Tomato Rice

It has been a really long time since I posted on this blog and going by the hectic schedule lying in front of me, it looks like a big struggle going forward.

The winters are here in Delhi and the fog is once again making the headlines. I have always loved the winters and am loving wearing my winter clothing. Hyderabad did not provide me with that opportunity. Talking about Hyderabad, I miss the Biryanis and the dishes special to that place, like the chicken 65 and Apollo fish. Tomato Rice is not special to Hyderabad, but it was to our household there, as Chennai was close by and our visits to Chennai or someone dropping in from there always got a bottle of tomato pickle from Grand Sweets in Chennai. It was a great shortcut to make Tomato Rice. In this post, however, I present the natural way to make Tomato Rice. Though I'm quick to grab all credits, this one has been the preparation of my better half, with no help from me at all.

Incase I miss out on another post, let me wish you all a very Happy New Year in advance.

Tomato Rice

Ingredients:

Basmati Rice - 2 Cups

Tomatoes, chopped - 4

Onion,sliced - 1

Garlic cloves - 4

Dried Red Chilli - 2 No

Coriander Seeds - 1 Tsp

Chana dal - 2 tsp

Turmeric Powder - 1/2 tsp

Oil - 2 Tblsp

Salt - To Taste

Green Chillies, slit - 2

Coriander, chopped - For garnish

Method:

1. Wash & cook rice adding salt. Leave aside to cool.

2. Heat Oil. Add red chillies, chana dal & coriander seeds. roast till done and take off flame.

3. Powder the above mixture after it has cooled completely. Keep aside.

4. Heat oil in a big wok. Add in the garlic and sliced onions. Fry till transparent.

5. Add in chopped tomatoes and cook till they turn mushy.

6. Add the roasted powder and turmeric and cook for 3 minutes.

7. Add rice to this mixture and mix well. Adjust seasoning.

8. Serve garnished with slit green chillies and chopped coriander.

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Dhaniawala Khumb

This blog has been lying dormant for almost a month. My new job and home have really taken me away from it in a way I couldn't even imagine. It's been a month in the NCR region and the speed at which life moves here has really taken us by surprise. The house is slowly limping to some sanity. Work has a new charm and the slight nip in the air is a wonderful change in the weather.

Dhaniawala Khumb

Ingredients:
Mushrooms, washed, cut into quarters - 500 gm
Whole garam masala
Boiled Onion Paste - 2/3 Cup
Ginger Garlic Paste - 6 Tsp
Green Chillies, slit, deseeded & chopped - 3
Red Chili Powder - 1 Tsp
Coriander Powder - 1/2 tsp
Yogurt, whisked - 1.5 Cup
2 Tblsp Cashew paste
Ghee - 3 Tblsp
Chopped Coriander -1 Cup
Ginger, cut into juliennes - For garnish

Method:
1. Heat ghee in a pan. Add in the whole garam masala. Saute till it begins to crackle.
2. Add in the boiled onion paste. Saute for 2 more minutes. Add in the ginger-garlic paste and cook, till the mix starts to turn golden brown.
3. Add in the chopped green chillies and stir for a minute.
4. Add in the whisked yogurt and stir to mix well. Mix in salt & red chili powder.
5. Add in half a cup of water and bring the mixture to a boil.
6. Add in chopped coriander. Cook for a minute.
7. Add in the mushrooms and cashew paste. Cook till mushrooms are done.
8. Serve hot garnished with ginger juliennes.

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Kadhai Paneer

Kitchen is a place where exotic dishes are turned out and mostly named after places or people. Here is a whole style of cooking that has been named after the vessel in which it is prepared. Kadhai cooking for one, turns out really thick and richly delicious dishes. Named after the indian wok called the 'Kadhai', the cooking uses little or no water and lets food cook in it's own natural juices. The Indian wok is different from its chinese cousin in being more deeper and narrower.

For starters, Kadhai cooking is not the only cuisine in India named after the vessel it is cooked in. There is also the Handi Cuisine and Tawa Cuisine. Kadhai cooking originated in Punjab nearabout Peshawar and made popular by the migrants.What set this cooking apart was the fact that it was quick cooking unless Meat was used and the dish could be transported to the dining table in the Kadhai ready to eat. The dishes are all tomato based thick gravies nicely spiced up with vegetables and/or meat. It is therefore spicy and has chillies. Incase you want to substitute lamb for paneer in the recipe below, cook the lamb till it's 3/4th done and then use it for Kadhai.

