March Event Announcement: Favorite Recipes: Mela/ Carniwal Food

Here I am back with another event. The event “Favorite Recipes” is very popular in the food blogging world. I will like to thank the talented blogger Swathi Iyer who blogs from  Zesty South Indian Kitchen for allowing me to guest host the event on Merry Tummy.

For the theme I have chosen it to be Mela/Carniwal food. I am sure we all have been to some mela at least once in our life. When, we think of mela the beautiful memories of our childhood rushes back. A carnival is always so lively with balloons, beautiful tents, merry-go-round,  fun rides and of course who can forget that tasty food.

This month you have to cook and post the recipes that we eat or are sold in the mela/carniwal. Some of the examples are ragda patties, moong ki daal kacheela, pav bhaji,tava pulav, chaat etc etc. I want you to post in only Indian recipes and not the dishes that are sold in an international carnival (hot dog, burgers, falafel etc are not allowed). However the ones with Indian twist are allowed, like indo-chinese noodles.

So ladies, put on your aprons and cook the mela food. I am sure that I will see some new and innovative recipes.

Logo

Rules for the event:

1. You must cook and post the recipe on your blog pertaining to the theme Indian Mela Food.
2. Looking for fresh entries and to try out new recipes. So, no archived posts will be entertained. Your post has to be in March 2013.
3. Multiple entries are welcome and appreciated.
4. Only Vegetarian recipes will be allowed. Eggs can be used for baking.
5. The event has to be linked back as Favorite Recipes Event announced at Merry Tummy.
6. Usage of logo is optional but I would be happy if you could use it, as it helps spread word.
7. You have to like Merry Tummy's Facebook Page and Follow Merry Tummy.
8. Please use the linky tool to link your recipes below. Mention the name of the dish you make and not your name.
9. Else Send a mail to agrawal.shweta.n@gmail.com with the subject line as Mela/Carniwal Food  and with the following details:
1. Your Name
2. Recipe Name
3. Blog Name
4. Recipe URL (Please send the Recipe URL and not the blog URL)
5. Pic of the recipe (If it is not on the blog)
10. Non bloggers are most welcome to participate. Just send me the recipe details with a click of the recipe to the above mentioned email.

Looking forward for some lovely recipes…:)

Mumbai Tava Pulav/ Mumbai Rice

Street food in Mumbai is very famous. Not just vada pav and pav bhaji... there is one more dish that has gained lot of popularity in Mumbai- TAVA PULAO This is one dish that I still cherish & recreate at home. What makes this dish unique from other is the taste of Pav Bhaji. Now for all those who wants to have authentic taste of Mumbai Tava Pulav then have it on streets of Mumbai and not at any fancy retuarent. Those vendors are very good in fusion food.

Anyways! This is how I made it at home.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup rice cooked
• 1 big onion
• 2 big tomatoes
• ½ cup tomato ketchup 
• 1 Medium potato, peeled, cubed and boiled 
• 1 ½ tbsp pav bhaji masala 
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ cup boiled peas
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste 
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 tbsp Oil
• Salt

Method:
Heat a tsp of oil. Add cumin seeds, ginger garlic paste, onions and cook till the onions become translucent. 
Add the tomatoes and peas. Stir for a minute and cook until tomatoes become soft. 
Add the potato and stir for a minute or so. 
Add the ketchup, Pav bhaji masala, turmeric, and chilli powder. 
Add the rice and salt and combine it such that there are no lumps. The tomato mixture/gravy should be evenly distributed. 
Garnish with coriander leaves .
Serve hot with raita chutneys or dips.

Bombay Pulav, Pav Bhaji Style

One of the things I like about Mumbai is the mouth watering street food that you get, especially the chaats available in every street corner. I like Tava Pulav a lot and I like it because of the crunchiness of the vegetables and the taste of pav bhaji -which add a distinct flavor to the rice. When I was in Mumbai I relished this dish.If you are bored with same old pulav do make this, they are absolute delight for summer picnics. Here comes the recipe .

Ingredients:

• 1 cup rice cooked
• 1 big onion
• 2 big tomatoes
• ½ cup tomato ketchup 
• 1 Medium potato, peeled, cubed and boiled 
• 1 ½ tbsp pav bhaji masala 
• 1 tsp chilli powder
• ½ tsp turmeric powder
• ½ cup boiled peas
• 1 tbsp ginger garlic paste 
• 1 tsp cumin seeds
• 2 tbsp Oil
• Salt

Method:
Heat a tsp of oil. Add cumin seeds, ginger garlic paste, onions and cook till the onions become translucent. 
Add the tomatoes and peas. Stir for a minute and cook until tomatoes become soft. 
Add the potato and stir for a minute or so. 
Add the ketchup, Pav bhaji masala, turmeric, and chilli powder. 
Add the rice and salt and combine it such that there are no lumps. The tomato mixture/gravy should be evenly distributed. 
Garnish with coriander leaves .
Serve hot with raita chutneys or dips.

Patties From Leftover Rice

Do you have leftover rice and do not know how to use it? Whether it's white rice or brown, don’t throw it away! Turn leftover rice into easy starter. You'll be surprised, because you won't even recognize it as leftovers. I made patties/dumplings using leftover rice and it turned out to be awesome. 

Ingredients:

·1 cup cooked rice(Chawal)

·1/2 cup chickpea flour (besan)

·1 tbsp ground peanut (moongfali)

·A pinch of turmeric powder (haldi)

·1/2 tsp green chili paste or adjust to your taste

·1/4 tsp garlic paste(Lasan)

·1/4 tsp ginger paste(Adrak)

·5 tbsp oil

·Salt if needed only as rice is cooked with salt

·1 tbsp finely chopped cilantro (dhaniya)

·1 tsp finely chopped curry leaves

·1 tbsp lime juice

·A pinch of sugar

Method:

1.Take a bowl and combine all ingredients in it (add only 2 tbsp oil)

2.Sprinkle water (if needed only) and mix all well. Keep mashing rice while mixing.

