It’s time to munch!

The winter is here and with the temperatures dropping by the day have these lip smacking delicacies with a hot cup of tea

CAULIFLOWER LOLLIPOPS

Ingredents

• Medium sized cauliflower 1
• Gram flour (besan) 2 cups
• Carom seeds (ajwain) 1 tsp
• Red chilli powder, 1/2 tsp
• Chaat masala, 1tsp
• Pinch of asafoetida (hing)
• Pinch of baking soda or powder (optional)
• Water, add as required to make a thick flowing batter
• Refined oil for frying
• Salt to taste

Method

• Cut the cauliflower into medium sized florets, rinse them well in warm water and set aside.
• Mix the gram flour in a bowl to make a smooth batter with the asafoetida, carom seeds, baking soda or powder, red chilli powder, salt and water.
• Heat oil in a wok/kadai.
• Dip each cauliflower floret, and deep fry till the fritters are crisp and golden.
• Drain excess oil on paper towels, and then sprinkle some chaat masala.
• Poke wooden skewers into each floret to make it look like a lollipop!
• Serve hot with green chutney or ketchup

COCONUT AND POTATO GOLDEN BALLS

Ingredients

• Large potatoes 3,
• Arrowroot (or cornflour) 2 tbsp
• Salt 1/2 tsp
• Grated coconut 1/2 cup
• Green chillies 1 or 2
• Fresh coriander 1/4 cup
• Golden raisins 1 tbsp
• Sugar 1 tsp
• Salt to taste
• Lime juice 2 tbsp
• Oil for frying

Method

• Boil potatoes, peel and mash.
• For the filling take coconut in a bowl, add minced chillies and fresh coriander, raisins, sugar, salt, arrowroot and lime juice and mix.
• Form potatoes into golf ball size balls.
• Make an indent in each and stuff with the filling (aprproximately half a teaspoon of filling, then wrap the potato again into a ball.
• Heat oil in a wok or kadhai. You should have 2-3 inches of oil in the pan.
• Test oil with a smidgen of potato. It should swim to the surface immediately.
• Fry 2-3 balls at a time, turning often so they are browned all over.
• Drain on paper towels and serve hot.

MOONG DAL PAKODAS

Ingredients

• Moong dal 1 cup
• Ginger (chopped) 1 tsp
• Onion (small) 1
• Green chillies 3-4
• Chilli powder ½ tsp
• Cumin seeds ½ tsp
• Fresh coriander leaves 1 tbsp
• Pinch of turmeric
• Pinch of baking powder
• Salt
• Oil

Method

• Soak moong dal for 2 hours. Drain and grind it along with ginger and chillies to a coarse paste.
• Combine all the other above ingredients in a bowl along with the dal paste and rest it for 10 minutes.
• Heat oil in a wok, drop spoons full of batter in it.
• Fry until golden brown.
• Serve hot.

MASOOR DAL VADAS

Ingredients

• Masoor dal soaked for about an hour 2 cups
• Cumin seeds 2 tsp
• Cloves garlic8-10
• Onion chopped 1 large
• Green chillies chopped 4-5
• Mango ginger finely chopped 3-4 inch
• Mint leaves finely chopped1 cup
• Salt to taste
• Peanut oil to deep fry

Method

• Grind the masoor dal along with the cumin seeds and garlic to a coarse paste.
• Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well.
• Shape into vadas and deep fry on a medium flame till done.