We are finally in Delhi and missing good ol' Hyderabad. The rushed life of the city is something we'll take time to adjust to. Just shifted into our new house and setting up stuff there. It will easily take time as we decided to take a duplex penthouse (something my better half always wanted) and the whole place needs a lot of work to be done since no one has lived there ever. Looking forward to a lot of cooking and grilling in the new house :)

Kadhai Paneer

Ingredients:

Paneer, Cut into Cubes - 250gm (Some even cut them into fingers)
Green Bell Peppers,Cut into dices - 3 (Again some prefer cutting into fingers)
Tomatoes -4 (make a paste out of 3, and cut 1 into dices)
Onions, finely chopped- 4
Ginger paste - 1 Tsp
Garlic Paste - 1 Tsp
Red Chilli powder - 1 Tsp
Coriander Seed powder - 1 Tsp

Black Pepper Powder - 1/2 Tsp

Turmeric Powder - 1/2 Tsp

Cumin Powder - 1/2 Tsp

Garam Masala Powder - 1 Tsp
Kasoori Methi - 1/2 Tsp

Green Chillies, slit and deseeded - 2

Corriander Leaves - A few for garnish

Ghee - 1 Tblsp

Method:

1. Heat ghee in a kadhai. Add in the onions and saute till they start turning golden brown.

2. Add in the ginger-garlic paste and saute for 2 minutes.

3. Add in the red chilli powder, corriander seed powder, black peper powder,cumin powder, garam masala powder and turmeric. Stir fry till they are cooked.

4. Add in the tomato paste and cook for 4-5 minutes or till the gravy is done.

5. Add in the Paneer cubes/fingers and bell peppers. Cook till they are done.

6. Add in the diced tomatoes and green chillies. Cook for 2 minutes.

7. Add in kasoori methi leaves just before finishing the dish and mix well. The gravy should have dried up by now and should be just enough to coat the paneer, bell peppers and tomatoes.

8. Serve hot garnished with corriander leaves.

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Makai mirch ka salan

If there is one thing that my better half will miss from Hyderabad it is undoubtedly the famous mirch ka salan. Over the last year or so,I posted many Salan recipes including mirch ka salan. This one is my variation on the famed mirch ka salan.
My other salan recipes are as under:
Mirch ka Salan
Gobi aur mirch ka salan
Tamatar aur Chana Dal Ka Salan
Lasan Ka Salan
Dry Fruit Salan

Makai Mirch Ka Salan

American corn - 1 Cup
Bhavnagari chillies, deseeded & sliced thickly - 5
Onions,roughly chopped - 2 Cup
Peanuts, roasted- 2 Tblsp
Sesame seeds (til) - 2 Tblsp
Desiccated coconut- 2 Tblsp
Fennel seeds (saunf) - 1 Tsp
Nigella seeds (kalonji) - 1 Tsp
ginger-green chilli paste - 2 Tsp
garlic paste - 1 Tsp
Red chilli powder- 1 Tsp
Coriander seed (dhania) powder - 1 Tsp
Turmeric powder (haldi) - ¼ Tsp
Tomato Paste - 1 Cup
Tamarind (imli), Lemon ball sized, soaked in ¼ cup of water
Oil - 4 Tblsp
salt to taste

Method:
1.Deep fry the Bhavnagri chillies in hot oil for a few seconds. Drain on absorbent paper and keep aside.
2.Heat the oil in a pan, add the onion paste and saute till it turn golden brown in colour. Add the ginger-chili paste, garlic paste and saute for 3 more minutes.
3.Add chili powder, coriander seed powder, turmeric powder, tomatoes and salt and cook till the tomatoes soften. Cool completely.
4. Grind this to a smooth paste.
5.Roast the peanuts, sesame seeds, desiccated coconut, fennel seeds and nigella seeds over a slow flame till all the ingredients are lightly browned. Powder this and keep aside.
6. Heat oil in a handi. Add in the first paste. Saute for 3 minutes.
7. Add in the second paste (Peanut, sesame, coconut, fennel seeds, nigella seeds).
8. Cook for 3 minutes.
9. Add in the american corn and cook till it is done. Add in the Bhavnagari chillies. Cook for 5 minutes.
10. Add in the tamarind pulp and mix well. Bring to a boil and simmer till oil separates.
11. Serve hot.

