A tale of warm Friday Fries

Daily life is boring. In so many years of togetherness, I have learnt that it’s me who is the undisputed kitchen and grocery minister of the house. A post which I have to accept with abandon, and to keep up I have to earn the 'good votes' on a daily basis. Not easy to keep up - I warn you.To survive the position, I get off from work early and set the kitchen fire, of course I have to make it up by working late into the nights (ah well somedays I blog at this hour with a side of red), so I can’t really be complaining, and to top it – I like cooking, so this mumbo jumbo just comes from a lack of direction and plan.

You know, its fun when I have an inspiration and ingredients, and absolute agony when I have the office laptop on the kitchen counter, where an undone presentation is open, and I have a demanding toddler sitting beside it while I’m wiping off the onion tears!  Even though I cover the basics by asking the ' what do ya for dinner' question routinely ,but  its almost always answered by blank stares like I've asked a life philosophy and on days when I get an answer, it’s the ‘fries/pakoras on the side’ please. So much for inspiration, but that’s how it is.

You now where it’s all going. Don’t you?

When you cook keeping the moods and days of the week in mind, it not only increases the happiness quotient of the house, it benefits the wallet, shaves off the restaurant trans-fat & in general creates a festive mood . Fresh and simple ingredients force your skin to say thank you too. This simple selection of summer fries or the more popularly known term pakoras, is usually a stable for long and elaborate bong  lunches, add a side of salad and dip and you have introduced it to the evening bar gang. Tastes best when the vegetables are picked fresh from the market  and the oil is fresh, pungent and mustardy.  Very sophisticated , yet so rustic.

The Friday Fries/Pakoras (Assorted Vegetables Fried in Chickpea Batter)

Ingredients :
1 cup Chickpea flour (besan/garbanzo bean flour)

1 medium Cauliflower (cut into florets) 3/4 cup water

1 Potato (thickly cut lengthwise)

1 Bell Pepper (de-seeded and cut lengthwise)

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp choice of seasoning (Garlic, Onion, roasted cumin, Parsley, garam masala) or other spices of choice)

Chat masala to taste

Mustard oil to deep fry (or any other vegetable oil of choice)

Method:
In a bowl mix all ingredients (except vegetables and mix well till its turns into a smooth and thick batter).
Dip the vegetable florets in the batter and deep fry.

You can also choose to grill/bake. All you need to do is brush a little oil on batter dipped vegetables and the baking pan.

Bake for 25 minutes at 175 C.

If frying , deep fry till the vegetables are cooked well.

Serve hot  and sprinkle some chat masala before serving.

Radhaballavi / Dal Puri and my COOLEST blogging day

Radhaballavi / Dal Puri 

Today has to be the COOLEST Blogging day, in the history of my blooming blog moments. All in my mind I say, but I don’t seem to care – or so I pretend. Every now and then a comment pops up and I’m elated, I go back to my blog zestfully…writing…cooking…taking pictures…repeating et all. Not knowing who will that be- reading, what I have to say. I do it – for I love to do it…. But even the most motley of cooks (a.k.a me) would like a passionate reader… Ha! I have one now…

My mom is reading my blog. 

Coming from a culture where asking ma to come online is as foreign as a trip to Alaska, this is definitely a drum roll moment. In my house the camera is something which is taken out only to capture major milestones – and today it was out. For taking a picture of ‘Radhaballavi  aar cholar dal’ (Stuffed fried bread with lentil soup) which she cooked in the morning and she promised to follow it up with the recipe. 

On cajoling she confessed, that she has been coached by a young btech student (who happens to be my father’s student) and in leiu she prepares mouthwatering evening meals for him. I think this is a deal few can refuse.

Coolness is in the eye of the beholder I guess because I’m sure reading about daughter’s chaotic rannaghor  ---for a person who knows Bela de recipies  verbatim , is difficult and uber cool at the same time. This blog is really just a shout out to my ma, my biggest fan and critic. I love you, read away. This has to be a living example of how far we both have come…bridging the gap that time and distance has created…and I savor every moment of it.

I love you Ma. 

My mom's recipe for Radhaballavi

Ingredients

2 cups maida (Knead into a dough with salt +2 tbsb oil and 1/2 cup water)
Ghee for frying

For the filling :

Chana dal (cholar dal) : 1 cup
Red chilli powder : 2 tsp.
Dry roasted cumin  powder : 2 tsp
Dry roasted fennel seeds (mouri/saunf)1/2 tsp
Ginger juliens 1 tsp
asafoetida/ hing : a pinch
Oil : 1 tsp.

Method

Knead the wheat flour with oil, salt and water and make a dough.

Boil chana dal with approx 1 1/2 cup water and salt. Mash completely into a dry paste. Heat 1 tsp oil and temper oil will all the spices for the filling, now add the mashed dry chana dal paste a. Mix well by hand and keep aside.

Divide dough into equal portions and roll carefully into small puris. Stuff each small puri with enough dal stuffing. Roll out into puris.

Heat ghee in a kadai and deep fry till golden color on both the sides. Serve hot with cholar dal or dum aloo.

Sending this entry to Cuisine Delights