip it in the frying pan. Keep frying until they turn golden brown in colour.

Middle Eastern Spiced Nuts

Snacks

Easy to make and a perfect snack for entertaining, these sumac and zatar infused nuts are quite addictive. Sumac is a tart red coloured powder which is made from dry ground sumac berries, rich in anti-oxidants.

Ingredients:

Mixed nuts(Almonds/Cashewnuts/Walnuts) – 1 cup

Extra Virgin Olive oil – 1 tbsp

Zatar – 1 tsp (Alternatively use sesame seeds 1/2 tsp and oregano 1/2 tsp)

Sumac – 1 tsp or lemon zest

Salt – 1/2 tsp

Preparation:

Heat a pan and add oil to it. Add the nuts and saute for 5 – 7 minutes on low heat. When they are roasted, add the sesame seeds and saute again for another 2 – 3 minutes. Next, add the salt, oregano powder and sumac powder and fry well until the nuts turn slightly brown.

Take it off the stove and let it cool. Transfer it to an airtight container and store it upto 2 weeks.

Paav Bhaji

Breakfast, Snacks

A fast food dish/street food served with soft bread rolls and bhaji (a spicy vegetable curry which includes potatoes, onions, tomatoes, bell peppers and green peas). This delicious blend of veggies and bread tastes delicious and is enjoyed by all.

Ingredients:

Jeera/Cumin seeds – 1/2 tsp

Onion – 1 big (finely chopped)

Potatoes – 3 big (boiled)

Green peas – 1/2 cup (store bought, frozen)

Cauliflower – 1 1/4 cup (finely chopped)

Carrot – 1 cup (finely chopped)

Tomato – 1 medium (chopped)

Tomato paste (store bought) – 1 tbsp

Capsicum – 1/2 cup (finely chopped)

Ginger Garlic paste – 1 tbsp

Butter – 1 tbsp

Oil – 1 tbsp

Green chillie – 1 finely chopped

Coriander leaves – 2 tbsp

Red chillie powder – 1/2 tsp

Turmeric – 1/4 tsp

Kasuri methi – 1/2 tbsp

Paav Bhaji Masala – 1 1/2 tbsp

Lemon – 1/2

To toast pav

Pav (buns) – 4 to 6

Butter – 1 tbsp

Pav bhaji masala – 1/2 tsp

For Garnish

Coriander leaves – 1 tbsp

Onions finely chopped – 1 tbsp

Butter – 1 tsp

Lemon wedges – 1

Preparation:

Mash the boiled potatoes and keep it aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon of butter and oil in a large pot on medium heat. Once the butter melts and oil is hot, add the cumin seeds and let them sizzle. Add the chopped green chillies and saute.

Add the chopped onions and saute well again. Cook the onions for around 4 minutes until golden brown in color. Add the ginger – garlic paste and fry until the raw smell disappears.

Now, add the finely chopped carrot and saute again. Add chopped tomatoes and mix well. Let the tomatoes cook for 2 minutes. Next, in goes the cauliflower and the fresh green peas. Saute well for 4 minutes.

I prefer to use my food processor/chopper to chop cauliflower and carrots, which helps in cutting it very finely.

Add tomato puree and salt. When it is well sauteed, add the finely chopped capsicum and mix well. Add the pav bhaji masala, red chili powder and turmeric powder.

Mix well and then add in 2 teaspoons of kasuri methi (dried fenugreek leaves) and 1/2 cup of water. Add a generous amount of chopped cilantro and juice of 1/2 large lemon. Let the bhaji simmer for 2 minutes. Add the mashed potatoes to this bhaji, mix well and then remove pan from heat.

To toast the pav, melt butter on a pan. Sprinkle some pav bhaji masala on top of the butter and then place the buns on the pan. Press to toast the pav until crisp and golden brown, on both sides.

Serve the toasted pav with the bhaji.

