Vada Pav

Vada Pav, not something that us Pakistan think about when we want something for a snack. Our snacks are usually samosa, pakora and stuff. But why not give this a try too?

I had Vada Pav at a small chaat place here in Muscat. I fell in love with it. I've had it countless times since than. But now since I live much further from that chaat place, I thought why not try to make it myself.

So this is the recipe that I came up with. 

The recipe of Garlic chutney is adapted from Tarla Dalal

Ingredients:

(For Vada):

1/2 tsp of Mustard Seeds

1/2 tsp of Cumin 

1/4 tsp of Ginger Garlic Paste

2 Green Chilies (roughly chopped)

1 small Onion (diced)

1 tsp of Red Chili Powder (adjust according to taste)

Salt to taste

1/4 tsp of Turmeric powder

a pinch of Chaat Masala (optional)

2 large Potatoes (boiled and roughly mashed)

Juice from half a Lemon

(For the Batter):

1/2 cup of Besan (Gram Flour)

a pinch of Baking Soda

Salt to taste

a pinch of Red Chili Powder

a pinch of Cumin

(For Green Chutney)

1/2 bunch of Coriander

1/2 bunch of Mint

1 Green Chili

1 clove of Garlic

Salt to taste

1/4 tsp Cumin

2-3 tbsp Tamarind paste

(For Garlic Chutney)

6-7 Cloves of Garlic

3 tbsp of grated Coconut

1 tbsp of Red Chili powder

Salt to taste

(Other Ingredients)

4-6 Pav/Burger buns

Method:

(For Green Chutney)

For the Green Chutney, Blend everything together with a little bit of water. Keep Aside. 

(For Garlic Chutney)

For Garlic Chutney, heat a little bit of oil in a small frying pan, cook garlic cloves till they are light brown. take out the garlic than roast grated coconut. Blend garlic, coconut and red chili powder. Add salt. Keep aside. 

(For Batter)

Mix besan, baking soda and the spices. Make a lump free, medium consistency batter with water. Keep aside. 

(For Vada)

Heat oil in a frying pan. Add Mustard Seeds. When they start to splutter,

add Cumin,

and ginger garlic paste.

When fragrant, add Green Chilies,

Onion, salt, turmeric and red chili powder. Cook for a minute. Add a splash of water if the spices starts to burn.

Add boiled potatoes and lemon juice.

Mix and keep aside to cool.

Make balls of the potato mix. 

Dip in besan batter and deep fry till light golden brown. 

To assemble Vada Pav, lightly toast the pav, apply green chutney and dry garlic chutney. Place vada on top and lightly crush with the top half of the bun. 

Enjoy!

Cuban Chicken Sandwich

I saw this recipe on Food Network's Eat Street. It involves marinating the chicken with orange juice, i was instantly intrigued. I did change it just a little bit to suit my taste.

All the credit goes to the 'Bongo Brothers' food truck in NYC.

The sandwich is super juicy while the orange juice adds a tiny bit of tangy flavor to it. Really delicious!

I like to eat mine with Onion rings, but you can totally skip that if you dont like it. Serve with fries.

(This recipe serves 2. You can easily double or triple the recipe)

You'll need :

(For Chicken Marination)

1 chicken breast (or boneless chicken thighs) cut in cubes

Juice of 1 Orange (mandarins, sweet limes, or whatever floats your boat in the category)

Juice of 1 lemon

Salt to taste

1/2 tsp Red Chili Flakes

1/2 tsp of Black Pepper

1/4 tsp Oregano (dried or fresh, whichever you can find, I used dried)

1/4 tsp Cumin powder (Zeera powder)

1 tsp of Olive Oil (or any other oil)

1-2 cloves of roughly chopped Garlic

(For the Sauce)

3 tbsp Mayonnaise 

1 tbsp Cream

1 tsp White Vinegar

Salt to taste

pinch of Black Pepper

1 tsp Tomato ketchup

1 tbsp of finely chopped Onion

(For Onion Rings)

1 large Onion (cut into medium thickness rings)

4 tbsp All Purpose Flour (Maida)

4 Tbsp of Corn Flour

Salt to taste

Buttermilk (to make the batter)

NOTE: Make your own buttermilk by adding a tsp of vinegar to 1 cup of milk. Leave for 10-15 minutes. Than use as required.

(Other Ingredients)

Buns (store bought, homemade, your choice)

Lettuce

NOTE: This can also be made into a wrap, using flat bread or tortillas.

Add all the ingredients of the marinade in a bowl. Mix together.

Add chicken pieces. Mix to coat evenly than leave for 1 hour in the fridge.

Fry the chicken with all the juices till cooked through and the marinade becomes thick and saucey.

Like so.

(For The Sauce)

Add everything in a bowl

Mix together. Keep aside.

(For Onion Rings)

Mix flour, corn flour, salt and red chili powder in a bowl.

Add buttermilk to make a dropping consistency batter.

Dip Onion rings in the batter and deep fry

till golden brown.

