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Dahi Vada

~ Huma ~ 2 Comments
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Dahi Vada is a deep fried spongy lentil dumplings soaked in flavored yogurt & sprinkled with spices. It is a delicious starter to a meal.
Dahi Vada
Few years back, on my visit to India my sister complained why does she gets hard center in the Dahi Vada though she follows the same procedure & method. I smiled & told her, I had gone through this phase too. My perfect spongy soft badas started coming hard with  ball like center.
 In India, I never had to worry but prepare the batter, mix, fry and soak in the curd and they are ready to eat.  But after coming to Dubai, I don’t know what happened and vadas started hardening in the center. Maybe a climate change or there is something wrong with urad dal I use. I also  asked my sis in law whether she is having the same issue or is it me. Whether I was doing something wrong. But no we were following the same method & procedure.

Minty Egg yolk croquettes

~ Huma ~ 13 Comments
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Recipe adapted from here
Serving 4

4 egg yolk
Hot Water for steaming the yolk
1 egg whipped for coating

Seasoning:
1/2 cup Bread crumb
Few sprigs of chopped mint , sea salt to taste, 1/2 tsp black pepper powder, 1/2 tsp red chilly flakes

Oil for frying
Chopped mint for garnishing

Method:

STEP 1:
Boil water in a deep pan. When it starts boiling lower the flame to lowest. Now slide over the single yolk in the simmering water. Count to 10 and remove it from the water. You will notice a thin skin has formed on the outer part of yolk.
Take it out very delicately.  Repeat the process with remaining 3 yolks.

STEP 2:
Prepare the seasoning by mixing bread crumbs with chopped mint, sea salt, black pepper powder & chilly flakes.

Whip the egg.

STEP 3:
Coat the prepared yolk in the egg and then with seasoning. Deep fry it.

Serve hot with Thai chilly sauce.

Onion & Cheese Tarts

~ Huma ~ 2 Comments
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This tartlets recipe has been adapted from Divine taste.I am following this recipe since many years. And it has never failed me on my first try also.Two little words are more than enough to describe this tart ,CRISP & DELICIOUS to the core.


I use different types of fillings for this tart. In short motto is to work as little possible on  a recipe but enjoy variety.
I am sharing with you the simplest version. Try it &  Njoy…….

You will need 6 tartlets tins, approximately 10 cm in diameter & 2 cm deep. If you don’t have this size not to worry. Use whatever is available.Servings can be more or less depending on the size.

Servings: 6 Tarts

For the Tart dough
225gm or 1 1/2 cups + 2 tbsp plain flour
1/2 tsp salt
110 gm or 1/4 cup  Butter (chilled & then cubed & again freeze for few minutes)
60 ml or 1/4 cup milk 

For Filling:
1 Onion sliced
1 Tomato sliced
8-10 pickled jalapenos (opt)
3 -4 cheese slices or 6 tbsp chedar cheese (I had Low fat cheese slice with me so I used that)
6 tbsp tomato ketchup
6 pinches each of crushed black pepper & salt

First of all we start making the the Tart dough. Please carefully read each and every step before starting. And please try to take accurate measurement. This the key to success for this tart.

  1. Cut the butter into cubes. Freeze again if it is soft. We need completely cold butter.
  2. In the food processor with chop blade put flour & salt. Pulse for a sec.Add in the chilled butter and pulse again 2 to 3 times  until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. Take out in a large bowl & add in milk. Now with light  hands mix to form a bowl. 
                                          
  NOTE:- Do not  knead or mix dough more. We need to see tiny pcs of butter in the flour. This is essential for a flacky crust.                                                                 
                                                                   OR
              You can use your finger tips for making the dough.

 3. Wrap the prepared dough in aluminuim foil & chill for few hours (2 hours max)

4.Now divide the chilled dough into 6 equal parts

Roll out the dough   approximately 12cm in diameter on a light floured surface




Place the rolled dough into the tart tins. Press gently with your finger to remove excess dough from the top.Chill the tart cases for atleast 30 minutes.  Repeat with all the remaining tart tins. OR if you don’t want to make all the tarts, then roll again in aluminium foil and keep it in fridge. I have always kept upto two week. More than this period I don’t know.
Preheat  the oven to 170 degrees centigrade.Line the base & side of tartlet tins with baking paper & fill with chickpeas or whole lentils or rice (can be re used) & blind bake for  20 minutes. Remove the paper with chicpeas or lentils  & bake again for 10 -15 minutes. This depends on your oven temperature. I had it ready in 10 minutes.
Allow it to cool.
Now assemble your cool tart case with onion, tomato, jalapenos & Cheese. Sprinkle crushed black pepper & salt to give extra flavor. Keep it again in the oven for 5 minutes on high temperature or till cheese melts.
When cool enough to handle, unmould  them. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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Chicken Shashlik

~ Huma ~ 1 Comment
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Shashlik ( This word originated in Ukraine ) means a  dish consisting of marinated cubes of chicken, lamb,beef  oR paneer grilled in oven or roasted on a fire.The marinated  meat cubes is inserted on a bamboo stick or skewers along with slices of capsicum, onion, and tomato.
It is also called Shish kebabs. 

INGREDIENTS:-

 200gms   Chicken breast  cut into cubes (approximately 1 cup)
1 Onion, 1 tomato & 1 capsicum cubed
Oil for brushing
6 – 7 Bamboo sticks
MARINATION:-
2 tbsp       Curd
1              Lemon
1tsp          Ginger Garlic paste
1tsp           Red Chilly powder
1/4tsp        tumeric powder
1/2tsp       coriander powder
1tsp         tandoori masala (optional)
1 tsp           Garam Masala Powder
1 tsp           Oil
Salt to taste

 METHOD:-

  1. Marinate the Chicken with all the marination spices
  2. Mix well with the Fork and keep it in fridge for minimum 2 hours(overnight is best)
  3. Now take a bamboo stick and insert first cubed capsicum, onion, tomato and chicken.Repeat till the entire stick is full. Repeat the process with all the sticks.
  4. Grill on a pre heated oven at 200 degrees for 50 – 60 minutes.Keep brushing from with oil on both sides.The vegetable will shrink a little and chicken little browned when ready.