Sev Dahi Puri

Snacks

Another popular street food of Mumbai is the Sev Puri. In my previous posts, I had mentioned 2 other recipes of popular street food in Mumbai, Ragda pattice and Paani puri. Served with a sweet and tangy sauce with crispy puris (whole wheat crackers) topped with potatoes, tomatoes, onions, sweet and green chutneys and finished with sev (gram flour savoury), this one is my favourite, any day.

I have some fond memories of my childhood when mom used to make these at home while I was in school and college often, in addition to bhel puris. 30 – 35 years back, when dad was employed in Calicut, no restaurants or street hawkers would sell chats there and mom used to miss those Mumbai chats, being brought up there. So, she ended up making all these at home and we got a taste of the mumbai chaat culture.

I have mentioned the recipe for the sweet chutney, coriander-mint chutney and papdi (flat wheat/all purpose flour crackers) below. The papdis can be made and stored well ahead in an air tight container.

Ingredients:

Puris flat and crisp (papdi) – 10

Potato medium, boiled, peeled and chopped – 1 big

Onion – 1 medium, finely diced

Tomato – 1 medium, finely chopped

Chat masala – 1/2 tsp

Mint cilantro chutney – 2 tbsp

Yogurt – 8 – 10 tsps

Tamarind Dates chutney – 1/4 cup

Nylon sev thin – 1/2 cup

Cilantro leaves chopped – 2 tbsp

Pomegranate seeds – 2 tbsp (optional)

Preparation:

Assembling the puris

Keep all the ingredients ready before starting to make sev puri. Have boiled potatoes, onion and tomato. Also keep all three chutneys, sev and chaat masala on the counter.

Place 10 puri’s spread out on a plate.

Place 2 to 3 pieces of the chopped boiled potato on each of the puri.

Top with some chopped onions and then with chopped tomato.

Sprinkle a quarter teaspoon chaat masala on top.

Add a tsp of yogurt on each of the puris.

Top with green mint cilantro chutney and then with a teaspoon of tamarind chutney on each puri.

Next, top it with sev on each puri.

Garnish with cilantro leaves and pomegranate seeds.

Serve sev dahi puri immediately.

Green chutney:

Mint leaves – 2 cups

Coriander leaves – 1 cup

Green chillies – 3 chopped

Salt to taste

Lime juice – 1 tbsp

Ginger – 1/2 inch piece

Combine everything in a blender with 1/2 cup of water. Grind it to a smooth paste.

Sweet chutney:

Deseeded dates – 1 cup

Deseeded Tamarind – 1/2 cup tamarind pulp

Roasted cumin seeds powder – 1/2 tsp

Red chillie powder – 1/2 tsp

Black Salt/Rock Salt – 1/4 tsp

Salt to taste

In a bowl, mix tamarind and dates with 2 cups of hot water and soak for for 1 hour. Blend them in a mixie alongwith the water, to a smooth paste. Sieve it and keep it aside.

Heat a pan. Transfer the tamarind-dates pulp to it. Add rock salt, red chillie powder, salt, cumin seeds powder and cook for 2 -3 minutes. Boil once stirring in between. Put off the flame and let it cool. You can store this chutney in the fridge in an air tight container for a month.

Papdis

Whole wheat flour or all purpose flour – 1 cup

Semolina/Rava – 2 tbsp

Hot Oil – 1tbsp

Salt to taste

Combine all the ingredients above and knead into a firm dough, using enough water.

Divide the dough into 6 equal portions. Roll out the dough into 6 to 7 inch diameter circles with 1/2 inch thickness. Using a round shapped cutter, cut the rolled out dough into 6 to 7 (2 inch diameter) circles. Prick the puris using a fork all over so that it doesnt puff up. Keep it aside in a plate and cover it with a wet cloth.

Heat a pan or kadai and heat it. Add oil and when hot, slid in a few puris at a time. Fry them on a medium flame until they are crispy and golden on all sides. Drain on an absorbent paper and store it air tight in a container.