Paneer pops | Cottage cheese fritters

Friday's are fun days but ever since we had the rains in December there's been school every Saturday and its continuing through this month too. Usually I prefer to make home made snacks. 

This recipe uses home made paneer. I'm using the blogger app and unable to figure out how to include the link here so pls do check out the blog how to basics tab to find to make home made paneer. 

Preparation time : 15 mins 

You need

Potato 1 small

Paneer/ cottage cheese 1/2cup grated

Ginger garlic paste 1/4 tsp

Salt to taste 

Coriander leaves 2 tablespoon chopped finely 

Lemon juice 1 tsp

Chili powder 1/4 tsp 

Bread crumbs 1/2 cup

Oil to deep fry 

- Boil and peel potato , grate paneer. In a bowl add the rest of the ingredients except oil and mix well. Check for salt. 

- heat oil in a deep vessel. Shape the mixture into small balls or flat pellets as you like. 

- fry the balls until golden brown and drain on kitchen towels. 

- serve hot with tomato sauce. 

Enjoy crispy healthy snacks that kids will love. 

Susiyam - deep fried lentil stuffed fritters

 We got back from our holiday and i have been lazing around to be frank and kept wondering if i would even come back to my lovely blog ever.Tonight i decided i had enough of this hiatus and i should put in some love to the dear blog.More than blogging now i miss taking pictures.Wonder if fellow bloggers are ever in this situation.

 

Parupu vadai | Masala Chana dal vadai | Lentil fritters

Its really cold here in Chennai right now.I go to pick my daughter and feel like having my tea usually make some dosa or bread toasts for the hungry kid I'm surprised to see how she digs in when she gets back at times.While everyone is posting baking recipes for the season this might seem out of place.My laptop is broken and sicne my parents were visiting i had truck loads of stuff to get over with and didn't make sense making or baking anymore with us leaving shortly for our Xmas break.Also after a while today my keyboard is giving me an easy day to type else with my hero banging it up i had a tough time typing my posts i almost lost interest in writing anything.

Rajma Bhaji/ Red Kidney bean fritters

We have school till 4 pm this year on.I feel the child is at school more than at home nowadays.Poor children do go through a lot of stress at such young ages here.But the good thing is now we have a two day weekend unlike earlier when even saturday was working which was even worse, the dad being at home the child going to school!!This is the first snack i made after the summer vacation!I think I am officially back in mood to cook!!

My DH is not a big fan of rajma dishes and so I had about half a cup of rajma beans lying around.I soaked it and thought I should try rajma burgers but then this is what i made out of it.It was a really nice accident and I love it when I have tasty end products to trials in the kitchen.

I am actually confused as i write this if it should be called rajma vadas/bondas or bhajjis!Anyway whatever be the name it tasted pretty good and I know i will make it again!

Preparation Time : 20 minutes
Makes 6 bonda/bhaji

You need

Rajma/ red kidney beans half a cup soaked for 10-12 hours or more
Onion 1 small finely chopped
Coriander leaves a few sprigs chopped finely
Crushed ginger 1 tsp
Crushed garlic 1 tsp
Rawa/semolina 2 tsps
Salt to taste
Garam masala powder 1 tsp
Besan/gram flour 5 tablespoons
Red chilli powder 1/2 tsp

Oil to deep fry

• Soak the rajma beans overnight(i did the previous day afternoon itself) and pressure cook with very little water until soft,once cooled run it in the blender until roughly broken.(not a smooth paste)
• To this add the rest of the ingredients all but besan.
• Make small balls out of this and leave to rest.
• Now heat oil in a pan to deep fry.
• IN a small bowl, add the besan and enough water to make a thick batter with salt and red chilli powder mixed to it.
• Coat each of the rajma balls in the besan batter and drop them into hot oil, deep fry until golden brown.
• Drain them onto kitchen towels.

Serve hot and yummy rajma bhaji/vada with tomato sauce and a hot cup of tea!!

Sending this to Dish it out @ Cooks joy and Ramadhan and Eid recipe party @ The cooking doctor

Rajma Bhaji/ Red Kidney bean fritters

We have school till 4 pm this year on.I feel the child is at school more than at home nowadays.Poor children do go through a lot of stress at such young ages here.But the good thing is now we have a two day weekend unlike earlier when even saturday was working which was even worse, the dad being at home the child going to school!!This is the first snack i made after the summer vacation!I think I am officially back in mood to cook!!

Sweet potato sticks

School has closed for two weeks here after the final exams and we are always on the lookout for munchies.My LM just loves them straight out of packets the more happier she is.So I'm trying to supply her with snacks healthy ones ofcourse made at home.We all agree even if its a deep fried one, home made is the best.

We recently started buying a lot of roots and some days she has a good helping but other days her same old no no face.So these sticks almost half and more of a medium sized sweet potato went in with no qualms.

