Spiced Chai - The Veritable 'cuppa tea'

Chai is simply the generic word for tea in Hindi and many other languages around the world, and was adopted into British slang as "cha" or "char".  Although coffee is a more popular beverage in South India, Chai is ubiquitous throughout South Asia, where street vendors called "chai wallahs" can be found on almost every street.
The traditional chai-brewing process boils or simmers the tea leaves over sustained heat, instead of steeping them in preheated water as it cools down. 
The simplest traditional method of preparing 'spiced chai' or 'masala chai' is to actively simmer or boil a mixture of milk and water with loose leaf tea, sweeteners, and whole spices. Indian markets all over the world sell various brands of "chai masala," for this purpose, though many households blend their own. The solid tea and spice residues are strained off from the chai before serving.
The method may vary according to taste or local custom: for example, some households may combine all of the ingredients together at the start, bring the mixture to a boil, then immediately strain and serve; others may leave the mixture simmering for a longer amount of time, or begin by bringing the tea leaves to a boil and only add the spices toward the end (or vice-versa). There is no fixed recipe for masala chai and many families have their own versions of the tea. The tea leaves steep in the hot water long enough to extract intense flavor. Because of the large range of possible variations, masala chai can be considered a class of tea rather than a specific kind. However, all masala chai has the following four basic components: Tea, Milk, Sweetener and spices
Here is my favorite recipe for Masala Chai.  Try it out and tell me what you think!

HOT SPICED TEA
Serves 2

Ingredients:
2 tsp black tea leaves or dust.
2 cups water
1/2 cup milk
1 inch fresh ginger, crushed or 1/2 tsp ginger powder
1/4 tsp cardomom powder
1/4 tsp black pepper powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
1/4 tsp fennel powder
Sugar or sweetener to taste

Method:
In a saucepan, add water and all the spices and bring to a boil. Lower the heat to medium, add the tea leaves and simmer for a few minutes.  Add milk, and bring to a boil. As soon as it boils,turn off the heat, and cover the saucepan for 2 minutes.  Pour the tea through a strainer, into 2 cups.  If the tea looks too strong, add a little milk, until it is a creamy red/brown color.  Add sweetener, stir and enjoy!

Authors note:
I like to use fresh ginger and freshly ground spices in my tea, for best flavor, however ready ground spices can be used. Ready Chai masala is conveniently available in Indian Stores. For a simpler variation, try using just the ginger ( omit all the other spices).  Hot Ginger tea is soooo good to drink during these cold winter months and is great for a cough and cold.

Potatoes with Fenugreek

Also called Aaloo Methi, This poular Indian dish is is so tasty that you will find it difficult to stop eating once you start! I guarantee that it will be a hit dish to serve at a dinner party.  You would think that this dish would be really bitter, but it is not bitter at all. The spices offset the flavor beautifully.Fenugreek is used both as a herb (the leaves) and as a spice (the seed). It is cultivated worldwide as a semi-arid crop. It is frequently used in Indian cooking. This dish can be made dry or served slightly mashed. Both versions are shown.  Serve this dish with hot naans or rotis - and experience the flavor!  

POTATOES WITH FENUGREEK

Serves 4

1 1/2 cup fresh or frozen fenugreek leaves (cleaned, washed and finely chopped)
2-3 Potatoes medium peeled and cut into cubes, or mashed for a softer texture.

1 onion,chopped
1 medium tomato,chopped

1-2 flakes of garlic,crushed

1 inch ginger, crushed.

Salt To Taste
1/4 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp cumin seeds 

2 green chillis

2 whole dry red chillis cut into pieces(optional)
2-3 tbsp vegetable oil

Shown above is the dry version - using chopped boiled potatoes.


Method:

Heat the oil, add onion, crushed garlic, crushed ginger and fry until brown. Add cumin seeds,green chillis and dry red chillis.

When cumin seeds sputter and chillis turn slightly brown add turmeric, chilli powder and chopped tomato. Sauté for a few minutes

Now add potatoes and salt, and mix well. Cover and cook till potatoes are half done on a medium flame- add a little water if necessary.

Add fenugreek leaves and cook on a medium flame till done and till water is fully absorbed.

