Chatpata Peanut Chat

Chatapata Peanut Chat

Prep Time: 5 mins

Cooking Time: 15 mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

200 gms of boiled peanuts

1 onion finle chopped

1 tomato fine chopped

2 tsp chopped coriander

1 green chilli chopped

½ tsp chat masala

¼ tsp chilli powder

Juice of 1 lime

Salt to taste

Method:

1. Take the boiled peanuts in a bowl and add all the ingredients and mix well.
2. Chatpata peanut chat is ready to serve.

Co-zy Tips:

Allow the peanuts to cool down before mixing with the ingredients.

Healthy n Easy Soya Manchurian

Healthy n Easy Soya Manchurian

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cooking Time: 10 mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

100 gms Soya Chunks (Mealmaker)

1 tbsp oil

2 tsp dark soya sauce

1 tbsp corn flour

1 tsp pepper powder

1 tsp vinegar

1 tbsp tomato ketchup

1 tsp chilli sauce

1 capsicum cut in cubes

8-10 pods of garlic chopped

2 green chillies chopped

1/2 “ginger chopped

Spring onions chopped

Spring onion greens chopped for garnish

½ tsp sugar

2 tbsp water

Salt to taste

Method:

1. Boil water in a pot with 1 tbsp milk and add soya chunks when water starts boiling. Cook it for 5-8 mins. Remove and drain the water.
2. Mix corn flour to the chunks.
3. Heat oil in a wok or pan and add the soya chunks and sauté for 2-3 mins and take it out.
4. In the same pan add onions, ginger, garlic and green chillies and sauté for 30 secs. Then add capsicum and stir for another 30 secs.
5. Now add all the wet ingredients (soya sauce, tomato ketchup, chilli sauce and vinegar) and sauté for 30 secs and then add salt, pepper and sugar and give a quick stir and add water.
6. After the mixture boils add the sautéed soya chunks and coat them well and cook for 1-2 mins.
7. Remove and garnish with spring onion greens and serve hot as a snack or with fried rice or soft noodles.

Co-zy Tips:

If you want the soya to be crisp you may even deep fry them, but this way its more healthy and quick.

Garlic Chutney (for Idli/Dosa/Wada)

Garlic Chutney (for Idli/Dosa/Wada)

Preparation Time: 10 mins

Cooking Time: 10 mins

Serving: 6 servings (1/2 cup)

Ingredients:

8-10 cloves of Garlic

2-3 dry red chillies

½ cup of fresh grated coconut

1 tsp tamarind pulp

¼ cup water

2 tsp oil

Salt to taste

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan, sauté chopped garlic over low flame for 30 seconds then add red chillies and sauté for another 30 seconds. Allow it to cool.
2. Transfer the mixture into a blender along with remaining ingredients and grind into a not so smooth paste. Serve with Idli/Dosa/Vada/etc.

Co-zy Tips:

1. You may use lime juice instead of tamarind for a different tangy taste.
2. Using dry Kashmiri chillies or powder gives a bright red colour to the chutney.

Veg-Chinese Grill Sandwich

Veg-Chinese Grill Sandwich

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cooking Time: 15-20 mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

8 slices of bread

1 cup shredded cabbage

I capsicum thinly sliced

1 big carrot grated

1 onion thinly sliced

3 tsp Dark Soya sauce

2 tsp of tomato sauce

½ tsp pepper powder

¼ tsp of Ajinomoto (optional)

¼ tsp sugar

Butter

2 tsp oil

Salt to taste

Method:

1. Heat a pan and add oil. First add onions and sauté till transparent then add cabbage, capsicum and carrot. After a minute of stirring add soya sauce, tomato sauce, salt, pepper, sugar and Ajinomoto. Cook till the moisture is gone. Allow it to cool.
2. Apply butter on the slices inside and outside and place desired quantity of the mixture between the 2 slices and grill them.
3. Serve hot with your choice of sauce.

Co-zy Tips:

1. The butter on the outer side of the slice helps to give nice brown grill marks.
2. If you do not have a grill you can make it on a skillet/tawa as well, the grill marks will be missing though.
3. Enjoy this for breakfast or as an evening tea-time snack.
4. It tastes good even without any sauce.