(To Assemble)

Apply a generous amount of sauce to the bottom of the bun. 

Add lettuce, chicken, and onion rings.

How gorgeous is this?!

Hope you like it!

Enjoy!

Onion Fritters (Pakora)

Happy Ramadan everyone !

I havent been posting much here, even though i am free from everything these days (apart from making cakes of course !)

I've had a few recipes that i've wanted to blog about, just couldnt find the time !

I'm still waiting for my result, yea, i still dont have an MBBS degree :( (hopefully they'd announce the result soon)

Lets come down to the recipe i'd be sharing today,

These are onion Fritters that my mother makes, she adds anything she can find in these :D

so they are actually onion, spring onion and so-many-other-things fritters :D

i've been having these in Ramadan for as long as i can remember. Our Iftar table is not complete without these !

They are crispy and spicy and super delicious !

(This recipe is very versatile, You can adjust all the ingredients according to your taste)

You'll need

1/2 cup of Gram Flour (Besan)

1/2 tsp of Baking soda (Meetha soda, as we call it here)

Salt to taste

1/4 tsp of Red chili powder

1/4 tsp of Red Chili Flakes

1/4 tsp of Cumin (zeera)

1/2 tsp of Coriander seeds

1/4 tsp of Oregano

1 Onion sliced

2-3 Spring onions (sliced with the green part)

2-3 Green chilies

1 small Potato (Diced)

a handful of Coriander leaves

Mix gram flour with baking soda.

Add water and beat to make a thick paste. Make sure there are no lumps.

Leave for 2-3 hours.

When you are ready to fry them than add the other ingredients !

Salt, red chili powder, Oregano, Red chili flakes, Cumin, Coriander seeds, Green chilies

Add sliced onion

..diced potatoes

...spring onions and coriander leaves

Mix everything together, add water if necessary but make sure that it stays together !

drop the batter in hot oil with a spoon or use your hands to form Pakorey !

Deep fry till golden brown.

Serve with ketchup or Green coriander and mint chutney!

Fish Fingers (and a day with VJ Sehrish)

This has been quite an exciting week for me, 

I was asked by Vj Sehrish to join her on her show called 'Girls Republic'

I was ecstatic and nervous and the night before the show I was downright Scared !

It was a first time i was asked to be on TV, and i was really grateful for the opportunity,

I couldn't thank Vj Sehrish enough, she's an amazing person, sweet and so down-to-earth !

Here's a picture of me with Vj Sehrish

...and a cake i made for her :)

Check out more pictures on my page

https://www.facebook.com/Cakesnmorebysidra

Getting down to the recipe now.

My father bought some gorgeous looking fillets of fish a few days back. 

Seeing that beautiful piece of boneless fish, i knew instantly what i wanted to do with it !

(For the record , I've never made fish fingers before)

I didnt really know what ingredients to use, so i just added what i felt would go well with the fish. 

Now i can safely say that this recipe is entirely my own !!

Ingredients :

1 large Fillet of any good Fish

Salt to taste

1 tsp (or to taste) of Red chili powder

1 tsp of Mustard powder

1 1/2 tbsp of soy sauce

Juice of 2 medium sized Lemons

1/2 tsp of Cumin

1 Tbsp of Fish Masala (i used Shaan's)

1/2 tsp of Chinese Salt

1/2 cup of Flour (to coat)

1 or 2 Eggs (for coating)

1/2 cup of Bread Crumbs

2 gorgeous fillets of fish!

(I doubled the recipe)

Cut in Fingers

(Excuse my weird butchering skills!)

Add all the spices. Marinate for at least an hour.

Place flour , bread crumbs and eggs in separate plates.

(season the eggs with salt and pepper)

Coat in flour. Shake off excess...

...than dip in egg...

...than coat in bread crumbs.

Deep fry till golden brown

Serve with Ketchup or Raita.

Yum Yum !

Enjoy!!

Sharing recipe with Thursdays treasures

Drumsticks

I LOVE DRUMSTICKS!

They are juicy, spicy and tangy. Super succulent and a definite crowd pleaser.

(i'm sorry for weird pictures this time, i almost forgot to take them)

Ingredients :

(Marinate)

Chicken Drumsticks : 1 kg

Salt : to taste 

Black pepper : 1 tsp

Red chili powder : to taste

Soy sauce : 3 tbsp

Ginger garlic paste : 1 tbsp

Lemon juice : 2 tbsp

Chaat Masala : 1 tbsp

Eggs : 2-3

Salt : to taste

Pepper : 1/4 tsp

Milk : 3 tbsp

Flour : 1 cup

Panko bread crumbs : 2 cups

Method :

Marinate drumsticks in the ingredients listed above for 1 hour. Than put on very low flame.

Cook till done.

Add milk, salt and pepper to the eggs..

...beat. Keep aside.

Place bread crumbs in 1 plate and flour in another.

Roll the drumstick in flour. Shake off excess.

Dip in the egg mixture.

Coat with crumbs. Deep fry.

Enjoy!