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Murg Navratan

When Dheeraj (my golf buddy) and I planned to spend my last weekend in Hyderabad cooking something up, I was clueless on what to cook up. He luckily took more time to land up home thanks to a big traffic jam in the city due to the airport expo. That was enough time for me to make my cooking plans.This one has been taken from a cookbook and has been contributed by Chef Arvind Saraswat from the Taj group of Hotels. I interacted with Chef Saraswat while I was doing my Industrial Training at Taj Palace in New Delhi. I was a beginner getting initiated in the culinary arts and he was a master at that time. I was deputed to him for 2 weeks to help him out in his trials for new dishes. My only job at that time was to ensure all the mis-en-place is done and the utensils for cooking are ready.
The dish is rich and mild. It look regal and tastes regal too. Dheeraj loved it and took some home too for his wife. By the time you see this post I would have left this city and would be flying to Delhi, leaving this house, this city and the people we had grown to love and taking some wonderful memories with us.

Murg Navratan

Ingredients:
Chicken, Cut into pieces- 1 Kg
Yogurt - 1.5 Cups
Ghee - 3/4 Cup
Whole garam masala- 2 Spoonfuls
Onion Paste - 1.5 Cup
Ginger-green chili paste - 2 Tblsp
Green Chilies, chopped finely - 2
Turmeric- 1/4 Tsp
Red Chili Powder - 2 Tsp
Cream - 1/2 Cup
Green Cardamom Powder - 3/4 Tsp
Mace Powder - 3/4 Tsp
Poppy Seeds - 2 Tblsp
Almonds, blanched and skinned - 1/4 Cup
Cashewnuts - 1/4 Cup
Melon Seeds - 2 Tblsp
Pistachios - 10

Method:
1. Marinate chicken pieces in whisked yogurt and salt.
2. Soak poppy seeds in water for 30 minutes. Make a paste out of poppy seeds, blanched almonds, cashewnuts, melon seeds and water.
3. Heat ghee in a large pan. Add in the whole garam masala and saute.
4. As the garam masala starts to crackle, add in the onion paste. Saute for 5 minutes.
5. Add in the ginger and green chili paste. Saute for a minute.
6. Add in turmeric & red chili powder dissolved in 2 Tblsp of water. This will prevent the powder from burning.
7. Bhunno for 2-3 minutes. Add in green chillies and saute for a minute.
8. Add the chicken along with the marinade. Put in 2 cups of water and bring to a boil.
9. Simmer till chicken is tender.
10. Add in the poppy seeds, melon seeds, cashew & almond paste. Mix well and bring to a boil.
11. Add cream and stir. Sprinkle the cardamom & mace powder on top.
12. Add salt to taste. Add in half the pistachios. Cook till gravy thickens and the fat comes to the surface.
13. Serve hot garnished with pistachios.

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Bharwan Aloo Chutneywale (Stuffed Potatoes in a Chutney gravy)

The last week has been busy. As my innings in Hyderabad come to a close, almost every day has been a mad rush. Day before,I went to the golf course and then Dheeraj (My golf Buddy) and me decided to catch up on some exciting meal. By the time we got through the meal, it was already 7 PM and I had to go for my farewell dinner which had been organized by my peers. Early next day morning we went to Srisailam and it was a hectic but wonderful trip. We managed to have the Abhishekam done and I could touch and pray to the Jyotirlinga. You cannot imagine the spirituality and calmness it provides. The aura in the sanctum has to be felt. Last night, my managers had organized a farewell dinner. So after driving back to Hyderabad,I straight away headed there. It felt both good & bad to meet them. Bad since I was leaving them and good, for the fact that I was leaving behind a real professional group of folks.
Coming to the recipe, this one's a sure killer. Potatoes occupy a special place in our house given my better half's love for them. This ensures that I am forever scouting for new potato recipes. This one immediately caught my attention.The richly stuffed potatoes, the tangy and spicy gravy all made for a star dish. We made it last to last week, the busy schedule prevented me from posting it earlier.

