No-cook Dahi Vada recipe

For the life of me... I can't remember where I got this recipe from. It surely wasn't from my mom, for she was fairly amused the first time I made these dahi vadas for her.

However much I may love cooking, there are times when it's just too much of an effort to make everything from scratch. So right at the onset, I must confess, that this IS a cheat recipe... in that I use some ready made ingredients to reduce the time (not to mention the effort) of making the dahi vadas from scratch. Honestly they may not taste much like the traditional dahi vada made from udad dal batter - but I can guarantee that its an interesting and palatable version - worth a try! 

INGREDIENTS

For the Vada

A packet of butter biscuits (variously called Surti Batasa biscuit, Makhania biscuit, Namkeen Khari Batasa biscuit)

Some luke warm water

For the Garnish

Beaten Yogurt / Curd

Sugar and Salt to taste

Pinch of Red Chilly powder

1 tsp Roasted Jeera (Cumin) powder

Besan Sev (optional)

Fresh Coriander

Fresh Mint and Coriander Green chutney

Tamarind chutney

METHOD

Place the butter biscuits flat side down, in a shallow/broad dish. Slowly pour in the luke warm water till it fills the dish for about an inch. Let the biscuits soak-in the water. This may take around 5-10 minutes, depending on the size of the biscuits.

Lightly press the top of the biscuits to see if the water has been absorbed right upto the top of the biscuits. Now, slowly lift each biscuit and press very gently to remove some of the excess water.Take care not to press too hard or the biscuits will get crushed. Besides, some of the water content in the biscuits will make them lighter and moist. So don't try to press them dry.

Next, line up a flat serving dish with these biscuits. 

Add some salt and castor sugar to the beaten yogurt to make it sweet and tangy. Drizzle the curd to cover all the biscuits in the dish. Sprinkle some red chilly powder, roaster jeera powder, sev and fresh coriander as garnish. Lastly add some green chutney and tamarind chutney for that extra punch of flavour.

Let it rest in the fridge for atleast half an hour before serving!

Barbari Bread Roll

A fluke recipe this!!

I happened to buy a barbari bread (typically oblong shaped Iranian bread) out of curiosity. Once home, I wondered what I could possibly make using it. On rummaging through my refrigerator, I came up with some lettuce, sauteed mushrooms (which I keep for instant use at all times), cocktail sausages, eggs, mustard paste and cheese.

So using all the ingredients I finally stirred up a quick and yummy roll using the unusually bland tasting Barbari bread.

Step 1.
Cut the bread breath-wise into two pieces.

Step 2.
Whisk 2 eggs into a hot frying pan... making a kind of plain omlette.


Step 3.
Layer each half of the bread with the egg and mushrooms.

Step 4.
Add some sausages (cut into length-wise halves)

Step 5.
Now add a layer of lettuce leaves, some grated cheese (optional) and drizzle with some mustard paste/sauce.

Step 6.
Finally roll the bread  and......

EEEEE....EEEE....EAT !!