Bombay Aloo, Baby Potatoes Cooked With Spicy Sauce

Yeah yeah yeah I have been busy. Busy with a new full time marketing job and settling in the new apartment-oh these two things are keeping me on my toes. When I took a job I promised myself that I would at least post a recipe once a week but it just couldnt happen. Now I know how much time blogging needs and it is no less then having a full time job. But better late then never, isn’t it? So here I am sitting with my laptop and working on this post.

Bombay Aloo, is my recent loving recipe. Recent because,  back in India I never heard about a dish called Bombay aloo-not even when I was in Mumbai. When I came to the UK I saw this dish sitting quietly in the vegetarian sides menu in every curry house. Until one day we decided to order it. Small baby potatoes cooked in rich spicy sauce, ummm very much like dum aloo in appearance. Taste and method is quite different though; dum aloo (Punjabi style) is cooked in royal way where potatoes are fried and lots of whole spices are used, Bombay aloo however is a lighter version where boiled potatoes are used  and then are coated with basic everyday Indian spices.

So when you are bored of simple aloo ki subji like the one cooked in pressure cooker or one that is served with  puri or kachori, give Bombay Aloo a try. Throw in it ginger, garlic, onion and tomato puree; mix in Indian spices and let it simmer on slow heat. To have authentic taste make sure you cook it longer on slow heat as it helps the spices to penetrate in the  potatoes and that is what brings the best flavor.

Consistency is again very important. It cant be runny like rassewale aloo neither should it be dry like sukha aloo- the trick is to have semi thick gravy where you can see the glaze of sauce and spices on the potatoes. You can serve it as a side with rice, naan or any Indian bread.

Ingredients:

10 baby potatoes, boiled and peeled

1 onion chopped

4 cloves garlic chopped
1 teaspoon ginger julienne or garted

4 medium size tomatoes chopped

2 dry whole red chillies

2 tablespoons oil

1 tablespoon butter

salt to taste

1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder

1/2 to 1/4 teaspoon red chilli powder (adjust as per taste)

1/2 teaspoon coriander powder

1/4 teaspoon garam massala

1 teaspoon cumin seeds

2 tablespoon coriander leaves chopped

Method:

1. With the help of toothpick or fork prick holes on boiled potatoes and set it aside.
2. Heat oil in pan. When hot, add cumin seeds. Let it splutter.
3. Add garlic, ginger and onion. Stir and let it cook till onions become soft.
4. Add tomatoes, salt, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, coriander powder and garam massala. Cover and let it cook for 10 minutes on a slow flame/heat.
5. Blend this above tomato spice sauce with half cup of water in the blender.
6. Heat the pan again and heat butter. When butter gets hot add whole red chilli.
7. Throw in boiled potatoes and blended sauce. Cover and cook for 10 minutes on slow heat.
8. Garnish with coriander leaves and serve.

Notes:

You can use any potatoes, just chop them into bite size.

I used kashmiri red chilli powder, it gives nice dark red colour.
Pricking holes in boiled potatoes helps the salt and spices to penetrate in potatoes. Do this step carefully else you will end with broken potatoes.

Anda Bhurji: Egg Bhurji: Bhurji Pav: Bhurji Paratha: Mumbai Street Food

This movie called Selfie, has changed a bit of me. Sometimes you just need to be yourself; the people around can make you feel inferior or superior but you must be YOU. Do what you want, do what you think is right-you cannot please everyone every time. People will judge you, advice you but you don’t have to care. You decide to be or not to be, to wear makeup or not; to be a stay at home mom or a working mom; to wear skirts or cover your body; to be with boys or girls; to have a tattoo or pierce your body.  Simple, right? Who are they to tell you when to have kids, why not to be a house wife, why to go to office? It’s your life and only you know and understand you :-) Just check the video out and I am sure you will love it too :).

After moving to London; I wanted to stay at home, give time to my newly married life, explore the lovely city and just relax. Cooking became my addiction and passion and that is when this blog was born. When people asked me what I did whole day sitting at home? I explained them, I keep myself busy – I read, I cook, I blog, I do food photography, I take care of my house etc etc. Oh so you don’t work, you don’t get a job in London, they would ask me. One day I wrote a post on confessions of food blogger, and now when people ask me, I just give them the link.