Bharwan Aloo Chutneywale

Ingredients:

Potatoes, Medium, Peeled and cut into barrel shapes - 750 gm
Paneer, shredded - 120 gm
Green Chilies, minced finely - 4
Ginger, grated - 1 Tsp
Cashewnuts, crushed - 7
Raisins - 15-20
Coriander - 150 gm
Raw Mangoes, peeled & chopped- 30 gm
Mint - 75 gm
Boiled Onion paste - 1 Cup
Ginger-Garlic Paste - 4 Tblsp
Cumin powder - 1.5 Tsp
Red Chili Powder - 1.5 Tsp
Garam Masala Powder - 2 Tsp
Tomatoes, Pureed - 1/2 Cup
Yogurt, whisked - 1.5 Cup
Cashew Paste - 4 Tblsp
Salt - To Taste
Oil - For Deep frying
Ghee - 2 Tblsp

Method:
1. Heat Oil in a Kadhai (wok). Deep fry potatoes till three-fourths done.
2. Remove and cool the potatoes. Scoop out the centre leaving around 1/4' from the sides.
3.Keep Aside.
4. Now prepare the filling by mixing the grated paneer, finely chopped green chillies, grated ginger and crushed cashews & raisins. You can also add in some of the scooped potato after frying it a little & mashing it.
5. Stuff this filling in the potatoes.
6. Put the mangoes, mint and coriander in blender and process.
7. Heat ghee in the kadhai. Add in the boiled onion paste. Stir for a minute.
8 Add in the ginger-garlic paste. Stir for 2-3 minutes or till fat separates.
9. Add in the cumin powder, stir for a minute.
10. Add in the mango-mint-coriander paste and red chili powder. Stir for 30 seconds.
11. Add in the whisked yogurt, a cup of water and mix well. Bring mixture to boil.
12. Lower the heat, add in the potatoes and simmer till potatoes are done.
13. Add in the pureed tomatoes. Stir for a minute.
14. Add in the garam masala and cashew paste. Bring to a boil.
15. Add in the salt and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
16. Serve hot with naan or roti.

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Vatral Kozhambu (Vegetable Stew)

Having been married to an Iyer Brahmin,exposed me to a very different cuisine altogether. A cuisine which was simple and mild yet marrying so many flavors. After having seen my grand mother-in-law cook and after really pestering her for recipes (she still doesn't understand the presence of a male in the kitchen), I have now built up a nice collection of Iyer recipes for all ocassions.
So what is a Vatral Kozhambu ? Vatral means dried vegetables and includes eggplant, gourd,onions, shallots etc. Kozhambu (Pronounced KoolAMbu) is a gravy/ stew dish from Tamil Nadu that is made without lentils in it.Typically it can have a tamarind base or a buttermilk base. Other variations too exist. Literally translated it means "Boiling Paste". I tried digging in deeper to find its origins but could not go far. Any other inputs are welcome.

Vatral Kozhambu (Vegetable Stew) Ingredients:

Tamarind, lemon sized ball,soaked in 2 cups of hot water
Eggplants,small, cut into small cubes - 4
Shallots, peeled - 8-10
Mustard seeds (Rai) - 1/2 Tsp
Dry Red Chillies - 2
Asafoetida (Hing) - A Pinch
Fenugreek Seeds (Methi Seeds) - 1/4 Tsp
Chana Dal - 1.5 Tsp
Sambar Powder - 1/2 Tsp
Turmeric (Haldi) - 1/4 Tsp
Rice Flour - 1.5 Tsp
Jaggery, powdered - 1.5 Tsp
Curry Leaves - 8-9
Salt - To Taste
Oil - 1 Tblsp

Method:
1. Extract the tamarind pulp and keep aside.
2. Heat oil in a thick bottomed vessel. Add the mustard seeds.
3. Once they start crackling, add in the dried red chillies, asafoetida, fenugreek seeds and curry leaves. Saute for a minute.
4. Add the chana dal and saute it till it starts to turn golden brown. Add in the eggplants and shallots. Fry for a minute.
5. Add in the sambar powder, turmeric powder and tamarind extract. Simmer on low flame for 10 minutes.
6. Make a paste of rice flour with little water (thick paste without lumps).
7. Add this paste to the simmering mixture and bring it to a boil.
8. Add jaggery and salt and mix well.
9. Serve hot with rice.

Note:Readers willing to try out new things can also read my older post on Mutton Chops Kozhambu .

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Sambar Powder

The last few weeks have been extremely lazy. I have been enjoying my month long leave by covering up on much needed sleep, reading a few books which had been kept for a later date and sorting out the household stuff before the packers and movers drop in. I have also tried calling up a few property brokers in NOIDA to fix up place but I guess they are lazier than me.
As I leave the southern part of India, nostalgia seems to be setting in. So, I have been trying out various southern cuisines and delicacies. One thing that hits me is the relative ease by which we get all ingredients required so easily these days. Sambar powder is one such thing. Gone are the days when the women of the house would make their own masalas. The huge mortar and pestle was a family must. It was huge and sometimes required 2 people to grind the masalas. Another interesting thing was the variation each household had, hence the same dish would taste differently in different houses. Even something as simple as Sambar. Since, I would be using a lot of sambar powder in the days to come, I decided to post one on how to make your very own. These are different versions from different regions and communities that I have come across. Anyone else with more different versions of this magic powder, please shout out ... I would love to collect as many as possible.

