Cheesy Potato Croquettes

NEVER be fooled by what you see on the outside, because on the inside it’s often a different story.Anonymous.

This recipe is being presented with the guarantee that kids of all ages will adore them(Even if the kid is 50 years old or…..1oo…or older). Really crispy on the outside while still being thick,gooey and cheesy on the inside. This can be served as an appetizer or as a dish on its own(if you’re like me and love crispy-cheesy stuff).

 

 Ingredients

Serves:24 small-sized croquettes

Croquettes:

• 1/2 kg potatoes boiled( Skins discarded)
• 4 0z (or half cup) cheddar cheese(Grated)
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp powdered black pepper
• Vegetable oil to fry

Breading:

• Breadcrumbs 
• 2 eggs beaten

Instructions

• Process potatoes in a food processor until a thick mash is form( do not over process)
• To this mash add the grated cheese, salt and pepper. Stir the potato-cheese mash with a spoon.
• Divide this into tiny tennis-size balls. With hands, tweak each ball to an oval shape.
• Now dip each ball in egg mixture, then coat in bread crumbs. Coat all the croquettes and keep in a plate.
• Finally deep fry potato croquettes on medium heat (take your time frying to give it a crisp cover) until golden brown and crispy.

 

Crispy Vegetarian Samosa

 

Ingredients(Serves 6)

For cover

• 1 1/4 cup refined flour
• salt to taste
• 2 tbsp ghee/clarified butter

For Filling

• 2 large potatoes boiled(slightly mashed with a spoon)
• 1 tsp crushed dried cumin seeds( to dry put on a low heated frying pan for a while.Crush with rolling pin)
• 1/2 tsp crushed dried pomegranate seeds(to dry put on a low heated frying pan for a while.Crush with rolling pin)
• salt to taste
• 1 tsp paprika
• 2 tbsp tamarind paste
• 1/2 tsp red chili powder
• 2 tbsp ghee/clarified butter(for stir frying)
• 3 green chilies chopped finely

How to go about it(Cover)

• Knead the flour, clarified butter and salt with a little water to make a firm dough. Cover this with a wet  cloth and set aside while we prepare our filling.

How to go about it( Filling)

• Set a frying pan on medium heat. Add the clarified butter. Add the potatoes and the rest of the ingredients in this pan. Stir for a while. Then dish out the filling.

A Step by step on how to put together the samosa

Here’s the filling

Divide your dough in lemon sized balls(just a bit larger than that).Then roll out each ball

Cut in two  halves

Fold into cones

Stuff the cones with filling

Make a back-bone of the samosa.This helps it stand.

Now overlap the side with backbone to the front side. Press to close the samosa

You have a samosa that stands

Deep fry all samosas .Initially fry on medium heat for 5 minutes. This will cook the dough inside out.

Then raise heat levels, and on high flame, cook until brown and crispy.

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Spicy Potato Cutlets (Aalo kebabs)

 I’m not very fond of  vegetarian dishes but these potato cutlets( or ‘aalo  kebabs’) are the best thing ever ,being vegetarian as well. They do very well inside a vegetarian burger, or with tortillas, parathas ,naan, with bread or on their own. Taste best when served with spicy mint-coriander chutney or with ketchup.This recipe makes an anticipated weekly appearance on our table despite my family comprising majorly of meat lovers……so yes, both non-vegetarians and vegetarians love these! 

What You Need(serves 6)

• 1/2 kg potatoes (boiled)
• 2 Green chilies chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh coriander leaves chopped
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 onion sliced
• 1/2 tsp red chili powder
• 1/2 tsp ginger garlic paste
• 1/2 tsp ground chili 
• Salt to taste
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1-2 eggs beaten
• (vegetable )oil to fry
• Gram flour(Or All-purpose flour)

How To Go About It

• Heat the vegetable oil on medium heat in a wok/frying pan.
• In a bowl mix the potatoes and all the ingredients(Except gram flour and eggs).  Take a spoon and mix thoroughly to make a mash. It is essential that no food processor/kitchenaid etc be used since it may over process the ingredients so cutlets won’t be able to hold their shape up.
• Then use your hands to shape the potato mix into kebabs/cutlets.
• Before frying each kabob, dip each one first in beaten egg(s) then coat in gram flour.
• Put each cutlet into the hot oil.
• Deep fry till crispy and golden-brown.
• Serve with mint coriander chutney or ketchup.
  