Serve the aloo methi hot with chapatis or naans.

Author's Note:

It is easier to use frozen fenugreek leaves- available in any Indian Store. They are already cleaned and chopped. Adjust the chillis to make this dish as hot/mild as you like. If you don't have any fresh or dry chillis, try using chilli powder or paprika instead.  This dish can be made with out the onion as well, however I find that the crunch of the onion adds to the flavor and texture of this dish.

Tandoori Chicken - Clay Oven Roasted Chicken

Chicken Tandoori is a roasted Indian chicken delicacy. The chicken is marinated in yogurt and spices and seasoned with tandoori masala powder. It is moderately hot/spicy, but the heat is toned down to a mild taste if necessary. Cayenne pepper, red chili powder or usually Kashmiri red chilli powder is used to give it a fiery red hue. A higher amount of Turmeric produces an orange color. In some modern versions, both red and yellow food colourings are used. It is traditionally cooked at high temperatures in a clay oven (tandoor), but since we all (read I) don't always have access to one - it can also be prepared on a traditional Charcoal or gas grill.

Tandoori Chicken is said to have originated with a man named Kundan Lal Gujral, who ran a restaurant called Moti Mahal in Northern India, before the partition of British India.  While trying out new recipes to keep his patrons interested, Gujral tried cooking chicken in tandoors (clay ovens) used by locals until then to cook naans (bread). The tandoors are bell-shaped ovens, set into the earth and fired with wood or charcoal reaching temperatures of about 900 degrees. Gujral was able to cook the tender chickens in these ovens making them succulent inside and crispy outside.
After the partition in 1947 Gujral found himself one among many Hindu refugees fleeing the rioting in the North, soon to become Pakistan,  by moving to India. He moved his restaurant to Delhi- which became the Capital of India.
The fame of Tandoori Chicken led to many derivatives like Chicken Tikka (small cubes of chicken marinated, and then roasted on a skewer) and eventually the Indian dish popularized in Britain - Chicken Tikka Masala, commonly found in menus in Indian restaurants all over the world
When I was in India, I never felt the need to make Tandoori Chicken at home, since it was so easily available all over the country.  Now, here in the US, I found myself yearning for the taste of Authentic Tandoori Chicken.  So began my search  - and here is what I came up with after many trials and different recipes - to be closest in taste.  Of course the wonderful taste of the clay oven with its glowing coals, can not be reproduced by the grill, but it comes darn near when using a good charcoal grill.  In a pinch, I have used the gas grill for parties with great results too!

TANDOORI CHICKEN:

INGREDIENTS:
1 (3-pound) chicken, cut into serving pieces, skinned and trimmed of all visible fat 
1/2 cup plain yogurt
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice or malt vinegar
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon peeled and grated or crushed ginger root
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
Vegetable  or Olive oil, for brushing
Fresh chopped cilantro to garnish
Slices of  red onion, tomato and lemon, for garnish

METHOD:
Prick the flesh of the chicken all over with a fork. Then, using a sharp knife, cut slashes in the flesh to allow the marinade to penetrate. Place the chicken in a large, plastic or glass shallow dish - or zip-lock bag.
In a glass bowl, combine the yogurt, lemon juice or vinegar, garlic, ginger, cumin, ground coriander, cayenne pepper, cardamom, cloves, black pepper and salt. Stir until well-mixed, then pour the mixture over the chicken and rub it into the flesh, turning the chicken several times. Cover and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight. Remove the chicken from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before cooking.
The chicken may be grilled on charcoal or gas or roasted in an oven. If using a charcoal grill, prepare a fire for direct-heat cooking. Position the grill rack 5 inches from the fire. Allow the coals to burn until white ash covers them and the heat is moderate.
Remove the chicken from the marinade, pressing lightly to extract excess marinade, and brush with oil. Place the chicken pieces on a well-oiled grill rack and; grill, covered, with the vents open, turning 3 or 4 times, 45 minutes or until the juices run clear when a piece is pierced near the bone with a knife. 
If roasting, preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place the chicken on a rack in a roasting pan, brush with oil, and cook, turning once, 25 to 30 minutes until the juices run clear when a piece is pierced near the bone with a knife.
Serve with slices of grilled red onion, green pepper, tomato,chopped cilantro, lemon juice and cilantro chutney.