Sambar Powder - My Mother-In-Law Version

Ingredients:

Dried Red Chillies - 1 Cup
Coriander Seeds- 1 Cup
Black Peppercorns- 2 Spoons
Chana Dal (Yellow Split Peas)- 1 Cup
Dry Curry Leaves - 2

Method:
1. Separately dry all the ingredients in the sun for 2 days.
2. Dry powder them together.
3. Mix well and store in an airtight container.

Sambar Powder - The Tamil Version I

Ingredients:

Dried Red Chillies - 350 gm
Coriander Seeds- 350 gm
Black Peppercorns- 40 gm
Chana Dal (Yellow Split Peas)- 1/2 Cup
Tur Dal (Red Gram Dal)- 1 Cup
Turmeric Root - 7-8

Method:
1. Separately dry all the ingredients in the sun for a day.
2. Powder the red chillies separately and powder all the rest together.
3. Mix with the chili powder and store in an airtight container.

Sambar Powder - Tamil Version II

Ingredients:

Dried Red Chillies - 2 Cup
Coriander Seeds - 1 Cup
Chana Dal - 1/4 Cup
Urad Dal - 1/4 Cup
Fenugreek Seeds - 1/4 Cup

Method:
1. Dry roast all ingredients separately. Allow to cool.
2.Grind all together.
3. Store in an airtight container.

Sambar Powder - Andhra Version

Ingredients:
Dried Red Chillies - 10
Coriander Seeds - 3/4 Cup
Black Peppercorns - 1 Tblsp
Chana Dal - 1 Cup
Fenugreek Seeds - 1/4 Tsp
Asafoetida - A Pinch
Oil - 2 tsp

Method:
1. Heat oil.Fry all ingredients on low flame.
2. Allow it to cool down a little.
3. Powder in a grinder.
4. Store in an airtight container.

Sambar Powder - Kerala Version

Ingredients:
Dried Red Chillies - 50 gm
Coriander Seeds - 100 gm
Chana Dal - 1 Tsp
Fenugreek Seeds - 1 Tsp
Asafoetida - 50 gm
Coconut Oil - 1 tsp

Method:
1. Heat oil over low flame. Add asafoetida followed by red chillies. Fry for 2 minutes stirring continuously.
2. Add in the coriander seeds, fenugreek seeds and finally the chana dal. Fry till the chana dal turns golden brown. Keep stirring continuously all this while.
3. Allow it to cool down a little.
4. Powder in a grinder.
5. Store in an airtight container.

Sambar Powder - Karnataka Version

Ingredients:

Dried Red Chillies - 8-10
Coriander Seeds - 3 Tblsp
Cinnamon - 2 1" Sticks
Asafoetida - 1/4 Tsp
Chana Dal - 2 Tblp
Fenugreek Seeds - 1/8 Tsp
Dessicated Coconut - 4 Tblsp
Curry Leaves - 15
Oil - 2 Tsp

Method:
1. Heat 1 Tsp of oil on low flame. Add in the coriander seeds, asafoetida, fenugreek seeds & cinnamon. Once done empty in a bowl and allow to cool.
2. Add the red chillies in the same pan and roast until they start to darken. Take off the flame and empty in the same bowl.
3. Add the remaining oil in the pan. Add in the chana dal and fry till it starts to turn golden brown. Empty it into the same bowl.
4. Add in the coconut and curry leaves to the pan and roast till coconut starts to turn brownish. Empty in the same bowl.
5. Mix all the roasted and fried ingredients in the bowl and grind them together.
6. Store in an airtight container.

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Quiche

The days have been extremely sleepy and lazy as I have been lying around at home for the past three days and flipping channels on the TV. It's also the reason why I am posting suddenly with a renewed vigor that was absent for sometime now.
To let you all in on some happenings here...I have just managed to take another decision to finally call it quits here and move on to Delhi. Not that I don't like the city, but just like home is where the heart is, the reverse is also true. I think the time has come to move back to one's roots and get back to parents. Funnily, when we are young we try our level best to get as far away from them as we can, and then after some time, you do everything to do the opposite and get as closer to them as possible. Moreover, the opportunity out there is more exciting than the present one and what's life without challenges.
Krithika, I already told you the news yesterday so you cannot call and say you read it here first.
Getting back to the topic of this post, Quiche's a baked dish, which consists of a egg and milk mixture in a pastry crust and some other ingredients like ham, mushrooms, celery other vegetables added in. Both me and my better half are big fans of the Quiche that you get in the Maurya Sheraton Hotel's Mithai Shop....it's amazing. Since we were missing that lovely quiche so much I decided to try it out at home. What came out wasn't as fab, but yes! it did subside that craving for sometime.