     P.S. This recipe is my invention and not copied J

Onion & Tomato Chutney (for Idli/Dosa/Wada/Snacks)

Onion & Tomato Chutney (for Idli/Dosa/Wada/Snacks)

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cooking Time: 10 mins

Servings: 4-6

Ingredients:

4 ripe tomatoes chopped

2 onions chopped

2-3 green chillies

6-8 peppercorns

1 tsp jeera/cumin

3-4 cloves of garlic

½ tsp turmeric powder

1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander

Salt to taste

3 tsp oil

Method:

1. Heat oil in a pan, add jeera and allow it to splutter. Then add peppercorns and sauté for 30 seconds and add green chillies and garlic and allow it to fry a bit. Add onions, salt and turmeric and fry till transparent. Finally add tomatoes and cook till they are tender.
2. After the above mixture is cooled grind it along with fresh coriander coarsely. Serve it with your favourite breakfast or snack.

Co-zy Tips:

1. If you wish you may temper it with mustard seeds and curry leaves.
2. You may also grind it to a smooth paste based on your preference.

Masala Vada

Masala Vada

Prep Time: 2 hrs

Cooking Time: 20-30 mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

1 cup Split Bengal gram/chana dal

1 small bunch of Coriander leaves

1 small cup of Curry leaves chopped roughly

2-3 Green chillies

1 medium onion finely chopped

½ inch finely chopped Ginger (optional)

2 cloves of garlic crushed (optional)

Salt to taste

1 tsp rice flour (optional)

1-2 cups of Oil for deep fry

Method:

1.  Wash and soak split bengal gram for 2 hours. Strain the water completely and add to a blender along with green chillies. Try and avoid adding water, just sprinkle few drops if needed to grind into a course batter. (DO NOT MAKE A FINE PASTE)
2. Take the batter in a bowl and add coriander, curry leaves, ginger, garlic, rice flour and salt and mix well.
3. Heat oil, take equal portion of batter and shape them into vada on your palm. It should not be neither too thick nor too thin and fry them.
4. Fry them until nice golden and serve with your favourite chutney.

Co-zy Tip:

1.  Keep 2 tsp of soaked channa dal aside and mix them to the batter after grinding to give it a good texture.
2. You can add any leafy vegetable like spinach or amaranth for a touch of nutrition. 
3. Fry on a medium heat for uniform cooking and crispy texture.

Ginger Chutney (Allam Pachadi)

Ginger Chutney

Ingredients:

100 gms Ginger

1 tbsp Urad Dal

10-15 Whole dry red chilies

Small ball of Tamarind / 1 tsp tamarind pulp

1 tsp grated Jaggery

Salt to taste

Tempering:

2 tsp oil

1 tsp Mustard seeds

6-8 curry leaves

Pinch of asafoetida

Method:

1.       Clean the ginger well and peel the skin and roughly chop them.

2.       Heat a pan with 2 tsp oil. Add urad dal and sauté for 30 to 45 seconds over low flame. Add whole dry red chilies and once again keep sautéing over low flame till the urad dal becomes golden red in colour and the red chilies get roasted well.

3.       Add the thinly sliced ginger and keep cooking over low flame till the slices slightly shrink in size. You can add 1 to 2 tsp more oil while sautéing ginger if needed. This should take another 4 to 5 minutes.

4.       Take the pan off fire and add the tamarind piece and mix well.

5.       Transfer the ingredients to a blender, add salt, jaggery and grind it to a smooth paste using little water.

6.       Temper the chutney and serve with Idli/Dosa/Wada/any south indian snack.

Co-zy Tips:

1.       Use red ginger as it does not have strings and soak ginger well to get rid of the mud on it.

2.       Take care while adding water to keep the consistency right.

3.       Roast the urad dal and red chilies over low flame and take care not to burn them or let it darken as the colour of the chutney will also end up being dark.