AUTHOR"S NOTE:
You can easily grill Tandoori chicken on a gas grill.  You will find that gas cooks them more evenly and quicker.  Left over tandoori chicken makes a wonderful  Chicken Salad. Simply cut into cubes/strips and add low fat mayo, celery, salt, pepper and parsley flakes.(Or add your own choice of salad mix).

CREAMY FALOODA MILK SHAKE

Falooda or Faluda can be called the equivalent of the term 'Sundae' and is a popular everage in South Asia made primarily by mixing rose syrup with vermicelli and tapioca seeds along with either milk or water. Falooda is an adaptation of the Middle Eastern dessert 'Faloodeh' and was brought to the Indian subcontinent during the Mughal Empire rule. Basil seeds, tutti frutti, sugar, and ice cream may be added. The rose syrup may be substituted with another flavored base to produce kesar (saffron), mango, chocolate, and fig Falooda.

Falooda is a summer drink throughout India, Pakistan, SriLanka, Iran, Iraq, Bangladesh and Middle Eastern countries and is readily available in hotels and on Beach stalls. A variant is falooda kulfi, where falooda and kulfi- a special kind of Ice cream - are served together with a syrup. Falooda is very similar to the Thai drink Nam Manglak, which is made from basil seeds mixed with sugar, water, and rose water. It is also easily available in Indian Restaurants world wide.

Growing up I remember it as a dessert treat, and I cannot recall a single person who does not like at least one version of it.

FALOODA
Serves 2

Ingredients:

Whole Milk or Low Fat Milk - 2 cups
Basil Seeds – 1/2 - 1 tsp
Vanilla Ice Cream – 1/2 cup
Vermicelli – handful
Rose or Saffron Syrup – 5 tbsp (Saffron Syrup recipe below)
Sugar – 1 1/2 tbsp or to taste
Cardamom Powder - 1 pinch
Pistachios – 1 tsp (coarsely ground), to garnish
Strawberry Jello - Readymade, or Homemade
Vanilla Ice Cream or Indian Kulfi- 2 1/2 scoops, for serving

Method:
Soak the basil seeds in water for 30 mins - 2 hours. Boil 2 cups of water and add vermicelli - boil for 3 minutes. Heat the milk and bring to a slow boil. Add cardamom powder, sugar and rose syrup to the milk and mix well. Strain the vermicelli and add it to the milk. Cool to room temperature, and place in the refrigerator for a few hours. Strain the basil seeds and add to the chilled milk mixture. Now add 1/2 scoop of Vanilla Ice Cream or Malai Kulfi and dissolve it in the milk.
In a couple of tall glasses, add 1 scoop of vanilla ice cream or Kulfi and then pour the chilled milk mixture over it. Insert a long spoon and garnish with the coarsely ground pistachios and serve immediately.

Authors Note:
Rose Syrup is easily available in many Indian Stores(try the Ruh Afzah brand), but Saffron syrup is easily made at home, and is really tasty. Vermicelli and Basil Seeds are readily available in any Store. Kulfi can be made at home, and I will cover this in another Recipe, but it is also easily available in Indian Stores. Kulfi comes in a variety of flavors - Malai or Cream, Rose, Tutti Fruiti, Kesar(Safron) or Pistachio - just take your pick.

Saffron Syrup - Steep a pinch of saffron in some hot water, then simmer it in a pot with equal parts saffron water and sugar until it thickens into a simple syrup. Strain and discard the saffron, then chill the syrup. This will keep for a very long time in the fridge.

Curry Powder 101

Curry Powder - Every store has it, everyone has heard of it, but what is it? Amazingly, some say it is a Western creation!
Used for centuries in Indian cooking, authentic Indian curry powder is freshly ground each day and can vary dramatically depending on the region and the cook. Curry powder is actually a pulverized blend of up to 20 spices, herbs and seeds. Among those most commonly used are cardamom, chilis, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, cumin, fennel seed, fenugreek, mace, nutmeg, red and black pepper, poppy and sesame seeds, saffron, tamarind and turmeric (the latter is what gives curried dishes their characteristic yellow color). Commercial curry powder--which bears little resemblance to the freshly ground blends of India--comes in two basic styles: standard, and the hotter of the two, "Madras" curry powder.