  This is how the mash should look like
  

  

   

Falafel- Middle Eastern Food

       Falafel is one of my very first memories of Saudi Arabia. And even now whenever I go there, I still have Falafel every other day. Sometimes on its on and on the other times in a Falafel Sandwich. The best part about it is the crunchy exterior and the comparatively soft interior( errr…….I’m not sounding like a foodie here. Rather like some interior designer describing a house). I’m fascinated by middle eastern recipes. And have learnt how to make hummus, falafel,babousa,mutabbaq etc, just by observing their kitchen counter action over many years. Anyway, just writing about is it bringing about nostalgia. I wish I could fly over there right now, in the middle of a very busy year.

Ingredients(For 15 falafel)

• 1 1/2  cup chickpeas(After having soaked overnight)
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 small onion chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 3 cloves garlic 
• 1 1/2 tbsp flour
• 1  tsp salt
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp red pepper
• Vegetable oil for frying

How to go about it

• Put all the ingredients in a food processor and process them. However, do not over process.
• Make balls (size as per desire) of the processed meal.
• Deep fry in a wok/pan till golden brown.(On Medium heat).
• Serve with  whipped yogurt or mint-coriander chutney. Or in a Falafel Sandwich.

Spicy Ladyfinger with Sauteed Potatoes & Tomatoes :Delicious Vegetarian Eating

    There’s a haunted looking tree in our backyard. Huge,with strange fruit growing all over it. It looks like an elongated version of a ladyfinger. Yet it looks dry….and creepy. Our Punjabi housekeeping lady told us that it was a vegetable called ‘hewra’, ‘chewra’ or something of the sort. She even took it to her home to cook it for her kids. I have been suspicious of this strange thing for a very long time. And sadly, I still am. Anyway, I’m trying to Google it these days. One day I will  come across its name and origin. Cooking  ladyfingers today reminded me of this strangely familiar specimen. I wonder if it’s from the ladyfinger family. Anyway, I’m still sniffing around for bits  of information. What is it? where does it come from? Does anyone eat it? Is it poisonous? Phew! Loads of questions and no answers. 

I’ve been doing some real thinking today about eating healthy. And I’ve decided that from now on greens will be an essential part of my diet. To make the eating a healthy one. Obviously there will be comfort foods( no one touches my comfort food!) but there will be veggies too. I’m a normal weight (quite well under my BMI)  thanks to my metabolism but I’ve decided that this will not mean that I will eat unhealthy stuff. I will alternate and do a little bit of detoxification now and then. This is my new year resolution(One I shall stick to InshaAllah!). Therefore today  I cooked some delicious ladyfingers in steamed potatoes, tomatoes and onions. Who’d have thought this would be so utterly lovely tasting? Washed it down with my favorite red grape juice.

Ingredients:

• 1/4 kg Ladyfingers chopped into round rings
• 3 potatoes chopped into small even pieces
• 2 tomatoes chopped into small bits
• 1 onion finely sliced
• 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
• Salt to taste
• 2 pieces garam masala ( Or oregano powder 1 tsp)
• 3 Green Chilies
• 2 tsp Ground red chili 
• 2 tsp black cumin seeds
• 1/4 cup fresh yogurt
• vegetable oil to saute

Instructions:

• Add 1/4  tbsp vegetable oil into a pan. Turn on low heat. Add Onions to it. Add potatoes to it. Cover the pan and let these grow a bit tender for 10 minutes . Then add the tomatoes. 

• Cover the pan with a lid and let the potatoes, onions and tomatoes simmer for another 5 -7 minutes. Then open the lid and crush only the tomatoes with a spoon. The tomatoes will release juices which will then simmer. Cover the lid and leave it for 10 minutes to simmer on low heat.

• Before the next step check if your potatoes are nearly tender. Do this by taste testing one piece. Add spices and mix. Then add the chopped ladyfingers.

• Cover the lid and let it cook for 10 minutes. Then add 1/4 cup fresh yogurt. Stir the yogurt into it. Let it cook for 5 minutes.  Garnish with green chilies. Serve with tortillas or in burritos.

Does Red Grape juice count as a Green?   -__-