4.       Use light coloured jaggery to get good red colour.

5.       This chutney can be stored in an air-tight container kept in fridge for 10-15 days.

Perfect Punugulu

Punugulu

Prep Time: 6-8 hrs

Cooking Time: 15-20 mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients:

1 cup of Dosa/Idli Batter

1 cup of maida (all-purpose flour)

Pinch of Cooking Soda

Salt to taste

Water as required

1 tsp jeera

1 cup Oil

Method:

1.       Take an air tight container and add all the ingredients to make a thick batter.

2.       Allow it to rise in a warm place for 6-8 hrs.

3.       Add jeera to the batter before frying them.

4.       Heat oil and drop small portions of the batter and fry till golden.

5.     Serve it with your favourite chutney.

Co-zy Tips:

1.       Add finely chpped onion, green chillies, curry leaves and coriander leaves to enhance the taste.

2.       If you do not have leftover idli/dosa batter use sour curd and warm water instead and add 1 tbsp of rice flour.

Coconut Chutney for Idli/Dosa/Wada

Coconut Chutney

Prep Time: 10-15 mins

Cooking Time: 5 mins

Servings: 6-8

Ingredients:

1 cup of fresh coconut (grated or chopped)

2-3 green chillies

2 tbsp of roasted channa dal

1 tsp tamarind pulp or little tamarind

Coconut water (from the coconut) optional

¼ tsp sugar

Salt to taste

Tempering:

1 tsp oil

½ tsp mustard seeds

½ tsp of urad dal 

½ tsp of channa dal

6-8 Curry leaves

1 red chilli (optional)

Pinch of Hing (Asafoetida) 

Method:

1.       Add coconut, channa dal, green chillies, tamarind, sugar and salt to a blender and make a smooth paste using the coconut water (even plain water can be used).

2.      Temper the chutney with the above ingredients.

     Co-zy Tips:

1.       Variation 1: You may add some roasted peanuts to the chutney.

2.       Variation 2: You may add few coriander leaves or mint leaves for a new flavour.

3.       Variation 3: Garlic may be added to give a new twist.

4.       Sometimes ‘Simple is Sweet’ to enjoy it as it is.

Channa Dal Chutney for Idli/Dosa

Channa Dal Chutney for Idli/Dosa

Prep Time: 10 mins

Cooking Time: 5 mins

Servings: 6-8

Ingredients:

1 tsp oil

1 small cup of channa dal

1 small onion chopped

3-4 cloves of garlic chopped

3-4 red chillies

1 tsp Tamarind pulp or small ball of tamarind

Salt to taste

¼ tsp sugar

Tempering:

1 tsp oil

½ tsp mustard seeds

½ tsp of urad dal 

½ tsp of channa dal

6-8 Curry leaves

1 red chilli (optional)

Pinch of Hing (Asafoetida)

Method:

1.       Heat  1 tsp of oil add channa dal and roast it till it turns light red and smells good then add chopped onion, garlic and red chillies and sauté for 30 seconds.

2.       Add channa dal mixture in a blender and add tamarind, salt and sugar and grind to a smooth paste.

3.        Temper the chutney with the ingredients mentioned above.

Co-zy Tip:

1. You may add some freshly grated coconut if you wish.
2. Add water to the desired consistency.

Peanut Chutney for Idli/Dosa

Peanut Chutney

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cooking Time: 5 mins

Servings: 6-8

Ingredients:

2 tsp Oil

½ cup roasted peanuts (if skinless it gives white colour to the chutney)

1 onion chopped

4 cloves of garlic chopped

3-4 chillies (dry red or green)

Tamarind small ball

1/4 tsp sugar

Salt to taste

Tempering:

Oil: 2 tsp

1 tsp urad dal 

1 tsp channa dal

½ tsp jeera

½ tsp mustard seeds

Pinch of asafoetida

7-8 curry leaves

1 red chilli (optional)

Method:   

1. Heat oil in a small pan and add chillies broken into half, then add chopped garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Then add chopped onions and sauté for a minute and then let it cool.

2. Add the above ingredients, tamarind and roasted peanuts into a blender and grind to a fine paste.

3. To temper head oil in a small pan add urad dal and channa dal first, after it changes its colour add red chilli, jeera and mustard seeds after they splutter add asafoetida and curry leaves after 30 seconds add it to the chutney.

Co-zy tip:

1. You can sugar, salt, tamarind and chilli as per your taste.

2. Add water to the desired consistency.

3. Roast at least 500 gm of peanuts and store, as they will be handy during cooking various dishes especially chutney.