My mother always kept a spice tin handy, with most used common spices stored together. She gave me and my sisters a similar tin when we got married, and I find that it is so useful! When I add spices to my recipes - all I need to do is just grab one tin. Easy Peasy!

The most popular dish, which uses this spice, not only as an ingredient but in the name too - is 'Chicken curry'. A common delicacy in South Asia, East Asia, as well as in the UK and India - A typical Chicken Curry consists of chicken in an onion and tomato based sauce, flavored with ginger, garlic, chillis and a variety of spices, often including cumin, cinnamon, cardamom and cloves. Chicken curry is sometimes made with a pre-made curry powder which is easily available in Indian Stores and most Grocery Stores. This simplifies the cooking considerably. I use these pre-made powders quite often. Yogurt or coconut milk can be added to both thicken the sauce and combat the spiciness.
In some places the terms Chicken Curry and Curry Chicken are interchangeable. However, in some regions there is a difference between the two terms, even though both dishes include curry and chicken. This difference of naming is purely local.

CHICKEN CURRY:
Ingredients:
3 tablespoons canola or vegetable oil
1 small onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cardamom
1 teaspoon paprika or chilli powder
black pepper powder
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
1 large potato, cubed (optional)
salt to taste
2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves cut into bite-size pieces
1 large tomato, chopped or1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 cup plain yogurt (optional)
1/2 lemon, juiced
Fresh chopped cilantro (optional)

Method:
Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Saute onion until lightly browned. Stir in garlic, ginger, tomatoes or tomato paste, bay leaves, and saute for a few minutes. Add potato cubes, curry powder, cinnamon, cardamom, pepper powder, paprika or chilli powder and salt. Continue stirring for 2 minutes. Add chicken pieces and yogurt if using. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes until both chicken and potatoes are done. Remove bay leaves, stir in lemon juice and garnish with cilantro.

Author's note:
Don't stress if you don't have one or more of these spices in your pantry. Chicken curry will taste wonderful even if you skip say, the cinnamon, or the cardamom powder. However, be sure to add an extra tsp. of curry powder to make up for this. Chicken curry is traditionally eaten with rice or rotis, but tastes wonderful with any plain bread, or on pasta too.

Simple Turmeric Chicken

Nearly all the world's turmeric is produced in India, and 80% of this is consumed in India. Quite obviously, we may deduce that Turmeric is rather uniquely Indian, as perhaps no other foodstuff may be.

India is said to have a very low incidence of Alzheimers Disease, and Turmeric consumption is considered to be one of the reasons. Turmeric is a deep yellow-to-orange powder that comes from roots of plants that are of the ginger family. The roots are boiled for hours, dried for days or weeks, then powdered. Almost all Indian recipes include tumeric, and it is widely used in India.

As a child, I remember my mother giving me a large hot glass of milk with a teaspoon of turmeric and some sugar mixed into it. It helps to ease the cough. I often suffered from Asthma attacks, and this milk really soothed my throat. She also mixed turmeric powder and olive oil or cooking oil to make a thick paste, and put on our skin over wounds, bites, bruises,etc, and then covered the area with a bandage and left it on for several hours, to help heal the wound. It washes off and the yellow color disappears quickly.

Tumeric can be found in American supermarkets. If you get it in a bottle in the spice section of the market, however, it will cost you a few dollars. If you look for the section of spices that are in clear envelopes, it should cost under a dollar. In Indian markets, you get much more for your money, naturally.

• Turmeric is truly a versatile food and nutritional supplement as well.
• Turmeric is seen as an excellent natural antibiotic, while strengthenening digestion. Not only does it purify the blood, but also warms it and stimulates formation of new blood tissue.
• Turmeric promotes proper metabolism in the body, correcting both excesses and deficiencies. It aids in the digestion of protein. It is tonic to the skin, for which purpose it can be taken internally as a milk decoction.
• It is antiarthritic and acts as a natural anti-bacterial. Turmeric may be added to high-protein food to assist digestion and prevent the formation of gas.