Mushroom, Shallot & Cheese Quiche

Ingredients:

For the Crust:
Refined Flour - 1.5 Cup
Butter, cut into cubes (.5 ') - 1/2 Cup
Egg - 1
Salt - 1 Tsp
Water - A Few Drops

For the Filling:
Butter - 2 Tblsp
Mushrooms, quartered & sliced - 1 Cup
Shallots, finely chopped - 1/2 Cup
Gruyere Cheese, grated - 1.5 Cup
Milk - 1/2 Cup
Cream - 1/2 Cup
Thyme, crushed - 3 Tblsp
Eggs - 2
Scallions, sliced - 1/2 Cup
Red bell pepper, Finely Chopped - 1/2
Black Pepper - 2 Tblsp
Salt - To Taste

Method:
For Crust :
1. Sift the flour and the salt together. Add butter and mix with soft hands by rubbing your fingers in the mixture till a coarse meal forms.
2. Add a whisked egg and 1 tsp Cold water to this coarse meal. Knead gently to form a dough.
3. Wrap in plastic and chill for an hour.
4. Take dough and roll it out on a lightly floured surface in a round shape.
5. Take a buttered pan with a removable bottom. Transfer rolled out dough to the pan.
6. Press on the bottom and the sides of the pan. Trim out excess dough.
7. Pre-heat oven to 400 °F. Fill pan with dried beans and bake for 20 mins or until crust is golden.
8. Cool.
For Filling:
1. Melt butter in a skillet. Add in the shallots. Saute till they turn translucent. Will take about 2-3 minutes.
2. Add in the scallions and Red Bell Pepper. Saute for another minute.
3. Add in the mushrooms. Sprinkle salt and pepper. Saute till mushrooms are tender. Will take about 10 minutes.
4. Sprinkle thyme and cook for another minute.
5. Take out on a plate and cool this mixture.
6. Sprinkle some thyme on the crust followed by some grated cheese.
7. Add in the mushroom mixture.
8. Whisk cream, eggs, milk, salt and pepper in a bowl.
9. Pour this mixture over the mushrooms.
10. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese on top.
11. Bake the quiche for 20 minutes at 350 °F or till custard is set.
12. Serve at room temperature.

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Grilled Masala Aloo Wedges

Entertaining guests at your place can be quite tricky, especially if its the same old regular crowd coming in too often. You cannot repeat your snacks and make it a regular affair wherein all your friends are gonna be laying bets if Seekh Kababs will be featuring on the snacks menu again that evening. You also cannot prepare something so exotic that'll kill you throughout the day in the kitchen or keep you in the kitchen for most of the evening when the party is going on.
The easiest option is too choose a new restaurant each time and order some takeaways or home delivery. Else, you can keep your mind open and have ideas for new dishes flowing in.
My better half loves potatoes. Being a veggie she doesn't have too many options I guess, that too, coupled with the fact that she hates Paneer and Mushrooms. So I need to keep thinking on my toes for new potato dishes as starters. This recipe is one such concoction.

Grilled Masala Wedges

Ingredients:

Potatoes - 5
Ginger Garlic Paste - 2 Tblsp
Gramflour - 50 gm
Cornflour -15 gm
Onion paste - 2 Tblsp
Red Chilli Powder - 1 Tblsp
Garam Masala Powder - 1 Tblsp
Kasoori Methi - 1 Tsp
Yogurt - 1 Cup
Egg - 1 No.
Lemon Juice - 1 Tblsp
Oil - 3 Tblsp
Salt - To Taste

Method:
1. Parboil the potatoes, peel them and cut them into wedges. Keep in salted water.
2. Prepare marinade by mixing all remaining ingredients except oil. (Ensure no lumps are there)
3. Drain potatoes and mix them with the marinade. Keep for 30 mins.
4. Oil a grilling rack and arrange the marinated potatoes on it.
5. Baste with oil and grill till done.
6. Sprinkle with chaat masala and serve with mint chutney.

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