3.Make small balls or patties of the shape and size you desire.

4.Heat remaining oil in non stick pan and cook them on medium heat on both sides till golden brown.

5.Crispy ,Tasty rice patties is ready.

Serve hot with tomato-garlic chutney or mint-chilli chutney

Linking this for Leftover Makeover And Giveaway event at Cutchi Kitchen

Ragda Patties

Ragda Patties is all time favourite street food. Ragda is made from white peas and patties are fried balls of mashed potatoes. What I have made is a healthy version of potato patties because it is full of vegetables and not fried. These patties can be served individually with sweet and spicy chutney as a starter; but it tastes better with peas ragda. This can be served as main course for dinner because it is very filling.

www.merrytummy.blogspot.com

Ingredients:
For Patties:
3 to 4 boiled and mashed potatoes (approx. 2 cups)
2 tbsp finely chopped onion
2 tbsp finely chopped capsicum
2 tbsp finely chopped cabbage
2 tbsp grated carrot
5 to 6 finely chopped green chillies
2 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves
1/2 tsp grated ginger
Salt to taste
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 lemon juice
Dry bread crumbs for binding/Corn Flour
Oil

For Ragda:
1 cup dry green or white peas - soaked
1 table spoon oil
1 tea spoon cumin seeds
1 onion finely chopped
1 tea spoon garlic paste
1 tea spoon ginger paste
4 to 5 green chillies finely chopped
Salt to taste
1 tea spoon turmeric powder
1 table spoon red chilli powder
1/2 table spoon cumin seeds powder
1/2 table spoon dry coriander powder
1 table spoon tomato sauce
1 table spoon jaggery
1 tea spoon lemon juice
1 small tomato finely chopped
1/4 cup finely chopped coriander leaves


Serve With:
Sweet Tamarind Chutney-1 tbsp
Spicy Green Chilli –Mint Chutney-2tbsp

Curd-1 tbsp

Sev- 3 tbsp
finely chopped onion
finely chopped coriander
(serving ingredients quantity can be changed as per the taste)

Method:
For Patties:
Mix all the ingredients and add spices to it.

Make medium size balls from it and give them flat patties shape.

Grill them on tava/Pan by adding little oil to both sides. 

For Ragda:

Soak peas for 5 to 6 hours in water. Drain water and add fresh water and salt in pressure cooker .Cook them till 3 whistles.

Heat oil in a pan and add cumin seeds, when it crackles add green chillies, ginger and garlic paste. Cook till raw smell fades away. Add onions and cook again for a minute

Now add boiled peas, all dry spices, tomatoes, tomato sauce, lemon juice and jaggery. Cook till it boils.

Add coriander leaves.

Serving:

Place 2 patties in a serving plate and cover it with piping hot ragda. 

Garnish with both the chutneys, sev, onion and coriander.

Hot and healthy Ragda patties are ready to serve.

Tip: Use same ragda to fill in Panipuri.

Kaale Chane Ki Chaat

Grams and pulses are very high in protein, so I make sure that I eat them quiet often. In one of my post I made black chickpea curry, another form in which I use kaala channa/Bengal gram/ Black chickpea is “Chaat”. This is very tangy spicy in taste and is among the popular street food in India.

Ingredients:

2 cups boiled kaala chana(Bengal Grams/Black Chickpea)
1 small Onion, finely chopped
1 Tomato, finely chopped
1 Green chilli, finely chopped
Salt to taste
1 tsp homemade chaat masala 
1/4 tsp Black pepper powder
1/4 tsp Red chilli powder
Cilantro/Coriander to Garnish

3 tbsp of Thin Sev (thin namkeen)
Juice of a lime.

Method:

1.Soak channa overnight.

2.Next day pressure cook them with salt with enough water.It is okay even if you cook it bit longer (as it will not turn mashy)

3.Drain the water away and add chaat masala, black pepper, red chilli powder and salt and mix well.

4.Mix in it onions, green chilli , tomato and lime juice.

5.Garnish with coriander leaves and thin sev.

Tip:-This is also quick salad recipe

-Do not waste water which was used in pressure cooker; use it to make rice, gravies and even kneading the dough for bread.

Moong Ussal!

This recipe is made in different types all over India. My mother always said that moong is very rich in fibre and proteins but I actually never liked moong; till I tasted moong ussal in Mumbai. Next day I could not wait to make it at home for my husband so I had to use non-sprouted moong (and it turned out quite well). Here it is-

GRAVY STYLE!

DRY MOONG!

Ingredients:

2 cups moong/matki (sprouted or plain)

1 onion, chopped

1/2 of a tomato

2 tsp of ginger garlic paste

1 tsp lime juice

1-2 green chillies, chopped

A pinch of turmeric powder

1 tsp red chilli powder

1 tsp coriander powder

1 tsp grated jaggery or sugar

2 tbsp oil

Salt to taste

Method:

1. Heat oil and add the onions and green chillies. Cook till the onions turn light brown.
2. Add ginger garlic paste and fry till raw smell vanishes.
3. Then add the coriander, chilli powder, turmeric, and salt, and jaggery or sugar. Fry for another minute.
4. Lastly mix in it moong and chopped tomato. Pour some water and cook covered for 8-10 minutes.
5. When the beans have turned crunchy and chewy, add the lime juice, and garnish with chopped coriander (I used carrots!:-P). 

Serve hot with bread or Rice. 

Tip: - I made it dry; you can add more water to have gravy style moong.

-Use them to fill in pani puri and a healthy style of pani puri is ready.