With all these benefits, I thought I would post a recipe which calls for turmeric as a main ingredient. This recipe is so simple, and I was astonished at how tasty it turns out to be! It will have you licking your fingers!

SIMPLE TUMERIC CHICKEN

Ingredients:

3 tbsp soy sauce
3 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp coriander powder
1tsp black pepper powder

1 tbsp chili powder or chili flakes (optional or to taste)
3-4 large cloves freshest garlic- minced (use less if you aren't a garlic person)
1 chicken, (about 4 lb) or 8 chicken drumsticks
2 Tbsp turmeric powder
Spring oninon greens for garnish

Method:
Mix the soy sauce, olive oil, pepper, coriander powder, curry leaves and garlic in a bowl. Rinse the chicken well, dry it, and cut up into 2 breasts, 2 drumsticks, 2 thighs, 2 wings, and the back cut in half. Put the turmeric in a large plastic bag with NO holes ( or large ziploc bag), then put in the chicken, twist the bag closed but leave lots of air in it, and shake the chicken to coat it with turmeric. Do this over the sink, in case turmeric spills. Remove from bag, and roll the chicken in the soy sauce/olive oil mixture.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 55 - 60 minutes, turning chicken once, and basting with left over mixture every 15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Serve hot, garnished with spring onion greens.

Authors Note:
Hands down, this is simply the most delicious chicken in the world. You can also do this with just chicken wings, making a very tasty hors d'oeuvre.

Naan Bread

The 'Naan' is a leavened, oven-baked flatbread. It is one of the most popular varieties of South Asian breads and is particularly popular in northern India, Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan.
Originally, naan is a generic term for various flat-breads from different parts of the world. In Turkic languages, such as Uzbek, Kazakh and Uyghur, the flat-breads are known as nan. The name stems from (New) Persian . In Burmese, flat-breads are known as nan bya. It is known to the Chinese as náng.
The most familiar and readily available varieties of "naan" in UK (and other Western countries)are the South-Asian ones. The Naan is cooked in a 'tandoor' - or clay oven, from which 'tandoori' cooking takes its name. This distinguishes it from the roti which is usually cooked on a flat or slightly concave iron griddle called a 'tava'.
Typically, the naan will be served hot and brushed with ghee or butter. It can be used to scoop other foods, or served stuffed with a filling. Possible seasonings in the dough include cumin and nigella seeds. Raisins and spices can be added to the bread to add to the flavour. Naan can also be covered with various toppings of meat, vegetables, and/or cheese. This version is sometimes prepared as fast food. It can also be dipped into such "soups" as 'dal' and goes well with veggies
Naan is also a popular breakfast choice, buttered and served usually with tea or coffee.

All my life, I thought that making Naans would be a difficult and tedious procedure, which couldn't be accomplished without a 'tandoor' clay oven. But recently, I came across a recipe, that explained how to make the bread in a regular oven, with no special equipment or ingredients other than active dry yeast. It seemed deceptively simple, and I sceptically set out to try it for myself. Imagine my pleasure and amazement when my endeavour yielded wonderfully soft and tasty naan bread, at the fraction of the cost, and very little effort. Warning! Your family may just crave for it every day :) .....Try it for yourself and be sure to let me know how yours turns out....







NAAN BREAD
Makes approx 6-7 naans.

Ingredients
2 cups All purpose flour
2 tsp Instant active dry yeast or 1 tsp baking powder
1 cup water OR 1 cup milk
4 tbsp yoghurt (optional)
1 tsp Oil
1 tsp Salt or to taste
1 tsp sugar
1 egg (optional)
6 cloves garlic, minced (optional)
a handful of cilantro (optional)

Method
Sieve the flour into a bowl. In a small cup, add 1 cup warm water to dry yeast, along with 1 tsp of sugar to activate the yeast, and set aside until it foams. Add oil and salt to the flour, and mix well with yeast and water. Now add a water little at a time to make a very soft dough. The dough should be slightly sticky - definitely not dry.
If the dough sticks to hand too much, then use rub a little oil on your hand and punch into dough.
To make the naans, preheat the oven to 500 degrees and set it to broil. Make six - seven balls from the dough, and with the help of a rolling pin, and some flour, roll them out into oval shapes. If you are using garlic/cilantro or some other topping, sprinkle the topping onto the naans. Change the oven setting to bake, and place the bread on a cookie sheet, and into the oven. Flip each of the naans in 2 min. When the other side is golden,(approx 45 secs)brush with butter and serve immediately.