Soya bean masala Vada

Vadas or vadais are a common snack in South India.Most famous being the parupu/bengal gram ones and the medhu/black lentil vadas.I just tried the parupu vadai with the soya beans they were a big hit and also I though it was much easier to use up the soya bean than the usual gravy or sabji.

With the winter moving away fast, having a hot tea and a snack to go along with it is just an excuse.I wonder if its only me or anyone else too whose tummy tells them its 4.These days since i pick my daughter from school at 3 i'm hungry at 330 and have my evening tea then!

My DH got soya beans a month ago I wasn;t sure how a gravy would taste out f it but I tried that too which i didn't like too much though.So i have a packet of beans to get over with.I remember my mom used to grind soya beans along with whole wheat to make chapathi atta she tells me it makes the rotis really soft and ofcourse more fibre.

 You need

Soya beans (Soaked for 10-12 hours) half cup
Oil to deep fry

To make the batter

Small/sambar onions 5-6
Green chillies 1/2
Ginger a small piece
Garlic 2 pods
Salt to taste
Cumin/jeera seeds 1 tsp

• Soak the soya beans for 10-12 hours.Drain the soaked beans completely.
• In a blender with the remaining ingredients grind it to a course mix.You need not add more water as the onions and the soaked beans provide enough moisture to blend the beans.
• Mix well with your hands.Shape them into small balls then flatten it with you fingers.
• Heat oil in a pan, drop the vadas and fry until golden brown on both sides.
• Enjoy hot spicy vadas with tea!

 Tea and vada anyone :)

Soya bean masala Vada

Vadas or vadais are a common snack in South India.Most famous being the parupu/bengal gram ones and the medhu/black lentil vadas.I just tried the parupu vadai with the soya beans they were a big hit and also I though it was much easier to use up the soya bean than the usual gravy or sabji.

Cheesy Pasta Pops

Have you any leftover cooked pasta?Then this what you should try :)
If you are looking for a quick party pleaser look no further!Pasta is my all time favourite lunch or breakfast item but I never thought it would become my 4 o'clock snack ideal too!

I have to go pick my LM at 3 and so i feel hungry at 330pm these days so i end up having an early tea and some snacks.I feel guilty having biscuits and stuff so I have decided to have something healthy for a snack.This is fried now but its a rainy day so i guess thats an excuse to have a fried snack!

 

 This is no hi fi recipe but it definitely tastes super good.Kids will absolutely love this.

Preparation time : 15 minutes

You need

Cooked pasta 1 cup any shape(I used elbows)
Bread slices 2
Cheese 1 tablespoon
Chilli powder 1/2 tsp

Oil to deep fry

• Add pasta to boiling water and cook it with some salt and oil so it doesn't stick to each other or like i do add it to a pressure cooker and cook it for 2 whistles(that's not the traditional way to cook it i know)
• Cook pasta and drain the water and keep aside.
• Mix chilli powder, cheese into the cooked pasta.Mix well.
•  Dip bread slices in some cold water and squeeze the water out.Mix this into the pasta cheese mix.
• Make balls of this mixture.
• Heat oil in a kadhai/wok and fry until golden brown.Drain onto kitchen towels.
• Serve hot drizzled with tomato ketchup :)  

Delicious quick pasta pops to go with your coffee on a rainy day!

Notes:

1. Pasta needs to be completely drained and dry once cooked.
2. Stale bread will work fine.
3. I used cream cheese but any should work fine.
4. Bread and cheese are the binding agents here.

Sending to my Its Birthday Party Time , What's with my cuppa and Nupur\s Space, Motions and Emotions Event , Diwali Bash 2013

Cheesy Pasta Pops

Have you any leftover cooked pasta?Then this what you should try :)
If you are looking for a quick party pleaser look no further!Pasta is my all time favourite lunch or breakfast item but I never thought it would become my 4 o'clock snack ideal too!

Paal Kozhukattai

All of you must have seen the blog world being flooded with kozhukattai recipes.I made these super easy ones on Sunday for breakfast because like I said even the TV was overflowing with Lord Ganesha's favourite snack.You can make this as a healthy payasam and an after school snack for kids.

Ganesh Chathurthi/Ganpathi takes me to Mumbai, these 10 days, Mumbai's streets just glow literally with the beautiful mandaps and the even more beautiful Ganpathis in all sizes.

I wasn't very familiar with Hindu festivals until i came back to India from Dubai, My friends took me to Ganpathi mandaps in my first ever year and I was awestruck at the amount of effort people put in during these 10 days.

Coming back to this recipe, my mom used to make this as an evening snack for me and my sister when we were in college.Things our moms (and now us) do to make the kids eat!These are probably the easiest and oil free kozhukattais(well almost).