I am vegetarian by choice and in fact no one in my family eats meat or fish. My dad eats eggs and so do I. My in laws eat simple food without onion and garlic. That’s their choice, when I was getting married, I was asked to shun eggs. I bluntly refused. Mr. Husband understood and I was allowed to cook eggs at home. He travels a lot for his office purposes, being a vegetarian he sometimes can’t get anything to eat and there are times when he has to survive on canned juices for the whole day. I knew something had to be done.

One day, I decided to make Anda Bhurji. I presented anda burji as paneer burji because it is very much like paneer bhurji in texture and colour. That is how he began eating eggs and now when he is in some foreign land he atleast can eat an omelette ;-)

Anda bhurji is scrambled eggs but Indian style. In it goes Indian spices, veggies. In Mumbai you get anda burji with pav (pull part roll buns) on streets and some restaurants also sells bhurji parathas- both the combinations are tasty. The roadside vendors in Bombay make it on pav bhaji tava and that is what gives it a unique taste. Garlic, onion and tomato are the must-to-go veggies in Anda Burji and you can also use peas, capsicum as well.

Looking for more Bombay recipes? Check these out:

Pav Bhaji

Bombay Sandwich

Tava Pulav

Massala Pav

Kanda Poha

Bumbaiya Omelette

Anda bhurji is a wholesome filling meal. You can make it for breakfast, brunch, lunch or dinner. It takes care of your nutrients and gets ready in no time-what else can you ask for.

Ingredients:

2 large eggs

5 tablespoons milk

1 medium size onion chopped

1 medium size tomato chopped

1/4 cup capsicum chopped

2 cloves garlic minced/grated

1 tablespoon chopped coriander leaves

1 green chilli chopped
1 teaspoon lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon red chilli powder

1/4 teaspoon black pepper powder

Salt to taste

1 teaspoon pav bhaji massala (notes)

1 tablespoon oil

1 tablespoon butter

Method:

Heat oil in pan. When hot, add garlic and sauté for 10 seconds.

Add onions and capsicum. Cook till onions turn pink.

Add chopped tomato, lemon juice and green chilli. Mix in salt, red chilli powder, pav bhaji massala, black pepper powder. Mix and cook covered for 1 minute or till tomatoes become soft.

In the mean time, crack eggs and beat them in a bowl. Mix milk and beat again till forthy.

Mix eggs in the pan. Keep stirring and scrambling the eggs.

Add butter and coriander leaves. Mix and serve.

Notes:

You can pav bhaji massala in any Indian grocery store. I used Everest Pav Bhaji Masala.

I have used three peppers- green chilli, red chilli powder and black pepper. This is a spicy dish, please adjust the heat level as per your taste.

Serving suggestion:

Serve with pav or bread.

Goes well with plain parthas. You can serve with palak partha, methi thepla or daal partha as well.

The burji can be stuffed into parathas as well. (Recipe coming soon).

Fill in between two slices of bread and make a sandwich out of it.

Mango Milkshake

Totally mad over mangoes this season! I am left with no stories related to mangoes that I can share with you. All I can say is I am done with mangoes this year, not going to buy anymore- all satisfied now ;-). Last mango stared at me every time I opened the fridge. I ignored and paid no attention to the poor lonely mango. Last weekend while I was cleaning the drawer (you know spring cleaning ;-), I found a packet of straws, some fancy twisty straws that I bought last year and totally forgot about it. That’s me, I like to buy things and then forget about it.

