Corn Snack

I discovered loads of new foods and snacks on this past trip to India and one of them is the infamous corn in a cup! Served hot in many flavours that include chinese, chilli, garam masala, and chaat, this is a quick and easy snack that can be savored at home too! First time I had mine was at a mall in Bangalore. Loved it! And then had it in Bandra and various places in Mumbai. After coming back home, I decided to grab a can of corn at the grocery store and decided to make it at home - makes great college food!

Ingredients: (for a one time snack)
Half a can of corn - approx 8-10 oz
1-2 sp chilli powder
1-2 sp garam masala
1-2 sp chaat masala
1/2 sp black pepper powder
Salt to taste
Some oil or butter ( whichever you prefer)
Coriander to garnish
Finely diced onions (optional)

Method:
1)Take the oil - a very little amount in a pan.
2) Add all the ingredients except corn to it.
3)Sautee the onions for a little while. If you want to retain the crunchy taste of onions, dont sautee for too long
4) Add the corn and mix it in and heat it for a minute at high heat.
5) Add coriander to garnish if you wish.
Serve hot with bread or just have it by itself!

Variations: You can skip the garam masala and just add the peppers and chaat masala or vice versa! There any number of variation you can add to this! If you can get your hands on some chinese masala, add that to. This makes a great starter or just a plain snack when you are really hungry!

Note: You want this dish to be a dry snack. Make sure you do not add water from the can or it will turn out to be soggy.

Published in the Chatpati Chutneys and Snacks category.

Chai

From the Chai Tea Lattes of Starbuckss to the hot cuppa tea that every Indian household savours each morning, this little hot drink is a hot-favourite of mine. Why the recipe? Believe it or not, as easy as it sounds, each household has their own little variation of tea. It took me quite a while to get the right ratios and make a good cup of tea and my roomie does not get to drink tea when she is at home without me! So here roomie, this one is dedicated to ya! The way I drink my cuppa tea!

Ingredients:
1 cup water
1 cup milk
2-3 teaspns tea
3-4 teaspns sugar
1-2 teaspn tea masala (found usually at grocery stores) - not necessary but adds that spicy kick to the tea
A little grated ginger
Tea leaves if you can get any add an amazing taste!

Method:
1) Take the water in a pan, add tea, sugar, tea masala, and the ginger and bring to a boil
2) Add milk to this mixture once the water has boiled for a minute or so
3)Bring to a boil!
4) Serve hot with virtually anything!

Variations: You can make all kinds variations to this drink! Cinnamon, ginger, less water, more milk, cream, whipped cream, icecream, anything! I like a little more milk in mine so I use 1 1/2 cup milk instead of one.

Tips: To make what is called the "kadak" chai, increase the amount of tea and bring the final mixture to a boil several times. For parents and elders with diabetes, add less sugar. For lactose intolerants - no milk!

The English might have given us the plain black liquid tea, but we sure have added our spices and made it a part of our daily lives! Chilled with whipped cream or a hot cup with paranthas, tea is a must make!

Published in the Desserts, Drinks, and Sweets and Snacks categories.

Gatta-Nu-Shaak

I came across this delicacy for the first time at a family get together. There is a very popular, Gujarati snacks restaurant - Swati in Mumbai at Tardeo. Gatta-nu-shaak or gatte ki sabzi with satpadi roti is one of their most popular dishes! This delicacy is made up of besan rolls (gatta) in a curd gravy.

Ingredients:

For gattas -
2 cups gram flour (besan)
3-4 tbsp red chilli powder
2 tbsp dhania powder
1/2-1 tbsp turmeric powder (haldi)
Salt to taste
2 tbsp oil - preferably peanut oil

For the gravy -
2 tbsp ghee (clarified butter?)
A few cumin (jeera) seeds
2 cups curd/yogurt
3-4 tbsp red chilli powder
2 tbsp dhania powder
1 tbsp jeera powder
1/2-1 tbsp turmeric powder (haldi)
dried chili if available
fresh coriander (green dhania)
Salt to taste

To make gattas:
Before kneeding the dough, take a heavy bottomed pan and leave water to boil.
1) Take besan, oil, red chilli powder, dhania powder, haldi, and salt in a bowl.
2) Use a little bit of water to kneed dough.
3) The dough should be slightly stiff. If it is too stiff, the besan will take longer to cook and if it is too soft, the besan might be soggy later.
4) Roll the dough in round elongated pieces - shape them like spring rolls
5) Add these rolls to boiling water and boil for about 5-7 minutes. Actually, boil till the rolls rise up to the surface and show some bubbling. To test if they are cooked, take one roll out and cut a tiny peice. If this peice is more dark colored from within than light yellow color then if it not done! The idea is to boil these rolls so that they dont feel "kaccha" in the dish.
6) Once the rolls are cooked, place them on a dish and cut them into tiny round pieces.
7) Make sure to set aside the remaining water for the gravy!

To make the gravy:

1) Take a pan, add ghee and jeera seeds and heat the mixture till the seeds are brown.
2)Add the rest of the ingredients including the curd and stir for half a minute.
3)Now add the gattas and the remaining water from boiling the gattas to this mixture.
4) Bring to a boil
5) Cover and simmer for 5-7 minutes or until the gravy has reached the desired consistency (a nice thick consistency is best)
6) Add fresh coriander to garnish and serve hot with rotis or rice!

Important note: Make sure you use ghee and not oil in the gravy because a great part of the taste in the shaak comes from it! If you want to make a punjabish version you can add garlic and garam masala, but I think the gujju essence comes from not adding these.

Variations:
Some people like to add methi leaves to the gatta dough.
You can also add tomatoes or onions to the gravy if desired.

Published in the Garvi Gujarat category.

All Else

Ghee - clarified butter. A key ingredient in Indian cooking.

Kaush Nu Rasodu

Welcome to my kitchen! "Rasodu" is the gujarati word for kitchen/rasoi! All dishes published here will be the ones I actually make in my kitchen! Try at your own risk ;)

Actually, my main objective is to try out new dishes as and when I get time and publish them for record and others to see! Another goal is to get Gujju khana out there! There are so many yummy tasty gujju dishes that are just not out there and it would be so awesome if everyone got to try these. Now granted my culinary skills are very limited, but through searches and combining different recipes, believe it or not, I sometimes do churn out decent food. So here goes... Bon Apetit!

Soups and Rotis

Bharatiya Cuisine - Varities of Apna Des

Chatpati Chutneys and Snacks

Chatpati chutneys and snacks made in my kitchen go here.

Chai -Tea! Great accompaniment to snacks :-)

Corn Snack - A chatpata quick and easy corn snack with minimum ingredients!

Masala Puri - Spicy breadlets ;)

Cinnamon toast - great for breakfast!

Desserts, Drinks, Sweets

This category is made of desserts of every kinds, drinks - hot and cold, and sweets that I might manage to make in my kitchen!

Chai - Does this one need a description? ;)=
Sheera/Sooji ka Halwa - A sweet dish!
Kheer - rice pudding, my personal favourite!

International Fare

Garvi Gujarat

This category contains Gujarati dishes passed down the generations in my family or those that I have come across at weddings, family get-togethers, or at other people's houses.

Gatta-nu-shaak - Besan rolls in a curd gravy.

Masala Puri - spicy breadlets ;)

Methi Pudas - fenugreek pancakes