Authors notes:
The yoghurt/milk/eggs are optional, but if used, they make richer, softer naans. I usually make do with yoghurts and skip the milk and eggs and get great results. Use your imagination and sprinkle any topping you desire - cumin, nigella seeds, parsley, onions, chilli flakes etc. This will ensure a different taste each time! If you have a pizza stone, use it instead of the cookie sheet, and your naans will puff up nicely, and become lighter.
Naan bread can be used as a pizza crust! Slather on your sauce and toppings, and it tastes wonderful and is lighter than regular pizza crust. Alternately, it makes a good wrap for sandwich. However you try it - you are going to fall for this bread!

Spicy Scrambled Eggs

Some Sundays I like to prepare a quick light dinner, so that we can get to bed early for the next week. As far as possible I like to keep Sunday nights and weeknights vegetarian (I always categorize eggs as vegetarian LOL) One of the dishes made on Sundays (or even weekdays) is a spicy scrambled egg dish. Its a quick one pot dish, and can be made in a jiffy. (Except when it is made by my hubby Pramod, who will take ages to cook anything. (I swear he could manage to take an hour just to boil an egg).
This spicy scrambled egg recipe - Egg Bhurji,as it is known in India, is a dish popular in north and western India. Its preparation and appearance are similar to scrambled eggs. The difference lies in the addition of sauteed chopped onions, chilies, and optional spices. Paneer- a type of cottage cheese, may substitute for the eggs.





There are two variations of this dish, and here I have posted one of them. All you need for this easy scrambled egg dish is a few basic food staples from the fridge - I like to use a couple of eggs, and mix them with egg beaters for a healthier version:

SPICY SCRAMBLED EGGS
Serves 4

Ingredients:
8 large Eggs, beaten (or equivalent egg beaters)
2 large onions
1 large or 2 small tomatoes
3-4 chopped green thai or cayenne chillis to taste(optional)
1 tsp whole cumin
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1-2 tbsp canola or olive oil
1 1/2 tsp cumin powder
1 1/2 tsp coriander powder
1 tsp chilli powder
a handful of chopped cilantro to garnish

Method:
In a large frying pan heat the oil and add turmeric powder, cumin powder, coriander powder and green chillis. Add the onions. Fry until just transparent. Add the tomatoes and fry some more. Add the chillis and the beaten eggs. mix well and keep scrambling until the scrambled egg mixture is dry. Turn off the heat and add chopped cilantro.

Authors note:
Serve this dish just as you would any other scrambled eggs - with or on toast, with sausages, on hash browns - or try rolling up into a wrap. Boiled potatoes cut into small cubes and added after the onions will make the eggs more filling and tastes yummy for all those potato lovers. Peas, carrots, green pepper spinach and almost any other veggies can go into the bhurji (along with the onions) and they make the bhurji taste awesome while simultaneously increasing the health meter. Just make sure that these veggies are finely chopped, so that they fuse with the dish. This is an incredibly simple, wholesome and tasty dish. It can be eaten for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

Potato Patties with Yellow pea stew

Colloquially called 'Ragda patties', this dish is a popular Indian fast food or snack commonly found in Mumbai. It is usually found for sale with roadside vendors or stalls. This dish is cooked in two parts -ragda, a yellow pea stew or soup and patties - a 'pancake-like' potato cake. (The word originally refers to 'patties' heaped around a large griddle- ready to be fried before serving). Ragda is prepared by soaking dried yellow peas overnight in water to make them soft, and so easier to cook. After about 8 hours of soaking the old water is discarded. Fresh water is added and the peas are pressure cooked until the peas are soft to touch. The peas are then mixed with mashed potatoes, formed into patties and pan-fried.

Two or three of these patties are covered with the stew-like ragda as a sauce and garnished with finely chopped onions, coriander leaves, spicy chutney and sweet sauce. The yellow peas are easily found in Indian stores, however, they can easily be substituted by chickpeas or green peas, which are more readily available in the US.