So I wanted to use the straws no matter what this summer, thus I decided to use the lonely mango and make some drink out of it- something too simple and straight forward. In the thinking process, my phone vibrated. Maa calling, the phone flashed. After chit-chatting about this and that, I asked her about the lonely mango. She answered promptly- make mango shake. Moms are the best :-)


Looking for Mango recipes? Check these out:
-Aamras
-Mango Lassi
-Mango Mousse
-Mango Chocolate Cake
-Mango Phirni
-Mango French Crepe Cake

I mean, what can be simpler then milkshakes? Just put everything together, pulse the blender for few seconds, pour in the glass and enjoy-that’s it. Mango milkshake is a very popular thing in India, even the roadside vendors sell it. There are two ways in which milkshake can be prepared, one- thick milkshake, where you add more fruits and less milk, second- thin milkshakes , more milk and less sugar. For me, an ideal milkshake has more milk and less fruits, you may or may not add sugar depending on the sweetness of fruit.

Milkshakes that are too thick reminds me of smoothies, it’s not a milkshake if it doesn’t have more milk-right? So this is how you make my style Mango Milkshake. 

Ingredients:

1 mango

1 glass milk (I used the same glass you see in the picture)

1/2 teaspoon sugar

4 ice cubes
4-5 saffron threads (optional)

Method:

Remove the pulp from the mango. Discard the seed.

Put mango pulp, milk, sugar and ice cubes in the blender and blend it for 10 seconds.

Pour in 2 glasses and garnish with saffron threads.

Notes:

You can adjust sugar as per your taste and sweetness of mangoes.

You can add more milk more thick milkshakes.

Feel free to add icecream, vanilla essence, cardamom (ilyachi), saffron (kesar).

Serving suggestion:

This is filling and a great way to include both milk and fruits in your diet. Have it as breakfast, evening snack or post workout meal. Great for kids as well.

Increase its nutrients value by adding flax meal, chopped nuts or dried fruits in it.

Serve with dollop of chocolate icecream and chocolate sauce ;)

Gujarati Dabeli

How was the long weekend everyone? In the UK people got the news of the royal baby and it’s a girl was trending everywhere. I even heard that tower bridge; the most iconic building was glowing pink-cool isn’t it. While the British waited for the good news, we just spent the laziest weekend ever. Instead of taking some individual me-time, we both decided to do things that we both can enjoy equally. Even though we both are cancerian but our choices just never match and opposites attract is the best suited phrase in our case.

-It began with reading; our books have been lying untouched for over a month, so we finally started reading it.

-Watching TV, we both started seeing Bates Motel but never finished it. This weekend, we are done with its three seasons, yes yes, binge watching it was!

-Went for a walk in the rain. Walked for over 2 hours, hand in hand in the park that we both wanted to see since two years, and guess what, it wasn't the park, it was an old cemetery. Imagine woods, tall trees, light wind, rain, narrow paths and graves....sounds exciting? For us, it was a very beautiful experience.

-Naps. All the three days, afternoon naps happened. While the weather gods decided to be cruel this weekend, we just did not care. Blissful naps, what else can you ask for.

-Cooking, just cooked one time in the day. If I made lunch, we did dinner outside and vice versa.

On Saturday I decided to make Dabeli, for two reasons. First, we both relish dabeli equally and second, I knew Mr. Husband could help me in the preparations. (He doesn’t like elaborate cooking).

What is dabeli? Dabeli is an indian burger whose origin is from Gujarat. The filling is made with mashed potatoes, tomatoes and dabeli massala. Dabeli massala is readily available in the indian grocery stores but I always make it fresh, nothing beats the aroma and flavour of freshly grounded spices. Tastewise, it is spicy, sweet, tangy and sour-a perfect balance is what you are looking for.

If not thousand there are hundred ways of making dabeli and no one way is right. For kutch dabeli you need spicy garlic chutney and green chutney is used in ahemdabad style dabeli. In Maharashtra coconut is used in dabeli masala. You can make dabeli filling as per your taste but dabeli massala is always used and you just cant do without it. Bun or pav as we call it in hindi must be used for authentic taste, but since we don't get pav in London, I used burger buns.

Dabeli is just a breeze if you have everything ready. Pomegranates, peanuts, onions, chutney, sev (namkeen) and potatoes stuffing is must for dabeli. On top on the bun goes thin layer of chutney; on it goes thick sheet of potato mixture followed by peanuts, pomegranates, sev and chopped onion. Then this sandwiched bun is heated on a tava/pan with lashings of butter. It is great tea-time snack or even party snack. Keep the dabeli ready and just roast it on the tava when the guests arrive.