Preparation time - 1 hour
Makes about 30 small sized kozhukattais

You need

To make the kozhukattais

Rice 1 cup
Water 1 and half cup
Ghee/butter 1 tsp
Sugar 2 tsp
Salt a pinch

• Heat the water in a deep vessel, once it boils add sugar, salt, ghee and then add the rice flour stir vigorously to avoid lumps.
• Covered and Keep this aside for 10 minutes.
• Grease hands with some butter or ghee and roll the dough into small gooseberry sized balls.

To make the paal
Jaggery half cup grated + 1 cup water
Milk 1 cup (or more if you like)
Water 2 cup
Rice flour 2 tsp
Pinch of cardamom powder
Grated coconut 2 tablespoons

• Heat about 2 cups of water in a vessel, add the rice balls into this.
• Once the balls rise to the top it means they are cooked,add a pinch of cardamom powder to this.
• Add the cooled down jaggery syrup and let this boil for about 5 minutes.
• Sprinkle 2 tsp of rice flour.Let this simmer for another 5minutes.
• Turn off the heat.
• Add the grated coconut to the kozhukattais before serving.

Yummy healthy paal kozhukattais are ready.They taste lovely both hot and cold!

Notes :

- The ratio of water to rice flour worked perfectly for me, i used some ready made brand idiyappam flour.

- Add more jaggery or sugar to the paal to make it less or more sweet for your tastes.

- 1 cup of rice flour will make about 35-40 small sized kozhukattais.

- When you drop the rice balls into the water it will sink down and raise to the top only once its done so its an easy tip to find out they are done.

- I cooled the jaggery syrup before adding it to the paal I've heard it can break the milk.

Variations : 

- You can make the paal with coconut milk too.I made it with normal milk.

- Add fried nuts and dry fruit and give it a payasam finish too!

Sending this to Kids Delight Potluck party, Sweet Celebration, Tribute to my mom , Cook with white @ Merry Tummy

Paal Kozhukattai

All of you must have seen the blog world being flooded with kozhukattai recipes.I made these super easy ones on Sunday for breakfast because like I said even the TV was overflowing with Lord Ganesha's favourite snack.You can make this as a healthy payasam and an after school snack for kids.

Quick Bhel - instant tea time snack

Its summer already and is it just me(blame it on the heat) I'm so hungry always :) I decided to have this easy to make bhel which is so cooling and refreshing and filling all the same time!

Bhel is a very popular street food/train food in Mumbai.When I was in college me and my friends used to munch on this bhel while getting back home.Such a tangy crispy snack that can be enjoyed my old and young all alike.  

Usually bhel is served with some crispy puris, sev puffed rice, onions and drizzled with sweet and sour chutneys. Since i'm making it as a regular snack now i just add vegetables available and puffed rice.

There is no recipe as such but to make this you need:

Puffed rice 1 cup

Finely chopped vegetables - onions,tomatoes,cucumbers

Lime juice as needed

Chilli powder as needed

Chopped coriander leaves/cilantro as needed

Salt (optional)

Chaat masala optional

Take a mixing bowl add the vegetables, cilantro along with the puffed rice,Chaat masala, chilli powder and salt to taste.Sprinkle the lime juice and mix well, serve immediately else the puffed rice will go soggy.

Enjoy a cool refreshing snack for tea!

Quick Bhel - instant tea time snack

Its summer already and is it just me(blame it on the heat) I'm so hungry always :) I decided to have this easy to make bhel which is so cooling and refreshing and filling all the same time!

Masala coated Peanuts

Peanuts are such an addictive snack :) they are healthy alright but you need to know how and when to stop munching on them.And extra enjoyment with yummy masala coated and deep fried ones to make it even heavenly - guilty pleasure!

I used to love these always but now when i was at mom's for my delivery the love was renewed for these crispy crunchy spicy peanuts...me,my mom and my daughter used to finish off a packet easily!And remain stuffed for the rest of the evening :) What fun!

I saw these on Monsoon Spice last week during the V-day weekend.I instantly wanted to make it.However Sia has made a really healthy version of these in the microwave I didn't have the patience to try that out and so deep fried it.Lazy me!

Since this was the first time i made it, the flour coating was a little too thick which i want to rectify the next time i make them.Also i want to try microwaving it.

You need

Roasted peanuts 1 cup

Besan/Chick pea flour 1/2 cup or to coat the peanuts thinly

Rice flour 1 tablespoon

Salt to taste

Chilli powder 1 tsp

Chopped curryleaves 6 7

Ginger crushed 1/2 tsp

Garlic crushed 4 5

Turmeric powder 1/2 tsp

Water as needed to wet the mixture

Oil 1 tablespoon

• Add all the ingredients except oil and water and mix well.
• Add water slowly along with the oil such that the besan evenly coats all the peanuts.
• Heat oil in a pan and drop bunches of peanuts and fry them until golden brown.
• Drain fried peanuts on a tissue paper and store in an air tight container.

EnJoY crunchy peanuts with hot tea!

Sending this to WTML @ Hema's space started by Gayathri , Bon Vivant Kids delight, WTML - Hostel food, \Let's cook for kids\