POTATO CAKES WITH YELLOW PEA STEW

Ingredients:
For the patties:
3 Potatoes
1/2 tbsp cilantro finely chopped
1/2 tbsp garam masala or curry powder
1/4 tbsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/4 cup bread crumbs
Oil

For the yellow pea stew:
1/2 tbsp Ginger/Garlic Paste
Dried yellow peas or canned chickpeas
2-3 tbsp canola oil
1 large Onion, finely chopped
2-3 green chillis
1/2 tbsp Garam Masala or curry powder
1/4 tbsp Turmeric powder
1/2 tbsp cumin powder
1/2 tblsp Red chili powder
Handful of chopped fresh cilantro
A few tsps of French fried onions

Method:
Boil & peel potatoes, and in a bowl, mash them well. Add ginger/garlic paste, cumin powder, coriander powder, turmeric powder and salt. Mix and knead well into a dough.
Now, add the bread crumbs and knead well. Divide the dough into balls and flatten each ball on top to make a patty. Heat oil in a large pan,and shallow fry the prepared patties in very little oil(just a few tbsps) till golden brown and crispy on both sides. Place the patties on a knapkin to drain excess oil.
For the pea stew, wash and soak yellow peas for about 6 - 8 hours (if using dried yellow peas) and cook the peas in a pressure cooker till soft. (If using canned chickpeas, then omit this step)
Heat oil in a kadai, add chopped onions, fry till the onions are light golden brown. Add ginger garlic paste, turmeric powder, garam masala powder, chat masala powder, red chilli powder, salt and fry for 30 seconds. Add the cooked peas, or canned chickpeas, enough water and mix well. Cover and cook on medium heat for 3-4 minutes.

To Serve:
Arrange two potato cakes-patties on a serving plate, and pour the stew onto the patties. Sprinkle with chopped raw onions, french fried onions and chopped cilantro leaves. Serve hot.

Author's Note:
Traditionally, some sev - a fried chickpea flour snack, is sprinkled on top as well, to add some crunch. However, french - fried onions are a good substitute and more easily available.

Zesty Bread Cups

It's always such a difficult project to keep thinking up new, healthy and wholesome snacks to feed ravenous kids these day, especially when they are home for the holidays! My son is in his early teens - the growing stage - and has a voracious appetite. All he seems to think about is food - and wants variety to boot!
My mother adept at creating a huge assortment of foods for us when we came home from school, and during the holidays. I remember her churning out oodles of food for us at a moments notice - albeit, these snacks were not always healthy :) . Unfortunately for me, I have not inherited this wonderful ability from her - but I do keep trying. This delicious and healthy snack bread cups recipe is an adaptation from one of my favorite Chefs - Tarla Dalal, who invents wonderful vegetarian recipes.

Zesty Bread Cups
Makes about 10 cups.

Ingredients:
8 slices of whole wheat bread
3 tsp low fat butter or olive oil
1-2 cups sweetcorn. cooked
1/4 cup chopped onions or scallions
1/4 cup chopped green/red bell pepper
1-2 finely chopped green chillis (to taste)
1 cup low fat milk
1 tbsp cornflour
1-2 tsp olive oil
salt to taste
dash of paprika or chilli powder (optional)
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese or any of your choice

Method:
Remove crust from the slices of bread, and steam then in a steamer for about 8 minutes. Roll out each slice to flatten it a bit with a rolling pin, and press gently into the cavity of a greased muffin tin, or a muffin cup. Brush each slice with melted butter or olive oil, and bake in a preheated oven at 400 deg F, for about 8-10 mins until crisp and golden brown.
In a pan, add the oil and saute the onions until golden. Add the green pepper and green chillis and saute a few minutes. Add the corn, milk, cornflour, salt and paprika & cook until the mixture thickens. Fill a little of the mixture into each toast and sprinkle with cheese. Bake at 400 deg F for 5 - 10 mins until the cheese melts.

Authors note:
This dish makes a great healthy snack, starter or hors d'oeuvre. The ingredients can easily be substituted with your own favorite cooked vegetables. This recipe is vegetarian, but chopped, cooked ham or chicken could easily be incorporated for variety!