I made amdavad style dabeli, like the ones you get on the road; its sweet, spicy and tangy. It’s without garlic chutney and is served with tomato ketchup.  

Ingredients:

(Dabeli Massala)

2 teaspoons whole coriander seeds/sabut dhaniya

1 dry red chilli/sukhi lal mirch

1 teaspoon cumin seeds/jeera

1 inch peice of cinnamon/dal chini

2 cloves/laung

5 blackpepper corns/kali mirch

(Stuffing)

4 meduim size potatoes/aloo, boiled

2 meduim size tomatoes/Tamatar, chopped finely

1 tablespoon ginger paste/adrak

2 tablespoon butter

1 tablespoon oil

Pinch aseofetdia/hing

1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder/haldi

1/2 teaspoon red chilli powder

1 tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon lemon juice

Salt to taste

4 tablespoons coriander leaves/hara dhaniya, chopped

(Garnish)

1/4 cup green chutney (recipe here)

6 tablespoons roasted peanuts/ moongfali

6 tablespoons pomegranate/annar

1 onion chopped finely

6 tablespoon sev (see notes)

Method:

On slow heat dry roast dabeli massala ingredients for 8 minutes. Let it cool. Grind this into fine powder. Keep aside.

Heat a pan. Add 1 tablespoon butter and oil.

Add aseofetida. Add ginger paste. Cook for 1 minute.

Add tomatoes, turmeric powder, red chilli powder and salt. Cook till tomatoes are mushy and oil appears on the side.

Mix the grind dabeli massala and cook again for 1 minutes.

Add potatoes. With masher or a fork, keep mixing and mashing the potatoes.

Add in lemon juice and sugar. Cover and cook for 2 minutes on slow heat.

Mix in chopped coriander leaves and the mixture cool down.

Take a bun and slit it into two parts. Spread a thin layer of green chutney on both the parts.

On one part apply the thick layer of potatoes mixture. On another part apply 1 tablespoon each of pomegranate seeds, peanuts, chopped onions and sev. Put the other part on top of another (like a sandwich). Do same with the remaining buns.

Heat a pan and add remaining 1 tablespoon of butter. On a medium heat, roast the dabeli/bun on both the sides till it is crisp and golden.

Serve with chutney or ketchup.

Notes:

Dabeli massala can be made ahead of time. It says well in an airtight container for 6 months. If you want you can use this Dabeli Masala.

Nylon sev is used in dabeli recipe, but I used Kohinoor Bikaneri Bhujia.

My husband is allergic to nuts, so I used sunflower seeds for his dabeli instead of peanuts and it taste the same.

Some recipe calls for onions in the potatoes mixture, but I asked once to a roadside vendor and he said not to put onions.

Serving suggestions:

Dabeli can be made ahead of time. Assemble the dabeli and grill it on the pan/tava when guest arrive. This makes it best for party, get-togethers.

You can follow the same recipe and use bread slices instead of buns. Grill and serve this dabeli sandwich. Also take this as a picnic snack if you wish.

Make the whole platter. Serve baked potatoes wedges on side with dabeli.

Bombay Sandwich

After vada pav and pav bhaji the street food that I completely love and find irresistible is Bombay Sandwich. These sandwiches are sold in every nook and corner of Mumbai, near offices, colleges, shopping malls –oh I said everywhere-dint I? The thing is Mumbai is always hot and humid and one cannot have fried snacks like vada pav, samosa or pav bhaji; When heat waves are in full swing and sweat has snapped all your energy. Thus you tend to look for cold snacks – like chilled water pani puri, shakes, gola, bhel puri etc.

Bombay sandwiches are also cold and raw-making it perfect for a hot sunny day. Lavishly buttered white bread and sandwiched between them are the thin slices of boiled potatoes, cucumbers, tomatoes, onion rings, and spicy mint chutney. All the vegetables layers are tossed with chaat massala. Finally the sandwich is chopped into 6 pieces and each one of it is served with extra drops of chutney and tomato ketchup for more zing and kick.

Ladies, for authentic taste please do not use brown bread, seeded bread-use plain simple white bread. Do not be stingy while spreading butter, I have tried it with no or less butter and trust me it’s of no use. Think positive, think about the goodness of raw vegetables you will be indulging in, think about peppery chutney and totally overlook the calories of butter and white bread ;-). Bombay sandwich is the perfect balance of taste- spicy, tangy, sweet, crunchy.....yumm....No one can eat just one.

Ingredients (for 2 sandwiches)

4 slices of white bread

1 tomato

1 onion

1 boiled potato

1 small cucumber

4 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons green chutney (see notes)

1/2 tablespoon chaat massala

1 tablespoon tomato ketchup (optional)

Method:

Chop tomato, cucumber, onion and potato into thin rings.

Spread 1 tablespoon of butter on each bread slice.

Apply 1 teaspoon on green chutney on each slice.

Arrange vegetable rings on 2 slices of bread and sprinkle chaat massala after every layered vegetable.

Cover the vegetable slices with other bread slices.

Cut into desired shapes and serve with drops of tomato ketchup or chutney.

Notes:

You can use green chutney, mint chilli chutney or coriander chutney in this recipe. However mint chutney will give you authentic Mumbai taste.

You can also add rings of beetroot in this sandwich.

Do not avoid chaat massala.

Chop into triangles or squares.

Serving suggestions:

Serve with chips on side.

Serve these mini sandwiches on kids’ party or any get together.

Perfect for picnics and luchbox.

Pav Bhaji, A Story About Mumbai Monsoons

A day in Mumbai is hot and humid, a day in Mumbai is busy- everything and everyone around is running-no one stops or pauses. But if you have experienced Mumbai monsoons then there is no place like it. That day I was in bad mood, I just thought I am the most unlucky one and mind was engulfed with all kinds of negativity. I locked myself in a room and asked my husband to leave me alone. I sat by a window, engrossed deeply in thoughts and suddenly I felt sprinkles of rain on my face, the wind blew by hair and I closed my eyes to feel it. The longer I sat there the more I purified my mind, my thoughts and my soul...With showers of rain, the magic of monsoons I found my inner peace. I was satisfied with what I had, I was thankful to God for what he had bestowed on me, I took a deep breath of positivity, and finally I wiped tears off my cheeks and smiled. I opened the door of the room and hugged my husband - the storm in me was now quite and calm.

That day I learnt- some people come in your life as blessings and some come as lessons. My husband’s love and care is what I am blessed with and I will always nourish it. That day we decided to celebrate the spirit of Mumbai monsoons- that life need not be so dry, that there are good days and bad days. We took the umbrella and wandered on the streets of Mumbai and there he was the- Pav Bhaji vendor.  We both knew that there could be no other way of rejoicing that moment but to enjoy the most beloved street food of Mumbai. Half wet, we bit into the scoops of garlicy spicy Bhaji with buttery Pav. So that was my very first experience with Mumbai monsoons- today I don't even remember what made me so sad that day, all I memorize is good food, rains and my partner.

Sunday it rained in London, even though it was not heavenly like the one in Mumbai, I somewhat felt same. As I stood in the balcony, Mr. Husband came from behind and said- Pav Bhaji banaye (lets make Pav Bhaji) and I grinned with the flashback of memories.  Those of you don’t know, Bhaji is a spicy vegetable mash served with a couple of yeasty pull apart rolls along with chopped onions and lemon wedges. There are hundreds if not thousands way of making it and no particular way is right or wrong, but I do believe that slow cooking is must here. The more you cook the massalas with veggies, garlic and onions on a slow flame, the better it will be.  Another thing, please skip the spoon, just lick the fingers- trust me it is one huge satisfaction.

Ingredients:
4 large potatoes/ aloo

1/2 cauliflower/ phool gobi

1 capsicum/shimla mirch

2 carrots/gajar

1 cup peas/mutter

1 large onion/pyaz

5 cloves of garlic/lehsun
5 tomatoes chopped fine
2 tablespoon oil
2 teaspoon butter
1 1/2 tablespoons of pav bhaji massala (see notes)
1 teaspoon red chilli powder/lal mirch

1/4 cup of chopped coriander leaves/dhaniya
Salt 
Bread/Pav to serve with

Method:

Peal potatoes and chop in quaters. Also chop cauliflower, carrots and capsicum. Boil all the chopped vegetables and peas with 1 cup of water for 2 whistles in a pressure cooker.

In the grinder, grind together onion and garlic to fine paste.

Heat oil in a wok/kadai. When hot add in onion garlic paste. On a medium heat cook till there is no raw smell.

Next add in chopped tomatoes, pav bhaji massala, red chilli powder, salt and 1 cup of water. Cover and cook till 10 minutes on a slow flame. After 10 minutes stir, cover and cook again for 5 minutes. You must be able to see that oil has separated and water has evaporated.

To it add the boiled vegetables. With the help of masher, mash the veggies.  Add 2 cups of water cover and cook for 5 minutes. Uncover and cook for next 5 minutes.

Mix in copped coriander leaves.

Serve hot with warm toasted Pav and chopped onions and lemon wedges.

Notes:

Pav bhaji massala is available in all the Indian grocery stores. I used MDH brand.

Add in or omit any vegetable as per your wants.

You can also grate onion and garlic instead of grinding it.
Slit the pav/bread in between and toast both the sides on tava/pan before serving. If you can't find pav, use burger breads.

Tuesday's Tip- How To Make Puri/Puchka/Golgappa At Home From Scratch?

Today I won’t ramble much in the post. We all love pani puri...i am sure girls do. Today I just want to share the amazing way of making Puri/Pakodi/Patashe/puchkas/golgappa at home from scratch. I must confess that it is easy but time consuming but once you learn how to do it you will be so happy to see the results.

After coming to London I used to miss pani puri a lot, you do get readymade ones in the market but they are way too expensive and I find it little tasteless (very less salt). Last weekend I tried making my own and I was super thrilled to see each one of it fluffing up so well.

See this tip If you-

• Like making things from scratch.
• Love Pani Puri and can’t find where you reside.
• Always prefer homemade hygienic products.
• Want to save money.

Yes making puri at home means you are sure which ingredients goes in and which oil is used for frying, it is way too economical and the happiness of successful cooking is beyond words.

Things you will need:

1/2 cup semolina/suji/rava

2 tablespoon all purpose flour/maida

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

oil for frying

water to knead the dough

2 wet towels/napkins

Method:

Take a wide bowl and sift semolina, salt, baking soda and all purpose flour in it.

Mix water little at time and form tough/hard dough.

Cover it with wet towel and leave aside for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes knead the dough again and roll out as thin as possible.

Take a cookie cutter or the cap of jar/bottle and cut into rounds. Cover the cut ones with wet towel till ready to fry.

Let the oil be hot, and slip one puri at time. Apply little pressure with spoon to help puri to fluff up. When puri becomes golden on side, turn and cook other side. Strain and keep aside in a colander/channi .Keep doing this to remaining puris.

Notes:

Don’t let dough or puris to sit in air, always keep it covered with wet cloth.

When you are trying for the first time, put only one puri in the hot oil. With practice you can slip more puris inside.

Thinner the puris, the crispier it will be.

If you want you can make really small balls of the dough and roll each one. I find cutting method easy.

Keep the puris in the colander on a wire rack as you want steam to pass.

All the best, I am sure you can do it. If you have any doubts/problems/suggestions please mail me. I will surely get back to you.

Kanda Poha - Bombay Style, Healthy Breakfast

Poha means flattened rice flakes –it is not only healthy but is also a very common breakfast in India. Why not? After all it is so easy to make and is also very quick. Poha is made in different styles in different parts of India. In Gujarat it is a bit sweeter and is made with lots of potatoes. One place where poha is very popular and is sold in every corner, shop and street is in Mumbai.

Just like vada pav, missal pav Kanda Poha is very famous and is preferred item in breakfast. People in Mumbai are busy and travel long distance from their homes to reach their offices. This is why they prefer having breakfast in office. There will always be vendors selling poha, idli, sabudana vada and missal pav near any office locations. 

Kanda means onion and that is what makes poha special in taste. Compared to most other Maharashtrian breakfast , poha is a relatively light dish made with roasted chillies, onions, mustard seeds and curry leaves A dash of squeezed lime gives enough moisture to dry poha and balances the taste as well.

If you ever go to Mumbai, breakfast like a Mumbaikar. Mumbai is quiet in the morning and the food is fresh ;). For classic poha-try, Hotel Vinay, Jawahar Mansion. I know I got carried away! Moving to the recipe.

Ingredients:

Thick Poha /Flattened rice :  2 cups /150 grams
Onion/pyaz/kanda : 1 large (finely chopped)

Peas/muttar- 1/8 cup
Green Chilies/hari mirch : 2 or to your spice tolerance (Slit lengthwise)
Peanuts/moongfali : 1/4 cup
Asafoetida Powder /hing: 1/2 teaspoon
Mustard Seeds /rai/sarso: 1 teaspoon
Turmeric Powder/ haldi: 1/2 teaspoon
Sugar /chini: 1/4 tsp
Curry Leaves/kadi patta : few
Cilantro /Coriander Leaves/dhaniya : · Few sprigs
Cooking Oil/tel  : 2 tsp (I used coconut oil)
Salt to taste 
Lemon juice/nimbu ras-1 tablespoon

Method:

Heat oil in a pan. Add curry leaves, asafoetida, peanuts, mustard seeds. Cook till peanuts roasts a bit.

Add onions, peas, salt and turmeric. Cook till onions and peas turn soft.

Wash poha with water on a strainer very well. Strain the excess water.

Mix poha in the cooked onion. Cook covered for 1 minute.

Lastly add lime juice and sugar. Mix well. Cook covered for another 2 minutes. Garnish with chopped coriander leaves.

Serve hot.

Notes: You can add fresh grated coconut in the end for more authentic taste.

Other veggies like potatoes, tomatoes, carrots can also be added.

Taste: Tangy, spicy and crunchy breakfast.

Tricolour Capsicum Rice, Mumbai Street Food Style - Leftover Magic

Using leftover rice is easy when you have many vegetables in the fridge. Oh yes! All you have to do is chop all the vegetables and simply mix some spices to make Pulav. But lately I was not keeping well and had no strength to go and buy some vegetables. I had some leftover rice and three different coloured capsicums. Thus I made Pulav with it. I have made many kinds of rice on my blog but this one is kind of special.

Different coloured bell peppers or capsicum makes it look very vibrant. I used some pav bhaji masala to bring that authentic street food taste. I was amazed with the taste; I never thought it will be so good that I will blog about it. But trust me, sometimes less is better and this was the case here. Less vegetables and spices did the magic.

Ingredients:

2 cups cooked rice (I used leftover)

2 tablespoon cumin seeds/jeera

1 tablespoon oil

½ tablespoon Pav Bhaji masala

½ cup chopped bell peppers/capsicum/shimla mirch

Salt to taste

3 green chillies chopped

1 teaspoon lime juice

Method:

Heat oil in a pan. Once heated add cumin seeds and let it crackle.

Add chopped capsicum and green chillies. Let capsicum cook to the stage where it is slightly crunchy and yet soft.

Finally mix in rice, limejuice, pav baji masala and salt. Mix well.

Cook covered for 2-3 minutes.

Serve hot with curry, chutney, raita or pickle of your choice.

Notes:

I used leftover rice, but you can add freshly cooked rice well.

One can put any vegetables.

Try other massala like chola masala, sambhar masala, rajma masala instead of pav bhaji masala

Tatse:

Hot, crunchy and authentic Mumbai street food

Sending this for Independence Day Event at Cooking With SJ for Hudson giveway